Quiet Meetings and Public Whispers
By: Selina
Edited by: Nicolette

Chapter One: Stark Beige and Blue


..... I stepped out of our summer home in the ocean-side community and headed for the beach. It was everyone's backyard. It was still dark out, around 5am or so. I wore a sundress of burgundy and a black cardigan. The lingering night dyed everything in my vision to an azure. It was going to be a clear day, I could still see the distant harbor lights. They would turn off as soon as the sun came out. I slowly walked in the cool air towards the steps that led to the seashore. I took off my sandals by the cold stone steps and placed my bare feet into the chilly, soft sand below that enveloped my feet like a second skin. Then I headed off across the beach over the uneven surfaces, it was all one solid mass but I could feel each tiny grain of sand making it all so. I wondered what would become of my day.

..... Rocks, shells, & seaweed were strewn everywhere, but for the most part all I saw was the silky, light brown sand. I found a spot in a clear, smooth area and sat down. Sand... there was so many forms of it, but the beach was my favorite. The grains so small and fine, so light, the feel of it so hard to describe. I just sat there for a few moments; picking up handfuls of sand and letting it run through my fingers. That's when I started to notice how the ocean waves splashed and billowed up to the shore. They would stretch out as far as they could, then retreat back with traces of foam. The sound was so calming, a quiet "sshhhhh" one might say.

..... The distant horizon was a line; the ocean water seemed to be a huge bouncy block. I saw no boats or people, I was alone just the way I expected. I saw tinges of golden yellow and orange starting to rise...dawn. I sat quietly and watched the sun slowly come out. That's when I noticed him, he just appeared standing behind me.

..... I looked up and saw he was tall and thin, had blonde hair, and a dashing face. He wore a white shirt that was unbuttoned at the top and khaki pants. He held his shoes and stared off at the horizon too. The sunlight laying over him, highlighting his features, he seemed to be lost in thought. He was hovering over me so that it made me quite uneasy. Who was he? He looked familiar.

..... "Hi," I said. I was normal…and I was gonna stay that way. I could always run away though…

..... He didn't look at me, or even seem to hear me at all. He just ignored me. He threw his shoes to the side, then, still with his eyes towards the ocean; he sat down next to me. He faced me and smiled.

..... "Hi," he said.

..... Well, that was quite awkward! I smiled back, then looked away. The orange and yellow light was starting to chase away the blues of the night. The rays felt warm on my skin as the beach brightened up. We just sat there, the waves the only sound we could hear. A seashell noise played in my head.

..... "So, where are you from?" he asked, sort of taking me away from my trance.

..... "Huh?" I said a little surprised, "Oh, over there…" I pointed to the homes.

..... "Oh. Is it a nice area to live in?" he asked.

....."Yes, yes it is I suppose. Well, I only come here during the summers. This is a lovely town."

..... "Good," he said, then he lied down on the sand and closed his eyes.

..... He wasn't American that's for sure. He was…was…British, yeah, English possibly.

..... "So, where are you from?" I asked.

..... He pointed to a vague area behind him that was basically nothing, "Over there."

..... He was mocking me, or hiding something. Well, I didn't want to talk to him anymore for being so rude.

..... "Umm, okay. Bye." I said as I picked up my sandals. I didn't look back as I walked away. I knew just where to go... up. I climbed the wooden stairs that led to the recreational area for the tourists. It had a panoramic view of this part of the beach. I found a bench and sat down, a stunning glimpse of the rising sun and ocean waves laid before my eyes. In the distance I saw a beautiful sailboat, its sail flapping in the wind. It reminded me of white sheets hung out to dry on clotheslines on a windy day. The boat moved slowly across the waters and headed west. A breeze suddenly swept by, getting my attention, blowing my skirt to the side. Then he appeared again, watching me; he was really starting to scare me. Was he a stalker? Was I going to get hurt?

..... "So, what do you plan to do today?" he said as he came and took a close seat next to me. My heart was beating a mile a minute. He seemed harmless, but then again you never know. He was cute, very cute, "my friends would be so jealous" cute. I guessed I would just go along.

..... "Uh, I don't know. Well, nothing till 10, then something till noon, then nothing again, then I'm going to bed. It's summer; it's all routine, " I said in a casual way as if we'd know each other for years.

..... "May I join you? Because, I won't be doing anything all day, and together we could do something."

..... Oh my, I was really scared now. I was all alone with a guy coming on to me? This had never really happened before. Why did no one pass by, why did everything seem so…deserted?

..... "I…I…don't even know you…" I said.

..... He laughed, showing his sparkling teeth. He sat back and looked over at me and offered his hand.

..... "Well, hello, my name is William."

..... I took his hand and we shook.

..... Okay, WOW, he was Prince William, he really was. I was glad that he was well known...he wouldn't DARE hurt me now. Yet another thought came about, there was royalty before me? I was shaking the hand of a most wanted young man and what was I going to do? I went blank for a moment; we were still shaking hands. I wanted to act cool. I wanted to seem like it didn't matter, I was beyond the average girl and I would nod it off. This wasn't special at all.

..... "NICE, to meet you," I said with a high-pitched squeak at the beginning. Oh god…

..... He just snickered. I suppose he got the point but we didn't officially acknowledge it.

..... "Uh, I don't know. I guess I'm just going to go for a walk up there by the cliff," I said. "Would you like to join me?"

..... "Sure," he said, "Come-on, let's go before it gets hot."

..... So we walked down a path that lead all over the tourist and sightseeing area and we talked I think...I'm not really sure. I was a little distraught for some reason; we were just talking though. Yes, yes we were talking…I asked him how school was and he told me. He asked about me I suppose, and I told him what my life consisted of and what it was going to be. Still, strangely enough, we were still alone. No joggers passed by, no dog walkers, and no rollerbladers. No one was there; in fact the only other sign of life was that sailboat.

..... Pretty soon I found we had gone down the wooden stairs and were headed toward my house. Then very soon we were on my porch and stood next to the hammock that was setup for my dad to read by the ocean. I looked down and knew I had to say good-bye. But it was still early, like 10:30am.

..... "So, well, I guess I'm gonna go. I'll see you around…" I said, not sure what exactly to say.

..... "How about tonight? 7 o'clock? I'll take you into town," he said, a bit excited.

..... "Okay, why not? I'm not really doing anything either. 7 it is!" I said. "G'bye Wills."

..... I went in through the glass door with the wooden frame and past the large window that showed our little back porch and the ocean. I passed the small kitchen and the blue furniture as I headed upstairs to my room. From my window I saw that he was leaving, already walking down the beach. I went and laid across on my cushy canopy bed. I was a bit tired. I took out some paper and started to write, just about the sea and sand.

Next Chapter COMING SOON: Town Lights and Café Tables