She lies on her stomach, the sun hitting her back. Her beautiful brown eyes wander carelessly around the endless mounds of sand. After a while, her sight lands on a grand palm tree. It blocks her from the harmful rays of the sun, acts like an umbrella. But little did the girl know she had company.
She brushes her hair over her shoulder, a movement so swift, so simple. Her lips pull back to reveal her bright white teeth. And then I cringe because the gesture wasn't for me. But for him.
It was all so ridiculous, I couldn't stand it. Sitting in my tree, admiring the girl I had once fell in love with, was all I could ever ask for. To have it ruined by someone who I didn't know was not.
He smiles back and an audible growl erupts from my throat. I'm not exactly sure where my anger originates from, but I'm more than certain it was because him.
"So you think you've found the right person, Kayla?" I can't help but mutter. "Does he love you? Do you think he'll treat you better than I treated you? He won't love you as much I do."
The wind blows and I'm caught off guard. Two figures trot towered the lovely couple, their familiar outlines startling me. The taller of the two, with his buzz cut hair, his bulging muscles that any guy wishes to have, and his all-too loved weapon hanging from his waist was as intimidating as ever. It was the second figure, however, that made me retreat back into the cover of the trees.
With his confident swagger, his strange outfit choices, and his bright, friendly smile, the figure was easy to recognize anywhere. Boomer was smiling at the couple, as if happy to see something finally worked out well on this island. Maybe it did. But according to me, it didn't. Nothing did.
"My baby girl!" Mason's loud and deep voice booms. "Don't we have news for you!"
Mikayla turns from red-head to her father, a surprisingly grim look on her face. "We do too, Daddy."
"Oh, I'm sure it's not as good as the news we're about to give you," Mason claims.
"You're right, it's not." Red-head says.
Boomer, who is smiling ever so brightly, frowns slightly. "What can be worse than my beach party?"
Mikayla and Red-head exchange similar looks. The Mikayla speaks, "You're beach party sounds fun Boomer, really." She pauses, her eyes lingering around the sand, the ocean, and then finally, the trees. For a fraction of a second, I swear her eyes land on my tree and that I've been spotted. But then she turns back to the three males and continues, "It's just…you might want to sit down for this."
I've been caught. She's found me and she wants to tell Boomer. I want to run, to get further away from the trouble this might cause, but something forces me to stay rooted on the spot-to watch even though I know where this is going.
Boomer shrugs and sits cross-legged on the sand, clearly believing that the new he is about to receive will bring him no harm. Boy is he wrong.
Mikayla stays silent, contemplating her words. Then Red-head speaks for her. "You know Brady, Boomer? Do you remember him?"
Boomer curls his fists, his smile gone. "You mean back-stabber Brady? The same Brady who left all because he wasn't "mature" enough for the island? Brady, who left because he couldn't get his feelings straight for a girl? Yeah, I don't miss that idiot."
Even though I am not a part of that conversation, I have to agree. I'm very dumb for leaving the island, the people-my brother. Boomer's words are like a blow to the face. And I deserve it. Every bit of it.
"Well," Mikayla finally says. "Have you seen him? Is he back on the island?"
Mikayla knows the answers to her questions, but I'm pretty sure she's testing the waters.
"If he shows his face, he's dead to me." Boomer says, the anger growing stronger in his voice. And I wouldn't blame him. "Why do you ask, anyway?"
"Because he's back, Boomer. He's back on Kinkow. Boz and I saw him."
Boomer stands up so suddenly that Mikayla jumps back. "Then call the guards. Tell them they have a hunting tonight." He turns to Mikayla, the hatred burning even stronger in his voice. "And if you see him again, tell him that I'll be waiting."
Boomer marches away and I take it as my cue. I jump down from my tree, landing a little harder than I'd expect.
"There he is!" Someone screams and I turn a brief second to see all four people looking. At me.
Then my feet are moving and I find myself running further and further away from not the people who love me, but from the people who are most likely to kill me.