My Second Life

Chapter 1

"Mal, over here!".

Bella, my bestfriend and I decided to spend the day at the beach. Like most summer days I guess. I had brought a picnic basket full of delicious food, just like when we were younger.

"Malorie Smith, what took you so long? I was beginning to think you weren't coming. Typical Bella though. Always getting there ten minutes before she was supposed to be, then criticizing you when you were ten minutes late.

Yet she called me Malorie Smith. Wow. Bella never called me by my full name. Well except once when we were younger and decided to play a game of checkers. I was winning and she got all up in my hair about it and exclaimed, "Malorie Smith, if you don't let me win I will not be your friend anymore". I smiled at the memory. Now both of us are much older, eighteen to be exact. We both have matured quite a bit I think. My brown hair has gotten a lot longer and straiter, my eyes have always been the same boring brown. That's what I like most about humans though, they may change, but they're eyes stay the same. I'm slender but not as toned as Bella. She is a curly blond with stormy blue eyes that remind me of the sea. We are both different in looks but have similar personalities, that's why we are a great pair.

"Sorry Isabella, I wasn't watching the time and got side tracked with my paintings". Bella hates it when I call her Isabella so she gave me a look that said "if you call me by that name one more time I will push your face into the sand". I laugh and start unpacking the food I brought onto the blanket.

"You and your paintings Mal. I still think you should paint something other than the ocean, the lakes, the rivers, or the sea life". She counts them off on her fingers which makes me roll my eyes. "I mean you're amazing and all but you should paint something more beautiful, something with meaning and life. Oh like me!". Bella gestures to herself. We both laugh as she makes faces asking which one would be best to paint.

We start eating the food I brought and all talking subsides as we enjoy the summer breeze. Bella looks towards the "attractive" guys playing volleyball while I stare out across the sea. I finger my shell necklace that has never left my neck as I think. I think about the sea, its beautiful shade of blue. How the water lapses onto the beach as if beconing me toward it, tempting me into its cool depths. I look at Bella and wish that if she only knew I was ...