Landslide: Before (Book 1) (GirlxGirl / lesbian/ LGBTQ)

Chapter Twenty-One

There weren't many places she could hide, not that I could think of any way. All the places that Violet would be comfortable going to were severely lacking in her presence. The only place left to really look was the beach, but it was a long stretch of sand that would take hours, and who knows if I would be going in the right direction. I turned my gaze to the beach, considering going down there to hunt for Violet, but I didn't have to ponder much longer.

The beach was mostly deserted since summer had long ago ended. In the distance, I could see a figure sitting in the sand, fiery locks whipping in the wind. I knew, without a doubt in my mind, that it was Violet. Her hair was unmistakable, and I felt that pull toward her. The pull that started this all. It was her.

I backtracked down the pier and found the stairs that led down onto the sand. Quickly, I made my way down the rickety wooden stairs and onto the beach. The sand slid into my sneakers as I ran, but I didn't care. I found her. The anger I felt toward her for leaving me after the storm was gone, my disappointment in myself faded, and Sawyer was another distant memory. I found her, that was all that was running through my mind.

As I approached, I slowed my pace. Violet was tucked into herself, holding her knees to her chest, her chin resting on her knee caps. When I got right next to her, I could hear the sniffles coming from her; I dropped down to the sand next to her. She wiped at her face.

"What do you want, Emery?" She asked coldly continuing to stare straight ahead.

"I've been worried about you," I answered honestly. "You haven't been at school in a week."

"How astute of you." I faced her, irritation evident on my face.

"Oh, so it's going to be like this, Violet?"

"I'm not being like anything, you're the one invading my personal space," She bit back.

"Seriously? I was concerned something happened, excuse me for caring."

"I don't need your pity."

"Why do you always do that? Reverting back to your old self with me? You're going to act like a brat and treat me like crap, for what reason?" I said to her. "God, you're so infuriating. All I have ever done is be nice to you, try to be your friend, and the one time it gets too real for you, you run. Is that all you know how to do? Run and hide? Cause I'm sick of it." I pulled my knees into myself, trying to keep everything together. Breathe, I kept telling myself. "I care about you, Violet. I have been running around this whole area looking for you. I checked everywhere, because I was worried about you. And...and I missed you. I don't know what I did wrong that night, I don't know what made you run, but I'm sorry, okay?"

We sat silently watching the ocean ebb and flow. The sun slowly beginning it's descent into the horizon, basking the world around us in a fiery glow, much like Violet's hair. With every breeze that came, the smell of the ocean and a scent that I can only describe as distinctly Violet assaulted my nose. She remained statuesque, and I began to realize that she probably wasn't going to speak to me at all now. My heart sunk.

"I'll just leave you alone then," I said after what felt like an eternity of silence. "Goodbye, Violet." I stood and began the walk back toward the pier, a heat spreading across my face, embarrassed tears prickling behind my eyes. It was silly of me to think that I could get her to talk to me, to open up to me. I should've known better than to think we were actually friends, that there could a slim chance Violet would share the feelings I felt toward her. It was foolish, I was foolish to believe that this would have turned out differently. Violet didn't want friends and she apparently didn't want me.

My feet had just landed on the stairs back up to the pier when I heard a voice call from behind me. I was hesitant to turn around to check it out, but the voice called out again, clearer this time.