~You know things are bad when even sleep can't mask the pain~
The sun feels like heaven on my skin, as I lean back on my elbows and tilt my head back to stare up into the cloudless sky.
My palms dig into the golden sand, the small grains sliding in between my fingers and nails, pushing against the sensitive skin. I feel the slight tickle of my hair against my back as it falls loosely in full waves.
It seems we've been lucky today with the calm ocean sliding gently up the slope of the beach, just reaching my toes. Levi sits beside me in nothing but his swimming shorts, and I have the guilt pleasure of being able to marvel at his chiselled body without him seeing.
There's nobody else around, only the presence of the birds singing away above us, and the distant sun to give us company. And that's all we need in this peaceful, silent oblivion.
"What are you thinking about?" Levi utters beside me, moving slightly so the full length of his arm brushes mine.
I tilt my head to look at him, running a hand through my hair. "How nice this is." I say. "How light I feel." I begin to say without conviction. "Like it can't possibly be real." I whisper.
Levi's eyes, which in the light are an impossible green in color, slide over my shoulder briefly, and then back to mine. "I have something that will make it even better." He says slowly.
I raise an eyebrow, slowly turning to face him fully. "What is it?"
Instead of answering, Levi's eyes slide back over my shoulder again, and he tips his head in that direction.
I turn slowly, feeling a cold, healthy breeze meet my cheeks.
There's two people walking towards us, the first is a lot taller then the other. The taller one has dark, wavy hair like mine, blue eyes that reflect the waters surface. The other has his mothers mousy blond hair, a dip of hazel in his eyes and the same swagger to his walk I'd always remembered.
"Daddy," I whisper, my legs straightening as I come to a stand. Sand has gathered on my thighs and my hands, but it doesn't matter as I take off at a sprint, filled with an urgency and ache that I can't quite understand.
There's something there, ticking away at the back of my mind. Like a clock, but the hands are missing and I can't figure out where they should be pointing.
My dad's arms are already open as I reach him, and the second his arms close around me, I feel my legs start to crumble.
"You look beautiful, princess." Dad says into my hair, pressing his lips to the top of my head. "Just like I remembered." I pull back as daddy steps to the side, giving me a full view of my brother, Marcus.
"Hey, loser." He says, but the shit eating grin stretching across his handsome face makes me step towards him anyway.
"Jackass." I mutter, a fluttering lighting my stomach as we make contact. It's so familiar but so distant, the way he hugs me, his arms awkwardly but tightly secured around my back. It feels like forever since we've been like this.
He kisses my cheek as a slight cold breeze brushes over us, fanning my hair into my face. "Levi told us you'd be here." He says.
I look over my shoulder, searching for Levi as I push my hair behind my ears. But he's already behind me. He wraps one arm around my waste, pulling me into his side. But it feels cold, empty.
