Every Ocean

Chapter 2

After saying goodbye to Steve's parents, I slipped away upstairs, but before I managed to derail my eyesight I witnessed Steve kiss Mum, taking her in his arms. I knew she was happy, so why wasn't I?

This was the question that lingered in my mind for the rest of the night. I focused on reading, and didn't bother to open my door to see what anyone else in the house was doing. I felt like being alone, and that's when I feel most content anyway. Honestly, I have not acquired many friends in my life; there have only been two that have stayed with me for years, and this was beneficial because I didn't have to have the challenge of making more. Yet, I hadn't spoken to them since they moved to college over a month ago.

*

It's been two days since the engagement was announced, and it hadn't been spoken about. It's not that my Mum hasn't wanted to talk about it (I'm guessing anyway), but she and Steve had been so busy with the house, I had only seen them of a grand total of five minutes. Each morning I came down for breakfast to be greeted by greeted by empty dining room chairs, so I ate my Cheerio's alone. I had seen Steve going in and out of the shed in the garden, and I was unsure as to what he was doing until I saw a huge trampoline magically appear an hour later. After checking every room, I found mum curled up on her bed flicking through photos. I spoke to her as she was sorting through these old pictures, assorting them into albums to make space for new pictures in the frames. She seemed to be focused on each little task she was doing, so I returned to my room, not wanting to disturb her. By dinnertime on the first day, I realised that upstairs was awfully quiet, then it hit me that none of the children were here. Later, as I had myself beans on toast for dinner, Steve told me that they had gone to his parents for a few days while the house gets sorted out.

Judging from the pile of wrapped presents in the dining room, I then came to the conclusion that it was Noah's birthday at some point in the next few days. The cowboy wrapping paper helped me draw this conclusion. I stared at the trampoline outside for a good ten minutes last night, remembering when I got one of my Dad for my tenth birthday. However, mine was ten times smaller and only fit one person. Despite the size issue, I smiled at the memory. Just like they do in the movies, I held the picture of my Dad and cried. I didn't mean to, but it just happened. Once the tears started to roll, I couldn't stop them for a good two hours.

I could have easily gone on a walk at any point I felt like it, and explored the new town I was so keen to see, but all I felt like doing was reading amongst the comfort of my duvet and pillows. However, at one point I did sit in the garden and read, when I knew Steve had gone out to run some errands. Sitting at my bay window, I would stare out at the beach and watch all the people relaxing, and talking, watching their kids run around them like buffoons. My eyes would stay, staring at the pier and they would especially do this at night. Lights swarmed the railings and made the pier shine in the middle of the vast ocean; looking so serene, and calming, all I wanted to do was go sit on one of the benches to listen to the waves, maybe read my book. But, I couldn't drag myself out of bed to do it.

It was almost ten when I decided to get in bed to indulge in the book I badly wanted to read, after basically leaving it so long it practically began gathering dust. I hadn't wanted to face this one ye because an online review said it would certainly cause a few tears, maybe a lake full. I had been in the same spot most of the day; sat under the huge oak tree behind the trampoline, I let my mind wander into the world of fiction. 

The knock at my door startled me as I turned the page to start Chapter 3.

"Yes?" My voice carried all the way to my door, and within a second my Mum's face appeared.