A Known Stranger

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

                The next morning, as I sat on my back porch drinking a cup of hot coffee, I watched the sun rise in silence. It was around seven in the morning, too early for anyone else in the house to be up and about. Usually, Sunday’s I slept in as late as I could but after getting home last night from the Arcade with Adam, I hadn’t been able to fall asleep, so I laid awake in my bed and crawled out half an hour before sunrise to make coffee. Now, I sat on the swinging porch bench, knees brought up to my chest, coffee mug resting onto of my knees as I stared out at the horizon of the ocean, the sun peaking out and slowly rising into the sky.

                My gaze lingered on the rocks that I usually sat at when I strolled out in the middle of the night. The waves crashed down onto the rocks with force, and I wondered how it would feel to jump into the chaotic waters. I wondered how it’d feel to have water rush into my lungs, weighing me down as I tried to breathe. Would it hurt? Would it burn? How would it feel to drown? Would anyone rush out to help me if they saw? Would someone save me? Jump in after me and risk their life as well?

                I snapped out of my thoughts and squeezed my eyes shut, willing myself to think about something else, anything else.

                So I closed my eyes and looked back to the day before.

                Yesterday, after eating the lunch that Ian had prepared, Adam had demanded me to get dressed because he was going to take me out on an afternoon full of childish fun. At first, I had declined his offer, told him that I just wanted to stay home and watch Teen Wolf the entire day, but he had none of it. He had dragged me up to my bedroom and picked out an outfit for me to wear, he even went as far as threatening to change me if I didn’t change myself. And knowing him, I knew he would do it too, so I had changed into the pair of light blue skinny jeans, a long sleeve plaid button up, and a pair of my worn out Vans. His choice of clothing was simple and comfortable, making me wonder where he was taking me. Turns out after a twenty minute drive, his plans consisted of arcade games and bumper cars.

                I silently smiled, as I remembered the way Adam had glared at the little girl who had beat him in air hockey. Spending time with him had been fun, it had helped me forget and relax but that had only lasted up until the moment I was alone in bedroom. I had stayed awake, not wanting to close my eyes because I knew that if I did, I’d see them.

                “Good morning,” Ian said, stepping out onto the back porch, cup of hot coffee in his hands.

                “Morning,” I replied, glancing up at him then back at the ocean.

                “Did you have fun last night?” he asked. “I saw Adam before he went into his room. What was on his T-Shirt?”

                “Milkshake,” I answered, a small smile playing on my lips.

                “Milkshake?”

                I nodded, “Some girl threw a milkshake on him.”

                “Why?” he laughed.

                “Because he beat her at air hockey,” I said. “He deserved it- he kept rubbing it in her face that he won.”

                “How old was the girl?”

                “Seven.” I replied laughing also.