A Fascinating Language

S I X

My first day in the Hamptons was quite uneventful. I hadn't slept a wink the night before so I felt tired the entire day's duration. But I was forcefully dragged to the beach by Diana who said the sea breeze and sun would be good for me.

I didn't feel like changing so I went along with Diana in my knitted cardigan and jeans. The house was right at the edge of the city. It overlooked the beach and Diana insisted that I could go there whenever I felt like it. The house itself was beautifully decorated. Cream white with Victorian styled furniture. The wooden floor added to its unique look.

I sat on the sand while Diana talked with a neighbour. I folded the ends of my jeans and placed them in the cold sea water. I smiled remembering the last time I visited the Hamptons. I closed my eyes and imagined myself that day.

Dad and I took a detour on our way back to Georgia and made a stop in the Hamptons. It was the most beautiful sunny day with a wind breezing by. Dad played with me by the beach for God knows how long. We lost track of time in our little bubble.

I sighed when I opened my eyes. I had never felt so hopeless in my life before now.
I refused to think about that night. I knew there were blank spaces that needed to be filled but right now, after the hell I've been through the past week, I couldn't convince myself to think about it yet.

"What are you thinking about?"

I jumped and turned to look at the owner of the voice. I didn't need to though, because it was pretty much memorised now.

I didn't even notice Daniel had sat next to me.

He was looking at me expectantly before he spoke again.

"Your thoughts?"

"Nothing I was just-" I thought about leaving it to that but the way he looked at me made me change my mind, "I was thinking about the last time I was here."

"When was that?"

"A couple of years ago. It was just me and my Dad. We had to go back to Georgia but my father was in really good mood and asked me if I'd like a detour. We ended up in the Hamptons." I was smiling when I thought about it again.

But when it hit me he was gone, I let the smile wash straight off my face and looked away from Daniel.

"Don't do that."

"What?" I felt confused about what he said.

"You do this thing where you're smiling one second and you suddenly just go stone cold the next second."

I couldn't believe he had been noticing something like that.

"I can't help it." I lamely answered.

"No, you can. Why don't you talk about what happened that night with anyone? I read the case file, I asked Dad and Diana. None of them got anything from you..."

"I don't want to go through that."

"But you're just making yourself even more miserable!" Daniel looked pissed now.

"It's none of your business Daniel." I said calmly.

He looked even more frustrated now. "You know what? You just don't like it when people want to help you. You don't even realise that you've put the people around you in so much worry." With a shake of his head he got up and left.

I was speechless. I didn't realise that I was causing grief to the people around me. The last thing I wanted would be to hurt or worry William and Diana.

       
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My second day in the Hamptons was spent in my room. The nightmares were still persistent and I was feeling more exhausted then before. I always had the option of sleeping pills but it wasn't the sleep I wanted, it was just the nightmares I wanted to get rid of.