Never 18

Chapter 6

The salty breeze sweeps through my hair as I step out of the camper, my eyes immediately locking onto the breathtaking view ahead. Haystack Rock stands tall in the distance, looking strong and timeless. I've seen so many pictures of Cannon Beach, but none of them prepared me for the real thing.

"Wow," I say, barely noticing that I've spoken out loud until Dana laughs softly beside me.

"It really is beautiful," she says, gently nudging me with her shoulder.

I turn to look at her. Her eyes are wide with amazement, reflecting the same awe I feel.

"Beautiful doesn't even begin to describe it," I say. "It's like... we've stepped into another world."

"I know what you mean. It's almost too much to take in all at once."

I nod, still too overwhelmed to find the right words. I take in the scene around me, letting a single tear slip down my cheek. It carries with it all the emotions I can't quite express.

"Hey," Dad says. His warm hand rests on my shoulder. "You okay?"

I smile and look at him, noticing the lines around his eyes and the mix of gray and black stubble on his chin. He somehow looks younger out here.

"Yeah," I say, wiping away the tear with the back of my hand. "Just... overwhelmed. It's so beautiful."

"Good... Good..." he says. "Come on, let's get camp set up," he adds, giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Then we can explore."

We unload the camper, working together to set up our tents near the camping area. The sound of waves crashing against the shore relaxes me as I work.

Dad hammers the last stake into the ground. I catch Dana eyeing the ocean, her whole body practically buzzing with the urge to run to the water.

"Go on," I laugh, waving her off. "I know you're dying to get your feet wet."

She doesn't need to be told twice. With a joyful squeal that reminds me of when we were kids, she kicks off her sandals and sprints toward the water. Her black hair streams out behind her like a flag.

I watch her go, a mix of happiness and sadness on my face. There's something so free about Dana, something I've always wished I had. She throws herself into life without a second thought, never worrying, never holding back. I wonder what it would be like to live like that, to not always doubt every choice and every feeling.

"Race you to the tide pools?" Dad asks, breaking into my thoughts. There's a playful look in his eyes that makes me smile and warms my heart.

"You're on," I say, already starting to move.

We sprint across the beach, sand flying beneath our feet. The wind rushes past my ears, and all I can hear is my own laughter. For a moment, I feel so light, like I could spread my arms and fly over the waves into the wide, open sky.

Dad, who's always been faster than me, reaches the tide pools first. I stop beside him a few seconds later, out of breath but grinning. My cheeks hurt from smiling so much, and I realize it's been way too long since I've felt this happy, this free.

"Look at this!" Dana calls from a nearby pool. She's crouched low, her hair falling around her face as she looks into the water.

Dad and I walk over to her. As we get closer, I see what Dana is looking at—a bright purple starfish spread out on the rocky bottom of the pool. It's so colorful, it almost looks like it's from another world.

"It's beautiful," I whisper, kneeling down to see it better. I gently touch its rough surface before pulling my hand back.

We spend the next hour exploring the tide pools, finding one cool thing after another. Green anemones wave their tentacles in the shallow water. Tiny hermit crabs scuttle across the sand, their shells a mix of colors and patterns. Dana even finds a small octopus that changes its color to match the rocks around it. We watch in amazement as it shifts from brown to deep red and then back again.