Quietly Yours

New Beginnings

{Hi Everyone! I decided to edit this story and rework a lot of it, I nearly doubled the story in length so keep reading to see all the new parts 💜}

Ever since her Kook year began, Kiara's weekends looked a lot like opening shifts at The Wreck, sometimes they even turned into double shifts. She would much rather keep busy working than attend pristine Kook parties, or spend each weekend shopping for new clothes. A majority of the girls at her school enjoyed sitting out tanning while gossiping and day drinking. The others would resort to their second homes or take mini getaways each weekend. The thought of doing any of these things was nauseating to Kiara. Instead, she traded her opening shifts for closing shifts at The Wreck, barely able to drag herself out of bed most weekends, as she found the only moments of bliss were when she was asleep or alone in her room.

    After a long week of school, Kiara found being alone in her room a sacred ritual. It was the only time she could truly be herself. It was the one place where she wouldn't be judged by her parents or the world. It was her safe space. Filled with all the things she loved most. Placed on the walls was a mosaic of photos capturing her happiest moments with the Pogues. On her dresser was a jar of colourful shells that she had collected from her countless visits to the beach. Beside it was a small pile of her favourite books on ocean and marine life. Her childhood passion for aquatic life was sparked by those books. Her bed was the most comforting place for her, a place where she could shut off her mind and take a break from the world. It was filled with fuzzy blankets and way too many pillows. She loved turning on her fairy lights, lighting her favourite coconut-scented candle and curling up underneath a bunch of blankets while rewatching her favourite shows.

    In the beginning, that was the most refreshing part of her week. But as time went on she started to slowly get lost in a labyrinth of loneliness. Slowly losing track of who she once was and when she was happiest. Sleeping in until noon and barely getting out of bed in time for work became a frequent occurrence. It was the best way to pass time, and it was the only way to avoid the dull world her parents insisted on. It's not like she had other options, she knew that starting at Kook Academy meant no more interacting with the Pogues. She had to fully embrace the Kook lifestyle and make her parents believe that she was truly giving the Kooks a chance. If not, her parents would always blame the boys for ruining her life and claim that she never gave Kook Academy a chance. In a way keeping her distance was just proof that they were the only good thing in her life. That her life had been empty ever since she left, and if she could change one thing it would be never saying goodbye at the Château that day.

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    I wake up to the morning sun shining in my eyes. I adjust my body, letting my face fall into darkness again. The room is relatively dark aside from the sun peeking between the mostly drawn blinds. I groan, checking the time on my phone and see that it's 7:30 am on a Saturday. Great.

    It's the first time in months since I've woken up before noon. I'm tempted to get up just to close the blinds and go back to sleep. It takes every ounce of energy within me to drag myself out of bed towards the window. As I'm about to draw the blinds I take a minute to take in the outside view. The sun is bright, the sky perfectly clear, the ocean calm. It's the first time the sky has cleared up after a particularly rainy month in the Outer Banks. The ocean fills my mind with memories, reminding me of my serendipitous life before Kook Academy. Reminiscing memories of the Pogues, evenings at the Château, wishing things could go back to how they used to be. Wishing that there wasn't such a divide between Pogues and Kooks. Just imagining what life could be like if I was never a Kook.

    Without any further thought, I find myself searching through my closet for my warmest pants and an oversized sweater. I grab a beanie and put on the first pair of shoes I find. I make my way downstairs, moving past my family casually sipping on their coffee. I hear my Mom nearly choke on her coffee, shocked to see me up this early. I make my way through the back door, letting my parents know I'm going for a walk along the beach and they nod, still at a loss of words.