TK
"Wow. I still can't believe the ocean looks like this," that's all I can say as we walk out onto Cannon Beach for the second day in a row. I will never get used to this.
Eric and Conner are running at top speed across the sand.
Dan puts his hand on my shoulder and smiles. "It's a great beach, right. It's the ONLY thing I miss about Oregon."
"Did you ever think about moving back," I ask as I pull my shoes off to walk in the sand.
"I did. That was my plan until one day it wasn't, and here we are," he says, and he looks over to Mandy and takes her hand. "We made the right choice."
"I'm glad. Is the water cold? It feels like it would be cold," I ask nervously.
Dan turns to his brother Brian "oh yes. It's chilly year-round. The water comes down from Alaska, but go get your feet wet, kiddo. You'll love it."
I smile and walk over to Eric and Conner as they build a sandcastle. "You guys want some help?"
"Yeah. Go get some rocks. We need to make a wall," says Eric, and I walk over to the nearest pile.
I bring back a couple for them to pick over. Conner seems to like them, so I won someone over. I'm kneeling on the wet sand, and I love this feeling. I look over and see the adults watching us and talking, and then suddenly, I'm soaking wet as the wave hits us. Both Conner and I go down hard in the surf as Eric abandons us to the waves.
I am so cold, and I'm annoyed at Eric for running away without warning Conner and me. Conner's shivering as we walk back to town. Thankfully, Brian lives close to the beach. The joys of being a fancy town doctor who makes good money.
"You ok?" Asks Brian.
"I'm cold. I don't like the ocean anymore," I say through chattering teeth.
He laughs. Same laugh as Dan. "It's beautiful when it's not going up your back. When we get home, take a hot shower. You'll warm right up. CONNER. Take a shower downstairs when we get home." He looks at me with a strange face. "I meant more about the last couple of months. Dan told me about your pops."
"I'm really happy. Dan and Mandy are amazing. I like being a big brother," I say with a smile.
"And what about your boyfriend." He says with a sly grin, and I look at him with scared eyes. "Don't panic. Dan doesn't know. I've just seen that face before. You were texting him this morning after breakfast, right?" I nod. "Good. Young love is always good. You're secret's safe with me."
"Thanks. I...umm, thanks. He's great," I say.
"I'm sure he is. You've got a good life, kid," he says.
"I'm just lucky, that's all," I say and voice something I've been feeling for a long time.
He nods and jogs up to Eric, and pulls him into a side hug. He's making the uncle rounds.
When we get to the house, I check my phone and realize it's dead. Completely soaked from the ocean.
I don't know a single phone number, so I am completely off the grid.
When I come down from my shower, Dan and Mandy are out in the back yard talking to Eric and Conner, and it looks like a serious conversation. Brian sees me as I walk towards the door and pulls out his headphones. "Hey. Umm, give them privacy. They gotta talk to the kids about stuff. Nothing bad. Come help me make dinner."
I don't like any of this, and he can tell.
"Nothing you can do about it. Come help. You can cut the carrots," he says.
YOU ARE READING
A Fresh Start
RomanceTyler Kennedy, likes to be called TK. He's a freshman in high school, and loves soccer. He is also a survivor. He is gay and he is just trying to move on from his trauma. Ryan is a jock and has a massive crush on the soccer player, but needs to fig...
