The Beach

The cool ocean waves crashed in front of me and raced up the beach, stretching as far as they could, just inches from my toes, before retreating, sending up mist and foam. The glistening sun warmed my skin in the nearly cloudless sky, causing my skin to tingle. There was a slight breeze, but otherwise everything was calm. The waves before me made the only sound, but it was a soothing one.

The reason I was here, was because of Shane Edwards, my long time best friend. He loved to take spontaneous vacations and that was exactly why I was here. He wanted us to take one last vacation together before college in just a month. He would go to Dartmouth and I would go to the University of North Carolina, so basically we wouldn’t see each other much after this summer. Sure we would keep in touch, but it wouldn’t be the same. Shane noticed the sadness in my eyes when we made this realization, and all our excitement of college was instantly gone. I think that is why he thought of coming here to spend two weeks by ourselves. I was thrilled by the idea, but as these two weeks grow closer to an end, I can’t help but feel sad. I would miss him, and what he didn’t know was that I, Arianna Leatherby, love him. I have for years, but I never wanted him to know. I just knew it would ruin our friendship, something I couldn’t bear to deal with. I saw all the other girls he dated. I wasn’t as pretty, or as interesting as they were. To me, I always thought Shane has treated me like his little sister, and that would never change.

I stepped into the water, it felt cool after standing in the sun so long and I welcomed it, just wanting to go for a swim before Shane woke up. I swam out into the water until I could no longer touch the sandy bottom. The water was comforting to my skin and I sighed, content. There had been a time, though, when I was afraid of the ocean. I was just five years old and it was my first time ever seeing the beach, the same beach I was at now. My parents urged me to go play in the shallow water, but it somehow scared me. I didn’t want to go so close to the giant blue monster. Naturally though, Shane had reassured me that it was fine, that it was fun even, to splash around in the waves. Eventually he convinced me and took my hand to lead me out to the water, stopping just inches from the water.

“Its alright, Arianna. Trust me,” he told me. I did trust him, so with his hand in mine I took the last few steps toward the water. When the waves came up, they rushed around my bare feet and I squealed in delight. Shane laughed and I looked at him. With his hand still in mine and the sun shinning down on him, at that moment, I knew I wouldn’t be able to live without him.

At that time, my relationship with him was just friendship, but as the years went on, with him always being there for me, it somehow turned into love. I’m exactly sure when I first realized I loved him, but I think I always did, in some way at least.

I dove under the next wave that crept towards me, water rushing all around me, and that’s when I became aware. I was in an ocean current, I fought against it, but it was useless, I wasn’t strong enough. The more I resisted, the more the water pulled against me, determined to keep me from the surface. I fought to hold in my only supply of breath, but I knew it wouldn’t last for long. My lungs began to ache and I fought harder against the water uselessly, it made no difference. The water just kept tossing me around violently. I didn’t want to die. I didn’t want it to end like this, my worst fear as a five year old come back to finally get me. My lungs were screaming, almost to the point of bursting. I knew I would faint soon, but during this whole time, my thoughts were of Shane. He was sleeping soundly, I was sure, so he would have no idea of what was happening to me. Soon, I felt myself fade, and I knew I was fainting. I was still aware that I was being tossed around, when I hit something hard, I figured it must’ve been the sand, but that was all I could remember, until I heard a voice. The most beautiful voice. A voice that was always able to make my heart beat erratically and make my palms sweat. It was Shane.

“Arianna!” The beautiful voice called out to me, pleading. “Please wake up! Please!” I felt water droplets smack my face and I had the feeling it was raining. “Arianna, don’t do this to me!”

I was sad to hear the voice I loved so much so strained and sad, it wasn’t right. I opened my eyes and at first, my vision was blurry, but then it cleared and I could make out a face. A face so beautiful, even when it looked so sad, it pulled at my heart. His brown hair lay wet around his face. His blue eyes looked down at me and I realized he was crying. His tears were what smacked my face, it hadn’t been rain like I had thought. “Arianna! Please, answer me! Are you alright?”

“Yes,” I said, my voice hoarse and barely even a whisper. I had the feeling I had swallowed salt water and a lot of it. My throat burned and I realized speaking had been a bad idea.

Shane’s eyes softened a little in relief, but they were still concerned. “You scared me, Arianna. What were you thinking?”

I felt as though I should answer. I wanted to give him an answer. I wanted the sorrow to leave his eyes. It was out of place in his beautiful features, so I forced myself to answer, not caring how bad it made my throat ache. “I was just going for a swim. It was an accident.”

Shane lifted me up off the sand I had been laying on and hugged me. It hurt, he was squeezing me too hard, but I didn’t protest. I felt comfortable, regardless, in his arms. “You scared me! I was so worried! I thought I wouldn’t get to you in time. You don’t know how scared I was.”

“I thought you were asleep,” I forced myself to say. I thought he had been. I didn’t think it was possible he might save me.

“No,” he said, still hugging me. “No, I wasn't. I was walking down to the beach, figuring that was where you might be, when I saw you dive under that wave and you didn’t come back up. Arianna you don’t know how happy I am that you are okay.” His words made my heart swell. He pulled out of the hug and looked at me, his eyes so compassionate. “Arianna, I love you. I know I should’ve told you before, but well, those few minutes, when I thought that I had lost you…I thought I would never get the chance to tell you.” Looking at him, the way his eyes looked so determined and loving, I knew that he meant it. He wouldn’t just say something like that.

“I love you too,” I told him, just before he kissed me and I melted into it. It was our first kiss and it was better than I ever imagined it would be. It was like an explosion had gone off. His soft lips were the only thing I was aware of and how they fit so perfectly with mine, how sweet he tasted. I had hoped for this moment so many times before, but never did I think it would happen here, or like this. But I didn’t care, I loved it. I didn’t want it to end, but I knew it had to, but it felt like he pulled away to soon.

“I love you more than you know, Arianna Leatherby…” he said, taking my hand and leading me away from the beach. I knew I would always remember this moment and I knew, no matter how far away we were, he would always be with me. No amount of distance could truly separate us and I knew, just as long as his hand was in mine, I could do just about anything.