Superhero or Superstar?

Blake Gray/Daredevil

"Come on Tara!! Stop walking so slow!" I shouted to my best friend, running towards the beach.

"I'm going! Chill out Blake, the beach isn't going anywhere!!" She yelled back with a hint of sarcasm.

Tara, my best friend and I were heading to the beach to hang out before she had to go back home to Washington and I wanted to cherish these remaining two days with her. Especially since I really like her.

"I know, but you leave in two days and I want them to be memorable. I don't want your last two days in Texas to be remembered as crappy because I wasn't fun enough."

She caught up to me and faced me, only a few inches from my face and said, "Dude, I don't think I'll forget this trip. This is the longest I've been in Texas with you. Plus you're Blake Gray, you're like a brother to me. I can't forget you, man, or this trip."

And just like that she sucker punched my heart. Brother-zoned. This sucks.

"Well I'm glad you're having fun, but there's a beautiful Texas beach waiting for us over there, so let's go!" I said with excitement.

Taking a hold of her hand, we walked down to the beach. We act like a couple a lot but sadly we aren't, only "siblings". I've known Tara since we were kids because our dads are best friends. Every year during summer break, they come to Texas for about two weeks and my family and I go over to Washington during winter break. This year Tara's family spent almost all of summer here with us and I was so happy for that.

I realized I liked Tara as more than a friend about two years ago, but I can never admit it to her. No one knows. Not my other friends, not my parents, no one.

After about an hour of playing in the water and splashing each other, we decided to play volleyball. Tara had brought her volleyball with her since it's her favorite sport.

"I got it!" I shouted as I dove for the ball.

I managed to bump the ball, but as I was sliding I got sand in my eyes.

"Are you okay? Doesn't the sand hurt?" Tara asked running over to me.

"Yea, but it hurts my eyes. They really burn."

"Try not to rub them, that might make it worse."

"I can barely even open them.."

I kept my eyes shut. After a few moments of silence, I began hearing strange sounds and smelling weird stuff.

"Hey I'll be back. I think I might have eye drops in my bag, I thought this would happen to one of us." Tara told me.

I heard something like a heartbeat. I couldn't open my eyes. The heartbeat kept getting louder and faster. Then I heard it slow down.

"I found them!!" She exclaimed. While she shouted that, the sound of the beat rose.

What the hell was that? Could I hear Tara's heartbeat?

She ran back to me and I heard the beat again and the sand moving as she ran across it. I wasn't sure how I could even hear those really silent sounds. As she got closer the beating became louder.

It was an unbearable pain. I collapsed into a fetal position and the heartbeat sounded muffled. I think my ears started bleeding.

"I'm back. Are you okay?" She asked with sincerity. "Oh my gosh! Blake! Are you okay? What happened?" Tara said alarmed.

Tara took some tissues and eye drops out of the first aid kit and helped clean my ears and my eyes from the sand.

"What happened?" She asked.

I couldn't let her know what happened.

"These kids were playing soccer and the ball hit my head really hard, like really hard. I'm fine though, really."

"That's really odd. I don't think those kids would have a kick strong enough to make you bleed... Do you think you might have a concussion?"

"No. I'm okay, T. I promise. It was just a hit. I'm fine now. Let's just get back to enjoying our day at the beach." I told her with a smile.

She smiled back and got a hold of my hand. We walked hand in hand down the beach, enjoying the rest of our day there until we had to go back home.

Even with the most beautiful and amazing girl with me, I couldn't help but think of what had happened to me earlier. I had never experienced something like that.

Whatever it was, I hope it never happens again.