Cinnamon Twigs: The Life and Pseudocide of a Celebrity

CHAPTER TEN: A Sea of Clouds and a Word Scrawled Sky

CHAPTER TEN

A Sea of Clouds and a Word Scrawled Sky

The wind bellowed in our ears and the sea became a writhing, nautical beast. Michael and I had decided to go on a fishing trip in Barry. But we’d experienced no luck and our fingers had turned bluer than some of Michael’s favorite movies.

     ‘Screw it.’ Michael placed his rod on the rocky ground.

     ‘What are you doing?’ I asked.

     ‘Come here.’

     He picked up a large stick and wandered towards the waves. Then he stopped just in front of the crashing tide, raised the stick above his head and roared like King Leonidas assembling his soldiers.

     ‘You’re nuts,’ I said.

     ‘This is Nature,’ he shouted over the fierce wind.

     ‘Yeah, it sucks!’ I laughed. ‘Come on, Mike, you’re not parting any waves today.’

     ‘Forget all the so-called immortal gods that clutter the graveyards of worship. This is the only thing we have to fear.’

     ‘Um, mate, you’re acting pretty weird…’

     ‘We rarely take note of the power of Nature. But look at that writhing sea; it’s fucking beautiful, dude. You should remember moments like this, when you’re staring into eternity. You won’t see those moments when you’re dead. It makes you think…’

     ‘About what?’

     ‘Dreams. Just look ahead and think of your dreams, your wishes, everything you aspire to. Are you gonna cross that metaphorical tide, or will you let it wash over you?’

     Hissing spray sought the air as the waves crashed against the shore, edging closer to Michael. A mist rapidly descended, resembling a sea of clouds. I thought about my dreams, the incoming tide and the girl I loved.

     Michael threw his stick into the water and watched as it slowly drifted out of reach.

     ‘C’mon, let’s go home. I’m fucking freezing!’ he said.

     Head over heels and all that jazz. I’d fallen for Lisa. I couldn’t sleep at night because I didn’t want to stop thinking about her, and each morning I couldn’t wait to go to college just so I could see her, smell her strawberry fragrance. But it’s hard to sustain a conversation with a girl when all you want to do is seal her lips with a kiss, when even the slightest touch makes you fantasize about having awesome sex for hours on end… She said she’d always seen me as a friend. It was prom night all over again. I knew we’d be good together, if only she’d give us a go.

     ‘Why not give us a chance?’ I asked her as a crowd of students filed past us in the main college hall.

     ‘Don’t put me on the spot!’ She avoided my gaze and giggled.

     ‘Take the tide by the flood. What’s there to lose?’

     ‘It could compromise our friendship for starters. I just don’t know…’

     ‘We’ll both regret never knowing.’

     ‘You can’t sample everything in life, Dan. Don’t look at me like that! Be a happy bunny.’    

     ‘Please, open your eyes.’ I clasped her hand in mine for a moment, and then joined the crowd.

     Lisa and I went on a college trip a few days later to see a play written by Anton Chekhov, called The Seagull. Thirty other students joined us on the coach to Bristol. Michael couldn’t go because he didn’t feel well (he was hungover). Everyone enjoyed the play, but I kept my eyes on Lisa all the way through the performance. We didn’t get back to college until eleven in the evening. Lisa and I ran through the silver rain, giggling uncontrollably, until we found cover. She looked gorgeous. There was wet in her hair and her wide green eyes sparkled like fireflies in the dark.