Today Is Beautiful

A Story by Nina Love

Today is beautiful. It is perfect and unspoiled, here beside you underneath the hot summer sun, basking in the warmth on violet-blue towels spread upon the white-gold sand. Your eyes are closed and I get to watch you fondly as you sleep, smiling and unaware of the hold you have on me. I sish and turn my gaze back to the bright turquoise ocean, watching as gulls float just above the water and children splash at eachother between the white-tipped waves. I, unaware that you are awake, smile wistfully at such innocent play and it is your turn to examine, unnoticed. Your hand traces down my wrist, letting your fingers intertwine with my own, Dark skin contrasting light. Your smile, bright as the summer sun, lights up your face and I find it hard to not smile back, such is your effect on me. Do you know this, or are you innocently unaware of how mezmerizing that smiel can be? Like a snake entrancing a bird, but this snake changes into the warm hand that enfolds mine. I can see the moment the thought comes to you, a daring, mischevious look dominates you and you jump to your feet. Your hand, still caught in mine, pulls me up and closet to the waters edge. You walk right into that shining surf and dive beneath, as I stand, still reluctant to go past my knees. Still underwater, you cme up and pull me legs from beneath me. I go under that shining spill of liquid turquoise and come up sputtering, grabbing and dunking you under as you come closer to see if I'm okay. Laughing, we take turns dipping eachother under, then glide underwater together, sleek and fast as dolphins. And later, when playfulness slides into exhaustion, sweet, happy, mind-numbing exhaustion, we force ourselves to swim back, past the breakers, and climb back onto semi-solid earth, back to our blankets where we lay curled about eachother and smile tiredly. And with your smile in my eyes, today is beautiful.