It's My Life

Chapter 7 - Orientation

Over the next few weeks I alternated spending time with friends with spending time with my parents and swimming. I still swam every day, though now I was eighteen I didn't feel the persistent urge after prolonged non-swimming. I still didn't push my luck though. I did my best to swim each day, getting up early and walking down to the beach at sunrise. I think I was half hoping to see the strange man again, to see if he would show up, but at the same time I hoped he didn't, purely so that a curiosity wouldn't be sparked in this man's mind. I started to not take anything with me down to the beach, to leave home wearing just my bathing suit, barefoot. I think Mum and Dad noticed it after a few weeks of me arriving back at the house whilst they were eating breakfast, but never asked anything. My orientation pack arrived in the mail two weeks before college would start, and I felt an instant flame of excitement flood through me. It was real. I would be starting college in two weeks. I hadn't told Tabby or anyone that I was going to college, they all still thought that I was taking a year off to travel and explore, and I hadn't dissuaded anyone from that notion. It was against my better judgement, probably, but I knew it was for the best. I had read through the school rules, the schedule for orientation day, and the stuff I would need for the first day, as well as books read and purchased. I would do my shopping closer to the date, but I had already read the books they had asked for. I spent hours in the backyard or on the beach just reading. It was a favourite pastime. I would swim in the morning, go and have some breakfast, then walk back to the beach with a book and settle on a beach chair and just read.

It was in this manner one day that I was sitting on the beach chair when I saw someone walking along the beach towards me. I stiffened, wondering if I should pick up my things now and hurry back home, or just wait. Whilst I was contemplating my options, the man walked closer. I saw he was an older man, perhaps late forties, with salt and pepper hair, the sunlight flashing off his glasses. I sat up straight as he approached, the book spread over my lap.
"Good afternoon." The man said. I smiled politely up at him, shielding my eyes.
"Good afternoon." I said. Seeing him up close I recognised him as the man that had found my things the last day of school, and I wondered if he remembered.
"Do you come here often? I can't say as I've seen you around before." He said. I nodded.
"Uh, yeah sometimes. I live not far from here, so I like coming here and just relaxing. School holidays and all." I said, picking up my book and closing it, showing I was about to leave.
"I think I found your towel here a while back." He said, watching me as I stood up to fold the chair.
"Yes, I was called home urgently and forgot it overnight. I came and got it later." I said. I didn't know why he was asking questions, and I just wanted to be clear of this man.
"Lovely to meet you." The man said as I turned to head away. I nodded but didn't respond, feeling his eyes on me, a chill suddenly creeping over my skin. I suppressed a shiver and kept walking, heading towards my back fence. For some reason I felt it best not to use my gate, instead I walked up the beach a few yards and headed along the little path that led to the main street, not many people knew it was there, and it suited my needs today. I walked down the street back to the house and let myself in the front door, kicking sand off my feet before entering. Dad looked up as I entered the kitchen, and frowned, looking from me to the back door, then back at me again.
"Am I going senile, or did you just come in through the front door?" Dad asked, taking off his reading glasses and rubbing his eyes. I put the chair by the back door and went into the kitchen.
"No, Dad. You're not going senile. Not yet at least. I had to enter through the front door because there was a man on the beach and I didn't want him seeing our back fence. Just had a feeling it would be the wisest thing to do." I replied, pouring myself some juice. Dad stood up.
"A man? Anyone you've seen before?" Dad asked. I put the glass down, wishing he hadn't asked.
"Yes. I've seen him before. Only once." That I remembered, at least, though I had a feeling I knew him from another time. For my wonderful memory, it escaped me.
"When?" Dad asked.
"A few weeks ago. The morning after graduation. I had gone swimming early, do you remember? I poked my head out of the water just before transforming and I saw him on the sand, he was looking at my towel and blanket. I ducked under the water before he saw me. When I looked out again he was gone." I said. Dad watched me closely.
"Why didn't you tell us?" He said.
"Because I didn't want to worry you or Mum. You were already worried about how miserable I was after graduation, so I didn't want to worry you more. Besides I don't think he saw me, and I told him today that I'd left the two items on the beach after being called away quickly. I'm sorry, I didn't think." I said. Dad half-leant against the counter and rubbed his temple.
"It's okay. Just please tell us when things happen. We need to know in case we have to act quickly." Dad said.
"I will. I promise." I said. He hugged me, and I looked up at him.
"Should we tell Mum?" I asked. He nodded.
"Sadly, yes. She needs to know too. She would be very upset if she found out from someone else." Dad replied. I sighed softly and moved away from him.
"Well, it's your turn to cook, so I'm going to have a shower, we'll talk to her after dinner." I said.
"Talk to me about what?" Dad and I jumped as Mum spoke behind us. We hadn't heard her enter the house.
"Um..." I stammered, looking at Dad. He raised his eyebrows slightly, and I sighed. "The morning after graduation, I was up early, if you remember, and I'd gone for a swim. I was about to come back to shore when I saw a man on the beach, looking at my towel and blanket. I hid until he left, then I hurried home. I saw him again today, I was sitting on my beach chair reading when he came over. We exchanged a few words, and he left." I said quickly. Mum listened to me, her mouth open slightly.
"And when, exactly, were you going to tell us about it?" She asked, and I knew she was angry, but also afraid.
"I didn't think anything of it. He didn't see me the first time, and today I wasn't even swimming. Just today I felt it best he not know where our gate was, so I walked around, down the path, and along the street to the house. I don't think he suspected anything." I said. Mum and Dad looked at each other.
"If you feel that way, but please don't do this again. We have to be careful." Mum said. I moved over to her and hugged her.
"I'm sorry." I said. She hugged me back.
"It's all right. Let's have dinner and put it behind us." Mum replied. We all set up for dinner and sat down, enjoying each other's' company.