Tidal

Preface.

 Pink and orange skies swirled around Brinley as the waves crashed in front of her. She sank into the sand; the cool white specks surrounded her legs as the ocean breeze engulfed her. Brinley thought back to last month when she had been on this beach with him, he had pulled her toward the waves and begged her to take a dip with him. His deep brown eyes had twinkled with amusement and his deep laugh echoed on the empty beach as she waded in the water with him. She had been so happy then. The sun dissipated and Brinley felt a cool breeze glide across her back, the moonlight cast its reflection onto the unsettled waves and pulled her back to the reality of tonight. She felt a weight sink into the beach beside her.

"Will you please just talk to me, Brin, it's not what you think." His deep voice startled her and she jerked her head around to see him sitting there beside her. Brinley backed away from the space he had just invaded. The breeze caught his clean scent and the familiar smell invaded her senses. Once distanced she took in his large frame, the strong arms that had once pulled her in and kept her safe were now perched on his knees. His tanned, long fingers ran through his long chestnut hair. Eyes that had once gazed at her so adoringly now searched her face frantically.

"Leave, Carter." Brinley shot back with a leveled voice as she tried to mask the chaos of emotions she felt from being in his presence.

"You don't know what happened, you left the field house so quickly I couldn't even get your name out of my mouth."

What was left to explain, she wondered. Brinley had gone to congratulate Carter on the team's big win over USC but when she got to the field house she had caught him and Blaire in a lip-lock that shattered her heart into a thousand pieces. She had gotten in her car and drove aimlessly until she ended up on the beach, their beach.

"Explain what, Carter? I saw you two. Your mouth was too preoccupied with hers to say anything." Hot tears spilled over her cheeks as the image of Blaire's hands running through his curls looped relentlessly in her mind.
"Brin, she came on to me out of nowhere. I pushed her away as soon as I realized what was happening," he pleaded. "Please you have to believe me. I love you," his voice cracked along with her resolve.

Maybe, she thought, she had misread the situation. What if he was telling her the truth? He loved her, didn't he? They had been through so much together. The vibration of Carters' phone pulled Brinley out of her thoughts. Blaire's name illuminated the screen; another visual reminder of what had happened tonight.

"I can't." She choked back a sob, rebuilding every wall around her heart that Carter had broken down. The cold sand gathered under her feet as she took off running. Her heart pumped in her ears and was accompanied by the sound of a second pair of feet sprinting behind her.

"Brinley, please!"