The Reality of Growing Up//Wattys 2k16

❃maeryn❃

published: 2.27.16

chapter 1: ❃ maeryn ❃ 

The ocean is the best place to get reborn. To start fresh and throw all your secrets and sadness away. With its massive waves and thunderous noise, the sea is bound to do well and take care of you. The case is similar with its owner, the land. Especially land right next to the sea.

That's why I knew it was a good idea to come to the sleepy town of Kendall. I had been coming here since I could remember. My mom always told me my real mother was the ocean, since that's where I spent most of my childhood. Maybe that's why I felt drawn to it. Now, I only had one mother and it was the salty sea.

I look over to my side, I see my younger sister, Brandy, staring out the window. She seems fixed on the waves rolling on and off the shore. Sometimes I forget that she's also a daughter of the ocean.

I want to comfort her in some way, but I know she won't appreciate it. I want to tell her everything will be okay and that we're finally going home but even I know that that is a lie.

So I just look forwards and focus on driving. I got us lost a couple times, almost got pulled over by the police, and forgot to fill up the gas so we had to stop a few times. Driving to Kendall is new to me. It was usually Dad who drove us, each year.

Thinking about Dad causes a lump to form in my throat. I miss his corny jokes and the way he used to play volleyball with us. I glance at Brandy again and hope she senses my gaze. Maybe we can talk about it. That's what the school guidance counselor told the both of us to do. Of course Brandy smiled and nodded and made everything seem okay. When we got home, she slammed the door in my face and told me to piss off. Look at me, I mentally whisper to her, hoping our sister-bond will work.

She doesn't.

I can't help but think that she looks better than me. Despite the fact that we lost our mother eight months ago, she was the one strong enough for the both of us. I hope I can return the favor this summer.

Everyone has always told us that we looked like twins. Brandy's three years younger than me, making her fifteen and me eighteen. She has long brown hair that's up to her waist now. She's skinny, with an excellent taste in clothes. Her eyes are brown, similar to mine. Her skin is coppery, again, similar to mine.

We pass the sign that signals us that we're in Kendall. Soon enough, I'm pulling into our sandy driveway.

That's another thing that says we're in Kendall: sand everywhere. Soon enough, it gets in your hair and under your fingernails and even in your bed. I used to hate it. Now, I'm excited to be washing sand out of my scalp.

"I'm going to the beach," Brandy tells me, pushing her door open and running out to the beach like she's training for the marathon.

I stare after her as her figure gets smaller and smaller until she disappears around the corner towards the beach.

Sighing, I realize that it's up to me to get all our luggage into the house.

The house is just like I remember. Big, gray, and tall. The windows glisten in the sunlight and the flowers on the lawn are blooming, bursting with life. Picking at some of the keys in my ring, I finally bring out the correct one.

Suitcase in one hand, keys in the other, I finally manage to get the door to open and reveal my home.

Nothing really has changed. The white couches are still in the middle of the room, in front of the electric fireplace.