My Superhero

Chapter 13

The next morning I found myself fully awake a little after the break of dawn. The sun was still on its way up, casting a golden shine over the blue ocean.

As the grogginess of my sleep trickled away, the memory of the bizarre dreams I’d had last night made me disoriented. Somehow, the events of the past two days had all combined into one bizarre dream where Jason was… my boyfriend.

In my dream, I had been lying on my bed back home. As soon as I’d realized that I’m not with Kate anymore, I started crying uncontrollably. Suddenly, I heard my door unlocking and a few seconds later I felt two strong arms wrap around my body.

It’s weird how I could smell his intoxicating scent even in the dream.

We were just about to kiss when my brain decided to jolt me out of my sleep, just for the sake of my sanity, I suppose.

I shook my head, trying to drive the lingering thoughts of my dream away, and got out of bed. Looking out the window, I could see a few early risers taking advantage of the morning waves. Other than them, the beach was completely empty.

Spontaneous decisions were never really my thing. I’m usually more of a planner, taking at least half an hour to think through where I’m going. That’s why I was surprised when I found myself changing into my white swimsuit, throwing an orange tank dress over it, and walking towards the beach. The wind was a little chilly as it ruffled my hair around, but it was refreshing enough to make me giggle foolishly.

With no second thoughts, I dumped my towel and my dress on the sand, and then briskly walked to the water, its waves reflecting the soft sunshine with every little movement. I pushed further into the deep blue ocean, ignoring the way the cold water made my whole body shiver. When I was deep enough for the water to cover me from neck to toe, I dipped my head back and let the waves submerge my hair and face completely.

I felt giddy with happiness. The feel of the water on my skin and the wet sand between my toes took me to a place far away, where stress and sorrow don’t exist. I paddled along, going further in the water then letting the waves carry me back closer to the shore. I had fallen into a happy rhythm, which is why when a big body neared my small fragile one, I hadn’t noticed at all.

“Look at that, it’s Viv!” A loud voice boomed. I shrieked and flailed around helplessly, only to sink down like a rock. A strong arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me out of the water. I spluttered and coughed, then slowly opened my eyes to see Steve’s face inches away from mine.

He was laughing uncontrollably.

“Don’t ever sneak up on me again!” I scolded, pushing his chest away but to no avail. He was cradling me in his arms like a little baby.

His chest vibrated as he laughed even louder, “Are you kidding? I’m gonna creep up on you every time,” he said with a cheeky grin. I punched him on the shoulder, making him laugh at my feeble hit.

“If you do, you can forget about being friends,” I warned him, “Now put me down, you giant,” my voice came out in a hopeless huff as I tried to break free of his grip. Although his broad shoulders were like a protective warm cape from the cold water, I was still feeling a little uncomfortable to be this close to him.

He cocked his left eyebrow and smirked, “Giant?”

“I meant you nice, funny, great guy,” I corrected quickly, but it was too late. In one swift movement of his strong arms I was flying up, up and away, landing a few meters away into the water with a splash. The waves roared in my ears, muffling up my scream. The silence lasted for less than a minute before Steve’s hand yanked me above the surface again.