Breaking Free (ManxMan)

Chapter 13

Dedicating this chapter to my friend Greg, who passed away yesterday. You were a great friend, my partner in crime, and someone i could lean on when things got bad. Rest in peace my friend.

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Chapter 13

(Alan/Sky's POV)

I finally have a day off after days of grueling, nonstop work. Patients among patients kept coming one after the other, accumulating the work load given to me and my fellow workers. I haven't been home in a long time, and I miss my bed. My office desk and coffee is not a good substitute for it, not by a long shot. A headache was attacking my brain like a football team of construction workers, each with a jackhammer in hand, drilling my brain. My eyes burned like acid,

My boss saw my condition; my ragged, slumped, tired condition. A few seconds of looking me up and down, he told me to take a day off and catch some sleep. I didn't bother arguing like I usually did and nodded obediently, then grabbed my things from my office and left with Shadow leading the way, Mochi sitting on his head.

And here I am, laying down on a towel by the beach. The sun's shining, the weather warm and welcoming as the smell of the ocean wafted to my nose from the slight breeze that blew my way. Shadow was running all over the place, Mochi gliding after him. I just laid here with a zipped up, blue short sleeved hoodie, black swimming trunks and black flip flops. My ipod's blasting hard rock music into my ears, my eyes focused on the book i'm currently reading. A giant umbrella was speared into the sand, big enough to block my entire body from the sun's rays and still leave room for three more people.

As I looked up, I can see families, friends and just regular people enjoying what the beach provided. Couples walked along the shorelines with their bare feet, their hands entwined. Kids screeched as the water hit their feet, raising their sand covered toes in the air. Teenagers in bikinis and swim trunks were further in the water, some of the guys throwing their friends into the water while the ones bathing on the sand laughed. Families dug little ditches to place their belongings in, conversing with each other. I saw a few children poking part of a dead jellyfish with a stick. Then there are the flirts looking for someone to.... have fun with, if you know what I mean. Scantily clad teens and women sidled up to men, and men showing off their assets while using cheesy lines to get laid.

I can already see the downfall of some of the flirts, especially the ones who are hitting on people already committed to a relationship. This is why I chuckled when I saw a girl slap the pea-sized brain out of a blond who was practically draping herself on her boyfriend. And by the left, I saw some guy being kneed on the crotch, the girl flipping her hair as she haughtily marched back to her boyfriend, who kissed her senseless.

Seeing the passion of the kiss between the couple, I felt a pang in my heart. Jack can't hang out with me since he's busy working on a project at the moment. Actually, I haven't seen Jack during my busy work schedule, and when I did have time, he was too immersed with his work also. We would only text each other every now and then, but it's not enough. I feel lonely.

I frowned, putting my book down next to me with the corner of the page folded to save where I currently am, and stretched myself onto the towel. My joints cracked deliciously, relaxing me more. A breeze lifted my hair, the strands once ebony, are now back to its natural color. I haven't cut it in a while, so my bangs are all over my face. It's long enough to touch my shoulders, the curling mess all over the place. My shirt's long enough to cover the more visible scars on my arms, the cut on my wrist covered up with a thick rubber bracelet Lydia got for me when she was out shopping one day.