BPOV

The feel of the freezing salt water made me feel alive as I swam deeper and deeper. I knew that I had to go back up soon or else I'd lose my breath but looking at all the wonders made me breathless anyway. Kicking my legs to take me to the surface I took a deep breath and dived back down, I could see a purple ochre sea star wrapping its arms around a mussel trying to pry it open for food, purple sea urchins littered the rocky bottom moving along with their tube feet, giant green anemones adding to the bright colours and little brightly coloured schools of fish swim in and out of rocks around my feet, a red rock crab sits and watches walking sideways to escape the fast spinning fish as I swim with them and wish I could laugh and sing along with the song of the sea.

My head breaks the surface and I see Chance, my Staffordshire bull terrier watching me with his big black eyes, I never could understand why he was so scared of the water, I loved it, it was the closest thing to a home. I loved it so much I'd applied for college here in Oregon where I'd spent every summer since I was eleven whilst my father fished I would swim in the shallows until I was old enough to venture further out. Eventually I found a different spot, far from my father where all the fish seemed to hide from the humans. Hide from us, for some reason they never shied away from me like they did others and I think its because they could sense my love of it was as strong as their own. With one last glance at Chance I ducked back under, he was a good dog and would sit there until I was finally done, hours later, he'd occasionally venture out a little but once it covered his back he would stray no further.

My legs were aching from continuously kicking at the waves so I pulled myself up on a rock several feet away from shore, I could see Chance sitting patiently with his tongue hanging out and his eyes wide with wonder. With the intention of spending only another ten minutes in the sea I edged off my rock and back in and swan with the fish whilst singing the song of the sea in my head instead of aloud.

I can't believe I can do this and more

To swim in the sea like I walk on the shore

Out of my shell

Not closed up like a clam

Look out sea: this is me

Here I am

For a moment

All of me

Is alive and at home in the sea

I'm swirling and twirling so graceful and grand

Not stubbing my toes getting stuck in the sand

For a moment

Life is cool

I'm a splash in the worlds biggest pool

This is more than my thoughts ever thought it could be

For a moment, just a moment, lucky me

Everything's newer and brighter and bluer

And truer to life than before

Watch me soar

For a moment, I can shine

Got a grin and a fin that works fine

My fingers are wrinkly

I really don't care

If all of the curls have curled out of my hair

For a moment I can feel

All the dreams I've been dreaming are real

Wish my father could hear it

The sea is my song

For a moment

Just a moment I belong

For a moment just a moment I belong

My feet were hurting as I trod on rocks whilst making my way back to shore, Chance was running in circles and barking in excitement that I was heading back to him. Once I reached him he was jumping up at me scratching my legs by accident but I didn't care, I was more than used to it, it was the same every time I came out, no matter how long I would be in there for it could be a few minutes or hours he would still act the same. He was my best friend, and my family, it was the same every holiday. I would spend most of the days in the sea or buying a few trinkets to take back to Forks, and then sit by a campfire with Chance in the evenings whilst Charlie –my dad –carries on fishing until early hours in the morning and sometimes continues for a week without coming back, living on fish and chips and sleeping in a small, cramped fishing tent, only a third of the size of the one that was constantly pitched next to mine. He did ring me if he was staying the night and to let me know what time he would be coming back, it just so happened that he was rarely around and I did miss being able to sit and talk to someone that will talk back. I never really craved after company but after spending three weeks almost completely alone, well, I think that's enough to make anyone need a human companion around.

I don't know why I was missing Charlie so much lately because even when he was around all he'd do is have a go at me about swimming in the sea and how dangerous it was. He just couldn't understand that I felt like that was where I belonged. It had been a long walk back to the camp site, half an hour was a lot when your legs felt like dead weight but the only thing I liked better than swimming it was strolling through the woods as the trees covered me from spying eyes, also I wasn't really able to drive my car around since it was packed with my stuff for college, it was easier for me to go straight there after my holiday otherwise it would just take me that much longer to get their, it was already a sixteen hour drive, never mind how long it would take for me to drive back to Washington and then to California, I couldn't wait though, even though the drive would take a long time, it was hot and by the sea, exactly what I needed. Not only that but Chance was able to come with me, sure a big bribe was involved but that's what having a mother who works in the fashion industry and sends you bucketfuls of money to make up for never visiting and rarely calling is for.

Eventually I got into the camp and looked around to see my neighbours had left earlier that day and a new couple had taken their place, a few other spots had been filled too and some were vacated. It was easy to notice small things like that when all you tended to do was people watch, feeling something wet press against my leg I looked down to see Chance pressing his wet nose through the hole of my jeans. Another pair I'd managed to rip whilst climbing over the rocks to my swimming spot, Charlie was not going to be happy; maybe I could replace them tomorrow whilst he was out without him noticing. With a sigh I unzipped my tent before going in to get some clean clothes for after my shower. The salt on my skin tasted disgusting and I know that I'll end up going to bite my nails or chew my hair or bite my lip and get a taste of it. Chance was already lying on my airbed dozing, that dog was so lazy it was unbelievable. Whilst I pottered around the tent and collected toiletries, filled his water bowl and threw everything I would need into a bag, Chance just stared at me under drooping eyes.

"Come on you, I need to take a shower, you can have a nap during." He yawned but stood up and made a strange huffing sound, laughing I rolled my eyes and left the tent, him plodding behind.

I heard singing coming from two of the shower stalls, they were singing 'girlz' by Destiny's child, most likely sisters or best friends or something, I only hoped they wouldn't throw a fit when they saw Chance, oh well, even if they did, the owner of the campsite knew he would follow me everywhere, he'd watched Chance grow from a tiny pup and get bigger every summer for four years now and loved him, then again Billy Black had always seemed a dog person, his son must of got that from him since he had always followed me around like a lost puppy dog, thankfully he had a girlfriend now, so he would leave me alone, most of the time. Jacob Black was a well known player but he was good at hiding it from Leah, his flavour of the month.

Climbing into my own shower stall I placed my tower on the hook and toiletries in their bag on the floor. The hot water felt great on my sore legs, and the sounds it made had me closing my eyes and just listening to it, the girls singing long forgotten I just heard the sound of the water, the song of the sea, the place I knew deep down I belonged.