All In

1

Chapter 1

I woke up with a pounding headache, disoriented as I looked to see sand around me, the waves crashing only a few feet in front of me, the same runners that run past me every morning were back at it again. I sat up, still in the same shorts and sweatshirt I was in last night, the sun beating down on me. I ran my fingers through my golden brown hair that had been kissed by the rays of the sun, looking to my right only to find yet another near-empty bottle of Titos. I laughed softly, clearing my throat as I picked up the bottle, dusting the sand off of it as I looked at it, running my fingers over the label before flicking the orange cap off, finishing whatever remained. 

"Can't liter," I chuckled to myself before getting up. I held onto the neck of the bottle before placing my hands on my hips, smiling out at the ocean that was my backyard. 

"Morning, Beau," one of the runners laughed as I just flipped him off, never looking away from the ocean. 

I smiled softly, putting my head down before turning around, watching the sand sink beneath my bare feet as I walked back to my home on the beach. As I approached the white staircase, I tossed the glass bottle into my recycling bin, listening to it clink against the rest of the empty bottles in there. I watched my feet as I walked up the white stairs, one step at a time. I gripped onto the railing, peeking to my side, admiring the ocean every few steps. Once I was on my porch, I smiled, looking out over the Malibu beach. 

"I told you I was coming at 9," a voice huffed as I just ignored it, my smile still sitting on my face as I looked out at the ocean. 

"That wave, it's gonna barrel. You successfully surf that it's easily a perfect score," I laughed softly, leaning against the railing of my porch as my cousin walked up beside, clearing his throat as he leaned up against the railing, looking at me as I watched the waves. 

"Beau, you smell like a distillery," he said bluntly as I smirked, glancing over at him. 

"Day drinking on the beach is kinda my thing," I smirked, turning back to the waves. 

"Well if you could keep your day drinking from turning into night drinking followed by a blackout, I'd support your decisions," he gulped, turning to watch the waves. 

"You'll tell Mama Richards that I'm okay, right?" I mumbled, turning to him as he shook his head. 

"Beau, I don't know if I can anymore," he said softly, glancing over at me. "This is the 12th week in a row that I've come over and watched you wake up 20 feet from the ocean at noon, an empty bottle of Tito's next to you," my cousin huffed, looking back out at the ocean as I watched his facial expressions. "I know that this is so tough on you, but you need to remember that you have people who are here for you," he mumbled, turning to look at me, "I'm here for you," he smiled softly as I nodded, smiling softly as I looked out at the ocean. "Beau, I'm going to make a suggestion and you're going to probably hate me for it, but what if you sell this house? Until it sells you can stay with me, but I just don't think this is good for you anymore. Being so close to the beach, constantly being reminded about what happened, it can't be healthy," my cousin gulped as I just ignored him, looking out at the ocean.

"Beau," my dad smiled, pointing out at the horizon as we sat on our boards, the waves moving beneath us. 

"What?" I laughed, squinting my eyes to try and see what he was seeing. 

"You see that line out there?" He smirked as I looked at him strangely. 

"Dad, are you baked right now? What line are you talking about?" I laughed as he rolled his eyes, laughing loudly. 

"Beau, you know the horizon, right?" He pointed as I nodded, looking out at the never-ending ocean. 

"Yeah?" I giggled, crossing my arms as I prepared myself for my dad's enlightening speech. It was typical of him. Every surf session had to have one of his philosophical speeches meant to 'enlighten me like the sun enlightens all of us'.

"I'm going to one day surf the waves back there. Your Grandfather used to say that those were some of the best waves, the ones you can't see," he smiled over at me as I laughed softly, clearing my throat. 

"Weren't you the one that told me that the ocean isn't always clearer on the other side, the waves you can't see aren't always bigger than the ones you're catching now, the grass isn't always greener on the other side, or how the sand isn't always cleaner on the other beach?" I smirked as he smiled, nodding his head as he looked back out at the horizon. 

"I'm happy you listen young one. Well, I've got something new for you! Man cannot discover new oceans if he never loses sight of the shore," my dad smirked as I laughed, rolling my eyes as I laid down on my board, paddling out further. 

"You need to think of new things to say, old man. You're getting predictable,"  I giggled as he laughed loudly. 

"Beau-"

"Beau," my cousin yelled, making me jump as I snapped out of my daze. 

"Man cannot discover new oceans if he never loses sight of the shore," I smiled softly as Josh laughed, nodding his head. 

"So is that your weird way of saying you'll finally put a little bit of faith into me and move out of Malibu? Think of it as not only saving you and your liver, but it'll make me feel a little better knowing your whereabouts, and alcohol consumption," Josh smirked as I smiled softly, looking into his bright blue eyes as I nodded. 

"I'll take a leap of faith. Figure, it can't get worse than rock bottom, and I'm already there," I chuckled, smiling softly as I looked out at the ocean.