By The Sea

Ashleeen stuck her feet into the sand, glowering out at the water in front of her, her scowl clear on her face, but her dark eyes, most of the redness gone for the moment, were hidden behind large aviator sunglasses. Their shiny surface merely reflecing everyone else's vison back at them. The rest of her face was hidden by the rim of her Phillies hat. She had thought about not wearing it, but in the end, she couldn't just leave it behind.

She was merely strictly refusing to think about where it had come from.

"Don't be like that, Girlie, can't I get one smile?"

Ashleen didn't even bother to turn to look at Francesco beside her. She just continued to stare straight ahead at her, watching the sparkling water, and frolicking children, getting more and more angry.

"No."

"Ash.."

"Franny."

His tone had been soft, pleading. Her his had been short and final. There would be no more discussing this. He had gotten her there. Practically dragged her out of her room by her ear. Claiming that she needed to get off her butt and live again, and completely ignoring her protest that "The beach was stupid" and "It was too hot out."

Francesco pushed himself off the ground, "I'm going to get ice cream. Stay where someone can see you."

Like Ash was planning on leaving this spot? Like there weren't enough Mob members floating around the beach that there actually was somewhere to hide from them.

"I don't want any," she called after him.

"You're getting it anyways!"

Huffing through her nose, Ashleen pulled her knees up to her chest, feeling the sun beat down on her back, unpotected in her only bathing suit top, one she'd had for years - hardly used. She never did do the beach much, even when she was in a good mood.

If it hadn't been for Tre...

Her frown depend, and she continued to glower ahead of her.

She wanted to go back to her room. She wanted to be alone.


Outfit

Iris tried to make the best out of this walk on the beach. She was generally an outdoor person, and hated being in closed rooms for too long. Plus, she just enjoyed the feel of a place as cool as the beach and mostly ready to get into the water and try out surfing.

She didn't really care much anymore about the scars on arms and legs, though people do keep asking sometimes. Of course, no one would believe that she was kidnapped and tortured, she she'd lie and just give the typical answer. The pain had lessened as well, and she was getting back to her old athletic self.

The fear was still there a bit of going alone to unknown places, but she was managing to work around that. There was no way she would give the bastard that satisfaction and hoped he was dead.

As she walked closer, she saw a girl sitting on the sands angrily, quite obvious she didn't want to be here. "Is the beach really that bad?" She called out, smiling amusedly.

What did people even like about the beach anyways. THe water was always too cold, the air was too cold, and you came home with sand all over the place.

It was horrible place. And the screeching children were just getting on her nervse.

Francesco better come back soon, or someone might find their child tied to the volleyball poles, with a gag in their mouth.

Her head turned slowly, stiffly towards the sound of the voice, and she blinked at the girl from behind her glasses. If Ashleen had been in a better state to be more observant she might have noted that the girl seemed famliar, or even the marks on her body.

But all she needed to see was that it wasn't Tre, so she didn't care. She tried to tell herself she wouldn't care if it was Tre.

He had left. Franny was right. She'd have to deal with that eventually.

"Yes," she said shortly before turning back towards the ocean. God, how Tre would have loved all that water. THat thought only made her scowl even more.


[OOC - started this thread before I changed the avatar.... so assume this is before Ash charmed her hair dark; so she is still blonde. Repeat. At this moment still blonde That is all.]

"You know you can always leave, right?" Iris asked, still feeling amused by the girl's lack of speech. She guessed that the girl was antisocial, but this was probably a bit too much. But then again, she herself would be worse than this when she was having a horrible day.

She noticed the frown on the girl's face, but wasn't really interested in knowing the reason. At least, not yet. Plus, she was never the one to be interested in depressing stories of strangers.

"So that means no surfing for you?" She asked with a smirk.

Ashleen snorted, and shook her head, "No, you a normal person could leave. Trust me... I'm not leaving until I'm told its time to leave."

She let her darkened gaze glance around, she could see a number of mob members floating around, seemingly enjoying a day at the beach. Of course she knew most of them were all watching the rest of the beach - watching for people, watching each other.

Watching her.

She wasn't going to get to leave.

Her gaze came up though at the meantion of surfing. She looked past the girl to the water with its waves. She frowned.

She might not get away from the beach.... but if she went in the water maybe she could get away from...

She took off her sunglasses, glancing up at the girl with her blue eyes, as she pulled off her hat, letting her hair fall around her.

"Is that an invitation?"

