Chasing Tides

Chapter 1

Since birth, I loved the ocean, though I never had the choice to feel otherwise. I lived on the beach in Malibu, CA with my father, mother, and brother. My parents were always more than happy, laughing and teasing. My brother was a year older than I am and although we fought sometimes, we almost always just had fun together. We were the poster family, always outdoors and usually engulfed in some sort of water sport.

More often that not, each member of the family had wet hair, including the family bulldog, Bartholomew, or Bart for short. Our home always had an open door policy: my friends, my brother's friends, gatherings held by my parents. Everyone was welcome, all the time. We ate our meals together, went on vacations, had good grades in school, and of course my brother was always protective over me. Really, the type of family you hear about in movies.

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It was the last day of my junior year, and my brothers last day before he graduated. I hopped off my bed, pushing Bart to the side in the process and jumped into the shower. Quickly rinsing the salt out of my hair, from last night's, night swim. When I came out I tossed a simple white shirt on, and a pair of jean shorts. Looking in the mirror I ripped a brush through my blond hair, that nearly reached my hips when it was wet, decided my outfit was fine, and walked out of my room.

"TAYLOR" my brother, Hunter, called at me as he opened the front door. Looking at my phone I realized it was 7:40, we were almost late. I ran down the stairs, grabbing a banana and my bag as I ran out the door. We got in the car and pulled out the driveway.

"Did you hear them last night?" I asked.

"It's getting worse T." He replied

The rest of the drive to school we were silent. About a month back our perfect parents had taken to fighting every night, after we had supposedly gone to sleep. Our whole house had been tense and awkward, and our parents no longer laughed and teased each other. In two weeks, Hunter would be leaving for his final Surf Group Summer Vacation, before leaving for college, and I would be left alone in the house with my parents.

We parked and walked towards the all too familiar arch, marking the entrance of our high school. I trailed back and watched the typical situation unfold, girls oogling, while Hunter strolled as though he didn't have a care in the world. He was tall, blonde, and charming, everything your typical Malibu girl searched for.

I separated from Hunter and walked over to my friends, who stood huddled in their usual spot. We talked and laughed, and I spotted Hunter across the quad, he seemed to do the same, but neither of us were ourselves. Hunter usually lit up the yard with his smile and his charm, but today he was only normal.

When the bell rang, signalling the start of first period, I walked with my friends towards the other side of campus. Each of them slowly parted, walking towards their rooms until I was left to walk across the field to the portables on my own, as always. My first class dragged by, everyone saying their goodbyes, like we would never see each other again, though we knew it would only be four short months. Each class the same as the last, dragged. I never had many friends in my classes, because my parents always placed me in accelerated courses, with all the guys who were to serious about school to even notice how uptight they were.

When the last bell rang, I walked back to my spot, where my friends waited. We all hugged and said goodbye, again, like this may be the last time we meet. Then I walked towards Hunter's car, he was already there, waiting for me. Usually we each stayed after school, for either extracurriculars or socializing, but now that it was the last day, and our spirits were not high, we both just threw in the towel.