Clarke was a big fan of the outdoors and the beach was one of his favorite places to go, especially the one in Falmouth. With the start of term looming just over the horizon he was a little worried he'd miss the ocean while at Hogwarts. So any day he could Clarke was down at the beach, digging his toes in the sand and rinsing them off in the ocean. If he was lucky he could find a cool rock or a shell that he'd be able to rinse off in the water and study for a few seconds. But going to the beach wasn't really about distracting himself it was about relaxing maybe running up and down the shoreline.

That day Clarke was sitting with toes and the tops of his feet just buried in the warm sand as he looked out over where the ocean was gently lapping at the shore. It was just after noon and his own little spot was luckily pretty quiet. Not that he would have minded if someone wanted to strike up a conversation but it was just so much better than busy beach days. This way the sand wasn't crowded and there were no loud and obnoxious beach goers.

Clarke nodded, "yeah no problem," he said smiling. As the boy sat down next to him Clarke ran his hands through the sand as well and started drawing swirls in it. The sand was rough and his lines weren't as flawless as he would have liked but it was the beach, it was supposed to be a little imperfect. He loved the authenticity of the Ocean and the way he crashed against the shore. Nature itself just existed as it was, never tried to be anything else and he looked up to it a lot because of that.

Clarke wondered what the natural scenery would be like around Hogwarts, It would have been so different from the little beach town of Falmouth. It was up in the scottish highlands, surrounded by mountains. It wasn't what Clarke was used to but that would be good for him, he thought. His mother told him that Hogwarts had a lake though which would mean some sort of beach right? Maybe, it didn't really matter he guessed, because as long as he had water to look out over he'd be fine. Clarke was going to miss the beach though. A lot. Because even if Hogwarts had one it wasn't going to have the sand beaches like this. Lakes never did.

Beck was looking out to the sea, it had been the first time he went to the beach since he was 9-years-old with his best friend. His two older brothers Nikolas and Lyden were playing volleyball and their mother insisted they take Beck with them. Typical. Make me come to the beach to play a game that I'm clearly not built for with boys who are obviously more fit than I am, he sighed as he thought to himself. He knew his mother was just trying to help because making friends was difficult for him, even when he tried, he just found it difficult to make a connection with someone. But despite his slightly moody demeanour, Beck soaked up everything the beach had to offer - the cold water brushing against his feet, the sand nestling between his toes and the hot sun beaming down on his body, lathered in sun cream, of course.

"Beck, why don't you try to make some friends? I mean, you'll be going to you know where soon, but it wouldn't hurt to try to meet somebody before you go," his brother Lyden spoke in a soft voice as he bent down to Beck's level, looking him right in the eyes.
"But.. There's nobody here for me to talk to." Lyden stood back upright, volleyball resting under one arm. He looked around the beach, trying to find someone for Beck to befriend, "What about those two boys over there, you see them?" He said as he pointed subtly, "The two brunette boys, one of them is playing with a sea shell. Why don't you go talk to them?" Beck's eyes followed Lyden's direction and strangely enough, he didn't feel so nervous about talking to them. After all, they did look to be around his age and if things didn't go well, he would be off to Hogwarts soon and would never need to see them again.

Beck nodded to himself in reassurance, and began to make his way towards the two boys sitting on the sand, without even responding to his brother. He cleared his throat as he stood in front of them like a performer on a stage. He took a quick deep breath and smiled, "Hello. I don't mean to be a bother but I was just wondering if I could sit with you guys, my brothers are over there playing volleyball but it's not really my thing." Beck lifted his head and looked in the direction his brothers were as he spoke, only to find Lyden quickly turning away so the boys didn't catch him watching the encounter.

Beck's eyes shifted back down to the boys as his cheeks started to flush slightly pinker than usual. He watched their faces in slight angst, waiting for the approval he so desperately needed.

Clarke looked up at the new boy that just approached them. He had to shield his eyes from the sun as he peered upwards. "Yeah, sure," he said nodding, "volleyball is fun though." He added with a wry smile. He knew sports weren't for everyone but he felt best when he was exerting himself like that.

Now that he thought about it a bit longer it was a little hot outside to be playing Volleyball, especially with the way the sun was beating down on them from above. It was nice to sit in but if he was running around out here he feel he may overheat. Or maybe he would be fine but it wasn't really something he needed to test out. His mother probably wouldn't want him passing out from heat exhaustion so close to when he had to leave for Hogwarts.

"I'm Clarke, by the way," He said absently, he almost completely forgot his manners, reaching his hand upwards towards the new boy to shake his hand. It was proper after all. He wasn't always so concerned about being proper but sometimes it was just the nice thing to do. He didn't like to follow a lot of the more traditional pure blood conventions but being friendly to new people was some he subscribed to a little more than other pureblood kids.

