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That evening I am thankful my mum insisted and applied sun-protection onto my whole body, because even with all the sun block lotion, there is still a rosy tint to my skin.
Aaron and Esther kept each other busy all day. Her favourite activity, according to her, was burying Aaron in the sand with only his head sticking out, and not just once, but a few times. Aaron only laughs self-consciously. It seems as if he had a lot of fun as well, because Esther also tells us in great detail how Aaron met a girl on the beach, and apparently, at one stage this girl was helping Esther bury him.
Aaron just looks away embarrassed.
After dinner, we all sit on the porch looking out at the sea—looking first at the sunset and then later the moon reflecting off the surface of the ocean.
Jared sits on the steps leading to the beach and I sit on the stair in front of him, leaning back into him, the back of my head resting against his shoulder. He has his arms wrapped around my shoulders and is drawing lazy patterns ever so softly with his thumb on my shoulder. Neither one of us say a word, just looking out at the changing colours and listening to an owl hooting somewhere in the distance, while the others talk amongst themselves.
Much later, Sean pulls my mum up from her chair. Esther went to bed long ago. He says, “Come Elizabeth. Bedtime.”
Jared lets his lips brush past my ear, and he whispers, “Good-night, my sweet Elizabeth.”
I get up and smile down at him. “See you soon.”
The next night, Sean decides to barbecue, and not with gas. He is going to use charcoal and firelighters. My mum stands ready with the fire extinguisher, which does not impress him and causes us all great amusement.
Aaron invited Estelle, the South African girl he and Esther met the day before. She is nice and she invites us to go on a hike with her to a waterfall behind the hill, on the other side of the town.
Sean cooks the meat, and my mum soon realises the fire extinguisher is an unnecessary accessory.
When we are finished eating, we sit around the fire together, laughing and joking late into the night. The air is balmy, and the skies are clear, every star is glittering brightly.
After midnight, my mum, Esther and Sean go to bed, while Aaron walks Estelle home.
Jared and I remain sitting next to the fire looking at the dying embers. He has his arm draped across my shoulders and he traces feature-soft circles on my upper arm. I fit perfectly in under his arm as I am nestled closely into him. We do not talk and for me, it is as if I already know everything about him and words are redundant.
The next morning early, we meet Estelle in the centre of town, at an imposing stone church with a tall steeple.
Esther wanted to join us, but my mum and Sean took her for a drive around the coast and into the vineyards of the Overberg Region.
I notice Aaron’s face light up when he sees Estelle waiting for us, and I see her smile shyly when their eyes meet.
She leads us out of town and then we walk along a dirt road until we get to a farm gate. We squirm through the two wires of fencing on the gate and walk through the short grass into a wooded area. Slowly the ground under our feet starts to incline and we scramble over stones and rocks, climbing the hill higher and higher.
Once we get to the top of the hill, I turn around and look back to where we came from. The sight astounds me. I can see for miles and miles over the ocean and it feels that if I lifted my arms and the cool breeze took me, I could soar like an eagle far and beyond. In the distance, I see two whales and I look at Jared astonished. I want to stay here, sit down and just take it all in, but Aaron and Estelle insist we carry on to the waterfall.
Reluctantly I go with them, and not long after, as the ground plateaus under our feet, it is suddenly there. It is not a large waterfall, about three times as high as I am, but it is still stunning where it sits hidden amongst a multitude of ferns and greenery.
We take off our clothes and we already have our swimsuits on under our shorts and t-shirts. Slowly I wade into the pool across from where the water of the fall is plummeting into the cool blueness. Jared slides through the water toward me, and then he holds me close to him. His arms are across my shoulders, pulling my back closely to his chest. We look as Estelle and Aaron climb up the rocks to the top of the waterfall. I yelp involuntarily when she suddenly leaps down into the water, with Aaron following close behind her.
Jared and I join them and after each jump, we become braver and braver. We progress from merely jumping to making bombs and fancy dives.
Later, when I can hardly breathe from the exertion of climbing up the steep rocks repeatedly, we rest on the rocks surrounding the waterfall and bake in the sun. Jared and I arrange ourselves on our backs. My head is resting on his stomach and I squint against the glare of the sun. I can feel the sun soaking into my bones and I start to feel drowsy.
I wake up when Jared brushes his fingers against my arm. “Hey, sleepy head. We’re leaving.”
I turn myself onto my stomach. Balancing on my forearms, I lift my head and look at him befuddled. “Was I sleeping?”
He smiles. “And snoring.”
I look at him insulted.
“It was cute though.”
“Stop lying. I don’t snore.”
He pulls me up against him, until I am draped across his chest. “Did I mention how cute you sounded though?” He smiles impishly.
I move to stand up. “Ignoring you.”
He pulls me down to him again and he kisses me. His lips are warm and inviting as they move against mine languidly.
Slowly I pull away from him. “I thought we’re leaving.” I notice Aaron and Estelle waiting for us.
“Unfortunately, yes.” He sits up as I move away from him.
When we leave, Aaron and Estelle walk hand in hand ahead of us.
Throughout the following days we swim every day, playing in the waves and the rosy tint on my skin is starting to turn a faint brown colour. Jared already seems as tanned as someone who would have been here for months. During the nights we sit on the porch and talk or play board games.
