The Game of Hearts

20 // Eavesdropping on the Beach

Chapter 20 - Eavesdropping on the Beach

"You're perfect on the outside but nothing at the core

It's easy to forget when you show up at my door

Stop messing with my mind, 

Cause you'll never have my heart

But your perfect little body ma-ma-makes me fall apart

Your perfect little body ma-ma-makes me fall apart ."

Kiara's POV

That day after school I decided to take the bus and go to the nearest beach. I needed to clear my mind and get away from all the high school drama. I informed Dylan of my need to be alone and fortunately he didn't ask me any further questions.

I arrived at the beach at 5 p.m. and even though it was a cold day, I didn't mind. The beach was empty, until a couple started walking by the sea. I sat in the sand, hidden by the dunes, my knees brought to my chest and I inhaled the salty air, feeling instantly relaxed. The beach always managed to calm me down. I loved water, and I loved the sea. I was drawn to not only the ocean itself, but to the lands beyond it as well. That's what the horizon in the sea meant for me: a world full of mysteries and adventures for me to find out. That's what the water smelled and tasted like: freedom.

Nevertheless, my thoughts went back to my school day, Aiden and Matthew's fight revolving in my mind. Aiden had tried to apologize although he wasn't sorry, but Matthew had simply stayed away.

I sighed and a high pitched voice woke me up from my thoughts. I noticed that the couple I had previously seen was coming in my direction, but they couldn't see me as I was hidden by the dunes. I, however, recognized both of them. Andrea and James, the wonder couple from rowing.

I saw Andrea taking her hands to her head in a gesture of exasperation.

"Gosh, James! Don't you get it? I... I can't, ok? Not anymore! I'm sick and I'm done!"

I saw James' mouth opening and his eyes widening. Mine were too. Andrea and James were known as being the perfect couple, even though they didn't date for that long.

"W-what?" James astonishingly replied.

"We're done! I hope you understand but... I'm just not that into you." Andrea took one last glance towards him and then walked off the beach, leaving him dumbfounded. I didn't know what to do, but before I could at least get away so he wouldn't see me, he walked closer to the dunes where I was and saw me.

He frowned and crossed his arms over his chest.

"What are you doing here?"

There was no point in lying.

"Not eavesdropping, I swear. Though I did hear you..."

James threw his hands into the air.

"Oh, great! Just what I needed! My biggest competition in rowing knowing about Andrea breaking up with me!"

I was flattered that he had called me his biggest competition but I wasn't going to show him that.

"Well, if you wanted to make your argument private you should have scanned the beach or gone to a more private place, you know. This is a public space after all, and I have all the right to be here." I replied back. I shouldn't  be sarcastic after what had just happened, but I couldn't help myself.

He sighed.

"I'm not going to argue with you. Not after being dumped."

"Do you still like her?" The words came out of my mouth before I could think about them but maybe talking about other people's problem was what I needed to make me forget about my own. How selfish the human nature was, uh?