...Then we met

Chapter 1

Chapter 1
...The warm sunlight streaming through the windows penetrates through Yara's eyes disrupting her sleep.
She has to wake up now, doesn't she?
The bright sun rays shone across her face illuminating her hair and nightie rumpled from sleep.
Her bare feet peek out from beneath the frayed hem of her shorts, and her skin glows with a warm, sun-kissed undertone.

As she sits up, the soft bed creaks, and the rest of silk blanket slips off the bed. Yara rubs her eyes, trying to shake off the fatigue. She takes a deep breath, feeling the salty air fill her lungs, and smiles.

She thinks back to the other night, when stress and worry had kept her up late. But as she looks around her snug room, she feels grateful for this little slice of paradise. Her gaze wanders over the familiar sights: a few favorite surfboards leaning against the wall, her bowl of shell collection, a colorful rug covering the floor, and a small table with a vase holding a few fresh beach flowers.

Yara swings her legs over the side of the bed and gets to her feet, her movements light and carefree. She pads across the floor, her feet making barely a sound. The sound of the waves crashing outside and the cries of seagulls fill the air, a constant reminder of her beachside existence.
She feels happy, at peace, and content. What more could she ask for?

Yara's gaze falls on the family picture at her nightstand, and a bittersweet smile crosses her face. The faded photograph, taken on a sunny beach day, shows her parents' bright smiles and her own childhood grin, full of joy and innocence.
Though they're no longer with her, their memory lives on in her heart.

She remembers the happy times they shared, building sandcastles, playing in the waves, and collecting seashells together. Her fingers trace the edges of the frame, her touch gentle, as if she's afraid to disturb the memories within.

For a moment, the world outside recedes, and all that's left is the warmth of that sunny day, the sound of her parents' laughter, and the feeling of being loved. Yara's smile softens, and she whispers a silent "Good morning Yara."

"Yara, you awake?" Kael's voice slurs from the other room, the words barely intelligible.
"Huh?"
Yara mumbles as her gaze lingers on the photograph for a moment before she turns away.
She takes a deep breath, feeling the familiar ache of loss, and the weight of her brother's struggles.

"Yeah, I'm up," she replies, her voice cautious.

Kael stumbles into the room, his eyes bloodshot, and his hair disheveled. The smell of stale alcohol clings to him like a shroud. "Mornin', sis," he mutters, a corny  smile playing across his lips.

"Sorry I slept off before you returned last night."
"It's okay. It's okay."
He sighed flopping beside her on the bed

Yara's heart goes out to her elder brother, who's been drowning his sorrows in booze since their parents' passing. She wants to help him, but doesn't know how.
For now, she just sits beside him, a silent presence, as the waves outside seem to echo the turmoil within.

"I'm starvin' Yara!" Kael slurs, his hand flopping limply on the bed.
Yara sighs "The food from last night.. You_"

"I don't want Mac and Cheese. Make me pancakes... or something," he mumbles, his eyes already closing.

She sighed again and stood up.
"Fine. I'll make you...something." She said almost whispering.
No reply.

She clears her throat and continues;
"You remember what we talked about last night? About you going to rehab?"

Kael's eyes flicker open, a hint of defensiveness in them. "Yeah... I remember."

"You said you'd think about it," Yara presses on, trying to keep her tone gentle.
"I'm thinking about it." Kael responds casually