Chapter 1
The scent of the ocean whipped at my nose. My nostrils flared allowing the lovely smell to travel in me. My lips curled up into a small smile. My toes playfully toyed with the cold sand. Each grain delicately fell and tickled my pale skin. I felt at ease with the dark atmosphere that surrounded me.
I brought myself off the ground and walked towards the calm water. The cool water raced up the shore as if trying to escape, but in the end it was dragged back into the vast depths of the ocean. My feet dared to come in contact with dampened substance. A sensation ran through me as the liquid rounded the edges of my bare foot. I walked along the border of the sea with only my thoughts to keep me company.
The sun began to rise over the dark horizon signaling me it was time to part. I walked a distance away from the beautiful place. Before going any further, I turned around to take in one last mental snapshot of the landscape. I came here at minimum once a week, but I always missed its absence.
With silent footsteps, I slipped into the hushed house. The faint sound of snoring was carried through the narrow corridors. I brought myself to the kitchen, whose walls were devoured with apples. Carefully, I opened the cupboard door to retrieve a bowl. Cereal danced in the air waiting to descend to the bowl.
My room was small and quaint. Photos of past memories hung on the ugly yellow walls. Papers lay disheveled on the brown comforter. The wooden shelves contained volumes of books. Clothes rested on the cold hardwood trampled on by their owner.
I looked out my only bedroom window to see a seagull perched on the rim of the house's gutter. My attention soon strained from the winged creature to see the familiar Volkswagen parking out front of my house. I quickly picked up my bag that was slung on the headboard of my bed and ran out the house.
I lunged into the car as quickly as I had opened the door. The car smelled of a pine forest odor. In the driver's seat, Catherine, my best friend, stared at the off radio. "Cat, what are you doing?" I laughed.
"Trying to figure out why the radio won't work," she told me while glaring intently at the technology.
"Well, the car is like ancient," I smiled. Her eyes darted at me. I laughed. "Hurry up, we are going to be late for school," I said. The Volkswagen sped down my street making the outside world become a blur.
The March air smelled delightful as I stepped out of Catherine's car. I stood for a minute, eyes closed, soaking in the moment. "Aurora, are you coming?" Catherine called to me. I nodded faintly.
Students rushed through the halls of school. I put in my combination and unfastened the locker. My hands guided along the bindings of each textbook grasping the ones needed for my classes. I poured the books into my bag. With Catherine by my side, I took off down the crowded halls. "I'll see you in chemistry," Catherine said as I came to the door of my homeroom. I nodded in agreement and retreated to a desk.
Nonchalantly, I rested my chin on my hand. Strands of my dirty blonde hair slid against my face. Math had always been the easiest class for me. I tended to slip out of focus and into a daydream.
At my lab table in chemistry class, Catherine couldn't talk about her spring break plans. Abruptly, she stopped gabbing when the teacher stood before her with a stern look. "Sorry," Cat muttered. The teacher exited and words began to flow out of her thin lips. "You know Bryson was staring at you in the hall," she said excited.
"Catherine," I sighed. She was so determined to get me involved in the dating world.
"What? He's kind of cute," she smiled.
"Cat, I have told you a million times I am not interested," I whispered in a lower volume so the teacher couldn't comprehend.
"You have never even given anyone a chance," she declared.
"I'm waiting for the right guy," I admitted.
"How will you know who the right guy is if you haven't explored," she said confidently.
"I just will," I scolded.
"Are you ladies finished?" announced the teacher.
"Yes," we said in unison.
The final bell of the day rang in my ear as I sighed in relief. I lingered in the halls waiting patiently for Catherine.
"Ready?" said a familiar voice behind me. My head moved up and down, and without another word we were on the road. Catherine took a different route that day. This path passed the beach. I gazed at the beautiful scene yearning to dig my feet in the soft sand.
My house was still as I entered the threshold. My mother sat still engulfed in a book on our plush couch. She glanced out of her deep concentration becoming aware of my presence. "Hey honey," she greeted sweetly.
"Hey mom," I retorted, "How's the book?"
"Fantastic," she replied. Without another sound, I rushed to my secluded room. The sun washed my room with light. I toppled on my bed drained. My eyes shut only for a mere second until snapping open. My body rose off the very comfortable mattress and over to my bag. My intelligence came in handy when it came to homework.
My hand recoiled from the pencil as I placed the last mark on my math homework. Little time had passed. My mind swam in the ocean, swimming alongside the various species of water creatures.
Boredom started to overtake me. Gray clouds were rolling in, covering the sun. Suddenly, I marched out of my room aiming for a specific location. My mother lay stung on the couch in a deep sleep. Noiselessly, I cracked open the door just enough to squeeze my thin frame out. The wind had become a bit harsher than in the previous hours.
