Raining Droplets.

Soft sounds of the waves hitting the beach filled the air as I walked along the water line letting my toes sink into the cool sand before getting washed over by the warm water. The sun was setting down somewhere behind me, down the coast casting an orange-gold tint onto everything it could still touch in its last moments of light.

Half of the sky was covered in thick grey rain clouds, but because of the sunset they were a grey-orange colour with pink-almost-red linings. Most of the sand was still damp and the smell of rain still hung in the air, though a drop hasn’t fallen in over an hour. Any raindrops that were still visible looked silver from the light.

Next to me, the sea water glittered a range of colours from the sun; blues, greens and yellows mostly making the famous wooden jetty ahead of me stand out wonderfully against it. The water was also reflecting against the dull brown wood almost bringing it back to life in a way as people could be seen walking across it.

It was a beautiful sight to say the least and the reason why I loved the beach so much. A postcard photo in real life, though a photo can never be as good as the real thing.

I smiled to myself and watched the ground pass under my feet looking for sea shells. It was high tide and looking for shells was always better at low tide but that didn’t stop me from trying. Brayden has been collecting them since he could walk and I love finding more for him, mostly the empty cockleshells that already had a neat hole in them which he sometimes made into necklaces like his mum had taught him.

After walking a few meters one caught my eye and I bent down picking it up from the ground washing the sand off of it in the next small wave that rolled in. The shell was the basic type that you found here; white with orange zigzags across the outside and a purple tint on the inside, but it had a neat hole in it like someone had drilled it themselves. Exactly what I was looking for.

I grinned and placed it gently into my jeans pocket before starting to walk again getting closer to the jetty. The waves were still lapping at my feet with the odd one coming up almost knee high. The water felt nice on my skin though. If it wasn’t so late in the afternoon I probably would just jump in for a swim, clothes and all...or just simply go jetty jumping.

Suddenly something else in the sand caught my eye making me stop. I couched down almost getting my ass wet from an incoming wave and picked the object up. It took a moment to realise what it was and quickly stood up when I did. It was a cockleshell still joined together; angel wings.

A pair of arms suddenly wrapped around me making me jump shocked as the person pressed their face into my back. I blinked surprised and tried to turn to face them.

“Where have you been?” Brayden whispered. “I’ve been so worried, I couldn’t find you.”
“I was walking along the beach looking for shells.”

I reached up and pulled his arms away from me so I could turn around and face him. A frown was pulling at his lips and it almost look like tears were welling up in his eyes. I gasped softly and pulled him into a hug.

“It’s alright, you’ve found me now.” I said softly before pulling away gently. “Look what I found for you.”

I held up the angel wings and watched as Brayden’s eyes lit up a little. Handing it to him I smiled softly. He looked back at me and smiled though it didn’t fully reach his eyes, all I could see was worry.

“Thank you.”

He leant forward and quickly pecked my lips. I smiled and let him take my hand beginning to walk where I was heading before. I glanced at him confused when I noticed he was holding my hand in a way where he was afraid to let go, like he would lose me again. I wanted to ask what was wrong but I didn’t.

“Have you seen Kellen?”
“No, why?”
“I couldn’t find him either, I lost him after he went onto the jetty.” He almost whimpered.

My eyes widened in worry and I suddenly pulled Brayden away from the water’s edge heading for the brick wall that separated the beach from the grassed area. With the sand up so high we easily stepped over what should be part of the wall and walked quickly along the now shadowed path to the jetty entrance. Wasting no time we headed onto the jetty still walking quickly, I barely noticed that gate that was only opened when you paid was not there.

Heading past sightseers and people fishing we got only a few meters out before a light drizzle of rain started falling. Reaching back I pulled my hoodie over my head and kept moving pulling Brayden closer to my side. The jetty lights suddenly flickered on above us and it wasn’t until then that I noticed that the sun was almost all the way down. The light sea breeze from before had gone.

It almost felt like the calm before the storm in a way. Though I don’t think there would be a storm because the water wasn’t dead flat, there were still small waves that were rolling in.

Bitting my lip, I looked up squinting my eyes from the drizzle and almost froze when I saw someone, much like Kellen standing besides the railing looking out at the water. As we got closer I could tell it was him and rushed over to where he was standing, body shaking softly. When I was within arm reach of him he turned his head and looked at me tears falling down his cheeks mixing with the rain on his skin.

Our eyes locked and what I saw truly made my heart stop and head spin. He was completely and totally fucking terrified.

My eyes snapped open and I gasped for air feeling like someone had squeezed my lungs and my throat almost to the point of crushing them. Coughing I rolled over onto my side and propped myself up on one shaky arm to try and get my breath back.

Almost gagging on another cough I leant over the beds edge and gripped the edge of the blankets in my free hand to stop me from falling off the bed. Tears started welling up in my eyes making my sight of the bedroom floor blurry, before rolling silently down my cheeks and dripping from my chin to the pillow.

