Love Games

Twenty - four: On my mind

I walk along the sandy beach, each step sinking into the cool, grainy surface beneath my feet.

The horizon stretches endlessly before me, where the sky meets the turbulent waves of the sea.

The air is thick with the smell of salt and the distant cries of seagulls.

I pause for a moment, slipping off my sandals to feel the sand fully against my skin, the grains slipping between my toes, grounding me in the present moment even as my thoughts drift far away.

The sea is restless tonight, the waves crashing against the shore with a force that mirrors the turmoil within me.

I watch as the water rushes forward only to be pulled back into the abyss, never quite finding peace. It feels like a reflection of my soul - restless, caught between longing and loss.

"Why do I always fall in love with the wrong people?" I say aloud, the words carried away by the wind as soon as they leave my lips.

There's no one here to hear me, just the vast, indifferent ocean and the darkening sky.

But speaking the words aloud makes them feel more real, as if speaking them is an admission I've been too afraid to make.

The truth I've been avoiding hits me with sudden clarity, and I can feel my heart pounding harder in my chest, as if reacting to the confession I've finally allowed myself to make.

I've been lying to myself for so long, telling myself that I was in love with Dave, when in reality it was never that deep.

I was with him because it felt right at the time - because he was kind and he made me feel safe. But the passion, the true love that I've always longed for, wasn't there.

And now, standing here alone on this deserted beach, I realise that I stayed with him not because I loved him, but because I couldn't bear the thought of breaking his heart.

Even when my feelings for him had faded, I held on, afraid to hurt him, afraid to admit that I was no longer in love.

I keep walking, my feet making a path along the shore, the waves lapping at my ankles.

The wind picks up, ruffling my hair and cooling my skin, but I barely notice.

My thoughts are a swirl of regret and sadness, pulling me deeper into the realisation of how lost I've become in my own life.

Suddenly a voice cuts through the noise of the waves. It's faint at first, almost lost in the wind, but as I keep walking it grows louder, more insistent.

"Sarah!"

I stop dead in my tracks, my breath catching in my throat.

I know that voice, and the sound of it makes my heart skip a beat.

I turn slowly, almost afraid of what I see, but there's no mistaking who it is.

It's Dave, standing a few metres behind me, his silhouette outlined against the dimming light of the evening sky.

His posture is tense, his hands shoved deep into his pockets as he watches me with an expression I can't quite read at this distance.

"Sarah!" he calls again, louder this time, his voice tinged with something that makes my stomach churn with fear.

My heart pounds, the rhythm almost painful in its intensity.

What is he doing here?

How long has he been following me?

My mind races with questions, but none of them have answers.

All I know is that he's here and whatever happens next will change everything.