Alexandra shrugged, then grinned wickedly, the only warning the other two got before she took off at a run, feet pounding the sand as she sprinted straight for the sea.  "Last one in the water's a rotten egg!"  Her strides grow surer as she transitions from the dunes to the packed wet slope, and then her feet are splashing merrily in the shallows, kicking up spray as she runs as deep as she can go and dives-!<br/><br/>Cold water envelops her, hands sinking into the sandy bottom ahead of her dive, her hair fanning out behind her as she slows, then bunching back again as she rises in the hip-deep surf, spitting salt from her lips before laughing.  It's harsh and cold, yet a welcome relief from the blazing sun overhead at the same time.  It's the first plunge of the summer.<br/><br/><i>This </i>is where her vacation starts.