Beneath the Shadows

4. A Day at the Beach

The week passes by peacefully with classes, time spent with Isa, and visits to the gym. In the past few days, I've started going to the gym later to coincide with Noah's schedule, and we've begun working out together.

He is the only new person in my life who doesn't see the girl who lost a friend, the girl with family problems, the girl who was investigated for her friend's disappearance because of her own mother's actions.

On Saturday, after school, I hang out with Isa and a couple of girls from school whom we used to be close friends with a few years ago. After dinner, I quickly pack my bag to spend the night at Isa's and go to the beach the next day. I say goodbye to my father, who once again reminds me to be back for dinner tomorrow.

My brother accompanies me, and Isa starts chatting with him as soon as we arrive. After a while, I ask her to step away so my brother can go and enter Isa's house.

"Hi, Harp! It's so good to have you here again," greets Helena, Isa's mother, as she embraces me.

"You've lost weight, my girl. Sooner or later, you'll vanish if you keep going like this," she says, taking a step back to examine me.

"Helena, you tell me that every time you see me, but I haven't lost weight at all. In fact, I think I've gained a couple of pounds in the past few months," I reply, looking at myself in the mirror in the hallway.

"Sweetheart, you all look like toothpicks these days," she comments, and Isa gestures for me to follow her as she heads toward her room.

Her mother stops me by the arm and comes closer. "Keep an eye on Isa. She's been on some kind of diet, and I'm worried," she whispers, and I nod before following Isa.

Indeed, in the last week, I've noticed that she eats less or sometimes skips meals. Once we reach her room, I place my bag on the floor and sit on Isa's bed while she rummages through her wardrobe.

"So, what's with all this eagerness and happiness about going to the beach tomorrow?" I ask her.

"You know I've always had a crush on Trevor," she says, shrugging.

"Actually, no... You've always considered him a stupid guy, and all you did was tease each other. I thought it annoyed you," I reply, shrugging as well.

"Come on, let's admit he's a handsome guy," she says, turning to look at me.

"Yeah, he's handsome, but I thought you liked my brother," I say, confused.

"Harp, your brother doesn't like me, it's obvious. So, I have to try a different path," she says, and her mood changes.

"So, you don't like Trev then?" I realize.

"It's not like I don't like him either. He's a handsome guy, he's my friend, and I need a distraction," she says while choosing her swimsuit and clothes for tomorrow.

"Meanwhile, you'll have the opportunity to talk and clear things up with Oliver," she sits on the bed with her legs crossed in front of me. "And who knows..." she finishes with a smile.

"I can't even talk to Oliver without feeling embarrassed and angry about what happened, so I don't think anything will happen," I tell her.

"But why should you feel embarrassed?" she asks.

I shrug. "I don't know... I just do. Anyway, it's all in the past. I want to close the Oliver chapter."

I get up and start changing. "I want to be able to reach a point where I don't feel the need to leave the room when he enters. As for the rest, I don't want anything else from him."

Once I'm in my pajamas, I slide under the covers, and she joins me. We turn on the TV and watch a movie before falling asleep. The movie played in the background, but my mind was preoccupied with the upcoming day at the beach and the tangled web of emotions that seemed to ensnare me.