𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐖𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐔𝐬

Part 2 ~ Waves

Anika's Point Of View ~ 

My eyes take in everything around me as I stare out the window. 

Wow! 

Everything is the same. 

Nothing has changed. 

How can that be? How can a place stay the same after so much time has past? . . 

I'm remembering so many different things. So many memories already have come to mind even though I have only just arrived here. Just like me, all my friends moved away . . but I wonder and can't help this thought . . 

Does he still live here?

I take a deep breath. Exhaling loudly as I swing my legs to the side, getting out of the taxi as gracefully as possible. The salty air invades my nostrils immediately. My brown hair blows this way and that. It's the sights, the noises and even the smells take me back to when I was growing up. The sound of the birds . . magpie's to be exact. Hearing them in the morning as I would get ready for school each day. The smell of the beach, the sound of the waves crashing as I would wait for the school bus. The summer sun hitting my face, leaving it sun kissed instantly. I look towards the house where I grew up. The house where my grandparents and I lived together. The house . . oh, it hasn't changed. But then again, nothing else has either. 

But I love that. 

. . so much. 

It makes me feel like I never left, makes me feel like what happened . . didn't happen. Like I am still growing up, as if I have been given a second chance. It's something I don't deserve but something I would take if given to me. 

I hurt him . . 

. . and he hurt me. 

So I had to leave, I couldn't stay. 

As the wind blows, I hear that familiar sound. It's the wind chime. The very same one still hanging by its string, on a hook off the front verandah. It's making music as the wind pushes it all around. It makes me smile, my heart feeling so full all of a sudden. 

"Anika! . . Anika, darling . . " 

I look to the left of me, keeping my smile with the sight of Lisa. Her arm held up as her hand moves left to right quickly, her rings seen from here as they sparkle in the sun. Her red lipstick along with her signature blonde updo hairstyle never left, I see. She looks the same. She throws her arms around as her lips peck my cheek. Both sides. 

"Anika, welcome home! . . " Lisa says. 

Her hands now holding mine, her eyes look me up and down. 

"You look fantastic, dear . . " She tells me, her smile so wide. 

"Thank you, Lisa . . " I say, still smiling. 

" . . . you do as well Lisa. " I tell her. 

"Oh well, I am another 10 years older now dear. But let's just pretend I'm 45 again . . " 

We both just giggle as our eyes focus on the house . . my grandparents house. It's still my house. It always will be. Lisa stay silent as she looks back at me. I feel her hand gently upon my shoulder as I still keep my gaze towards the house. Lisa is such a comfort to me. She is lovely, she's always been like a mother figure to me. 

"Are you okay, dear? . . " Lisa asks me, rather quietly. 

I nod. That's all. It's still surreal that I'm back here after 10 years. Lisa knows all about what happened and why I had to leave. I couldn't tell anyone else, not even my grandmother. Lisa knew I couldn't come back. I could never. I smile, my eyes looking still looking ahead of me and not yet at Lisa. It's a smile that is forced, a smile that is not real.