A concoction of the saltiness in the air, mild sea breeze and the euphoric sound of the waves crashing against the sand, had exfoliated the bad thoughts away from me. Again, I was at peace with myself, it's something the beach makes me do.
I saw this shadow upon the cliff and the grey sky that was cast behind him. My stomach fluttered with every moving step I took closer to him, I needed to clarify with myself that drunk me fancied him, sober me just admired him. However, those two differences weren't apparent yet.
"Hi," he called out, swinging his rucksack around as I perched beside him. "I've been meaning to give you this ever since you left it, but it's been in my other bag," he tried to explain, but I squinted over at him, scared to say anything in case it came out as a squeak. He pulled out my treasured diary and I smiled with glee, but the same anxious feeling drowned me, wondering if his eyes had travelled through the pages and sympathised or even chuckled at my wounded words that were written inside.
"You didn't read it?" I blurted out in more of a statement that I hoped to be true, forgetting to thank him or even accept the book back from him.
"No," he nervously chuckled, and I could only hope he was being genuine. "I didn't have to, I knew who it belonged to as soon as I looked down and saw it beside me," he laughed again, and I joined in, my name was still scribbled across in huge bubble writing.
"Thank you," I smiled, clasping it close, but I also wanted to through it into the sea, and the words to bleed into the waves and no longer be a part of me. Although I adored this battered book, I was also embarrassed by the contents, there was nothing positive about it. It was a book for when I was depressed, and someone to rant to, even reading back through it now, I would become angry and ask myself how I should've dealt with that situation.
"Hungover?" Reece teased. I felt it. After battling through my thoughts and clarifying to myself that maybe I like Reece more than I had let on.
"No," I bluntly replied, and I felt bad after everything Reece had done for me recently, I just didn't know how to act with him anymore, especially if I wanted him to feel the same way about me. "Are you?" I asked back, but he shook his head.
"I only had a pint, you, however, had about eight different drinks," he reminded me, my head fell to the floor in embarrassment. After last night I can confidently say, any feeling Reece may have even had towards me has definitely disappeared, I was awful last night, from what I remember.
"That's why I never go out," I said, we both knew that was only a fraction of the reason.
"Are we going to go out this weekend?" he asked, I didn't want to let him down, but I also didn't want to go when I knew that Lara and her entourage would be there. "It'll be less than a week until the open mic night too, so I guess that'll be something to celebrate." he shrugged, I hadn't realised how soon that had come around, I hadn't even asked River yet either, but I'm sure he'd come along.
"Is it really next week?" I asked and he nodded. "Yeah I'll come out with you, but wouldn't you prefer to go out after your performance?"
"There's actually a party on the night, one of my friends is throwing it. I'm hoping you'll join me then as well?" he announced to me, and a party was easily a million miles out of my comfort, but if it were to make Reece happy, I'll go. The parties that I've attended were usually heaps of fun, and all the talk around my school, wondering who got with who, who fell out and who was no longer dating. I hadn't been for a party for a good year or so.
"If you want me to come," I smiled, not wanting to his burden. He looked at me, reminding me of his deep blue eyes, the pools that I longed to jump in, I felt my intoxicated thoughts travelling through my mind again, the heat rush to my cheeks and my head dropping to the floor. I was half expecting him to ask why I always do that, I knew he liked asking questions that I was too embarrassed to answer. "Do you want a lift home?" I asked him, I hadn't realised, until yesterday, that he walks forty minutes each way, just to come and see me at the beach. I'd been selfish and deprived him of lifts home.
"Please," he asked, rubbing his hands together furiously in attempt to warm up. Snow was forecast today, but instead, it remained bleak. I was prepared for it, dressed up in my ski jacket, jumper and thermal leggings. I, however, wasn't prepared for this car journey with Reece. He was the only non-relative that I had driven, and I was hoping not to make a fool out of myself and stall all the way back to his.
We sat in the car, and I looked at him with a nervous glint in my eye, he laughed as he strapped himself in and sat upright in the passenger seat, pursing his lips.
"I'm not that bad," I giggled, he exhaled and laughed too. He looked down at the CDs sprawled out on the floor, I was embarrassed that this car was in such a state, but that wasn't on my behalf. The CD's and takeaway wrappers belonged to River.
"One Direction?" Reece questioned, holding up the Take Me Home case, as I stuck the key in the ignition, I laughed, shaking my head. "Pop Princesses?" he asked, as he held up another CD case. "Okay, so when you told me your music taste was peaceful and easy listening, I didn't have this in mind," he joked, and I wanted to facepalm myself.
"Those belong to River, I use the aux," I clarified, as I held up the lead and switched my headlights on.
"Whatever you say Shiloh," he laughed, taking the cord from between my fingers, and plugging his phone in. The tune he played was unrecognisable, and I remembered him talking about bands like Catfish with great admiration, I told myself that was it.
He drummed along onto the dashboard and began singing quietly, I wanted to turn the music down and exposed his voice and see how raw and delicious it sounded, but I waited. When the chorus struck, that's when I heard him, his voice shining through the guitar riffs and drum solos. I wanted to stop driving, to pull over and watch him as he performed this to me. It had taken a weight off my shoulders, from watching him at the open mic night, and to lie to his face. But he was good, outstandingly talented in fact, I was happy to be the only one witnessing it right now, it gave me goosebumps.
"So that was Catfish and the Bottlemen," he announced after the song had finished, his eyes glued onto his phone as he flicked through other songs, but unfortunately for us both, we were coming into the town centre.
"So, that was incredible." I laughed, looking at him with wides eyes and the realisation that he could sing.
"I'm just up here," he guided me, his hand sticking out in the direction of his lane, he ignored my comment. "thank you, they're an insane band, I don't quite do their song justice." He admitted, but the first time I had heard that and heard him sing, it made it all that bit more special to me.
"I think you sing it better," I admitted, not really knowing what the actual song sounded like.
"Thank you Shy," he smiled, his head leaned closer to mine, and that sudden urge took over again. I pulled into a cul-de-sac and stopped the car. I glanced in his direction to find him glancing back at me.
"You should sing for me more often," I spoke in a hushed tone, for it didn't need to be any louder with just us two in the car.
"Deal," he responded, his hand sticking out, to which I shook with great pleasure. "Just you wait until open mic night," he winked as he allowed himself out of the car, exiting with a wave. I watched as he sprinted to a house with a red door, my head lay on my wheel as I let out a heavy sigh.
"Pull yourself together Shiloh," I muttered to myself. Sober was starting to like Reece a whole lot more than she realised.
YOU ARE READING
beach//reece bibby
Romance"You're like a daisy; you've been trod on and become so closed up with every gloomy day that passes, you need to focus on the brighter ones so you can bloom," he spoke as he twiddled a daisy between his fingers. "A daisy?" I questioned, my voice hoa...
