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East Guadeloupe was laid out like a circular maze, winding and complex with many small, overgrown allies. One could easily take a wrong turn and end up in a darker section of the division, filled with wandering drunkards and beggars.
Lanakila, however, had lived there her whole life, and could navigate through the labyrinth blindfolded. Which was the exact reason she was driving the crowded bicycle, with Jennifer clinging on behind her.
The light of the full moon streamed into the dark, winding roads, making the flickering street lights unnecessary. A colder breeze whistled through the alleyway and caused goosebumps on Lana's arms.
As the girls made a sharp left turn onto Dominica Street, there were more businesses and less shabby homes. Riding past Squid Lips, the infamous restaurant of the island, and Tourist's Trap, a small shop where Lanakila worked, Jenn filled the silence with her endless conversation.
"So, are you excited for Midnight Sun Festival? I can't wait. I've already gotten our special viewing glasses in the mail," Jennifer chirped. "It's going to be so amazing."
It made sense that her friend was so thrilled about festival, considering it was her first year on Guadeloupe. To Lanakila, however, Midnight Sun Festival would mean enduring hard work shifts and lots of customers. She had yet to tell Jennifer that the girls probably wouldn't be able to spend much time together during that week.
Through the polished suburbs of Western Guadeloupe, Lana felt her entire left leg burning in pain. She attempted to continue pedaling
and collapsed in the lush grass, the bike and Jennifer crushing her to the ground.
"Oh, my god! Lana! Are you okay?" Jenn stood up slowly and brushed the dirt from her knees. She glanced down, concerned for her friend.
"Here," Jennifer murmured, "let me help you up."
Lanakila bit the inside of her cheek so intensely that blood began to flow into her mouth. It was all she could do to hold back the tears brimming at her eyelids. Her entire body had screamed in agony at the impact of Jenn and the bike. Now, she felt wobbly and jello-like. Jennifer extended a bracelet-clad arm towards her, and slowly she stood up.
Given her friend's grimacing look, Lana assumed she was pretty beat up.
Although the teenager desperately wanted to go home, cleaning and bandaging her cuts would require waking Mimi. The last thing Lanakila needed was for her grandmother to think even worse of Jennifer.
When Mimi was first introduced to Jenn, the disgust and disapproval in her eyes had been effortless to read. Mimi had always been traditional and old-schooled, a major believer in dignity as well as hard work. When Lanakila brought home her new blonde, squealing Beverly Hills friend, she cast one of her infamous disapproving scowls.
After Jennifer went home, Mimi had pulled her granddaughter aside into the potions room.
"Listen, Lanakila Rose. I don't want you to associate with those kinds of people," she lectured in rapid-fire Spanish.
Lana had felt astonished and furious. Mimi didn't understand how kind, how accepting Jennifer was.
"Why not, Mimi? Jenn has never treated me poorly. She is my only friend," Lana had begged.
"You don't seem to realize what the Westerns think of us natives. They believe they are superior to us, simply because they are wealthier. I do not want my granddaughter to be friends with a spoiled, rich girl. I do not want you influenced by her, Lanakila," Mimi had shot back.
Lanakila had pleaded, cried, screamed, not spoken. To no avail would her grandmother give in. Finally, the girls resorted to sneaking out at night so that they could hang out at beach parties.
Now, Lana clambered back onto the bicycle. Biking roles had been reversed, and Jennifer drove hurriedly into the night. At the red stop sign surrounded by palm trees, she took a right turn instead of left and continued down Conch Lane.
The sky, having already hit its darkest peak, was beginning the long descent into daybreak. Lanakila glanced sleepily up at the star-scattered sky, admiring the constellations and watching a comet shoot over head. As the smell of sea salt and the roaring sounds of high tide increased, she realized they were almost at Nyesha Beach.
When the pair arrived at the boardwalk, Jennifer hit the brakes and pushed down her small kickstand. She swung her leg over the seat to slide off the bike clumsily. Lana followed suit.
Nyesha Beach consisted of a 20 mile shoreline, with Gandhi root trees and sand crabs. There were rocky cliffs with tide pools, and coral reefs further off shore. With all of its tropical beauty, it was a major tourist attraction and Lanakila's favorite place on Guadeloupe by far. She smiled to herself and outstretched her arms, inhaling deeply to take in the sights, smells and sounds of the sea.
A slim, redheaded girl approached them, smiling to display all of her teeth. It looked as if someone had sprinkled freckles about her face for the sheer joy of it.
"Hey, Jennifer!" called out Marci Revere, and Lana watched with minor envy as the the two ran to hug each other. Marci peeked from behind Jenn to look at Lana. It felt as if the girl was judging her with her eyes, which she had done on many an occasion.
"I know you,"
Jennifer released from the girl and walked to stand between them. "Right, I forgot. Lana, this is Marci. Marci, this is Lana," she explained.
As Marci and Lanakila forcefully shook hands, Lana realized how much she automatically disliked her. She'd never spotted the two . So why were the two of them acting like they'd known each other for ages?
Jennifer wrapped her arms around Marci and Lanakila. Her laugh, crystal and melodic, echoed across the boardwalk.
"I'm so glad my two best friends finally got to meet one another!" she commented.
That one, simple sentence hit Lanakila like a load of bricks. Two best friends? She felt sick to her stomach. How was this possible? Lana hadn't even known about Marci before tonight, and here was Jennifer saying that she was her best friend.
As the three made their way down to the beach, Lanakila could practically feel the hatred radiating off of Marci. She fiddled with her ponytail, untying it and retying it multiple times before coming to the conclusion to leave. Lana started off in a brisk speed walk towards the rocky sea caves of Nyesha Beach, the ocean waves soaking her feet. As she traveled, she was unaware of the figure in the water following her.
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__________________
hey hey hey
honestly this whole sneaking-out-to-party thing is cliché so I'm going to redo it for sure in the final version of this book.
secret: people who comment are just outta this world, if you're one of them, kudos to you.
xoxo
payton.
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Sea Spell
Fantasia[Major Editing Coming Soon] A rising tension. A waning moon. Shady, skeptical beings. An underwater dynasty, crumbling at the fists of rebelling forces. Nestling just off the rocky, tourist-swamped coasts of Guadeloupe lies an aquatic, mythological...
