Sorry I've taken so long with this update but I've been busy with school work and uploading other stories. Enjoy...
Chapter 4: Sensitive
Brad P.O.V
I left Claudia in the car; she was sound asleep on the glass window of the car and she looked to peaceful to disturb. I had parked into front of the 'Reception' sign, so if she was to wake up while I was away she'd soon realise where I was and either stay there and wait for me to come back or come find me. I closed the door quietly, not wanting to wake her, looking through the glass I saw her sleeping peacefully, and when the car light that comes on when you open the door turned off it broke my concentration and I began walking up the pebbly path towards a big beach house.
I waited at the screen door, hearing the TV on inside, I knocked on it once before the noise from the TV stopped, and I heard lounge chair springs as the receptionist got out of the chair.
"Hello mate, I'm Alf." He said opening the door. This man was nice, very welcoming, someone I could get used to. I held my hand out and shook it warmly as he welcomed me inside.
"I'm Brad, new around here. Just having a look around for a few days with my girlfriend..." I smiled. He got out a big book with 'Bookings' on it and opened it up, he didn't look like the bloke who would use a computer for something so simple.
"So I'm guessing a one bed cabin for you and your lovely girlfriend?" He asked politely as he began writing down in his book. "Oh and as protocol I just need some details, both you and your girlfriend's name along with phone number." He said apologetically as if he thought it would offend me.
"No problem mate. My name is Brad Campbell, girlfriends name is Claudia Harper and phone number is 04 80 98 95 32." I said as I looked around the house. It was full of family photos, lots of smiles and it looked as if this man has lived here for a long time. He finished writing down my details before handing me a set of keys and a receipt.
"There you go, also we don't do breakfast or anything so you might have to make a trip down to the local businesses." He said, closing his bookings book and placing it on the shelf.
"Actually I was just about to ask you where some good places to eat would be? I'm completely new to this area of Australia and my girlfriend and I are planning on sticking around for a while to see what the town is like." I answered, shoving the keys and receipt in my pocket.
"Well Angelo's is a little bit fancy, but to be honest makes great food... Um the Diner is also a good place to get a coffee, reasonable prices as well, and the Surf Club has a bar in it, but again so does Angelo's, which is a lot more popular within our community. You can find all these places basically down by the beach; it's a small place so it's hard to miss." He smiled friendly.
Charlie P.O.V
I woke up to the sound of the car door opening and the light automatically turning on, I squinted my eyes, trying to adjust to the sudden exposure of light.
"Sorry babe, go back to sleep." I heard Brad's voice whisper as he closed the door, shutting of the light and the car shuddered as the engine started, reversing and rolling down the road. Shortly after the door opened again, turning on that annoying light once again. My eyes remained closed, I felt so lethargic and tired I just didn't want to move, I heard my door open and felt Brad's reassuring arms under me as he lifted me up and carried me into our cabin, placing me gently on the bed, removing my shoes, shorts and shirt before pulling the blanket over me and heading back outside to bring all our luggage in.
After about 10 minutes of drifting in and out of sleep, I felt his warm arms circle around me and pull me into his chest, holding me close. I snuggled in further, still not exactly comfortable in his arms, but eventually feel asleep.
Brad P.O.V
She tossed and turned in my arms all night, ever since we arrived here at Summer Bay she seemed different, and wasn't the laid back Claudia I knew, she was restless and distant in my arms as she kept falling in and out of sleep. I watched her, her eyes moving vigoursly under her closed eye lids and her forehead creasing as her body cringed and teased in my arms, something wasn't right and I knew it.
Claudia (Charlie) P.O.V
I woke up for about the 12th time that night, but only to find that it must have been early morning, I could just see the sun starting to creep through the curtains of this surprisingly big, spacious unit. I felt uneasy though, almost sick after the dreams I had been having, always of the same beach, the same people, a tall muscular man, and a shorter, slimmer girl, although I couldn't see their faces, it was just blurry faze, like the one the News puts over people's faces who can't be identified, that was exactly right, these people couldn't be identified, I didn't know them but there was some weird ambience when I was around them, a feeling of certainty, something I haven't felt for quite a long time, something I wanted greatly.
I crawled out from under Brad's arms, carefully trying not to wake him. I went for a warm shower, hoping to shake this weird feeling, but it was unsuccessful, it was still there, making my stomach churn. I sat on the bathroom floor, in my towel, my head between my legs, trying to make sense of what I was feeling. I got dressed in a flowy summer dress and a pair of ordinary thongs, throwing my still wet hair up in a bun and writing a note for Brad.
Gone for a walk to check out the town, maybe along the beach or something. I'll be back shortly. Love you always, Charlie.
