Crossroads of Two Worlds

50- Waves

The first issue I encountered the next day at six in the morning was my swimsuit. I'd outgrown it. The second problem was the scars on my leg and chest. I could buy a suit down at the beach but there was no covering the ridges of scar tissue that hadn't been there three years ago.

I couldn't very well tell people that a glowing happiness-stealing monster stabbed me in the leg, so I needed a story. After a quick discussion with my mother I decided to go with a car crash.

I had hesitated to tell my mom what the problem was. She'd gotten out of demigod life relatively unscathed, and although she felt bad that I had so many scars, she didn't understand how it felt to deal with the questions about them. I didn't want her to feel bad for me, but I needed a strategy.

She had just smiled sadly and put a hand in my shoulder, "I understand. You could use magic to cover them up, but Alana, they are a part of you now, they're nothing to be ashamed of."

"I'm not ashamed... mostly I don't want to explain how I got them."

She leaned on the counter, "Car wreck?"

"Huh, okay. Who was I driving with?"

She nodded, "One of my colleagues from work? No one would ask about that."

I felt awful, standing here and crafting a story that was a downright lie. But I sure as hell couldn't tell the truth, and definitely not to Kai. So I accepted my fate.

"Can I have some money to get a suit?"

She dug in her purse and handed me enough cash for about three swimsuits. I looked up with a questioning gaze, "I don't need this much, Mum."

She just smiled, "Have fun, don't drown."

I grinned, "I won't drown. I can't promise that I won't drown Kai, though."

She laughed as I ran back to the bedroom and grabbed my bag. I had some time, but I didn't know how long it would take me to pick out a suit.

The beach was always teeming with vendors in tents selling all sorts of products to mostly tourists. There was one person I'd bought all of my swimming things from for as long as I could remember, and when I saw her tent set up I beamed towards it.

When I busted inside, she looked at me for a few moments and a wide grin blossomed on her worn face as she walked over to pull me into a hug.

"Alana, my love! Where have you been?"

Malia was an old woman who'd taken over the family business when she was in her thirties, they sold surf boards, swim suits, paddle boards, and anything else ocean related.

I laughed and hugged her back, "England! I told you we were moving there!"

She gasped, "Are you back, then?"

My smile wilted before I pulled myself together, "No, we're not. I'm just here for a week."

"It's so good to see you, for however long. What can I do for you?"

I shrugged, "Grew out of my swimsuit, hoping you might have another."

She snorted and playfully pushed my shoulder, "You're a funny one, little miss. You know where they are."

I wandered over to where girls swim suits were and started sorting through the rack. I had never liked brightly colored swimsuits, so when I stumbled across a black two piece with the bottom being just normal shorts, I snagged it.