As I Lay Dying

It was a warm summer evening at the end of August and Emily was sitting on the edge of the rocks, waiting for sundown. The sun was setting just beyond the water in an array of many beautiful colors. The radiant sky was so breathtaking that it looked as if it had been painted on—bright pink and orange covered the sky and the sunlight bounced off the clouds that gave off a warm glow on everything that it touched. The leaves on the nearby trees were rustling as the gentle breeze blew through them, carrying an overwhelmingly sweet scent of Sweet William. The water crashed up on the rocks below with a cool mist that truly made it feel serene. This place, right on the ocean’s shore, had always been the perfect place for her to get away from everyone and everything. She had been coming here regularly for the past few months, ever since she lost her. All the events of the last few months that brought her here, to this point, she wished she could do all over again. That was before her life turned upside down—when everything was perfect. “Emily?” a voice reached out to her, snapping her out of her thoughts. She looked up to see a familiar face. He was tall, every bit of six feet, and handsome, with light blonde hair that complimented his deep skin tone and vivid green eyes that were framed by his dark long eyelashes. He had strong, but gentle, facial features with a smile that no one could resist, and he wore red board shorts with a white cut off tee, exposing his defined arms. The wind picked up slightly and he swept his shaggy, tousled hair out of his eyes. All he needed was a surfboard and he had the look of a California surfer. She smiled at him, “Hey, Alex.” Hands in his pockets, he glanced around the area where she was sitting. He didn’t appear interested in the scenery, considering he’d seen it every day for the entire duration of his life. But he was interested in one thing. He had seen Emily come out here every day, like clockwork—same time, same place; but he’d never asked her why. He had a feeling he knew, considering the routine only started a few months ago, but he wasn’t certain. He stared into her eyes, so blue they reflected the water in the ocean. “What are you doing out here?” he asked, searching for the answer many people were looking for. She looked away from Alex and stared back out into the ocean, watching the waves tumble into the sand and rock. Before she answered, she took a moment to think of how she should respond. There was the obvious—tell him the truth, tell him everything. But somehow she was afraid of how he’d react. This was something that neither she nor he had dealt with before and she had no idea what to do. She shook her head slightly, deciding the best answer she could give. “I just come out here to think sometimes. I love it out here. It’s just so peaceful and relaxing,” she answered after only a moment of delay. The pause was so short that Alex didn’t even catch her hesitation. And as for her response, she was satisfied. She was telling him the truth—just not the whole truth, only part of it.