beach//reece bibby

6.3.16

4.13pm

'The Cliffside' was unsurprisingly beside the cliff and was a great attraction to the beach, perhaps it was because of the fish menu, or because the exterior looked like a pink, candy-striped beach hut.

I was shielded behind the sink and accompanied with a pair of yellow washing up gloves. Washing up for four hours seemed like everyone's hell, but I didn't exactly mind it when I got paid £40 each time. Through the fogged windows came a yellow light which tinged the whole of the kitchen into an orange shade, it looked beautiful how the light bounced off different surfaces and began reflecting off of things, no-one else saw this, they were too engulfed preparing the meals; I just had to sit and wait for the plates to pile in.

In the Winter we'd be lucky to get many customers, maybe twenty or so in my shift, which didn't exactly leave us with much to do.

I wasn't the only one from my old school to work here, Alex was the waitress, and I barely spoke with her. At school we were never exactly close, she was into horse riding and exceeding in all subjects, whereas I took the more creative side. We weren't enemies, nor friends, she'd hand me plates with a smile, and quickly saunter off, her high ponytail bobbing side to side with every step. Her hair was a sandy colour and had a slight kink to the end which shaped her face. Her eyes were small and a dark chocolate shade, however her eyelashes were every girls envy as was her clear skin, she'd unusually wear a dark plum on her lip but didn't apply make-up anywhere else, which wasn't so balanced; as long as she was happy.

At 8 pm, my shift was over, and I removed myself from 'The Cliffside' using the back entrance, where mum would hopefully be waiting for me. I was supposed to be putting my wages towards driving lessons, but I wasn't too ecstatic about that, I'd rather spend it on old vinyl or art supplies. Her silver mini was parked adjacent to the back door, lights on and my brothers One Direction CD booming. I walked over and smiled, but to be greeted with River, my brother. He smiled at me and opened the passenger door.

"Get in bitch, I'm teaching you how to drive." He giggled, turning the volume down.

"I don't trust you one bit," I replied, he'd only just turned twenty-one which means he was actually legal to teach me how to drive, but with his lunatic personality, he'd be easily distracted and would put me off completely.

"I haven't got into any trouble, I'm a perfect driver." he spoke, rolling his eyes and switching seats with me. "you know the basics right? Like how to change gears and what pedals are what?" I nodded and fastened my hands around the steering wheel. I began reversing and swerved around to exit the car park.

"so how come you're down?" River was usually at university or down at his boyfriends, rarely popping in to see the rest of us. We're pretty different, he's extremely open and flamboyant whereas I'm shy, hence my name - Shiloh.

"I don't know, I thought it would make a nice change, seeing as Jamie was away with his family, I thought I'd do the same." I nodded, the road home was straight and our house was pretty much a ten-minute walk, making this car drive pretty instant.

Our house was bleak, the outside looked inviting, our garden was blooming and colourful but the inside didn't reflect. The cream interior was cold, and the decor consisted of 'family' photo frames and fake plants and random ornaments which represented nothing. I had to admit but the only interesting room was mine. Behind my bed was a tapestry I had collected on my travels to Mexico, it was a beautiful burgundy mandela with tassles around the perimeter. To the foot of my bed was a shelving unit that was built in to the wall, it held my clothes but above was a book case where I stored my most beloved books and school supplies too. I then had a simple rectangular mirror with a mahogany trim around it, I usually balanaced jewlery onto that. By my door was a chair with an assemblage of my teddies, there was Laboof the elephant which I had from a toddler and his blue fur had faded and he was covered in bare patches, his eye too had fallen off; then there was Apricot the scruffy terrier toy who I wasn't too fond off because it was too itchy to cuddle at night, then there was Pazzo the beagle who's head was literally held on by its oversized red silk bow; and finally my favourite Moki, who was a snake, which was balancing on the top of the chair. I hated snakes now, but back then Moki was my most favourite thing, I'd drape her from my neck and take her everywhere, her khaki green velvet fur was so invitingly soft and was still in great condition to this day, which surprised me. My walls were littered with polaroids and vinyl records, and also prints I had collected on my travels too and I loved every single on of them. My window ledge held a venus fly trap and my makeup supplies, I had also decorated the sides with fairy lights which set a beautiful glow in my room.

I peered out of my window and found my Shih Tzu, Matcha chasing bugs in the garden. The light had polluted the sky making the stars difficult to see, but I could vaguely make out the little dipper. The winter breeze caressed my skin, I wanted to go down to the beach, but I promised myself tomorrow.