sometimes i tell myself i'm pretty when i really think that gobblers have barns

Lina was at the beach today, enjoying the warm weather before it started getting cold. It was getting pretty close to that time of the year, so she figured she better be outside while it lasts. She didn't mind the fall or winter, she liked it, but summer was her favorite.

She walked around the beach until she found a good spot to lay out her towel. She took off her top but kept her shorts on. She sat crossed legged on her towel, and watched the clouds go by, feeling rather lazy.

Elliot needed some time to himself. Some time away from his family, some time away from his judgmental friends. The beach seemed like a good place to go. Now that it was getting to be later in the year, not many clio went to the beach because of the cooler weather.

Today it was pretty warm. Maybe not quite swimming weather, unless you like the cooler water, which Elliot didn't, but it was plenty warm enough to be able to walk around without a shirt on. Like I said, it was sunny, and Elliot didn't want any T-shirt tan lines.

As he was just walking around, enjoying the peace, he happened to see the one clio he wouldn't mind spending time with today. In fact, he didn't think he'd ever mind spending time with Lina. He hoped she wouldn't mind spending time with him.

He walked over and sat down next to her towel. "Hi Lina," he greeted with a smile.

Lina was brought out of her trance when somebody sat next to her. She turned her head to look and smiled. "Hi Elliot!" She leaned over and gave him one of those awkward side hugs, "Fancy seeing you here."

Elliot didn't mind that the side hug was awkward, it felt good to him. "Yeah, I didn't think anyone else would be at the beach today," he said with a smile. For the most part he kept his eyes on her face, but occasionally they wandered a bit. She was looking exceptionally good today in her bathing suit top. "I'm glad you are, though."

Lina smiled, "Well I'm glad you're here too." She uncrossed her legs and brought her knees up, and rested her elbows on them, while she laced her fingers. "What brought you here? Trying to enjoy the weather before it gets cold?"

Elliot shrugged. "Actually I was just kind of trying to get away from everyone, you know?" he explained. Quickly he added, "Not you though!" he laughed awkwardly. "I'd never need to get away from you..." Oh, real smooth, he told himself, mentally smacking himself.

Lina giggled and smiled. "I like to get away too sometimes," she replied. "But I'm out for the weather today." A slight breeze blew and some of her hair got in her face. She pushed it away, "One of these days I'm going to cut my hair short."

"You'd look pretty with short hair," Elliot told her. He smiled. "You look pretty with long hair too." He looked down and laughed a little. "Hell, you'd look pretty if you shaved your head. Not that I'm saying you should." The wind blew again, and this time Elliot reached up and pushed that hair out of Lina's face.

Lina laughed, "I don't think I'd look good bald Elliot." She smiled, "My head would probably look huge."

"Haha, you've got such a pretty face, and a nice body, it wouldn't even matter," Elliot replied jokingly. He was joking about the bald thing, but he was completely serious about how pretty she was.

"Aw Elliot," Lina replied. "Why are you so sweet?" She smiled and bumped into him gently.

Elliot smiled. "Well..." he replied modestly, trailing off and looking away. He looked back up at her, but kept his head down. "Hey Lina...I was wondering...would you like to go out sometime? With me?"

He had wanted to ask her out for years. Now finally he got the chance. He wasn't too shy, there was no Lane to interrupt them...Now there was nothing left to do but wait for her answer. His heart sped up a little bit.

"Oh," Lina replied biting her lip. She looked away and stared at the sand grains on her towel. A date with Elliot? She didn't know what to say... she only like him as a friend, but she'd feel so bad if she said no, but maybe she could go, just to see, maybe she'd feel differently after the date.

"Uhm," she finally said. "I... I'm sorry Elliot I only like you as a friend but," She looked at him and gave him an encouraging smile, "I'd still like to try going out with you."

The smile slowly slid off of Elliot's face. "O-oh," he mumbled unhappily, quickly looking away from Lina's face. Her words echoed in his mind painfully. I only like you as a friend. Why? Didn't he do everything right around her? Was there something un-date-able about him? "Sure. As friends. Sounds great."

Lina frowned, she didn't want to make him upset, but she also couldn't force herself to like him more. "Oh Elliot," she said. "Please don't be upset... I'm not use to you looking like that, smile."

Elliot sighed. He couldn't bring himself to smile. "I'm sorry," he replied in a quiet voice. "It's just...I've always really like you, you know." He didn't want to make her feel bad. It wasn't her fault she didn't feel the same way. He looked up and managed to force a weak smile. "But...I guess being friends is a start."

Lina smiled back. It was one of those, sad sort of smiles. "I don't know," she said. "Maybe some day I'll feel differently, but for now..." She wanted him to know that there could be a chance, it was possible, maybe. Brenna is so confused right now. xD

Elliot nodded, trying not too look too upset. "Alright," he sighed, nodding. He put his arm around Lina, not in a romantic way like he wanted to, but in a friendly way. ]= "Friends for now."

Lina glared at Elliot and pinched the skin of his hand and picked it up and tossed his arm off of her, "I said we were just friends."

JUST KIDDING

Lina could tell he was still sad, but what could she do? She couldn't force herself to like somebody more than just a friend, but what she could do was be his friend. "You know what we should do?" she asked him.

"What?" Elliot asked, not all that enthusiastically, but still curious.

"We should stay here all day," Lina replied. "Until the sun sets... and then when it's dark, we should make a fire."

Elliot smiled a little. He was still sad, but the thought of spending the day with Lina, whether she liked him like he liked her or not, made him happier. "That sounds great," he replied.

"Good," Lina replied. "I just hope my Dad doesn't worry, you know how he's so protective." We all know what he's like. xD

"Yeah, I know," Elliot replied with an amused smile, but didn't laugh. He knew about Lina's dad through his brother Gage, who was in a relationship with Lina's sister Christine. "He doesn't have to worry, I'll make sure you get home safe and sound." Amelia was a safer place than it used to be, but Elliot would still walk Lina home since they'd be here till after dark.

"I feel safe in your hands Sir Elliot," Lina replied. "And I trust that you'll bring me home safely as you said, and I wont wake up tomorrow morning in a creepy empty building tied up with you drooling all over me." She was kidding of course.