"Here against your will, I know what that's like," Iris muttered and just shrugged at the girl's reply. "I'm Iris, by the way, but you can call me Grayson," she introduced herself.

Seeing the way the girl was looking around, she got the feeling that the blonde was avoiding someone. "Paranoid, much?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

Grinning lightly at the question, she replied, "Invitation, challenge...your choice. But yes, I am offering you a few moments of fun. So, you in?"

"Apparently I needed to 'stop moping around and have some fun," she snort and shook her head. Because this was fun? "Ashleen."

She pushed herself off the ground and started to wiggle out of her shorts, reveiling the swimsuit bottom underneath, "Grayson, if you knew what I knew... you'd be parinoid too."

She flung her jeans aside and started towards the water, not even bothering to verbalize that she was coming with.

"Trust me," she flung back over her shoulder, "I can be a lot worse than this."

I can make you leave.

"Well, you're still moping, so why not just leave and do something fun?" Iris questioned with a raised eyebrow. "Nice name," she murmured casually.

She looked at the blonde feeling intrigued. "Oh, I'm the paranoid type too, I just try too hard to be subtle about it. But being at beach feeling bored? Good cover," she commented with a wink, though she was being half serious.

Smirking at the girl, she followed her to towards the waters, with her surfboard. "Normally, I bring out the worst in people after a while of knowing them; it'd be too soon for you to be worse than this so soon. So are you here alone?"

"Moping is fun," she said with a shrug, her face serious and voice blank. She manged a slight smile and inclinde her head at the compliment, "Thanks."

She snorted, grabbing a surfboard off the ground as if it were hers, not just the first one she saw, "Yepp, best cover in the world."

Ashleen paused just for a moment at the edge of the water, staring down as she let the water lap harmlessly at her feet, she swallowed, letting the words the girl said wash over her, like the waves did her feet.

"What does it matter," she rather crossly after a moment, "if I there were people or not... I'm alone now."

She grimanced as those words hit closer to home than she wanted. She shoved all those thoughts away, and forgetting whatever worries may have made her hesitiate, and charged right into the water.

"Are we doing this or not?"

"Pretty sure you're the first person such a thing," Iris commented. "Are you one of those really depressed people who hates life? Don't look like the type though."

Iris got further into the waters and looked back at the girl. "Scared of the water?" She asked. "It's not that bad, really." She told with a smirk.

She dropped the board and began swimming using it as the support. "Yeah, we totally are!" She called out.

"I didn't use to be," she muttered under her breath, the statement more to herself, low enough that anyone who was not listening very, very closely could, and probably would have easily missed it.

"I'm not scared," Ashleen stated, waltzing in after her just to prove the point. "There are merely things I'd rather do, at times, than go into water."

She wasn't actually scared of it, persay. More hesitant. She knew what water could do... and took percautions...

Most of the time.

Of course, if it was between being hesitant, or forgettin gher problems - she was going to go with forgetting her problems.

So, ignoring the fact that she had only the slightest idea of how to do such things as this, she followed the girl out into the deeper water.

"If you'd rather not do this, then why come into the water?" Iris asked with a raised eyebrow. "But hey, it is quite fun once you get used to it."

She didn't think she had ever seen someone be so cautious, as though the girl was thinking of her every move. She briefly wondered if something had happened that made her so hesitant, but wasn't in the mood to know.

"So what is your idea of fun?" She asked smirking as she floated on the board, waiting for a wave.

Ashleen flashed the girl a bitter little smirk as she pulled herself onto the board to float, "I thought we went over this already? It was this or pout on the beach."

She scanned the horrizan, looking at the people farther out than them, wondering - a little nervously though she'd never admit it - when a wave was going to come near them...

And if she could remember what to do to stay on the board...

If she could remember what to do when she enevitably fell off the board.

Ever since that day with her mother all those years ago, Ash had avoided beaches beyond... If it hadn't been for certain people's begging she'd probably never have gone to another one in her life.

Thus she had never been the strongest swimmer.

"Oh you know, whatever anyone else finds fun I suppose," she shrugged absentmindedly, before smirking ever so slightly and doing what she loved to do... presenting the truth as if it was a completely lie, "Trashing my room, charming my way into strip clubs, A little game of Russian Roulette every now and again to keep you on your toes."

She let out a slight laugh, and shook her blonde hair out behind her, "I mean, isn't that what everyone does?"

"Seems like you'd rather have more fun pouting on the beach," Iris remarked with a smirk. "But trust me, the water is definitely more worth it."

