A Timeless Place

Chapter 45

Dreams and harbingers of the future

The beach materialised as expected. Nothing would ever change that. The sand with its grimy clumpy texture engulfed my feet, rooting me to the spot I would always be. The water, as thick and dark as blood waved to me, calling me. Its ominous tides promised me nothing but pain if I were to choose that direction. Which left me with only one direction- the one behind me. The blinding light behind me cast shadows that were permanently imprinted into the sand around me.

But with a flicker, it all changed. I saw four figures in front of me with great clarity. Even though I couldn't see their faces, I immediately knew who they were. Dad. Eli's father and mother. And Jason. Their figures had an ethereal timelessness to them as they stood, unmoving with their backs to me. They were frozen in space as if they were made of stone that refused to budge an inch no matter how loudly I called to them.

Not one of them turned around at my desperate pleas. Instead two arms snaked around my waist. I'd have known those hands from anywhere. They were Wes'. His voice was low and seductive as he willed me to turn around, to see for myself what I'd been so desperately trying to avoid. I shook my head, telling him that I couldn't turn around, wouldn't turn around.

"It's a selfish act."

Beep!

I jumped out of my troubled sleep as my phone went off. I rubbed my hand against my face. I'd been having the same dream all week, and every time I was as shocked and out of my wits as the first night my dream had changed. My heart was pumping fast and I turned to look at my flashing phone. Was it Wes calling again? No, it was just my alarm telling me that if I didn't get up now, I'd be late for school. It was Monday, the day I'd have to face Wes for the first time since the incident.

Part of me was glad that whatever had happened had happened on a Friday so I didn't have to face anyone for the whole weekend. Not that they didn't try to face me. Wes had called a dozen times on Saturday. I did not feel bad in the least in rejecting every one of those calls. Wes had done enough damage and I didn't want to hear what he had to say. I couldn't even believe I was stupid enough to believe he'd care for me, or that he'd even fallen for me. I had always known him as a player and I didn't see why that'd magically change since he came into my life. Really, I only blamed myself for not seeing it earlier.

But there was no point in thinking about what today was going to be like unless I got up to shower and change. I was going to head straight to school and not Chance café. Call it cowardly, if you may, but I'd rather save up the awkward run-in with Wes at school- preferably afterschool during the play-

However, I was immediately stopped in my tracks when I had descended the stairs and entered the kitchen to find dad pouring himself a cup of coffee.

He had been home all day for the past two days and I had a feeling I knew why. He was trying to get me to talk. I may have fallen for that trick for the most of my childhood, but he should've already known that the teen years came with the added benefit of stubbornness. I've practically lived in my room for the past two days, only leaving to sneak food when I heard him enter his study to do some work or make some phone calls. But I had assumed he'd just go to work early today as he usually did. But perhaps stubbornness was not in teen years, but rather a genetic trait.

"Good morning," he smiled at me.

"Good morning," I mumbled, walking around the kitchen island to avoid any further conversation with him. Did he think that suddenly being around in the mornings would make up for his absence in the past five years?!

"Catherine, wait," he put his mug down. Oh no, heavy conversation alert.

I turned around unwillingly to face him, crossing my arms over my chest as I waited for him to continue.