𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡

𝟒| 𝐖𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐬 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮

ANTHEA

╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝

I sat in my room, scrolling through my phone as I waited for the guys. We had planned to go to the beach for the afternoon, and I was excited to spend some time soaking up the sun and hanging out with them. I checked the time again, getting impatient as I tapped my foot on the floor.

My eyes wandered over to the picture hanging on my wall. It was a photo of my parents, smiling and embracing each other in front of a beautiful tropical beach. They had left for their 'much-needed' vacation just four days ago.

Growing up, I always saw my parents as the perfect couple. They never fought, never argued, and always seemed to have each other's backs, which I sometimes wish I would have someone like that.

We would often go on family vacations, exploring different countries and cultures. But ever since I started high school, they seemed to be too busy or just didn't have the energy to travel anymore. It was always an excuse of work or other obligations.

But it wasn't their first time doing that. They were always gone for long periods of time, traveling to who knows where, and when they were home, they never talked about their jobs. It was as if they were living a double life, and I couldn't help but wonder what they were hiding.

My parents were always hush-hush about their work, never revealing any details or bringing it up in conversation. Whenever someone asked, they would simply answer with vague responses such as 'we work in finance' or 'we do business overseas.' But I could tell there was more to it than that.

As a curious teenager, I started snooping around their office when they were away. I found documents with blurred out names and blacked-out figures, making it impossible to decipher what exactly their line of work was.

I also stumbled upon some large sums of cash and international bank accounts, further fueling my suspicion that my parents were involved in some shady activities.

Despite my doubts, I never confronted my parents about it. I was scared of what I might find out. Deep down, I wanted to believe that they were good people with honest jobs, but the evidence began to weigh heavily on my conscience.

My friends would often talk about their parents' jobs and share stories, but I could never contribute. I didn't even know what my parents' job titles were, let alone what they actually did. It made me feel isolated, like I was living in my own little world with no connection to my parents.

As I got older, my suspicions only grew. My parents seemed to be living an extravagant lifestyle, always buying expensive cars, taking luxurious vacations, and throwing lavish parties.

They never talked about financial troubles or worried about money, which seemed odd considering their secrecy about their jobs.

I couldn't help but wonder if they were involved in illegal activities, but I could never bring myself to ask. It was a constant nagging thought in the back of my mind, but I pushed it away, not wanting to believe that my own parents could be involved in something so sinister.

Finally, I heard the sound of a car pulling into my driveway and the honking of the horn. I grabbed my bag and rushed downstairs, eager to get outside and start our day. As soon as I stepped out, three familiar faces greeted me with wide grins.

"Hey Anthea!" Joss called out, opening the door for me.

"Hey guys!" I replied, climbing into the backseat next to Eros while Dong took the front. As we drove to the beach, we chatted and caught up on each other's lives.

Once we arrived, we wasted no time in setting up our spot on the beach. Eros took out his portable speaker and played our favorite songs while we lounged on our beach towels, soaking up the warm sun. We laughed and joked, having a great time just being with each other.

As we walked towards the water, Joss couldn't resist teasing me. "Come on, Anthea, we promise we won't let any crabs attack you," he said with a wink, referencing my intense fear of crustaceans.

I shot him a glare and scoffed. "Ha ha, very funny. Just for that, you can be in charge of carrying my beach bag," I declared, handing him my bag with a smug smile.

Eros joined in on the teasing. "Don't worry, Anthea, if any seagulls try to steal your sandwich, we'll be there to protect you," he joked, causing me to roll my eyes once again.

Despite their constant teasing, I couldn't help but feel grateful for my idiotic but lovable friends. As we laid our towels down on the sand, Dong suggested we all go for a swim. I was about to protest when Eros spoke up.

"Come on, Anthea, we'll hold your hand the whole time," he said with a cheeky grin.

I couldn't help but laugh at their antics and reluctantly agreed to join them. As we swam in the cool water, I couldn't imagine spending a summer day with anyone else.

As the sun started to set, we all sat on the beach, watching the orange hues paint the sky.

Dong turned to me, mischief shining in his eyes.

"Race you to the rock!" he challenged, pointing to a large rock jutting out of the water a little ways out.

I grinned, accepting his challenge, and we both took off running into the water. We swam with all our might, the salty water splashing over us. I could hear Dong's laughter beside me, and for a moment, I forgot about everything else. We reached the rock at the same time, both of us out of breath and grinning from ear to ear.

We swam back to shore, where Joss and Eros were waiting for us. We all dried off and sat down to eat the lunch we had packed. As we ate, Joss suggested we go for a walk along the beach.

Along the way, we stumbled upon a group of people playing beach volleyball. Without hesitation, we joined in and had the time of our lives, soaking up the last few hours of sunlight.

As the sun started to set, we headed back to the car, exhausted but happy.

As we said our goodbyes at my house, we promised to do it again soon. I watched as they drove away, and headed inside.