BackWash (Editing & Completed)

Chapter 23: Tauntless

I swim deeper down and take it in - the bubbles, the intense pressure, the emptiness, the darkness, the loneliness, the silence - just all of it.

The feeling of being back in the water is addictive. You always have to come back. It's a thrill, one that you thirst for everyday, one that doesn't keep you satisfied for long enough. People like me, we have to return back to the water. We can't function otherwise. The dependency to live is our love for water in itself.

All thoughts leave my mind until I'm merely gliding gracefully through the water, wielding all emotions to my will until there's nothing left, but me and the water. 

Christopher Columbus knew what he was talking about when he said that one cannot cross the ocean until one gains the courage to lose sight of the shore. I can't be held back by my past anymore. I've given my past too much power. My future is the water. I'll never surf again unless I conquer my past and look unto the future instead. It's the only way I'll ever cross the ocean and reach the other side.

I float up a little further, needing to break surface so that I can take that much needed breath before I drown in the sea's dark, powerful depths.

I sit up straight and glance around, my heart still beating erratically. At least it wasn't a nightmare this time.  It was a twisted dream, a dream that constantly haunts me.

I sigh and force myself to wake up completely before I drag myself out of bed, preparing to face yet another repetitive day. It never ends.

*~**~*

"What do you mean?" I ask Zeke, at a loss, as his words slowly register in my head.

"I'm sorry, Gabriela." Zeke extends his sympathy my way, understanding why I'm having such difficulty accepting this.

"What did he say when he quit?" I ask, aware that Chase quit because of me. There's no other explanation for his brash actions.

"He didn't really say anything. He just said that he can't work here anymore. He didn't give a reason," Zeke informs me.

"That's because he didn't have to," I whisper.

"On a lighter note, Cal's stoked to be your temp co-worker," Zeke tries to brighten my mood, however, it's a vain attempt.

"I love Caleb and everything, but he working with me is not a good combination," I force a smile, wondering how on earth I'll manage this surf shack without the great Chase Fuller. I can't maintain and fix boards like him, and Caleb has proven time and time again that he certainly can't either.

"Speak of the devil," Zeke grins and leaves Caleb and I to get to work.

"Hey," I greet Caleb warmly.

"What's up loser?" He grins widely as he takes me in for a hug. "I missed ya 'Old School'." He teases, in good spirits as always.

"I saw you yesterday," I remind him, failing to stifle a smile. He never fails to amuse me.

"Yeah but yesterday came and went," Caleb smirks, "I'm all about today."

I wish I had his optimistic outlook on life. I envy him.

"Yeah?" I grin as I wipe down a few surfboards before applying some wax. It doesn't feel the same without Chase. It feels like I'm missing a gigantic part to myself. "Hey Leb?" I question softly, seeking his opinion on where I stand.

"Mhmm?" He answers in ease, turning to face me, giving me his undivided attention.

"Is it my fault he quit?" I ask, feeling guilty on the inside. Maybe I was too hard on him...