Capsize

prologue

"Drop tears in the morning
Give in to the lonely
Here it comes with no warning
Capsize, I'm first in the water
Too close to the bottom
I'm right back where I started
Said I'm fine"
-Frenship (Capsize)

-

The sand was wet underneath her. It would probably stain her skirt, but Dot didn't care. Her legs were already partially covered with sand. Her bare arms felt cold, nipped by the needles of an ocean breeze. The moon was waxing and waning above her, shining through dark clouds like a flashlight.

She turned her head to look at Wren. He reminded her of warm homemade meals, crackling fireplaces, a slow burn that lit her veins on fire. He was a gentle flame, lit with energy, a spark always behind his bright blue eyes.

But now he was nothing more than a burnt out match.

They were sitting on a patch of sand, a few feet away from where the waves were crashing on the beach. Surrounding them were smooth grey boulders, covered with strips of seaweed.

A chasm was opening itself inside her heart, gaping wide open. Her mind and body were cold and numb with shock; looking sideways at Wren's wide-eyed expression, she could tell he felt the same.

In a distant part of her mind, Dot knew she and Wren had to get away. They had to leave this place before the police showed up, responding to the 911 call she had made with her phone. Maybe they'd track the number down. Maybe they wouldn't. She didn't know how the police worked.

As if she was watching from another person's point of view, she saw her arm reach out and place itself on Wren's shoulder. He turned to look at her, and she was caught backwards by the terror and desperation in his eyes. Gently, she placed a hand against his cheek. It was wet.

"Wren," she said, placing her hand back on his shoulder. "We have to get out of here. The police are gonna be here soon."

He didn't respond. With a sigh, Dot got up, feeling her legs wobble. She stuck a hand out for Wren, who grabbed it and stood up. His once white t-shirt was now dirty in places, his light brown hair tousled from the wind. His shoulders were set and tense, and Dot could almost feel anxiety coming off of him in waves.

In the distance, a police siren rang out. Panic blossomed in Dot's chest again.

"C'mon." She said, crouching down behind the boulders so the police cars wouldn't see her from the road behind the beach. "Wren, let's go!"

As if an exposed wire had touched him, he sprang into action, crouching in the same style as Dot, the two teenagers hurrying along the beach. The sirens got louder, but Wren and Dot  kept to a steady jog, turrets of sand kicking up under their feet. They were almost to the sandy pathway that led to the beach house where their friends and them were staying.

Wren and Dot scrambled their way to the beach house. The smell of salt spray became more faint, the feeling of squishy sand giving way to cold stone steps that led up to the house. Dot could feel her heart beating in her throat, could hear the sound of car doors shutting and people shouting.

"Dot." Wren said, suddenly grabbing her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. His hold was fierce, almost desperate, as if he was trying to steady himself by holding onto her. "Promise me."

"Promise you what?" Dot said, confused, strands of her dark curly hair flying into her face. Wren's eyes were urgent, his face set in a frown. His hand was clammy where he had grabbed her.

"Promise me that we'll never tell anyone about tonight."

Dot knew what he was referring to. How could she not, when it was the reason they were running away, the reason that the police showed up?

"Promise me, Dot." And Wren sounded both young and old at the same time, weary yet cautious, voice both calm and urgent. "Never tell anyone that we let Jamie drown."