Salty air, sun kissed hair

Location | the smaller harbor in the city
Date | 2nd of July 2022
Time | midday
Weather | very warm, bright clear sky
Attire | Link
Topic for | @Katelyn xx
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It had been a while really since she actually had been out talking with her friends. Nicole didn't spend much time with anyone, not after trying to cut her ties with her father and Rebekah. So, she had picked up her phone and contacted an old friend. Because she was lost. Nicole was far from dumb, she knew Aleks was walking on egg-shells around her, and it tore her completely apart that she didn't know where to turn or go. For a moment as she looked at the water she just wanted to jump in, see if she would sink and ever turn to the top. But then she shook her head again taking the notice to the figure coming towards her.

"Kitty kat!" she shouted when she saw Katelyn coming in closer, then skipping over to greet her friend with a warmer embrace, realizing just how she craved that hug from someone else as well. No matter how much she loved Aleks, getting to be the two of them just closing the outside world out - it was not a way to live either. "It's been a while huh?"

One day had taken the other. It was like an endless flow of things that had happened, and they had just passed her without her even realising it. Even though spring had come, it had done so with the passing of one of her friends. Maybe that had been why she had spent so much time just sitting outside, feeling the nature around her calm her down. She had seen Roman as much as she could, but with the Russian werewolves prowling around and then the aftermath of what they had done. Well, it wasn’t like things were rocky; they just had so much else to do instead of spending time together. Which was all right, even welcome—she didn’t want to be that type of girlfriend who told her boyfriend he couldn’t do things without her presence. Just like she wanted to do her own things without him.
Even though she had been surprised when she had received the text from Nicole, not that she didn’t want to see her friend, but because she hadn’t heard from her in such a long time.
“’Cole!” Katelyn said with a big smile as she bounced toward her, pulling her into her embrace. “It really has! I was so surprised when you texted me, but in the best way possible,” she giggled, “so before we start asking questions that will undoubtedly put a damper on the mood, how about we find somewhere to get some ice cream?” she proposed letting both her hands take Nicole’s.

Perhaps it had been just that one reason why Nicole hadn't spoken as much to Katelyn as she would like, the fact that she knew Roman could be the biggest gossip girl in town. That boy knew everything, and therefor she knew that Roman had told Katelyn about the Ryan affair back in the beginning of the year. An awful long time ago by now it felt like at least. "Ice cream sounds good," she truthfully spoke, and nodded. Once ice cream wouldn't hurt. It wouldn't even if her father had asked her to be more aware on her diet, she wasn't taking care of herself anymore and it showed in how empty her expressions looked like even if she smiled. Nicole gave Katelyn's hands a small squeeze, then nodded to the little ice cream shop not far from them, "lets to get it."

Katelyn would be lying if she said she wasn’t worried when she saw how Nicole looked. It was almost like she had withered away, and even though one could blame yourself for the death of a friend, to be this deeply affected by it—it scared her.
So, she squeezed her hand back and started walking toward the small shop selling ice cream on the pier. Katelyn let the silence settle between the two of them, knowing that in due time they would talk about those things that were inevitable; not now, however, she wanted to prevent this comforting moment that appeared between the two of them. Listening to the seagulls’ screams as they flew around, hoping there might be something for them to eat. The silent waves were only heard when they hit against the harbour’s walls protecting the rest of the area from flooding.
Then they finally made it to the small shop, and Katelyn let go of Nicole’s hand so she could probably look around and see what they had to offer. “Hmm, anything you see you like?” Katelyn wondered as she couldn’t really make up her mind on what she wanted or not.

Nicole had every single year always thrown some sort of birthday party on her birthday, but this year she hadn't. There was nothing to celebrate, and the fact she had turned 21 few days ago didn't really mean anything to her suddenly. Her eyes got stuck on the various of options of scoops one could have, "hmm good question," she narrowed her eyes a little bit more thoughtfully. "The blueberry ice cream and the pineapple sorbet looks delicious," she confessed with a light chuckle, almost lighting just a little bit up. But her aura had changed, and it scared her because she could feel it do something to her, almost like it tried to alter her soul, and she thereby wondered if this was the price she had to pay for not having done more to help Lara? Maybe she was just meant to wash away in the wind.

“Those sound really good”, Katelyn hummed “well, anything you pick, it's my treat,” Katelyn said with a smile; since it had only just been Nicole’s birthday, she felt like they could at least make a small celebration between the two of them, even though she was sure this wasn’t why Nicole had invited her out, but that didn’t matter to Katelyn—she always wanted to do something.
“I think I’ll have the Sea buckthorn sorbet with the salted caramel and chunky fudge,” Katelyn told the person behind the counter, nodding when asked if she wanted it in one of their homemade ice cream cones. She wasn’t really fond of those that most places that sold ice cream ran with; they always tasted like cardboard that didn’t really want to get swallowed.  
Katelyn let her eyes glance toward Nicole, there was something about her that had changed, and she didn’t like it one bit, but for now, she kept silent about it—she would rather talk with her mother about these things, just like she talked with her mother about everything that bothered her—if it was about her personally or her friends.

It was odd for Nicole who always was in control of her body, mind and soul - as far as she believed at least. She was raised to be perfect, never make a mistake and she worked so hard every single day not to disappoint anyone, and yet here she was, failing, over and over again to a point where she knew she was fucked. Nicole knew she was hitting the ground, but endless counts of trying to get back up had made her lose hope for it to ever happen. And there was no worse feeling than knowing you were slipping away while not knowing how or if you even could stop it. "Thank you," she thanked Katelyn as their ice creams got handed to them, they looked delicious. The smile even reached her otherwise blank eyes.

"We can sit out here, the view is amazing," she looked over the open ocean and exhaled as she then sat down by the bench. "I'm sorry it has taken me so long to reach out," Nicole confessed, coming to the conclusion that if she had just reached out and asked for help, perhaps she hadn't been beyond saving.

“Excellent idea!” Katelyn chimed in and followed Nicole toward the place that she had pointed out, and the view certainly didn’t disappoint. She sat down and was just about to take a bite of her ice cream when Nicole’s voice broke the silence that had formed between them. “Hey, don’t apologise for that” she quickly shook her head and gave Nicole a soft smile; “we all need time, and the last thing we need is to worry about friends not being there if we don’t; I knew you would contact me when you had the energy and time for it; doesn’t mean I love you any less,” she said with a softer expression, letting her hand find Nicole’s and gave it a slight squeeze. “Still means I’m worried, though, but well, we can’t have it all, can we?” she chuckled and took a bite of her ice cream. Being one of those people that were too impatient to lick it or wait for it to melt to a temperature where it wouldn’t be uncomfortable for one's teeth. Not that it was for her,  but she still got the odd look every once in a while.