She couldn't help but pick up the uncomfortable vibes from the girl. "Look, are you sure you're okay with this? I really don't want you to drown or anything, and you just seem plain anxious." She stated.

Iris grinned lightly as she listened Ashleen. "Trashing the room and getting into strip clubs is totally my kind of thing. But sadly, I've never played Russian Roulette. Maybe you could show me sometime?" She asked and smiled slyly. "Who knows, we just might hit it off," she shrugged.

"No darling, I don't think that's what everyone does," she pointed out. "But that's what makes the other things seem so boring."

"Hey," she said dully, a smirk growing on her face despite the tone, "Don't knock pouting on the beach till you try it." Nothing can make people more concerned, and a little frusterated with you when you continue to pout on the one place they were sure could make almost anyone smile.

Francesco was proof of that. She breifly wondered if the mobster had returned to their spot yet. If he was trying to find her. He'd probably start yelling at any of the random other members hanging around.

Hey, she had followed his orders. They could still see her. She knew almost all of them had watched her treck into the water.

"Don't worry yourself," she muttered, shaking her hair back out of her face, "I got this."

She hoped.

She gave the girl a smirk, "Technically we were told not to play after last time ended a little more... messily than usual, but what do I care?"

She shook her head again.

"Well then they're missing out on all the fun."

"Pouting on the beach is something that will never work for me darling," Iris smirked at the blonde. "Plus watching you do it, was enough proof for me. Then again, one can never know whether you were doing it to attract a lot of attention."

Sighing, she turned in her board to look at the girl. "It's obvious that you are trying to avoid someone or a lot of people. As much as I don't care about strangers and their problems, yours seems like a big one. And if there's something I can do to help, let me know, that's all." She told and shrugged before returning to play with the waves.

"Messily, how?" She asked and quirked an eyebrow curiously. "Though they said that, I'm sure rules are meant to be broken, especially fun ones like these. Am I right?" She asked with a sly grin.

"They are missing out on all the fun and they don't even know it," she shook her head in mock disappointment.

She snorted, "Not attention I wanted, just the opposite actually. I want them all to leave me alone." Why wouldn't they anyways? If Tr-he thought she wasn't worth wasting his time on, why was everyone else bothering to fill the hole.

Like they could actually replace him. Like anyone could actually replace him. Didn't the mob learn their lesson last time they had taken him away?

She turned her head to look the girl over.

"Thanks for the offer, but trust me - I don't think you can help on this one."

"We were already breaking the rules to play it that time," she gave a little smirk, and shook her head, "And there was just some miss handling of a loaded weapon. Going off at people who weren't playing the game seems to equal messy."

"If you don't want attention, I suggest you try to blend in with other people, kind of like what you are doing now I guess," Iris shrugged. "Then again, I wouldn't know since I manage to attract unwanted things half the time." She said this as she remembered all the times she got into fights, not to mention the kidnapping.

Nodding her head slowly, she smirked. "Well, if you ever want to make a runaway escape, let me know. Assuming that you know how to fight, you can get away for a bit for sure."

"Loaded weapon? You mean, like a gun?" She asked, getting intrigued. It was one of the weapons she yet had to master, including perhaps a rifle. "Did someone get shot?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Blending in," Ash nodded her head. She knew all this. She use to be the queen of blending in ... when she wanted to that was. Most of the time she had wanted the attention. She'd wanted to be-to be-

She'd wanted to be queen of the jungle gym.

"I can fight," she said easily, adding a silent most of the time in her head. Ignoring the one blatant glare in her 'fighting' history. The one time she hadn't been able too...

"Like a gun," she repeated almost bitterly - not that this was so much different than everything she said now a-days, bitter being her favourite tone . "Yeah, they were fine in the end - close call. Such an inelegant weapon a gun. Even a complete moron can kill with a gun."

"Or you know, you could just be the lone wolf and no one would give a fuck," Iris stated, remembering the times it had worked on her. Once everyone thinks you are a freak, they're either scared or least bothered to even look at you.

Then again, walking around school with a dagger in your pocket always does the trick, she thought with a smirk.

"That's good, then. Because it not helps to attract guys, it helps to scare them away also," she remarked, a humourless smile on her lips. "Just be careful while using a weapon though," she warned as she thought of the time she ended up stabbing a man.

"Really? It's that easy to use a gun?" She asked in surprise. "How about rifles? Or firearms?" She had just seen these weapons being used by people but never got a chance to try them out for herself.

