Wash Away

"I was 16 the first time I met you. Don't you remember?" I bit my lip, brushing off the few grains of sand the wind had carried onto my lap. "I wish we had met a different way. I mean, I can't begin to imagine what your first impression of me must have been." I snorted at the thought, looking up as the sun began its slow descent to meet the horizon. Ambrose would interject soon, so I opened my mouth again.

"You must have hated me, at least on the inside. You must have assumed I was just another snobby rich kid, angry because he was so far from his home made up of metal and concrete, and noise." I smiled and ran my fingers along the weathered wood of the dock where I first met her. "I'm not sure where I'm going with this. But I miss you so much, Ellie. I feel like a whole different man without you. I don't want to leave you. But Rose's father has a job for me back in the city, and I've got to take it. I can't stay here anymore." The waves stirred now, peppering my face with water droplets.

I choked back tears, wiping my face on my sleeve. "I know, Ellie, I know." I could feel the disquiet she felt now. "But, I'm not leaving for good. I swear I'll come back for you. I swear it." I began to stand, tears slipping from the corners of my eyes. "I won't forget you, Ellie." I stared out at the water for a while, the waves gaining force. I brushed my hair from my face and held it in place. The wind began to pick up, grains of sand stinging my forearm and my cheek.

"Calcifer!" Rose yelled my name. I looked back at her, and she pointed to the sky, worry on her face. "A storm's coming, we have to go!"

I nodded once, turning back towards the water. "Ellie, don't do this. I'm so sorry. I have to go now. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I pleaded with her, and I could feel the sobs welling up in my chest. I didn't want to leave her. She needed me to stay. I needed me to stay.

I clenched my teeth, and took a step back. The wind howled, the sky darkening quickly. "Ellie, please. This isn't you. " The waves slapped against the dock, water splashing onto my feet. Lightning split the center of the horizon, and thunder rumbled soon after. "Don't be angry."

"Calcifer!" Rose squealed, stomping onto the dock behind me. She grabbed my wrist yanking it backwards, nearly pulling me off my feet. "We have to go, now!"

I pulled back on my hand, taking a step forward. "Ellie, stop this." I squinted at the horizon, which was now blurry from the tears and the sand.

"Calce, please, let's go! She's gone!" She cried from behind me.

"I'm so sorry, Ellie! I'm sorry!" I sobbed, turning towards Rose. She squeezed my wrist, pulling me down the dock. I ran with her just as the first sheets of rain began to pelt our backs and heads. My heart screamed inside me, slamming against my ribcage in search of escape.

"I'm sorry." I whispered as the sea roared behind me.