Oceans Away

Fish Hooked (Alana's POV)

    It's funny how unhappy you can feel in a place where everyone is the opposite. Although it seems like the beach is a place where no one is allowed to be depressed, it's also a perfect catalyst for it.

     Hundreds of gleeful families watching their young children play, young lovers wasting the days together in happy bliss, and old retired couples finally enjoying the quiet life together. All of this mocking the gut wrenching  loneliness that lives deep inside you.

    I couldn't help but feed into it as I sat on the dock, despite my better judgement. Sometimes I had to bask in my despair, maybe it was comforting. It was reliable after all. It was always there, maybe my only friend.

    The dock followed the trend of a picture perfect scene. Happy fishermen throwing lines into the water, and miraculously all of them catching fish larger than a pebble. I watched a little boy hoist up his rod to a good catch, while his father patted him on his little head.

    I laughed to myself and quickly looked down before they could notice I was watching them. My yellow bikini shined bright against the sun, almost too bright. I put on my sunglasses to avoid the glare, and just before I can close my eyes and try to enjoy some bliss, I felt an aggressive tug on my swimsuit strap.

    "What the hell?," I yell out uncontrollably.

    I look over my shoulder to see a disapproving look from the little boy's father.

     "Sorry," I mumble.

     "Hey, would you look at that. I did catch something after all!" A tall blonde boy  about my age stands over me. He chuckles as he stares into my eyes, which I hope the sunglasses are hiding, because I can't manage to match his gaze.

     I look down to see a fish hook caught in the strap of my bikini.

     "Are you serious?"

     "What? I didn't do it on purpose!"

      A long and painful pause ensues.

      "I'm just really bad at fishing. Honest."

      "Well, whatever your name is-"

      "Roy."

      I stop my next sentence, and accidentally let out a chuckle.

      "What are you? A 50 year old man?"

      "Named after one. Roy Jr technically."

     "Right. Well..."

      "I'm assuming you have a name too."

      "Alana," I say curtly, not fond of being interrupted.

      "Now that's a beautiful name."

      Before I knew it, I couldn't speak. My stomach was fluttering, and my cheeks began to feel hot.

     "I don't appreciate being harassed."

     "What?! No, no. That's not what's happening. I'm sorry. Let me just fix this. Please."

      He kneels down to meet at my eye level on the floor of the dock. After he looks at me for a few moments, I motion my shoulder towards him to let him know it is okay to proceed. He gently unhooks the fish hook from me, and smiles a bright smile.

     "See, no harm done."

      "There better not be a tear in this. It's my favorite suit."

      "If so, I'll buy you a new one."

      "Oh okay. Mr. Richy Roy over here."

      "Not necessarily. You just tend to have extra funds when you have nothing or no one to spend it on."

     "I don't think that's true."

     "Then why don't you stick around to find out?"