My Blue Secret

Chapter Two - New Developments

   The next day I wake early. I get dressed into some jeans and a plain yellow t-shirt. After a quick breakfast and an expected absence of my dear parents, I make my way through the cottage and out the front door. I go to the side of the house, inside a little wooden shed. This is where my darling old pink bike is kept. I know I’m too old for pink, but I just think it’s fashionable. I bike down to the local village, about a ten minute bike ride. To get the film from my camera developed.
  Mum and Dad had to leave earlier to meet some clients or something. They left a hasty note that told me very little. The tiny village here has only necessities and a couple of tourist stores. Luckily there is somewhere I can get my film developed and have the pictures I took last night back.
  After dropping the film off at the store, I make my way down the walkway through the old town to a local diner. It’s almost a dream that it’s still here since the last time I came to visit. Rodelle, the lady who owns the diner and also who I know from my many vacations here, serves me like I come here every day.
  She makes no comments like “Long time, no see” or “It’s been a while, Senna” and only asks me how I’ve been, what my parents are up to and how school’s going. I tell her as she asks, finishing the pleasantries at an appropriate time. I devour the warm chicken Panini she brings over to my table with a large cup of hot chocolate. I skipped breakfast to get some stuff done.
  In the middle of taking a sip of my drink, while reading the local newspaper, I hear the bell over the door of the diner ring. I look up from the paper and start choking on my drink. At the door is a girl called Maddi. When I was younger, me and Maddi used to do everything together. Like build sand castles and play dress up, with our mums’ clothes. But when I stopped coming here as often, me and her didn't keep in touch. So I haven't seen her in, like, five years. And those years have been good to her—understatement of the century! I think to myself. Walking through the door is a tall, blonde and drop-dead-gorgeous girl. A girl I that I know is Maddi but has changed so much.
  She looks almost nothing like what she used to. But I can still see it’s her. She used to be the ‘fat kid’ back in the day, and wear huge glasses that magnified her eyes more than three times their natural size. But now she’s wearing a long grey dress with a black cardigan over top. She must’ve got contacts too; I can’t remember her eyes being green—she had blue eyes, like bright versions of my own, the last time I checked.
  I sit frozen in my chair, with my cup still at my lips, as I stare in amazement at my old friend. When Maddi enters she goes straight to the counter and orders at coffee. As she waits, she turns and looks around the diner.
  I still stay frozen in shock. Like an idiot. Her eyes skim past me. Then in a flash back to me for a double take. Her eyes go wide in astonishment. Then she makes a high pitch squeal and comes running over to me.
  "Oh my god. Is that you Senna?" she asks. I become unstuck and smile.
  "Hey Maddi, how’s it going?" I reply. She moves and sits down into my booth.
  "I'm good. Oh my god. I am so happy to see you again; it’s been forever!" she says with enthusiasm.
  I smile at her again. "Yeah it has. But with both my parents working all the time, we hardly get to come out here anymore," I tell her.
  "Well it’s so good that your back now. You and I have to catch up,” she says without breaking for breath. “How long are you here for?" she asks.
   "The whole summer. We definitely have to have a catch-up," I answer.
  "Well how about some time next week?" she asks me.
  "Sure. Sounds great," I reply.
  She gets up from the table. "Well I have to go but I’ll be in touch. Keep some space in your plan free for me! See you then.”
  “Bye,” I say as she gets up. She waves, and with that she turns and takes her coffee on her way past the counter, and exits the diner.
  Fifteen minutes later, I skull the rest of my hot chocolate and get up, leaving the money on the table with a tip.
  I make my way back to the photo shop to pick up my pictures. I open the folder when I get outside. The photos are blurred and undefined. Just shapeless black blobs amidst glints of moonlight on water. I frown but decide to keep them anyway. They’ll look fine with the rest of the photos on my bedroom ceiling back at the cottage. I have accumulated a few from our copious vacations and refuse to take them to my ‘home’ in the city.  They seem more natural here.
  When I get home, I park my bike against the side of the house and unlock the door. I go to my room and in less than a minute, I’m fully-togged and making my way out onto the beach by the cottage. I look up at the sky. Another stunner of a day.  I walk onto the water, up to my neck and the water at my toes still isn’t cold. I float on the gentle waves, belly-up, and listen to the sound of crashing waves and squawking seagulls.
  The sun smiles down on me and warms me to my soul. I wonder how far I’ve drifted. I look up and see the current has pulled me north, but I can still see the cottage. So I dive to the bottom, just to see how deep I am, and brush my hands through the shells in the sand. The sun comes down in yellow rays, striking through the water above me. My eyes sting like crazy from leaving them open and my lungs beg for air. I resurface and breathe in fresh ocean air.
  I feel something suddenly cool and slippery slide across my calf. I freeze and hold my breath. Please don’t be a shark. Please don’t be a shark. No menacing fin signals my premature demise, no teeth gnaw at my limbs. I sigh in relief before I plunge my head into the water, squinting.
  My fogged vision picks up on a slender shape, probably a couple or so feet longer than my height. But it’s too far away to see anything clearly.  Maybe my mind is playing tricks on me. It seems do so that sometimes—like when you look at a big ball and a little ball at the same place and there’s no way the big ball can fit inside the little one, but if you move the big one further away and keep the little one where it is, suddenly the little ball could comfortably house the big ball.
  It was probably just a fish, I reassure myself. There tends to be quite a bit of big fish out here, but the area in general is pretty crappy for fishing. Still, stranger things have happened.
  I head into shore and roll around in the sand and sun, just enjoying being in my favourite niche of the world. I make my way back to the cottage, inside to make something to eat. The pantry’s full of bread and cereal and canned food. I make up a meal of baked beans on toast, with spreadable cream cheese and enough real cheese to feed a million hungry mice.
  I wish Tuna was here. I bet Mum and Dad took him out for some ‘exercise’ when they left. He hates running, the lazy little bugger. We tried exercise with him several times, but he was just so damn stubborn. He’s an apartment dog. Mum’s probably holding him as they walk around town, regretting trying to improve his fitness.
  After eating my food, I make my way to my room. I lie on my bed and put my headphones in, then close my eyes, listening to some of my all-time favourites from Michael Jackson. After a while I fall asleep, with my iPod still playing. I must be super tired.

***

  I mooch aimlessly around my room for the afternoon, after my short nap. There’s really not a lot for me to do while mum and dad are gone and Tuna’s not here to snuggle at my feet.
  I amuse myself with a game of chequers with my reflection. I win, of course.
  Mum and dad arrive back late in the evening. They’ve been talking with potential clients, prepared to set up right here, in this town.
  “Does that mean we might move here?” I ask excitedly.
  “No dear,” my mum disappoints me again. “This only means a branch of the business will be extended to here. We’ll still live in the city. I thought you liked it there anyway.”
  “Are you—“ I begin, but I cut myself off. She won’t remember; she’s already busying herself with heating up leftovers.
  We all eat in silence again. Occasionally one of them asks me about my day, apologise for their tardiness. I forgive them and answer their queries. Tuna snuffs at my feet, gobbling up the scraps I feed him when mum and dad aren’t looking.
  The evening goes along in an uneventful way, just some TV and warm milk before bed. I say my goodnights and head off to bed. Fall asleep almost immediately