All I Am (Wattys2015) (ON HOLD)

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Blue walked back to her house that morning, laughing to herself. She was still weak from the exertion, but satisfied. She felt a satisfying feeling she hadn't felt in...ever. It dawned on her she'd never felt as happy as she did at the moment, but also lonely. She felt alone and isolated.

Blue wrung her tangled hair out on the doorstep before cracking open the front door and slipping inside. It was Sunday morning at a quarter past 7, so her parents were both most likely still asleep.

The warm water hissed in the shower as Blue pulled the wetsuit off her body, and took her bikini off. She threw it down on a plastic grocery bag on her tile bathroom floor, then stepped in the shower with the wetsuit and a hanger. She hung it up and began rinsing the neoprene out.

Blue came into the kitchen wearing a pair of plaid flannel pajama bottoms and a black v-neck t-shirt. Her hair, which was still slightly damp despite being attacked with the blow-dryer, was tied up in a loose messy bun.

Piri was at the table reading the newspaper and drinking coffee like always on weekend mornings. Sage was still asleep. Blue let out a small sigh of relief before greeting her dad.

"Morning, dad," she grinned. But still felt lonely.

"Good morning, Blue! How was your long day out at sea already?" he teased before taking a sip of coffee.

"It was wonderful! I really enjoyed it even though I spent more time splashing around than I did learning. Maddy taught me a lot, too. And you should have seen my first – I think it was my first – wave! I rode along the wave, which apparently doesn't happen at all when you're learning!" She grinned as she took a seat across from him at the table.

Piri wasn't thrilled about her enthusiasm. He'd hoped another day of getting knocked around would have cured her new passion. But it seemed to have only intensified. Still, he kept a smile on his face acted positive. "That's wonderful; it wasn't too rough out there for you?"

Blue thought about this for a second. She had gotten smacked by numerous waves, and they had thrown her around under the water, leaving her to surface choking. But she had enjoyed it. "No. I loved it."

She watched her dad flinch almost unnoticeably. Her mom was still asleep. She was high on euphoria and passion and low from the emptiness burning her heart. Blue hated confrontations. But this may be her only chance.

"Dad?" she said quietly.

"Hmm?" he asked, looking down at his paper.

"I really enjoyed it today. And yesterday. I felt better than I have in ages while I was doing it."

"That's good, Blue. Is that what you were going to say?" How he wished he could avoid what he felt was coming.

"I...I want to surf." There. She had said it. She couldn't take it back now, no matter how much she wished she could.

And the strange thing was that she didn't regret it.

Piri looked her in the eye slowly. "Shouldn't you try it a few more times first?"

Blue couldn't hold her feelings back. "No. I know I love it more than I've ever loved anything. I want to learn. Please don't deny me that."

"I'm not denying you anything, Blue. I'm just saying a board and a wetsuit would be a big expense, and this is very sudden. Very very sudden. That's all," Piri muttered the last part.

Blue wouldn't give up. "But have you ever just felt something so...right – so right that you know you don't want anything else?"

Her dad nodded. Blue felt that he was beginning to concede to her point. She remained silent.