Brax P.O.V
It was 5.30am and I was already at the beach, shirt off, boardies on and surf board securely under my arm. I went to the most secluded part of the beach, where Charlie and I would meet up from time to time, knowing nobody would see us, or catch us in compromising positions. I didn't just come here to feel close to Charlie, a special spot that only me and her shared but also because, like I said before it was secluded so no one would run into me, see me, or steal my waves but even more important was that if I feel off my board and into the water, hopefully knocking my head on a rock or something and slipping into unconsciousness, nobody would find me in time for it to do any good, which suits me fine.
I was never a big fan of suicide, I always thought it was for cowards, requiring no guts what so ever, more of a pathetic selfless act that got you out of this world too easily, leaving behind your emotional baggage and letting your family deal with it. I wasn't like that, I wasn't going to take my own life, I wasn't going to let the world get to me, but if I had 'accidently' fall off and drowned I wouldn't have minded. At least I'd get to see Charlie's pretty face again, finally be with her, that's if Heaven really existed, which I don't think it does. If it did that means that there is a God out there and that he let harm come to Charlie, he let her life be torn away from her.
I sat on my board, floating and moving with the gentle rock of the sea's waves, staring out at the ocean, my legs dangling in the water, me strangely thinking what it would be like for a shark to attack me right now... I wouldn't want it destroyed, if anything it would have done me a favour, gotten me a one way ticket out of this life, and hopefully somewhere peaceful and where I could see the light at the end of the tunnel.
I was about to paddle back in when I saw her, a tall women, long brunette hair, a complete match of Charlie, or at least of what I could see from here. She was walking up the sandy hill towards the Surf Club, which means I couldn't see her face. It wouldn't have mattered if I could see her anyway, I would have been disappeared, and I knew it wasn't Charlie but something within me just refused to believe she wasn't coming back. Maybe it was my heart, or maybe it was my brain trying to tell me that it was her, trying to con me into more pain. The woman just looked so familiar to my Charlie, her walk, her height, her body frame, her hair, her arse, her everything but much to my disappointment I saw her walk up and into the arms of what I could only imagine was her boyfriend.
They shared an embrace and a kiss, something I desperately wanted from Charlie, but something I couldn't have, could never have. Everyone seemed to be happy these days, had someone to love, to hug, to kiss, to sleep next to on a cold rainy night, someone to share their feelings with, someone to be their selves with, but me... I was just me, alone in this cruel world. People had tried to help me, Leah for one was trying to be supportive, but I basically palmed her in the face, it was just too hard to have her around she reminded me so much of Charlie, I just couldn't handle it. I had Heath and Casey to lean on at first, but once I started drinking, and started distancing myself from them I started to lose their faith in me, and what finally pushed them both away was when I got with Bianca, tipping Heath over the edge. I shouldn't have gone there, I knew how much he loved her and I threw it back in his face, getting with her and basically using her. I just needed someone to hold, and she was there, although it didn't cause me any happiness, if anything it caused me pain.
Claudia (Charlie) P.O.V
I was standing under a tree in Brad's arms, I closed my eyes and breathed in a sigh of sea breeze, it calmed be almost instantly and I realised that this place had a certain vibe, something different about it, something relaxing and enjoyable, I wasn't quite sure why but it was a welcoming feeling. I felt secure and happier then I have had ever since I left the hospital and rehabilitation centre, although this was only one of the few places Brad and I had visited this place was definitely my favourite, and I would have had been happy if we just planted our roots here, without looking any further.
My trace of thought was broken when I noticed a tall, tanned, well built, muscular and by god was he attractive, man walking up the sandy hill, staring at the ground as he slowly made his way up the hill. My stomach flipped and I felt giddy, another one of the weird things that happens to me in this place, one minute I'm calm, collected and feel at home when I'm here, and the next minute I've got a cold sweat on my forehead, my hairs standing on end, and my stomach back flipping inside of me, it confused me on why this happened, but regardless of that fact I just continued to stare at the strange man.
I know you should never judge a book by its cover, but he seemed very strange to me. Usually a man like him, the good looking, tall, dark, handsome type were cocky, cheeky and very aware of the fact that girls wanted them, so they would strut around like a Grand Pix dressage horse. But no this man looked... sad, almost depressed, staring at the ground, carrying his surf board under his arm loosely and not particularly taking in his surroundings, just going where his feet took him. It confused me on why I felt for him, he was a complete stranger and I almost felt the need to go hug him and console with him or maybe just say 'hey' to him but I decided against the idea when Brad nudged me.
"Are you checking him out?" He asked cheekily, a jealous smile spreading across his face.
"No, no babe. He just looks sad or something... Maybe we should just go over and talk to him or something?" I questioned, his face softened.
"Babe, you are just too kind. He is a stranger, he would probably be freaked out if a girl he had never seen before came up and asked him how he was. Just leave him be." He said as he grabbed my hand and led me down the beach.
Casey P.O.V
I heard the door open and I looked up from my text books to see Brax wander in and head towards the fridge, grabbing a beer as he went, cracking open the lid and taking a swing.
