I'd somehow managed to spend all afternoon in a little cafe near the pier. The pale blue walls had offered some comfort, and relieved some of the fear I had felt. To the amusement of the owners, I ordered a pot of tea and a scone and then sat in a booth in the corner. A few crumbs fell onto the black and white tiled floor as I carried my food across the room, scowling at the Americans who chuckled at the English stereotype.
As I sipped my tea, I gazed down on my sketch and frowned; it still wasn't right. I couldn't figure out what was wrong, just something wasn't right. The colour of the sky maybe... The shadow on the sea... I didn't know.
Someone was watching me. I looked around, examining everyone subtly. No one was openly staring but I could still feel the eyes drilling into my skull. Putting my head down, I slyly peered from the corner of my eye. Still I could see no one.
I sighed and finished my scone before standing up and pulling my chair out. Sliding it in, I quickly crossed the room and stepped outside, sighing in relief. My relief quickly changed when I saw it was dark and I groaned, beginning to jog slowly home.
The weight of my rucksack on my back slowed my pace slightly, and I shifted it higher in an attempt to ease my discomfort. The distant road of the road grew louder and more threatening and the woods loomed mysteriously in the distance, beckoning me. I ignored the urge to explore and kept running, watching as the last of the pink and red faded out of the sky and left me in darkness. The crescent moon was the only light, along with the billions of stars that littered the world above me.
As I approached my house, I realised it was in darkness. No one was there to notice I was home late, which wasn't a bad thing; it saved from being lectured at the very least. I was sixteen now anyway, legally old enough to look after other people. I suppose I missed the days when I came home to my parents, a normal happy family.
My key fit comfortably in the lock, turning with ease before I entered. My breathing was laboured and difficult and I gasped slightly closing my eyes and sinking against a wall. As I got up, I flicked the light switch and filled the room with the dull glow of an energy saving light bulb. I glanced up at it, shaking my head as it slowly increased the light it was giving out before leaving the room.
Soon, I was in my room, curled up on my bed watching a film and eating American chocolate. I could never get used to the taste, English chocolate was so much sweeter; I sometimes had it sent over by my old friends when they didn't mind. It was an odd thing to miss, but I did all the same.
Returning to reality, I realised I had missed much of the film and resorted to flicking channels instead. It soon became clear there was nothing that would interest me; heaven forbid there be anything other than crappy soaps and terrible music videos. I suppose that was only my opinion, but it was a valid one all the same.
Finally I nestled down into the covers and closed my eyes, listening to the gentle hum of the quiet TV and slowly drifting to sleep.
I awoke in early morning, silvery blue light filtering in as the sky was exposed. A few stars still shone but most were gone, overpowered by the suns light. I walked across to my window and sat on it, bringing up my knees and leaning on them. The sky changed as I looked on, watching it change into the grey clouds that covered the town consistently.
Slowly, I got ready and grabbed my black rucksack. My sketchbook was still in there and I threw in my camera before heading downstairs and tossing some cereal bars in there.
The house was as I had left it the night before, showing that no one had been home. I didn't know there was so much to do in a flower shop, but they were happy and who was I to complain? It was what they had always wanted and I was old enough to look after myself anyway.
The woods seemed darker today and I cocked my head, listening to the deafening silence that came from it. I shuddered slightly, unsure of how trees could seem so ominous. It was probably just my imagination anyway, there was no need to worry about it. But still...
Bright headlights lit up the outer trees and I spun around, squinting from the lights. The roar of the engine grew nearer and I recognised it as my parents’ car. I involuntarily rolled my eyes and moved to the side of the road before beginning to walk. The car slowed down, but I walked straight past it. I suppose I was being bitter, but it still stung me when they stayed out all night and left me alone.
I left the fields and moved onto the pavement, beginning to approach the town. On the outskirts, red-bricked houses stood with military perfection. It was odd to think that each one contained a family, and each family had a story and secrets. Secrets that no one else knew, kept inside the family, possibly hidden from people living inside. I always found it bizarre to think in perspective.
"Lilianna! Lilianna!" I blinked and glanced behind me and frowned for a while before remembering her name.
"Amanda, hi." I said as she approached and fell into step beside me. We walked in uncomfortable silence and I waited for her to break it.
"So How're you? Done any more drawings?" She questioned awkwardly.
"Nope."
"Finished that one?"
"I think so... I don't know. I was unsure about the shading in areas..."
"I don't do art, just a heads up." She said and smiled slightly, watching my reaction. I smiled awkwardly. I didn't know anything about this girl, just that she'd randomly taken an interest in me.
"How are you?" I said politely, realising she'd just asked me the same question. I kept my eyes glued to the floor as she answered, not really listening to what she was saying while she walked.
One thing I had noticed from the start was that the gravel in America was different. It took me months to put my finger on it, but something was odd about it. When you walked on it, the crunch that sounded was a slightly higher pitch; when it was first put down on the ground, it had a slightly different smell, more rich. The main thing was the colour. When the rain fell on American gravel it seemed to light up with all the colours of the rainbow; splashes of pink and blue and green that I had never seen before. As soon as the rain was gone, the colours faded and were unrecognisable. Something so peculiar was back to being plain and ordinary. But there was always the knowledge that something extraordinary was right underneath your feet and that it could come out at any point.
"I am aware you're not listening by the way." she said suddenly and I blinked, blushing slightly.
"Sorry." I murmured. "Daydreaming."
"It's all good, I do it constantly. Anyway, I'm probably less likely to annoy you if you're not listening to me in the first place." As if she wasn't already. My dislike for Amanda was growing as I learned more about her. She talked too much and she had a whiny American tone that I couldn't stand; the style I had previously regarded as her being different just made her seem pretentious, like she was trying too hard. Maybe I was making it up, but everything about the girl seemed to have got just that bit more annoying.
"This is where I turn." I said suddenly, stopping abruptly and turning to her. "It was... nice seeing you." I turned away before she could say anything and hurried away. A twinge of guilt struck me and I slowed slightly. Maybe I shouldn't have done that, she was the only person I knew here after all. She was also the only person who'd tried to get to know me, and she hadn't been forced. Still, she was very annoying. I would've just yelled at her in the upcoming minutes.
I glanced around me and frowned. I hadn't paid attention to where I was going, just thinking to myself. I knew I wasn't lost, it wasn't hard to turn around and walk back the way I came. The repeated scenery would be tedious, but tolerable. I don't know why that even bothered me, but I always liked seeing something new or changed. That's why I loved the lake; it was never the same. The water would be a different shade, the movement of it a work of art.
I began to slowly walk back the way I came, rolling my eyes at a child who stared at me for turning around and walking back. The wind brought the scent of the salt water into the neighbourhood and I closed my eyes for a second, inhaling the comforting scent. It made the walk back tolerable and eventually I emerged back onto the road I had left Amanda on. Thankfully, she was nowhere in sight.
