BackWash (Editing & Completed)

Chapter 11: Crimson Red

"Party!" Tyler shouts as he throws his head back and takes another drink, flaying his hands back and forth like an insane person who has lost all common sense -- so, basically, like Caleb.

"Me!" Some girl flirting with Tyler takes the drink from his hands and takes a sip of the alcohol, the both of them wasted.

I lost Caleb, Stells and Duke a while ago among all the people scattered about on the beach front.

It's a hot lush evening, yet inside I feel like ice. I feel cold.

I thought I could handle this, but now I know that I can't. Being here just reminds me of two years back from now when I lost Matt at the exact same bonfire beach party.

The warm winds brushing off the waves of the ocean would usually soothe me on any other occasion, but today my spirit is at unease with my current circumstances.

I glance around hopelessly, my eyes scanning the area in search of Stells. I could really talk to her right now. She's the most understanding from my friends.

The quiet shore I used to visit early mornings to surf is now swamped with people. It's overwhelming. The music continues to blare around me -- loud and thunderous.

People are broken up into cliques. There are the wasted people dancing on the beach front - Ty among them - and then there are the calmer few (Stells and Duke) sitting around the bonfire telling stories as well as playing 'Truth, Dare, and Command'. Some people, the laid back ones (Caleb), are playing a game of volleyball beneath the midnight stars. I can't help but feel like an outcast. I'm not big on partying, never have been.

I miss Brent.

Splashing diverts my attention out to the dark sea. My attention is captured as my eyes land on the crowd where I'd usually be - the surfers.

I watch the breakers hit the sandy shore before the waves roll back out to sea. The motion transports me to two years back as I'm hit with a flashback of the past.

"Don't be stupid Brent. Surfing at night is dangerous." I say to him as my eyes hesitantly waver back and forth from his green eyes to the sea. "Are you drunk or something to even consider going into that deathtrap?" I ask him playfully, motioning to the dark ocean before us.

I'm not keen on surfing at night, especially when weather reports claim that a violent storm is just on the horizon. It's apparently approaching rapidly.

Brent is a mere acquaintance of mine that has the hots for one of my friends, Stella.

"I'm not big on drinking, just partying." He winks at me before asking, "Where's your other half?"

"Who? Matt or Chase?" I ask him with a grin.

"Both," Brent answers me with a small smile, his green gaze holding me in place.

I shrug. "You tell me. Knowing those two, they're surfing anyway, despite all the news warnings."

I love surfing but this is not my scene.

Brent must see the concern in my eyes and so he tries to reassure me. "The sun has been shining all day and so far there hasn't been evidence of the reports of a storm coming. Don't worry so much. The weather reports aren't always accurate."

My instincts tell me otherwise. That storm is coming. The evening sea can only be calm for so long.

I run a frustrated hand through my brown curls. I don't even want to be here. Chase, my best friend, manipulated me into coming through Matty, my brother.