Always Awake

Chapter 9

Saturday mornings are my favourite, everything always feels so relaxed. I lay in bed with my eyes shut in peace. I was beginning to drift off into a happy dream, when some deadly cry pierced through the still air. "Ughh! Harry!" I grunted. So much for a lie in.

Harry was sprawled on the living room floor, crying, he must of hit his head on the sharp glass coffee table. Our house really wasn't childproof. Blood seeped out his head, creating a lovely blood bath on our new white rug. "Mum! There's been an accident!" I yelled. I heard her moan. Mum stumbled out her bedroom door, almost slipping on Harry's toy car. "Has he pissed on the bathroom floor again?" She mumbled through her bedhead. Mum was always grouchy in the mornings. "6am! Ellie its Saturday!" She attempted a shout.

"He woke me up-"

She glared at me in disapproval

"-Anyway! Hello there has been a blood disaster over here!" I said, pointing in the most obvious way possible at Harry on the floor. My eyes widened as I realised how much blood he lost. "Uh oh" I said under my breath.

"Ellie! What the hell! Why didn't you wake me earlier!" She sounded annoyed. "I know he's a bloody mess, and...I only just woke up!" I grumbled.

"Not him, my new ivory carpet!"

"Mum!" I said, opening my eyes even wider.

"Sorry darl-" She rubbed my arm conscientiously. "Aw poor baby" she kneeled down beside him, scooping him up into her arms. Mum tried to act like she cared, but I could tell her fragile emotional state was about to kick in.

I can't stand this family I thought.

I am basically the only person that cares, everyone else always puts themselves before others. I am sick of it. I didn't want to help mum, as much as she needed my help and so did Harry. She didn't deserve it, mum doesn't appreciate any of my efforts whatsoever. She needs to learn a lesson, and when she realises how much she actually she needs me, the better.

"Ellie! Could you go get him changed, and we will go to the hospital" She said shoving him into my arms, causing me to fall back a bit. "No mum, I'm not dressed and I need to get ready". I handed him back.

"Ellie! Stop being selfish and help me out for once!"

"For once! Are you joking I am literally the mum of this family!"

"Don't talk to me like that young lady! I am your mother!"

"Yeah really? Well maybe you should act like it, and take some responsibility for once instead of dumping all your toxic waste on me!"

I stormed into my room, slamming my door as hard as I could. I was out. I can't be around her or any of them any longer. I pulled on a pair of cream, white shorts and my sandals, along with some kind of flowery, floaty top. I grabbed a bag from my wardrobe, and stuffed it with clothes, and a few other things from my room. And left.

When I passed mums room, I noticed her struggling to change a diaper on Harry. It made me chuckle. I took some money from the jar and a bottle of water, and a chocolate bar with a few apples.

Luckily it wasn't freezing cold. I didn't know where to go.

I thought back to last night. It did not make my mood brighten at all. I strolled down to the beach hoping to see someone I recognised. Then again it might be a bit early for that, the smoothie shack wasn't even open yet.

The air was humid, even at 6:45am. The sky bubbled with clouds, and seaside birds chirped at the appearance of sunlight. The dusty morning sky was streaked with pinks, greys and oranges. Something about sunsets and sunrises that soothes me. I live for them.

A tanned boy, around my age-maybe older. Was near the smoothie shack. His honeyed coloured hair shined in the warm morning sunlight. I couldn't help but stare. He was already in his swimming trunks, seemed a bit early. I had the urge to speak to him.

"You're a bit keen?" I said as I approached, this stranger. He looked at me puzzled. "It's like 6am?!" I hinted. He looked at his invisible watch. "7" he corrected.

God what am I doing? I can already tell he is some arrogant rich boy I thought.

I rolled my eyes. "What are you doing here anyway?" He said coming closer. He had a very strong Australian accent, they always sounded sexy to me.

I thought back to Jack. Oh my god, what the hell am I doing here?. "How is that any of your business?" I said.

"Just curious"

"More like nosey" I corrected, he laughed.

I really shouldn't be here with this guy, I don't even know his name and it already feels wrong. Last thing I want is to cheat on Jack, not that we ever officially said we were dating.

He grabbed the handle of the shack. "What are you doing!" I said taking his hand off the door, "trespassing is a crime".

"Not if you work on the premises" he corrected again. I felt embarrassed. It was strange. "Why would a rich boy like you be working here?" I blurted out.

He sniggered. "What makes you think I'm rich?"

"Please, I can tell, I can smell all that money off you"

"Oh really, is that why I live up there?" He pointed to a caravan, about 200 yards away. It did not look ideal. "Huh?" I said. "Okay you were half right, my family is rich but I got kicked out" he confessed.

Bad boy huh? Familiar with them I thought. "What about you? Where do you stay?" He said, entering the shack. "So you think I'm going to tell a complete stranger where I live?"

"I told you"

"So"

"So, you tell me"

"Only if I get a free smoothie" I bargained.

"Tell me three other things about yourself and I'll give you a free muffin"

"Deal". We shook hands.

It turns out his name was Zak. And he got expelled from school for a number of things, and loves to surf, and makes smoothies for a living.

The smoothie wasn't all that bad, it consisted of pineapple, mango and orange. The muffin was the best part, chocolate chip and banana nut, my favourite.

I told him about my dad, Jack, and how I have no friends anymore.

"He sounds like a jerk" Zak said taking the tall glass to clean, "well everyone can be a jerk I guess, but I cares which is what matters". He nodded, "fair enough".

"Hope your a good surfer?!" He grinned, handing me one of his boards to borrow. "Don't be too overconfident Zak" I laughed, slipping off my shorts and top. Luckily I always wear a bikini under my clothes, it is usually pointless but it came in handy. In picked up my board and jogged into the crystal clear water. He was stood there looking at nothing. "Coming?" I called.

He joined me and we surfed the waves for hours, having mini competitions. Although he was one of the most annoying and egotistical boys I have ever met, we got on well.

The water was a jewel blue, and sirene corals glowed beneath us, swarming with all sorts of tropical fish. The waves were perfect, so easy and smooth, I managed to perform a few tricks that I had taught myself over the years.

We were completely worn out, it was nice to surf with someone. Zak felt like a friend. We sat on the pearl sand, smiling at how beautiful everything was. The beach was busier now, people had brought colourful towels and picnics and were sunbathing under the toasting hot sun.

I felt Zak looking at me. I looked at him, his almond eyes stared at me like a cute puppy. Zak leaned in to me, closer and closer into my lips.

"Ellie! What are you doing?!"