Chapter 2 – The Towel

Five minutes later Claudia returned.

This time she was carrying a large striped towel.

Daniel saw her coming.

He immediately felt his stomach tighten.

She walked directly toward the sign.

Then spread the towel on the sand.

Less than a metre from it.

Daniel stared.

There were dozens of empty places nearby.

“Excuse me.”

Claudia sat.

“Yes?”

Daniel gestured around.

“Could you maybe sit a little farther over?”

She looked at him.

“Why?”

“My girlfriend is about to arrive.”

“And?”

Daniel glanced at the sign.

Claudia followed his eyes.

Then back to him.

“This is public.”

“I know.”

“So I can sit here.”

“You can.”

Daniel forced himself to remain calm.

“But you’re doing it deliberately.”

Claudia laughed.

“Now I’m not allowed to sit on a beach because you’re proposing?”

“That isn’t what I said.”

“It is exactly what you’re saying.”

Lena stepped forward.

“There is literally an entire beach.”

Claudia looked at her.

“And this part is also part of it.”

“Yes.”

“So?”

Lena blinked.

“So why here?”

Claudia smiled.

“Why not?”

Daniel looked at Lena.

“Leave it.”

Claudia heard him.

“Yes. Leave it.”

Daniel turned.

“Sorry?”

“Nothing.”

“No, you said something.”

“I said leave it.”

“I was speaking to my sister.”

“And now I’m speaking to you.”

Lena whispered:

“Oh my God.”

Claudia immediately pointed.

“Don’t.”

“What?”

“Don’t start making comments.”

“I said three words.”

“You said them about me.”

“I said them because this is weird.”

Claudia stood.

“Weird?”

“Yes.”

“You people put a sign on public property, scatter rubbish around it and then tell everyone else to move.”

Daniel looked at the battery candles.

“Rubbish?”

“Yes.”

“They’re candles.”

“They’re plastic.”

“We’re taking them home.”

“How do I know?”

Daniel laughed once.

Claudia’s expression hardened.

“What is funny?”

“Nothing.”

“No, tell me.”

“This.”

He gestured between them.

“This conversation.”

“You think environmental rules are funny?”

“There are no environmental rules involved.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Neither do you.”

Claudia stared at him.

Daniel immediately regretted saying it.

Not because it was wrong.

Because he could see from her face that she had now decided this was a contest.