Ruth Writes

It’s a lovely day for the beach. Rays of sunshine shimmer on the gently lapping waves and a cool breeze keeps everybody from feeling too sticky from the heat. The sweet smell of sun-cream and cheese and onion crisps stain the air. There are enough people gathered here in varying groups around her that makes it easy for her to blend in.

She lies on her towel, propped up on her elbows with her sunglasses and floppy hat on to make observing the people around her less conspicuous. With her earbuds that are playing nothing in her ears and her new bikini, she looks like ten other women sunbathing across the sand. She scans the variety of people looking for him. It doesn’t take her long.

He’s laughing amongst a group of shirtless men who are all shouting to be heard and drinking beers. They have a speaker tucked under one of their pop-up chairs and have a thick bass booming from it, having no regard for the children around them and the dirty looks they are getting from parents. She can’t help but roll her eyes. Of course, how typical. He’s so painfully predictable it’s boring. This is going to be easy.

He has no idea who she is but unfortunately, she knows him all too well and she can’t wait to introduce herself. He’s a stereotypical player who has no regard for anyone else’s feelings, especially the women he dates. Wherever he goes, he presumes that he is the smartest person in the room. The mistake he made that orchestrated her arrival into his life was that presumption. The last woman he dated decided that he wouldn’t get away with how he treated her and now here she is: a woman he does not know and will not see coming.

She’s always had huge empathy for people who are wronged by others, has always had a very strong sense of what is right and wrong. When she discovered how incredible revenge felt, she started helping people with theirs. She revels in making people realise that what goes around does in fact come back around. Staring at him discreetly hidden behind her accessories, she feels her vengeful urges swirling in her stomach. She is ready for him.

She fishes through her purse as she watches him out of the corner of her eye. He puts his beer bottle down and starts walking toward the kiosk that she has strategically settled beside. She sticks her foot out as he passes and catches his ankle. He trips, loses his balance and lands with a thump at the bottom of her towel. She tips her sunglasses down, to peer at him over them. She squeezes out her flirtiest voice and bats her eyelids.

‘Oh, I’m so sorry.’

He looks at her as he pushes himself up onto his knees, brushing the sand off his chest. His eyes light up and his eyebrows raise. She’s got him. It’s a lovely day for revenge.