Saving Scout O'Brian

9- Be Strong

•The Edge of Tonight By All Time Low•

Nine

The ocean beat softly against the shore as I sat there, letting my tears dry and my thoughts wander among the waves and the wetness of the sand perforate my clothes. Regardless of the situation, it felt good to be there. I didn't cry often, but I was sure that when ever I had too, the sea would be present.

My hands curled into the wet sand and I brought the mushy clump up to my face, marveling at the billions of little grains. I remembered long ago, at a foster home that was nicer than the others, the old woman living there let me look at her books.

One of them was a book titled "The Things We Don't See" and I could remember how fascinated I was to learn that even through the smallest of God's creations was vast in size if you blew it up enough. That was one of the nicest places I'd ever been placed, and I cried the days after I was pulled away from that wonderful, magical place and stuffed into hell once more.

My mind tried to shy away from those memories, but I forced it ahead. I was tired of this barrier. I needed to come to terms with what had happened to me because it wasn't fair to my five year old daughter to have to keep waking up in the middle of the night to console her train wreck of a mother.

Moving forward was what I needed to do, and I would endure all the pain in the world if it meant I'd be the mother she deserved. This was my last hurtle and I was prepared to jump it with flying colors.

Footsteps in the sand alerted me that I was no longer alone. My back stiffened automatically as the sound stopped right beside me. I wanted to look over, but I was pretty sure I already had an idea of who it was, and I wasn't sure I'd be able to look her in the eyes without having another breakdown.

"It is beautiful this time of day." Her alluring accent had a low sigh leaving my mouth and my eyelashes fluttering.

"It is." I agreed softly, not taking my eyes off the ocean.

I felt her shirt brush my arm and finally turned to look at her. I was immediately blindsided with the fact that she was in a simple black long-sleeved sweater and some jeans shorts that cut off mid thigh and weren't something I'd ever pictured her wearing.

Her hair was up in a messy up do, with pieces framing her face. She was looking straight ahead, which gave me a nice profile of the curve of her neck and the sharp bones of her jaw and cheek. Her long legs were stretched out in front of her, elegantly crossed. It amazed me how even in such mundane, normal clothing and no makeup she still managed to look pristine and proper.

She was beautiful.

My stomach erupted into butterflies when her head turned, and I was again sucked into those swirling grey orbs of hers. They never failed to capture me.

"Why aren't you at work?" Naturally, I blurted the first thing that came to mind. I mean, it was Monday. She should probably be at work.

The ends of her lips curled up, and her eyes flashed at me. "Why aren't you at school?" She retorted.

I pasted a sheepish smile on my face before turning my burning face to the sand and shrugging.

"I had a bad night, and thought a day off would be good."

My eyes returned to hers and the intensity of her gaze made me want to shrink back. But I didn't. I rose to the challenge and met her gaze head on.