Over the ocean ONGOING

1. New beginnings

Walking through the airport, my mind wandered to yesterday. My graduation. I had studied marine biology in order to work my dream job near home and next to the one thing I loved the most: the sea.

"Tia!" I heard a shout. As I turned my head, I saw my dad. A smile crept up onto my face as I flung myself at him. We had been so close throughout my childhood, especially when my mum abandoned us.

Setting me on my feet again, he wiped the few stray tears that managed to break free and kissed my forehead. Even though we had talked almost every day on the phone for the past 3 years it seemed as though we hadn't, like I needed to catch up on everything all over again.

"Wait... if you're here then who is out on the boat right now?" My stern voice questioned as I gave him a narrow-eyed look.

"Well, that would be Owen, my new employee" he said smugly.

"Dad, you never hire people. Are you sure you trust him on his own with the boat?"

"Yes, he's been out with me every day for 2 weeks and he did just move here so he was looking for work. He is a very quick learner. I even taught him Santiana; told him it reminded me of you."

I rolled my eyes at that, 'Santiana' was his favourite shanty, he named me after it. "So, let's go. I would like to meet this Owen"

"But first, food!" He exclaimed happily. I smiled too; he'd always been one for food. I swear, a stranger wouldn't know he was my dad.

****

On arriving at 'the lagoon' we had taken a seat at our regular table which had been our set table since I was 5, this place hadn't changed at all. The dock, the shops, the houses... all the same. It was like I'd never left.

However, there was one thing that had changed, and that one thing stood over 6ft and currently was on my dad's boat. Catching my eye over the water, I began to watch his every movement. Waiting for him to slip up and sink it. But that moment didn't come which almost surprised me.

"Hi, what can I get you both today?" Our waiter came up to the table and questioned.

"I'll take the cod and chips and a pint of coke" I answer smoothly with a wink to my dad. He supplies this restaurant with its cod.

Smiling he also answered, "I'd love the scampi and chips please."

As the waiter stalked off to tell the chef the order, my eyes wandered back to the water where I noticed he was docking the boat just below us. I watched eagerly as he picked up his backpack from the boat and started putting it on. During this process, his eyes drifted upwards and caught mine.

Sending me a wink, he ambled off along the dock and up the stairs onto the road and out of sight. Something inside of me stirred alive, a funny feeling in my stomach.

When the waiter came back with our food, I was still staring at the direction in which he left. His 6'2 frame would tower over my 5'7 one... I was tall but not that tall. My long blonde hair and blue eyes always got me a lot of attention everywhere I went but I'd never felt anything like that before. Granted, I'd never had a relationship, but I'd had a few one-night stands and experiences at parties. But that feeling... it was more than that.