"Trust me," she shook her head, "They'll always care - signed my name in blood I did... and I didn't even get to sign my name. Only way out would be a bullet to the head, and I'm sure they'd find a way to control that too."

She shook her head and snorted. Wasn't life just grand?

Ashleen stiffened at the girls next statement, "I don't need a guy. I have one." Her voice was stiff and clipped. She would always have one... even if that one didn't seem to want her any more...

Of course he had promised but-but...

"It's easy to think you know what you're doing," Ash shrugged, disgruntled. The mention of Tre... even indirectly, had put her right back into a mood. "Its all about aim. You either can... or you can't."

She huffed and steered her board towards the open water, "We were supposed to be surfing, weren't we?"

"Hm, sounds like I need to get a gun or a rifle," Iris muttered mostly to herself. "Most probably I'll just steal it from somewhere, but I don't think anyone's going to miss just one weapon," she smirked.

She turned away from the blonde and nodded her head. "Right, surfing." Just as she said the words, she saw a bit of a huge wave approaching them.

Swimming using the board as a support a little more forward, and tried to stand up before the speed of the wave attacked altogether.

She wanted to perform the Hanging five stunt, but figured it'd be best to make sure the wave isn't too strong and do the basic moves.

"How's it going?" The Gryffindor called out to Ashleen.

Ashleen looked at the wave, and her board before, sticking her hands in the water and swimming herself closer.

She decided to ignore the fact that she had no idea what she was doing, or that undertoe could be a bitch.

Taking a deep breath she got herself close enough and slowly, shakily stood up on her board.

And was surprised to find that she actually managed to stay on top.

"Swimmingly," she called back in response giving a short half laugh at her own lame, slightly sarcastic joke.

Iris grinned to herself, loving the feel of the adrenaline rush coursing through her body. It wasn't that common for her to go surfing or do any water sports, and she had to admit that it felt really good.

As the next wave approached, she did a floater trick though it wasn't that intense since the water wasn't too strong.

"Nice joke," she called out sarcastically and shook her head amusedly. "Sure you're doing okay?"

Focus; all she had to do was focus and this would be alright. After all, a natural balance had been something she owned and used on a regular basis. This was no different, except for water was pushing her along.

"It was hilarious," she called back, ignoring the second part of Grayson's question, mainly because she was worried if she thought about it too much the opposite answer to the one she wanted to be able to give would be the one that would be true.

After bracing herself for the second wave, and finding herself still on top of the board, her ego grew a bit, and she grinned.

"Ain't nothing to it darling."

She knew she was getting a bit cocky.

She wasn't going to do anything about it. After all, confidence could only help her right?

Ashleen leg muscle began to cramp just slightly, rejecting the slightly odd way she had pulled it up onto the board. Frowning the girl attempted to wiggle it slight, move it ever so.

She wobbled once, leaning backwards.

Her arms began to spin, trying to gain motion to pull her forward once more. For the briefest of moments it looked like she was going to be able to do just that, pull herself forward-

And then the wave hit.

With a half strangled cry, she was pushed off the board into the depths below.

After a second of grumbled annoyance at having looked like such a fool, Ashleen regain her composer and began to swim back to the surface.

At least, that was what she had intended to do.

But with a closed mouth squeal , she realized that instead of moving up she was being pulled... back down, and out.

She was being pulled out into the sea.

The girl was trapped in the undertow.

With a frantic squeal, she used a spurt of energy to try and tug out of it, swim up, forward. Having never been much of a swimmer, in ocean, lake or pool, no one had thought to tell her that to get out of an undertow one was to swim horizontally.

The murky water clouded her vision, obscuring most things that came her way, but in a flash she caught sight of her hair, somehow catching on a ray of light that sliced the water, and glowing as it floated about her. It was such a pretty vision, that despite the growing strain in her chest and the way her head was starting to spin, she just stopped what she was doing and stared.

Maybe this wasn't so bad. Maybe she should just...

Water was peaceful, calm. And it reminded her of Tre, and her mother. That had been the real reason she hadn't wanted to come today; she didn't want to look at it and see all the people she didn't have any more.

But now she saw it was wrong. If she had just gone in before she would have seen the reminder wasn't a bad thing. It brought them closer. She could almost feel as if they were with her, protecting her, watching over her as she -

Her lungs were desperate, screaming so bad that she simply could not ignore it any longer. Closing her eyes to the watery vision - almost consciously knowing that this was giving up, preparing herself for what she was doing.

Ashleen took in a deep breath filling her lungs burning salt water.