The Darkest Nights of My World - Chapter 7 (Part 2)
Ramona Hill had it all until that fatal night. The night her brother died, a death she feels responsible for. That is until her family moves and she meets Derek, her next door neighbor, who convinces her that life is full of good and bad but she should still keep on living.
"So do you wanna go to that diner on Michigan Ave?"
She made a face. I sighed. I knew she wouldn't want to. But she surprised me with her next words.
"Yeah. I'd love to go." She smiled at me as I parked in the empty lot.
When we were seated with our food on the table I finally spoke. "So what are you gonna get me for my birthday?"
Ramona laughed. "Oh, Ray! What did you expect? That I'd suddenly blurt it out? Oh gosh. You'll have to try better than that!"
I stuck my tongue out at her, annoyed that she didn't fall for my lame attempt to see what she had gotten me.
After we ate breakfast I took her to Venice beach just a couple of hours away from our little town. She grimaced as we got off the car. The smell of marijuana and grilled hot dogs were in the air. Reggae music and annoyed hobos yelling wafted all around the sidewalk. I breathed it all in. To me it was an art in the making. Undiscovered talent, hidden from the rest of the world, for the eyes of locals and artists who appreciated the beach. To my dear sweet sister though, it was hell. I hid a smile when I caught her disgusted face and touched her arm gently.
"I know you may not like it here but it's beautiful," I told her.
She grinned at me. "I can tell how happy you are here."
"It's not just Venice. It's every beach out there. The ocean calls to me and that salty sea air is like a drug." I closed my eyes taking another deep breath.
I heard her giggle. I opened one eye and tried unsuccessfully to make a face at her. She shoved me when I failed. I pushed her back gently, creating a war between us. I ran around the sandy beach trying to get away from her. All the while she was laughing and giggling as she got closer to me. The beach goers didn't pay attention to us mostly because they're used to weird people doing weird things everyday.
Ramona finally caught up to me. I feigned a stop at one point and when she tried launching herself at me, I quickly moved away making her eat a face-full of sand. She sat up, her brown eyes wild, sand stuck on her lips. She spit and spluttered as she slowly got up. Too fast for me to see, she tackled me down. I admitted defeat so we could go home and shower.
Ramona sighed as she laid her head down on the reclined seat of the Mustang. "Thanks Ray. I had fun today."
"No problem sis," I replied, passing the beach. Already a sunset was forming. The clouds attempted to cover the sun, creating a soft, orange glow. Deja-Vu struck me as I remembered the dream I had the night before. The boy. I remembered that he wouldn't turn.
"Ray?" Ramona's voice quickly brought me back to the intersection. I looked at her in confusion. She pointed ahead. "The light turned green."
**************************************************************
So sorry for the longest wait any author can give. Found the muse to the story and I'm back. I know it's short but I apologize and I will make it up with the longest chapter ever next time. And also it's not edited but I figure you couldn't wait much longer. Enjoy and please comment!
She made a face. I sighed. I knew she wouldn't want to. But she surprised me with her next words.
"Yeah. I'd love to go." She smiled at me as I parked in the empty lot.
When we were seated with our food on the table I finally spoke. "So what are you gonna get me for my birthday?"
Ramona laughed. "Oh, Ray! What did you expect? That I'd suddenly blurt it out? Oh gosh. You'll have to try better than that!"
I stuck my tongue out at her, annoyed that she didn't fall for my lame attempt to see what she had gotten me.
After we ate breakfast I took her to Venice beach just a couple of hours away from our little town. She grimaced as we got off the car. The smell of marijuana and grilled hot dogs were in the air. Reggae music and annoyed hobos yelling wafted all around the sidewalk. I breathed it all in. To me it was an art in the making. Undiscovered talent, hidden from the rest of the world, for the eyes of locals and artists who appreciated the beach. To my dear sweet sister though, it was hell. I hid a smile when I caught her disgusted face and touched her arm gently.
"I know you may not like it here but it's beautiful," I told her.
She grinned at me. "I can tell how happy you are here."
"It's not just Venice. It's every beach out there. The ocean calls to me and that salty sea air is like a drug." I closed my eyes taking another deep breath.
I heard her giggle. I opened one eye and tried unsuccessfully to make a face at her. She shoved me when I failed. I pushed her back gently, creating a war between us. I ran around the sandy beach trying to get away from her. All the while she was laughing and giggling as she got closer to me. The beach goers didn't pay attention to us mostly because they're used to weird people doing weird things everyday.
Ramona finally caught up to me. I feigned a stop at one point and when she tried launching herself at me, I quickly moved away making her eat a face-full of sand. She sat up, her brown eyes wild, sand stuck on her lips. She spit and spluttered as she slowly got up. Too fast for me to see, she tackled me down. I admitted defeat so we could go home and shower.
Ramona sighed as she laid her head down on the reclined seat of the Mustang. "Thanks Ray. I had fun today."
"No problem sis," I replied, passing the beach. Already a sunset was forming. The clouds attempted to cover the sun, creating a soft, orange glow. Deja-Vu struck me as I remembered the dream I had the night before. The boy. I remembered that he wouldn't turn.
"Ray?" Ramona's voice quickly brought me back to the intersection. I looked at her in confusion. She pointed ahead. "The light turned green."
**************************************************************
So sorry for the longest wait any author can give. Found the muse to the story and I'm back. I know it's short but I apologize and I will make it up with the longest chapter ever next time. And also it's not edited but I figure you couldn't wait much longer. Enjoy and please comment!
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