Remembering Chloe

Chapter 32 [pt. 2]

Chapter 32 [pt. 2]

June 30

9:41 p.m.

After sitting in my car for a moment and letting my racing heart calm down to a quickened gallop, I decided to take in my surroundings. It was dark, the sun just disappearing behind the stretched clouds hanging above the horizon. The water sparkled and the sand blew in the window.

I shook my head with a chuckle as I realized where I was. Somehow I’d managed to drive myself to the beach that Ryan and I had met at all those years ago.

I bit my lip as my hand guided itself to the unlock button to open my door. I heaved myself from the car. Although my body felt heavy, my head and my heart felt lighter than they’d ever been before. Like I was about to faint, but I still stood standing strong and straight.

I closed to the door without looking back and, still dressed in my robe, maneuvered myself to the sandy beach that broke away to the water not ten steps away.

The waves crashed, like a soothing soundtrack, lulling my mind to peace.

I pried off my shoes and threw them to the side and then walked over to the water. My feet pierced the surface as I slid through the waves and the mushy weed under my toes.  I was kind of gross, but at the same time, it felt as if nothing could break me from this trance.

As the sun sank deeper in the sky, the more I chased after it.

The water sloshed around my ankles and soon it was hitting my calves.

The robe had soaked through at the hem and was turning and dirty navy colour as it mimicked the steps of the water like two dance partners trapped in the waltz.

I was so focused on reaching the end of the sunset that I didn’t even hear the second pair of footsteps behind me until a soft, velvet voice was calling out to me.

“Chloe?”

I stopped in my tracks. Turning around slowly, I saw the exact person I knew would be standing there. I could recognize that voice amongst a carnival of noises.

I brushed a loose strand of my hair from my eyes. A bird squawked overhead.

“Oh,” I tried to make my voice sound as nonchalant as I could, “Hi.”

“Hey.”

I attempted a smile but it came out queer and shy.

“What are you doing here?”

He ran a hand through his gelled black hair and took another step forward. The silence was deafening, almost unbreakable, as Ryan stared at me intently.

“I came to find you.”

He turned his blue eyes towards me and for a moment, I thought that this all might be a dream and that I was actually still walking farther and farther, deeper and deeper into the mesmerizing water. His eyes were like the ocean and I felt like I was falling into them, leaving me breathless and my heart racing. Maybe I was truly drowning and this was all just trick of the mind.

 This was like nothing I could even imagine. The scene was too perfect; something had to go wrong.

“Why?” I said, the words sharp like knives.

Ryan cringed as if it had hurt him. I repeated myself, a little quieter this time.

“Chloe, I don’t want to fight anymore.” Hope rose within me.

“I don’t want to either,” I said. I took a step towards him.

Ryan let out a deep breath mixed in with a chuckle. He threw his head back and I noticed the tiny hairs sticking from underneath his chin.