submerged » l.h {FINISHED}

3.2 » you were gone

The bed was empty when the sun peeked through the open window of Luke's room. He had woken early, sleep evading him the whole night. It was as if it were teasing him, giving him a little taste of solace, only for him to wake right back up with a small groan.

He didn't want to wake Kaity up with his tossing and turning so he quietly slipped out of bed, planting a small kiss on her temple and making his way out of his room. He went into the living room, stripping out of his boxers in turn for a pair of board shorts.

He took a deep breath, rolling the tension out of his shoulders. The only way he could cope with his feelings was surfing it out. He didn't want to keep Kaity out of his past, but this was the first time he really talked about it since it happened so many years ago and it was hard to come to terms with.

Jenna was his best friend and it still hurt to know she was gone.

Luke shook his damning thoughts out of his head, grabbed his board and pushed the door to his backyard open quietly. He made his way across the sand, a slight breeze ruffling his already sleep-tousled hair. It wasn't too hot – the perfect morning for a peaceful surf.

The ocean roared at him loudly, inviting him into the deep waves crashing against the shore. Luke dashed into the water, the cool temperature chilling his skin, but it actually felt nice for once. It awoke him from his grogginess that he was desperately trying to get rid of.

He situated himself on his board, not caring if he didn't wax the surface or not. It wasn't the safest to do, but he just needed to feel the water surging beneath him. He paddled out into deeper water, droplets splashing up and dotting his face with saltiness.

He was starting to feel slightly better as he glided over the water, making it to where the waves were bigger. He slowed to a stop, bringing his legs beneath him as they dipped into the water. He bobbed on the surface, his eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of a forming wave.

Luke took a deep breath, letting his eyes fall shut as the sounds of the ocean filled him up. And then he felt a familiar pulling beneath him, his eyes popping open to find a wave starting to rise in the distance. Luke leaned forward again, his chest resting against his board as he started to paddle forward quickly.

He braced himself as the wave started to move faster underneath him and then Luke scrambled to his feet quickly, dropping in on the wave flawlessly. He balanced himself with his arms, letting them swing freely by his sides as he maneuvered across the water.

Not before long, a smile was spreading across Luke's lips as a lightness danced throughout him. He knew coming out to surf was the best thing for him – it always made him feel better. Luke bailed off to the side once the wave started to die, the water swallowing him whole.

He stayed under for a moment; enjoying the loud silence the water gave him. The current pushed and pulled him beneath the surface as if he were a piece of seaweed floating freely. Luke let his breath go, the clear bubbles wobbling towards the surface and he soon followed them.

He broke through the top, sucking down a fresh breath to replenish his lungs. He didn't realize how long he had stayed underneath the water until he felt the ache in his chest. Luke shook his head free from excess water, blinking the saltiness out of his eyes even though a few droplets still clung to his lashes.

Luke lipped his lips as he tugged on his leash, bringing his board closer to him. He climbed atop it and then paddled back out to the surf, ready to catch another wave.

He caught one after the other, gliding across the waves until the sun was rising higher in the sky, warming his skin and making him squint. He took another deep breath, sitting on his board again after surfing an amazing wave. A strong gust came, chilling his shoulders and drying the droplets that had yet to roll off his back.