Chapter Text
-Chapter 1-
The four sat inside the Indian restaurant awaiting their dishes. Natalia and Jamie were discussing with one another their planned camping trip. Rupert was scrolling on his phone, while Samantha was wondering what was taking so long for a few curries.
"Should I go and ask what's the hold up?" Samantha queried.
"It's a packed venue tonight, just be patient," responded Rupert. He'd become impatient with her, constantly whining about every little thing.
Just as he'd said that, the kitchen doors flung open and two waiters approached with steaming pots of various contents. Jamie rubbed his hands together and licked his lips.
"This better be worth it, I'm starving!" Jamie stated.
Rupert always hated when people made the wait staff or checkout chicks cop the brunt of their negative emotional state, even though they have no power over the speed of the food or the policy of the store. He glowered at Jamie, not long enough that anyone noticed except perhaps Natalia.
He'd sensed something different about Natalia when compared to other girls; she and Jamie had recently gotten together at an underground festival in the woods. This was an event that Rupert tried to enjoy but felt the all-too-familiar sensation of Samantha dousing the festival fire.
"Mmm, this naan is delicious, well worth the wait," chimed Natalia.
"Agreed, the lasi and saag are phenomenal!" Rupert affirmed.
"Hot, mine's way too spicy. I think I'm gonna get them to make another dish or get my money back," Samantha grumbled.
"Really? Let me try some," replied Rupert. He tried some of her dish and found it quite mild but she was adamant of its scoville assault on her sinuses. She called a waiter over and expressed her dissatisfaction, the waiter apologised profusely, offering her a new dish and drink.
When the waiter started to clear her unsuitable dish, she snapped saying, "Ohh, that's fine, I'm sure Rupert will eat this for lunch tomorrow. Can we have a takeaway container for this? You're just going to throw it in the trash anyway right?"
The waiter had a dubious look before leaving to fetch a container and stated the new milder dish would be arriving shortly. Samantha looked chuffed with herself. Rupert and Natalia shared a glance.
Jamie said, "Nice work, free food for you Rupert. Aren't you glad to have such a frugal girl?"
Frugal. The word sat in Rupert's mind like an anchor trying to find the bottom of the ocean.
The group finished up their meals and ordered the final round of alcoholic beverages. Jamie and Samantha were chatting about something trivial and Rupert decided to get some fresh air at the outside bar area adjacent to the restaurant. Natalia joined him shortly after.
"It was going pretty noisy in there, hey," she suggested.
"Yeah, I needed some fresh air to cool the senses after all that 'hot' food," he quipped.
She smirked without a word, clearly on the same wavelength as him.
"Do you guys have plans for tomorrow?" Natalia asked.
"No, well not really. I might go to the beach by myself, Sam has work."
"Oh, ok. What beach?"
"Topaz Bay."
"Oh, really... do you go down the other end?"
"You mean the nudie end?"
"Haha, yeah..."
"Yeah, that's where I go."
Natalia appeared to be contemplating something before she spoke next. "I asked Jamie to go with me a few times but he says he doesn't want to be naked in front of random people."
"Have you ever been?" Rupert asked.
"No."
"Well, I hope it's not too forward, but you can come with me if you like."
She appeared to shrink at this offer. "Oh, I don't know. What if people we know saw us together and spread rumors?"
"Rumors of what? It's a majority of people in their 40's, 50's and 60's who couldn't care less who was sunbathing and swimming."
She chuckled and said, "So there's lots of wrinkly old ball sacks and saggy old tits too?"
Rupert smiled and said, "That's it for the most part."
"The most part," she trailed off.
The other two came outside, immediately erasing the ambience that Rupert and Natalia created.
"Let's get ice cream!" suggested Samantha.
"Yeah, let's go!" shouted Jamie.
Rupert and Natalia shared one final look before they all hopped in their singular car on the hunt for ice cream.