Gone From The Island

Chapter 1: Thoughts on the Beach

As I walked down the beach, during the beginning of 2006, I thought back to what happened the past summer. As I stared at the cold waves breaking on the shore I felt a buzzing in my pocket, most likely my father calling. I didn't answer and instead turned my phone off, staring intently at the water, wishing for it to swallow me whole, so as to end my mundane existence. I continued to think about the petty occurrences of the summer when I heard the familiar shout of my papa calling out to me from his house overlooking the beach.

I stood, stretching my long, tan, Carolina legs before walking up the sandy path to the place I called home. My papa stood by the old oak tree which sported a swing from which I often sat. He patiently waited for me as I walked up the hill towards him, the cold, damp grass tickling my bare feet as I reached the lawn.

"Darlin', you have to talk to your daddy," He said in an unamused tone as he looked at me.

"I'm sorry papa, it's just," I sighed, not knowing the right words to use that could make him understand.

"I know Savvy, but you still have to at least answers his calls. Dinner will be ready in an hour, so don't you go too far now." My papa said as he pulled me into one of his infamous hugs.

"I love you, papa," I said to him with a wave behind me, as I wandered back towards the shore.

I sat down on one of the smoother rocks on the sand and gazed out onto the shimmering water, glinting from the sun's setting rays reflecting off of it. It made me remember my first kiss that occurred last summer on the sandy beaches of Radio Island. The Island was home to a resort that my father owned. I had been forced since I was ten to stay the summers with him as he wanted to come back into my life. I never wanted to go, but I had to admit that it was a lot less crowded then Ocracoke during the summers, which was nice.

The reason I lived with my papa, was when I was six, my mother died, they tried to get into contact with my father, whom I had never met, but he said he didn't want to raise me and didn't want anything to do with me. So, I moved in with my Papa Ben Stiller, who was the only one who wanted me. My papa had been a lawyer before he moved to this small island and retired.

My thoughts were interrupted, again, by the buzzing of my phone in my pocket. I pulled out the purple Nokia N70 (courtesy of my father) and saw that it wasn't my father, but Nathaniel. My thumb hovered over the answer button, but I quickly snapped out of it and pressed ignore. Nathaniel had been the giver of my first kiss, and my first relationship. Surprisingly enough, he was one of the reasons my summer had been so horrendous in the first place. 

Giving your heart to someone isn't easy, and it's even harder when you've had to go through the pain of losing someone special in your life. But, after knowing Nathan for three years, I fell completely, and utterly in love with him and, to be fair, most girls my age would. He was tall, southern, tan, and had the ability to encapture your heart with one look from his deep Brown eyes. Not only his eyes could lure you into a sense of security and love, but also his words. He had the ability to make someone feel so special like they were the only thing that mattered to him, while, in reality, he could do the same to any other girl he pleased. 

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As the hot sun caressed my tan skin, I pressed my lips to his further, wrapping my arms around him, not wanting the moment to end. When he suddenly pulled away, I frowned slightly, wondering what I had done wrong, when he smiled at me. His gosh dang smile that made my heart race, as though I was running a marathon. I chewed my bottom lip, trying to stop the heat I could feel rising up my neck to my ears. Nathaniel stood up, offering me his hand which I gladly accepted. As I brushed the sand off of my back he looked at me with his devilish smile and a glint in his eyes.

"Do you wanna go for a swim Sav?" He asked me while pulling off his shirt to reveal his tan, toned stomach. I nodded eagerly, my eyes greedily taking in the sight of his abs.

 Following his lead, I removed my tank top, showing the black bikini with lace and golden beading. I hugged my stomach, aware of how exposed this bathing suit made me feel, and I brushed a lock of my long caramel locks behind my ear, feeling that stupid blush return, trying to creep up my neck and onto my face. Nathan must've noticed though, as he pulled me into a tight embrace, and grabbed my hands, leading me into the cool ocean water. 

As I slowly waded into the water I shivered, my body was now exposed to the warm June evening air, mixed with the cooler ocean water. This all felt new to me, as I stood with a guy that I had been pining after for three years, and that I had dreamed of being with. Nathan was so perfect, and I honestly don't know how he could've chosen me, but I'm so grateful that he did. 

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I grimaced as I felt the pang of hurt in my chest that I still feel when I think about him. He had been the first boy that I had loved. I laughed a bitter laugh as I thought back to myself just months prior, and how naive I had been. When a guy as handsome and charming as Nathan Bryce is interested in a girl, it's not because he loves her.

I felt the ding in my hand and looked down to see a voicemail. I sighed, brushing the aureate strands of hair out of my face before I listened to the voicemail.

"Hey Sav, it's me, Nathan. I know you said that you never wanted to see me again, but we need to talk. I can take the ferry to come see you or you can come to Radio Island. Call me when you get this, bye." I shook my head, before shoving my phone into my back pocket, annoyed. I stood up and brushed the sand off of my bottoms as the January air became colder. I pulled out my phone, quickly turning on music before placing the earbuds in my ears and stuffing the phone into my pocket again. I turned my back to the blue waters and headed back up to my house.

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A/N

Hey, so here's the first chapter, I hope you liked it. I know it hasn't gotten all that interesting yet, but here's just some backstory to Savvanah's life. All of the mystery is coming, but, seeing as this is a book about a teenage girl, there's going to be some drama as well. 

If you did like it, leave a vote and a comment! 

Lots of Love,
Jazzy❤️