Beck caught the smile and responded with his own cheeky grin as he folded his arms over his chest in an attempt to take back control of the conversation, "Well, I think we can both agree that I don't look like I'll be England's next Volleyball Champion. I'm not a very sporty person, I'm more of a.. Watcher.." Beck's cheeks were still gleaming crimson red, and it wasn't due to the sun - he pulled a sour face as if he was responding to what he just said. What a weird thing to say, he thought to himself. He felt like he was making a bad impression because he was embarrassing himself. All he needed to do was relax.

He took the boy's hand into his and shook it as he knelt down in front of the two of them, "Nice to meet you Clarke, my name is Beck." He tilted his head to the side as he spoke, having never experienced such a formal greeting from someone who at least couldn't have been much older than he was. Nonetheless, he was entranced with the way the boy spoke, Beck had never heard anyone with an accent like that before. He thought of his quickest response before the silence became too uncomfortable for all three boys.
"So, what brings you to the beach today?"

"Nice to meet you too," Clarke said nodding and looked back over the ocean just to take it in. "I live near here," He answered "I'm pretty lucky too, because I love the beach. and the water," Clarke paused for a few seconds before finishing with, "and the sand but that's what makes up the beach doesn't it." He laughed quietly at his own poorly worded sentence.

The sun did odd things to his brain, that's what he was going to blame it on. It made him sleepy and lethargic which he was so not used to, being so full of energy most of the time.

"I definitely can't just watch sports," Clarke said, "but I understand that they aren't for everyone. My dad is a q...uhh..." he paused. It probably was not a good idea to bring up Quidditch here, "he's an athlete so I guess I got those genes from him," he said.

Now that he mentioned it he couldn't help but think about what his time at Hogwarts would be like. It would be really cool if he could make the Quidditch team but he wasn't necessarily sure how that would work since he couldn't bring his own broom. Still though. It would be really nice, allow him to do something he could be proud of.

Beck smiled to himself as he listened to every word that rolled off the boy's tongue. He understood. Before the friend situation a couple of years ago, Beck loved the beach too. He would go there almost every week with his family and his friend, and it's one of his favourite memories. He let the "flashbacks" run through his mind as the boy explained himself, still taking in everything he said.

Beck joined the boy's gaze to watch the ocean, he watched the waves crash and ripple against the sand. It was sending him into a trance before he snapped out of it when the boy had finished talking, "Well, you sound like quite the beach advocate, while maintaining a lot of relaxation and calmness. Not like those rowdy beach-goers like, well, like my brothers." Beck chuckled to himself before lowering his head to focus on the sand, running his fingers through it in a soothing motion.

He listened to the boy talk about his father and he nodded with interest, it made him think about his own family and how his sister had been a memorable Ravenclaw Quidditch player during her time at Hogwarts, and his brother was trying to follow in her path, "Really? That's so cool, what sport does he play?" Beck had never shown an interest in Muggle sports, but he started to think that maybe Quidditch would interest him in a way no other sport has - he could be like his siblings before him.

Clarke wrapped his arms around his knees to clasp his hands in front of him before shrugging. "I mean, being rowdy on the beach can be fun I guess. But I come here so often, it's a place for me to relax. If I didn't leave by here I probably would be a little more excited but you know, just another day for me."

When Beck asked about his father his mind started to race. He really wished he knew more about muggle sports so he could come up with some excuse here. Something that was popular but not so popular that this boy may actually know who he was talking about.

"uh...Tennis?" He lied, that was a sport right? And Muggles liked it but it was never on his TV. It was probably a pretty safe bet but he hoped the boy wouldn't ask any more of him and test his knowledge of the muggle sport tennis. He knew there was a ball involved but he wasn't sure if they used bats like beaters did or if they used something else? Rackets maybe? Living in a town so densely populated with muggles you'd think he'd have a better understanding of them but his mother had always done her best to keep him separated from them. She thought if he played with the muggle kids growing up he would get himself in trouble if he let loose some accidental magic.

Beck nodded in agreement when it was explained to him why the boy had not been as excited to be sitting on the sand watching the ocean while the sun beats down on him. He was all too familiar with someone having a 'happy place' and he figured that the beach must have been Clarke's happy place.
"I get it," he spoke in a reassuring tone.

Beck dug both of his hands under the sand, as if he was hiding them. He watched the boy's face as he mentioned that his father played tennis. Beck didn't really know much about tennis, or any other Muggle sport that his family had never bothered to talk about before, he became confused when Clarke's tone of voice changed to uncertainty - did his father not really play tennis?

He brushed it off as though it was never spoken in a suggestive manner. After all, who was Beck to question what seemed to be a Muggle on a sport that was created by them? Although he didn't have much knowledge about tennis, or Muggle sports in general, Beck wanted to seem like he knew more than he did - he thought that if he showed no interest for tennis, he would raise suspicion. "Oh, yeah, tennis. That's a really great sport. When they, um, score goals and such. I watch tennis often," Beck felt rather bad about lying through his teeth as the words just fell out of his mouth, but he longed for the acceptance of his peers and only did what he thought needed to be done.