What It Is

Chapter 3

"Oh my gosh!" I squealed running up to the ocean in front of me, oblivious to the fact that I had recently injured myself.

"Whoa! Calm down." Ryan shouted as I stood at the ocean's edge, the teal blue water rumbling and crashing against the pale white sand.

My eyes shot themselves forward to the horizon, the sun beginning to dip down already into the beautiful luxurious water. Ryan ran up to me as I breathed in the salty air, it was so refreshing. I turned my head and quickly grinned at him, my mind flying and soaring. The ocean in my eyes was paradise, and I was the sand that the ocean ran over. For the sand always fell in the glory of the ocean, always was underneath and supporting the mystery that it held, the sand needed the ocean, and the ocean needed the sand.

"I love it." Escaped from my lips as I twirled with the breeze.

"This is Freshman territory." Ryan stated waving his hand over the beach area. "We have about three miles of the beach reserved just for freshman."

I stared at him curiously. I didn't know how this was all just for freshman, how could someone just have a part of the ocean? He seemed to notice my confusion and laughed.

"The school. They own parts of the shoreline, and the freshman have three miles, the sophomores have four miles, the juniors have about five miles and then the seniors have a little more than 10 miles reserved for them alone." I gaped at him, and struggled to speak. This was just for people my age alone, I had never had that.

"The original founders of our school were billionaires and gave the amount of land to the school for the kids. The next principal then decided to divide the shoreline up according to age and gave more privilege as we get older. It's a pretty sweet set up."

"Oh, my, gosh." I stated. "We don't have to pay or anything, this is just for us, there are no adults, or anything and they trust us." I spoke rushing words faster than what I already had known.

"Yeah." He beamed at me. "However teachers will sometimes come out to check up on if we trashed the beach or not."

"Wow..." I stated still in awe. My eyes traveled back to the ocean once again and I grinned, it was so beautiful, and it was partly mine now.

"A?" Ryan questioned as I zoned out to his dark voice and tuned into the sounds of the ocean.

"Oh, I'm sorry." I spit out of my mouth glancing back at him.

"I should take you back to the shack. There is a first aid kit and I don't want you to get an infection or anything."

"What's the-uh the shack?" I stammered.

"It's like the house or cabin here on the beach. When the school was given the shoreline they made a shack or cabin on each area in case a storm happened."

"Oh, okay..." Walking next to him as we turned left.

Ryan wasn't lying about the shack. It was a dark mahogany wood that outlined the outside, quaint and small. There were logs that served for benches in front of it, making it seem like an amphitheater. They were alined in a half circle in rows towards the ocean, seizing their pattern a few feet away and bearing down to a fire pit and wooden cross. My fingers trailed along one of the logs as I gazed at the large wooden cross next to the monstrous stone circle of the fire pit.

"Friday nights we always have a bonfire. Doesn't matter what season, but Friday nights are when everyone comes out and we always band together as a family I guess." Ryan cut in.

"What's the cross for?" I questioned hesitantly.

"Sunday mornings." He grinned. "It is a Christian boarding school after all." He smirked.

"I didn't know that." I whispered low.

"Let's go inside." Unaware of what I said. "Come on A..." As I continued to stare at the cross and the waves behind it.

"Ryan!" Some one suddenly shouted from the shack's rusty screen door creaking open.

"Coming!" He hollered back cupping his hands around his mouth.

Ryan motioned with his hands for me to walk forward first towards the shack. He was such a gentleman and I adored it as I walked towards a new mystery. Never in my life had I ever done something so out of the question, something of the unknown.

I stepped up the sandy wooden steps and opened the creaky screen door, walking inside the shack. Immediately heat rushed upon me as I walked in, making the toes tingle beneath my socks and my jacket slide off my shoulders. I analzed my surroundings as Ryan followed me in the shack. Dusty, sandy and worn pale blue wooden planks aligned the floor, surf boards stacked side by side along the right wall. A gray knee high heater was in the left corner of what appeared to be the main area. I cautiously stepped forward and looked at the sea foam green couch against the left wall. It covered the entire left wall besides the corners, enough to seat 12 people if even.

"Sit down and I'll get the first aid kit for you." Ryan said gently.

"Actually-" I spoke through a squeak. "Is there a powder room?"

"Yeah." He pointed to a doorway next to the heater. "There."

"Thanks." Ducking my head down and using the restroom quickly.

The restroom was cozy and tiny when I stepped in. There was a white sink, mirrors that folded into cabinets, a pale blue toilet five inches away from the sink, an ocean rug against the white grimy tile, and a faded white shower with a matching ocean shower curtain. After I had finished I stepped outside once more and into the main area.

Ryan was seated on the couch with his arms sprawled out over the top, sweatshirt off revealing a tight navy blue v-neck t-shirt. His muscles clearly seen when he placed his arms over his head. I kept my gaze to the floor, shuffling myself forwards.

"I got the first aid kit." He spoke in a voice that sent shivers down my spine.

"Um okay." Sitting next to him.

The waves crashing in the distance were still accustomed to my ears, the greatness of their mighty power overbearing my senses. I then glanced at Ryan who glanced at my palms and my torn jeans. He opened the kit and stared at the contents, unsure of what to use.

"Hey!" He bellowed. "I need you to help the new girl." Shutting the first aid kit.

And then my jaw dropped to the floor when I saw who came through.

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Author's Note

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