Two Steps Back

Epiphany (HxE)

Epiphany: the moment of sudden realisation

"Riley where are we going," Emily asked tugging her arm away fro her younger sisters and spinning around as though to halt Riley in her place.

"Stop asking questions," Riley tugged Emily's arm back linking them together before pulling Emily along. Emily did her best to resist digging her heels into the pavement beneath her in vain as she was dragged along. "It will all make sense when we get there."

Emily tucked a wisp of hair behind one ear with her spare hand, "It's not too much to expect to know what we're doing."

Riley grinned mischievously, "No." Having released Emily's arm she swung a bag back across her shoulder from where it had slipped.

"What's in there Riley," Emily said her tone sharp only having just noticed the innocuous bag that her sister was carrying. Her sister continued forwards but Emily grabbed her shoulder trying to stop Riley and she instead knocked the bag of Riley's shoulder.

It fell in slow motion and as Emily watched it spun round spilling its contents around across the floor.

"Close your eyes," Riley snapped slamming her hand across Emily's eyes. It was warm and slightly clammy and Emily pulled her head away from Riley with a jerk. Blinking to acclimatise, Emily spotted Riley crouched on the floor picking up everything which had fallen on to the ground. She picked up the bag to help Riley when she spotted the last thing that was stuck in the bottom of the bag.

It was Riley's favourite fuchsia bikini.

...

Emily tugged on the bikini Riley had handed her brusquely once they'd arrived. Part of living in metropolitan Canada and training at a competitive level of dance for most of her childhood meant that she wasn't really a beach girl. "What are we doing here?" She asked confused.

Riley had claimed that this would make her feel better after finding out all the stuff about her knee and what it would mean for her dance career after she hadn't been able to audition for A troupe. Emily however didn't really see what wasting around for the rest of the day in the sun would do for her especially.

"Riley," a voice said from behind Emily and Emily immediately recognised it to be James's.

She sent her younger sister a frosty glares, "Are we here to watch James surf."

Riley didn't answer but instead cast her eyes downwards away from Emily. James came forwards into Emily's eyesight and swung an arm around Riley's shoulders, "Didn't realise you were going to be coming Em."

Emily quirked an eyebrow at Riley, "Neither did I."

"I thought it would be fun for us to relax on the beach. It'd take the pressure of all of us after auditions," Riley said looking up sheepishly towards the pair of them whom had both fixed a hard look on Riley.

"Sure," James shrugged. "I need to go anyway I promised my boys I'd give them a hand when it comes to the break."

"Boys," Emily said sharply. She wanted time away from the studio not just taking everyone to the beach with her.

"Yeah, Eldon wanted to me to teach him to surf. The boy might have all the balance in the studio but when it comes to those waves he's like Bambi."

"Well you boys have fun. Em and I am going to catch some sun—it's our last chance before autumn starts to set in." Riley said before grabbing two towels and Emily's arm and towing her to the beach.

The sand was hot and got between Emily's toes from her first step and she couldn't hold back a frown. This reminded her why she didn't do beaches the last time she had come was years ago and she had never come with the people from the studio other than Riley before.