Whispers Beneath The Waves (Boy x Boy) [Shortlisted for The Wattys 2018!]

Chapter 1 - The Ripple Effect

Hey guys!

Thank you so much to everyone who has read the Prologue to this and left me a bit of feedback - it def motivates me so much more to keep going when I know people are reading! :)

I've now added a Cast List to the story - although I'm open to other cast suggestions! The pic above is a rough idea of Lennon and Keiko :)

Will try and update once a week as long as I don't get too busy...!

Hope you all like this first official chapter... eek!

Becky xx

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Chapter 1

The Ripple Effect

It was the first day of the summer holidays. The first day of the rest of my life, if I was being honest about it. The thought terrified me. School and college were over and now I had to figure out what to do with myself. I had no idea what I wanted. Only what I didn't want.

"How the hell does time move so fast?" I said out loud. Not to anyone in particular. Just to the grotto. Of course, I had swum out there. Where else was I going to start my brand new adult (well, almost adult) life?

The cool summer sea breeze kissed my face and I smiled. I was sitting by the edge of the pool, my feet resting in the water. "I'll never leave Melwyn Bay," I murmured into my own reflection. "Everyone keeps pushing me to go off to Uni, get some other life. Some stranger's life. It's not what I want."

The water rippled around my toes. Some little fish or the tip of passing seaweed as it floated along.

"I promise I'm not going anywhere. This is where I belong. Right here."

In response, a familiar voice drifted over to me from just outside the cave entrance. "You talking to yourself out here again, Aquaman?"

My best friend Keiko was rowing her way into the grotto in one of the little tourist rowboats which were docked by the edge of the beach. People were supposed to pay to use them, but Old Willie who ran the boat shack always let us use them for free.

I kicked my leg out as she approached, splashing her with water. "Hey, you shouldn't be listening in to other people's conversations."

She screamed as the cold sea sprayed over her and splashed me back with her oar. "Conversations with who exactly, Lennon? The jellyfish?"

"The jellyfish are good listeners. Don't knock the jellyfish."

She shook her head as she docked the rowboat and clambered out to join me. "You're so weird. You know that right?"

"Yes, we've established I'm weird. I think it's the main reason we're friends."

Keiko laughed and nudged into me affectionately, setting herself down in the spot beside me. We teased each other all the time, but I didn't really mind that she was out here. She was the only person in the world who I didn't mind overhearing me during my "thinking-out-loud" moments.