Tide

Chapitre Un

I pull into Santa Monica's mostly empty parking lot and take the key out of the ignition of my black Jeep. I sit back, rest my head on the back of my seat, and close my eyes.

What am I running from? I ask myself, utterly confused and disturbed by the situation I find myself in now. I have escaped to the beach. The beach is my salvation.

Or used to be. Now I don't even know. The place seems to drag me back all the time now, unfortunately.

Everything. I sigh, answering my own question, and open my eyes.

Automatically, the setting sun burns my retinas and I reach for my sunglasses sitting in the cup holder. I set my sunglasses awkwardly over my prescription glasses.

I really need prescribed sunglasses, or contacts... Nah, prescribed sunglasses. For some strange reason, which many people find unfortunate, I enjoy wearing glasses. I'm at a few disadvantages at times, but I'd rather have it be that way than have my face feel like a naked ass.

Fortunately, my sunglasses fit over my prescribed glasses and cover them completely, they're practically invisible.

After sitting for a while and staring into the shady void, I reach for and open the door of my Jeep and hop out. My sandaled feet whip the ground and some sand falls in between my toes. Usually this is uncomfortable, despite how used to it I have become, but at the moment I could care less.

Walking through sand is always a challenge, and always feels very strange, but I do it, moping around the beach. Eventually, I reach my favorite spot near the pier – which is empty at this hour – and sit. I take off my sandals and let my toes dig into the sand, and it sticks when the water waves over my feet. I sit there, staring off into the deep blue sea and the setting sun. I cannot manifest any thoughts, and any that may come I don't want to welcome.

The sound of the waves gives me peace and lulls me. Unconsciously, filled with calm, I throw my whole body down backwards into the sand and lay there. My clean-cut hair is not so clean anymore.

I simply lay there, my arms spread out.

I forget about the water.

"Fuuu – !" I yell, my torso bolting up when the waves go beyond my legs up to my stomach, wetting my ass.

I sit there helplessly and don't do anything as the water washes over me again, giving into the fact that it is too late – I am soaking wet. I was never really fond of the ocean.

Who am I kidding? I love the water. But then again I don't.

The ocean, as beautiful as it is, brings about dark memories.

I throw myself back violently into the sand, and as I lay there gazing at the sky, I spot a dark speck through my peripheral vision. I break my focus on the sky and turn my eyes to look and notice a girl sitting alone a little ways down the beach. I can't help but to turn my head to look at her, repeatedly. Every time I turn to look, she glances down at her phone. She does this over and over – looking at a text message, I assume – and thumbs back a response. I look all around, taking in my surroundings for the first time, and catch sight of only a few people here and there. Bored with entirely nothing to do, I turn my attention back to her, trying not to be obvious.

Curiosity finally gets the best of me.

I stand up and slowly begin to make my way towards her. As I walk I start to feel uneasy, unsure of what I'm doing, but I keep going. When I approach her, I stay back far enough, calmly sit, and push my sunglasses up onto my head.