"For god's sake Brax it's 7 in the morning! Stop with the drinking you'll drink yourself to death soon enough." I spat at him, walking up and snatching the beer off him, pouring it in the sink.
"Doesn't bother me." He said back, plonking down in the couch and grabbing and old hot beer he hadn't finished the night before. I scoffed at him.
"You are pathetic." I snapped back.
"What'd you say? Say that to my face!" He yelled, I turned and faced him, walking up to him and standing in his face.
"Brax you are pathetic! I know you're still hurting and I'm sorry for that. But you're pushing everyone who loves you away, I'm sick of it. I've stuck by you through the past year, trying to help you but you just throw it back in my face. Charlie is dead! She is gone! And I know you still love her but you have to face that fact that she is never coming back, you will never see her again and you need to accept it and move on. Charlie wouldn't want you doing this to yourself; she wouldn't want you drinking your potential away, whilst driving your friends and family away as well. You're putting your heath on the line, punishing yourself for something that isn't your fault, something that you couldn't have prevented." I said, feeling better after getting that off my chest.
"You've got to be fucking me Casey. You have no clue what I've been going through, no clue what I'm feeling! Mate her death was my fault! If it wasn't for me, she would never have gotten involved with Jake; never put him in jail, never shot Hammer, and Jake wouldn't have felt the need for revenge. It is my fault that the one I love is 6 feet under and now bones. Because of me, Ruby has no mother; because of me she broke up with you, mate this is entirely my fault. I just can't help but imagine what could have been! So don't you even try to say you know what I'm feeling because Casey you have no clue what so ever." He yelled back.
"Brax you've got to stop blaming yourself, and you have got to stop thinking of what could have been. You and Charlie are over, she's gone from this world and you'll never have the future you planned with her, no house, no marriage, no kids, no love. It's gone, it was gone the second that bullet hit her and the second her heart stopped beating, she's gone and so is everything you had with her. Please Brax just stop the drinking, stop the ignorance, stop pushing people away." I finished, grabbing his shoulders. He looked up at me, shaking his head, turning on his heel and walking out, barging past Heath as he did so.
"What's up his arse?" Heath questioned, closing the door.
"He's girlfriends dead Heath." I answered, he sat down on the couch, grabbing the remote and not even bothering to make eye contact.
"So he is still sulking over that?" He questioned, I shook my head.
"Yes Heath he is thanks for being supportive and trying to help me with this." I said sitting back down and sighing.
"Mate he is like a 13 year old girl on her monthlies, he is moody and unpredictable. Just leave him be, he'll work it out." He mumbled.
"Real sensitive Heath." I sighed, grabbing my book and heading for the dinner.
I walked into the Diner to see Ruby busily working; she had taken a job here to help her pay for uni fee's and her poor excuse of a house, which was in fact a stationary caravan. We had broken up shortly after Charlie's death, she partially blamed Brax for her mother's death, I see where she is coming from and that she needs someone to blame but I just don't think Brax is the right person.
I don't see why she is working, Charlie left her a fortune in her will, left her a car which Ruby sold, left her a house, which Ruby sold, left her over 200,000 thousand dollars, which Ruby hasn't touched since it entered her bank account. I think she sold everything close to her mother simply because she hated being near it, or seeing it. Which was sad, she threw away boxes of her mums possessions, without even going through the stuff, but luckily Brax had taken the boxes out of the dumpster and stored it in one of his many storage rooms, so when Ruby was in the right emotional mind set she could go through the boxes and make the right decisions on what to do with her stuff.
To be honest, I think she was handling the whole situation better than Brax. She nearly seemed herself, but I could see a tinge of sadness, of tiredness in her eyes. I tried to help her, but as Brax, she pushed people away, wrecking friendships and locking herself away in her own personal dungeon.
Brad P.O.V
I walked hand in hand into the 'Diner' only to have a teenage girl bump into me, she was not tall but not short, pretty little thing, loose almost wavy hair and carrying a bottle of alcohol, I assume, it was in a brown bag, like the ones you get from bottle o's so I only assumed.
"Oh sorry darl." I said, looking back as she continued to walk on, ignoring my existence.
"Let's hope not everyone here is like that." Claudia laughed; I smiled and threw my arm around her neck, walking into the diner, looking back at the young girl, she seemed to remind me of someone, I just couldn't put my finger on it.
"Ruby!" Yelled this tall boy moving past us and running out the door after her, bumping into Claudia slightly.
"Oh I'm so sorry." He apologised, looking over her shoulder, before he quickly made his way past us and continued running after that girl.
"Wonder what's wrong with her?" Claudia questioned.
"Feel sorry for her boyfriend, girls are so bloody unpredictable and moody." I laughed and she slapped me.
"Ow." I exclaimed.
"You deserved that." She said harshly.
I smiled and laughed. "Go find a seat and I'll order us some coffees." I said kissing her lightly before walking over to the counter.