It took a while but I finally started to get air back in my lungs and slowly stopped coughing. I could feel my body shaking as I moved to be sitting up and lifted my hands up to wipe the dampness off my face only for it to be replaced my new tears.

If there was one thing that could scare me to death it would be that look in Kellen’s eyes without a doubt. It hurt so much to see that for real yesterday, so why did I have to dream of it? Why can’t I escape any of this, even in my sleep?

Shaking my head, I sniffled and looked over to the sleeping boy next to me slightly amazed that I didn’t even wake him up. Brayden was lying on his back with his head facing away from me and a small pillow under his hip which I could see because there were hardly any blankets covering him. In the dull light of the room I could also see his chest rising and falling slowly.

When did we get into bed last night?

When did we even get out of the car?

Shaking my head again I looked away from him and froze when the picture of the beach that hung on the wall caught my eye. The same beach in my dream and the same beach about five blocks away from here.

The picture was of the sunrise on a slightly cloudy morning, rather than a sunset like in my dream but it was just as lovely. The colours alone in the framed photo were beautiful.

Tearing my eyes away I pushed the covers back and slowly slid out of bed. Still shaking slightly I walked over to my desk and leant against the back of the computer chair for support. In the small amount of light I could see a shell necklace Brayden had made me years ago hanging from one of the shelves above the desk. I pulled it off the shelf letting it sit in my hands.

It was a basic white cockleshell with the same orange zigzag pattern on the front as the one in my dream. The shell has a small hole in it which the braided leather straps were threaded through. It was just something simple but something that I found beautiful and worth the world in meaning.

Brayden had given me this for our first month anniversary as a surprise; apparently he found the shell the night I asked him to be my boyfriend. Knowing that I liked these sorts of things he asked his mum to teach him how to braid to be able to make this. I was mostly afraid to wear it in case it broke.

I remember the moment he had given it to me; Kellen was hiding around the doorframe with his camera...

I want the old days back.

Sudden loud groans in the room made me jump shocked snapping me from my thoughts and I turned my head in the direction of the bed. Brayden whimpered and tried to move onto his side facing towards me. I slid onto the bed and was about to help him move when his eyes fluttered open. He gasped softly and moved so he was on his back again.

Worried I leant over him to make sure that he was alright.

“Sorry did I wake you?” He whispered voice still croaky from sleep.

I shook my head and gently ran my fingers above his sore hip at the edge of the bruising. He shuddered and unsure if that was from pain I moved my hand away quickly.

“I was already awake.” I whispered voice cracking once.

Moving so I sat beside him, I placed the necklace down on the mattress and picked up his hand holding it gently between mine. I could feel his eyes scanning my face but I didn’t look up, instead I kept them on the homemade jewellery.

“Why were you already awake?” He asked softly.
“I had a d-dream, it woke me up.” I shrugged trying to play indifferent about it. “B-been up for about fifteen minutes now.”
“Are you alright-“
“How is your hip?” I asked cutting him off.

He eyed me for a moment, his look making my skin tingle before sighing. He started to sit up and I looked away from the necklace to help him almost wincing myself when I saw that he did. Once he was up right he placed two fingers under my chin and lifted my head up almost not giving me a choice in looking away this time.

“Sore but fine.” He said shortly. “The real worry is how you’re feeling.”

I swallowed thickly and tried not to look into his eyes as I tried to figure that out for myself. I still have no idea how or what to feel still. Everything is either fuzzy or too sharp in my head, it feels like nothing made sense but at the same time it made too much sense.

Everything just hurts right now.

All I want is for all this to end and things to go back to normal...not that it will happen, but one can wish.

“Have you been crying again?” He asked suddenly bringing his other hand up to my face.

The pad of his finger ran across my cheek bone gently most likely whipping off any moister that was still there. Brayden looked at me sadly, tears of his own shinning in his eyes.

“From the dream I had.” I whispered after a while glancing down at the necklace. “We were at the beach...and yeah.” I muttered not wanting to remember the part when we found Kellen.
“Nightmare?”
“I-it ended as one.”

He opened his mouth to say something but then shut it and simply pulled me into him. I slid my arms around his waist and rested my head on his shoulder. But not before picking up the necklace holding it safely in my gasp.

It was awkward to say the least with how I was sitting leaning against him, but I didn’t move or pull away. This is what I wanted – what I needed, I don’t want to leave it.

I let my eyes slide shut for a moment as he started running his hand though my hair in a calming way. It wasn’t until now that I noticed how tense I was, I could practically feel the knots in my back trying to loosen in Brayden’s hold.

“Things will get better.” He whispered. “They have to.”

I felt my eyes starting to tear up, but I forced it back blinking heavily. Turning my head I nuzzled my face into his neck, his skin warm against my cheek.

They need to.