You!

Bad tv, and popcorn!

How old are you?" Luke asked, his eyes widening in disbelief as he just witnessed my attempt at swimming, which can only be described as a sad imitation of a drowning walrus. I'm almost eighteen years old and I don't know how to swim!

Shocker!

But, Well, truth be told, I haven't exactly broadcasted this little fact to the world yet, but here it goes!

I was just a naive ten-year-old, innocent and carefree, until that day when my world came crashing down around me. None of us knew a simple trip to the beach would forever alter the course of our lives. The sun was shining, the waves crashing against the shore, and my father was there, his laughter filling the air. But then, in the blink of an eye, everything changed.

I watched in horror as my father, the man I idolized, the man who was my everything, dove into the churning sea to save a boy who was struggling to stay afloat. I screamed for him to come back, but he was determined to be a hero. And in that moment of selfless bravery, he was swept away by the unforgiving waves, never to resurface again.

The memory of that day is forever etched into my mind, haunting me like a spectre. I can still hear the sound of his laughter, see the dazzle in his eyes, and feel the warmth of his embrace. But now, all I feel is emptiness, a void that can never be filled. My father, the love of my life, was taken from me in the cruellest of ways, lost to the depths of the ocean, never to return.

"Why did you never learn how to swim, Leah?" Luke's voice cut through the silence, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I turned to look at him, his eyes filled with curiosity. His question struck a nerve, bringing back memories I had tried so hard to bury.

"I don't know. I just never learned how to swim," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. But that was a lie. The truth was much darker, much more painful.

The weight of that memory was too much to bear, and I couldn't bring myself to tell Luke the truth. I couldn't tell him that every time I saw the water, I was reminded that I had lost my father, the only man I had ever loved.

So instead, I lied. I lied to protect myself, to shield myself from the pain that threatened to consume me.

"I need to go," I said hastily, the words feeling like a heavy weight on my heart and tears threatened to spill from my eyes.

"Leah, wait," Luke's voice called after me, but despite his pleas, I couldn't bear to face him any longer. I turned away and vanished inside the house, the sound of his voice echoing in my ears like a haunting melody of sorrow.

my clothes dripped all over the polished floor, and a deep sense of humiliation washed over me. I wanted to disappear into a hole, never to be found again.

I never imagined Luke would throw me into the pool, but then again, I should have known better.  I was used to making a fool out of myself, but this time felt different. This time, it brought back memories that I so badly wanted to forget.

"Leah?" The sound of my mother's voice echoed through the hallway, the sadness in her eyes when she saw my wet clothes, mirrored the heaviness in my heart. She knew, just as well as I did, that I couldn't swim.

My hand trembling as I reached up to wipe away the tears that threatened to fall.

I held my hand up, unable to meet her gaze as I shamefully retreated to the sanctuary of my room. The walls closed in around me, suffocating me, and the tears finally spilt over, a silent testament to the sadness that consumed me.

"Leah?" My mother gently knocked on my door, calling out my name, but I chose to ignore her. I didn't want to share with her what had happened, and I definitely didn't want to hear her advice on how to let go of that day and move forward.

I slipped back into the comfort of my warm pyjamas. The TV flickered to life, casting a soft glow over the room as I settled in to watch a cheesy romantic movie. I scoffed at the predictable plot, a boy meets a girl, a girl meets a boy, and they fall hopelessly in love. If only life were that simple.

I watched the characters on screen navigate the ups and downs of love, I couldn't help but feel a pang of longing deep in my chest. Was love really as magical as they made it out to be? Or was it just a fairy tale concocted by Hollywood to sell movie tickets?

I sighed, sinking deeper into the cushions of my bed as the movie played on. Maybe, just maybe, there was a grain of truth in those sappy love stories. Maybe, somewhere out there, my own love story was waiting to unfold. Or maybe, I was destined to be forever alone, watching cheesy romantic movies in my pyjamas.

As the credits rolled on the screen, a fire ignited within me to explore yet another movie. But this time, I craved more than just the flickering images before me, this time I yearned for the full sensory experience - the crunch of buttery popcorn, the rich sweetness of chocolate melting on my tongue, and the cool creaminess of a milkshake to wash it all down.

I went straight to the kitchen and quickly whipped up a batch of popcorn. I then decided to treat myself to a milkshake, blending together all my favourite flavours.

As I reached for the chocolate, a pang of guilt washed over me. I knew it belonged to someone else, but my craving was just too strong. I made a mental note to replace it later, but for now, it was mine.

Balancing my snacks in hand, I made my way back to my room.

I reached for the remote, eager to dive into a new movie that would transport me to another world.

The opening credits of the next film began to roll, and I indulged in the decadent treats before me, savouring every bite and sip as if they were the key to locking away the pain I just felt today.

With each scene that unfolded on the screen, I found myself drawn deeper into the narrative, the characters and their struggles becoming my own. The popcorn disappeared in handfuls, the chocolate vanished in a blur of sweetness, and the milkshake slowly dwindled to nothing but a memory.

Just as I was about to savour the last few kernels, my phone decided to pull a sneaky move and vibrate with such intensity that it startled me, causing me to fling the popcorn all over my bed like confetti at a party.

"Shit, shit!" I exclaimed, frantically trying to salvage what little popcorn remained edible.

"What" I yell into the speaker.

"Well good afternoon to you as well," Lucy chirped, making me realize that I had completely lost track of time. Was it really afternoon already?

Lucy wasted no time diving into her favourite topic - parties. "So, have you heard of any parties yet?" she asked, her excitement practically radiating through the phone and into my ear.

"I haven't, no I haven't. Uhm." I stammered into the speaker, my voice quivering with nerves. It was ridiculous how worked up I was getting over a simple question about a party.

"No, I haven't heard anything yet," I replied, conveniently leaving out the chaotic morning I had just experienced with Luke.

"Okay, but please don't forget to let me know if Luke plans on one. He must have planned one. It's the last Saturday before school starts again," she sighed into the speaker, her voice laced with anticipation. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her dramatics.

I simply smiled, not bothering to reply, and pressed the phone down.

I surveyed the aftermath of what can only be described as a popcorn explosion in my room, I couldn't help but let out a dramatic sigh. Popcorn kernels scattered across my bed, boxes stacked precariously in every corner of the room, courtesy of my dear mother who thought my room was the perfect storage space.

I contemplated the mess before me, weighing the options of cleaning it up or simply leaving it until I inevitably moved back to Virginia in four months.

What's the point of unpacking it now if I'm leaving in four months?