Dark Ocean

Part 13

Valentina sucks in gulp after gulp of air, willing it to soothe her as she runs out of the restaurant and walks as far and fast from its entrance as she can. Her ears are filled with the sound of her own pulse, pounding like a drum, and she can't stop running. She needs to find Juliana. She needs to know what's going on.

It feels odd to run, strangely liberating, the way she sometimes does in dreams, taking giant strides, never tiring. In reality, she's clumsy in her high heels, almost losing one as her ankle twists. She hisses a unladylike curse under her breath and leans down to remove her shoes, suppressing the throbbing pain in her ankle with the motion.

For a moment, she isn't sure what to do, so she just pivots helplessly in place and stares off into the distance. Scattered clouds are slightly pink with the colors of the sunset as it casts its glow on the sparkling waters of the ocean, and Valentina squints her eyes against it. She scans her surroundings, searching the entire length of the beach for signs of Juliana. It is the only place she can think of to find her.

She tries to tell herself to calm down, because there is likely nothing at all to be concerned about. Still, Valentina's stomach burns with dread, because she doesn't understand what just happened back inside the restaurant. None of it makes any sense to her; this whole situation is far too confusing.

It's so easy to blame Lucho; she blames him for his behavior and for his timing, she blames him for ruining her time with Juliana. However, at some level, she knows that his appearance isn't the main reason for Juliana's sudden change of mood. It's something deeper, more complex, something that makes her feel oddly anxious and helpless. And, God, she's so tired of feeling helpless all the time. Her life is constantly changing around her, making her feel like she has no control over all the things she's experiencing.

She brushes a shaky hand through her hair and grabs her heels in her other one. Her throat is tight and dry, and her chest heaves as she takes off running again. The air whips into a wind around her. It screams against her ears but seems almost quiet compared to the hammering beat of her pulse pounding inside her head with every step.

Her ankle stings, but she doesn't slow down. She runs as hard as her body will allow, as fast as her legs will carry her. It takes only steps for her breath to grow sharp in her lungs like pricking needles, but she doesn't let up. She welcomes the soft sand beneath her feet, the cool wind blowing through her hair, and Valentina slows her pace slightly. It's difficult to run on the sand, her limbs feeling heavier with each step, but still she doesn't let up.

A flicker of movement at the beach ahead of her catches her eyes and pulls her attention, and Valentina's heart jumps into her throat when she looks toward the shore. Her lips part as she wipes at her eyes and locks onto a familiar form that she would recognize across any distance. She almost cries out with relief.

Juliana is standing near the water, her back towards Valentina, gazing out into the ocean. Her long dark hair whips around her in a gust of wind, but she doesn't move. It's a breathtaking view, Valentina thinks, Juliana's dark silhouette a stark contrast to the vividly colored sky, and she finds herself staring for a moment.

She stills in place but her heart is racing; everything inside her feels too much and too messy, and she wraps her arms around herself, taking a moment to catch her breath. She can still feel the strange kind of energy all around her, raising the fine hair on the back of her neck.

When her heart rate finally slows, she takes off in the girl's direction again, moving closer and closer. Juliana is unaware of her approach, and it gives Valentina time to collect her thoughts. The lessening space between them feels like a gaping canyon, and she feels like she's teetering on the edge.