I followed my usual path and arrived with little trouble. The waters collapsed into the shore. The shore was deserted on this side of the beach. That was what I loved most. My feet dragged me closer to the water. Soon enough, I could feel the chilly liquid stroking my toes. Walking further in, the water came up to my knees. An urge to swim erupted within me. I dove head first in the very cold sea water. I resurfaced, smiling with glee. I waded in the water. My feet barely touched the bottom. Lightning bolted across the dark sky. Thunder followed in pursuit. I swam toward the shore. It had become difficult. How could I have been so foolish?
The current held me, allowing me to swim no further. I yelled for help, but the roar of the thunder drowned out my cries. Also, the beach was desolate. My attention was directed towards the crashing of several waves as they contacted the sandy land. I felt the water surrounding me being pulled towards the vast ocean environment. An immense wave took its form. Panic filled my every limb. Before I could let out a futile scream, the wave crushed me with its prevailing strength. My body was pulled to the bottom of the ocean. Instantly, I swam to the surface. With much difficulty, I gasped for air as the rough wind thrashed at me. My eyes darted towards another wave slowly being constructed. Although my legs and arms were moving, the water again retrained me. Hope evaporated from me. I closed my eyes to await the crushing water. This wave was nothing compared to the first. The monstrosity collapsed onto me, causing my body to hurdle to the ocean floor once more. My body slammed against the jagged ocean ground.
Pain exploded in my limp body. Light headedness befell me. My lungs were begging for air. I yearned for the surface, but my body was paralyzed. My eyes slowly drifted shut. Blackness shielded me. Unconsciousness took control.
Something was compressing my chest. I could faintly make out a faint whisper. My vision was black. I willed to open my eyes, but I was unsuccessful. I felt numb. The squeezing sensation commencing from my upper body was incessant.
Suddenly, I felt air entering my body. Lips swept over mine. My heart slowly picked up a beat. Instantly, my eyes shot open. My vision was shadowy. All I could formulate was a foggy figure hunched over my disheveled body. My view soon became comprehensible. My eyes swept over the stunningly handsome male. His eyes were yellow sprinkled with brown specs. They were magnificently gorgeous. My attention drew away from the man and focused on the pain seizing my body. Instantaneously, my vision clouded once more. I could sense the darkness returning. I then slipped back into my comatose state.
My eyes shot open. I was staring at a bland white wall. "Aurora!" exclaimed a voice that I recognized to be my mother's. My eyes turned to her direction with a questioning look. "Oh, honey I was so worried," she kissed my forehead. I was bewildered. My gaze then searched my arm. I found an IV tube attached to my fair skin.
"What happened?" I asked struggling to remember.
"You don't remember?" she asked. I shook my head. "Honey, you almost drowned."
Then, it all came back to me, the great effort to beat the water. I recalled the strong waves pulverizing me. But what I remember most were those yellow orbs. Those gorgeous, mesmerizing eyes.
"There was a guy," I started. "He saved me, I think."
"The paramedics informed me," she smiled. She knew nothing further than that.
"Do you mind if I rest a while?" I asked.
"Of course, honey," she said then followed with a light kiss on my forehead once more.
I lay in my hospital room, alone. I tried to slip back into sleep but failed. The image of the young male's orbs floated through my head preoccupying me. Why was I so mystified by him?
Five days later I was released from the hospital. My hero's identity was still unknown to me.
I returned to school two days afterward. Catherine treated me as fragile doll. "Catherine, I am fine," I sighed aggravated. I skipped into my homeroom eager to retreat from my best friend.
My first class was a foggy memory. I was engulfed in an engaging trance. My mind circled around those boy's golden orbs. They had me hypnotized.
Spring break commenced the following week. Cat was traveling to Aruba by her family's side. My mother was engaged in her legal business. That meant I was free to be by myself. Since my near death experience, my mother became hesitant on condoning me to go to the beach. Subsequently, I felt no fear towards the marvelous place. The whole debacle was my fault. For my mother's sake, I would stay away from my paradise despite the fact that I yearned to return.
The sun's rays blinded me as I stepped out the front door. The air smelled fresh. I strolled down the vacant street in the center of town. A small bookstore grabbed my interest. I pulled the front entrance door open. A light ting originating from a bell followed in suit.
I ventured to a metal bookshelf that detained dozens of books. My hands began to shuffle through the delicate books. I soon discovered a paperback that satisfied me. I searched for the checkout desk. Whence I found it, I also unearthed an individual whose face was secreted by the white pages of a book.
"Excuse me, I would like to purchase this," I pronounced gently. The book began to lower from the male's face. The initial facial detail I noticed was his eyes. I stared into them. The golden eyes with the brown flecks gazed right back at me.