My New Neighbor

My Friend, Bean

I awoke from a dream in a deep sweat. Brushing my hair back, out of my face, I sat up and looked around. I felt as if my mom were here and the dream was real. It had been two weeks already since she had passed and I’ve kept myself locked in my room, not speaking to anyone or doing anything. My mom was clearly upset with me, I could feel it tingling my skin, a lump in my throat rising, as I fought back the urge to shed tears. How could she expect me to move forward? She had been my rock my whole entire life and now I only feel like I’m falling down a bottomless pit. Something seemed to calm me and take the pain away as I recollected the dream.

“I’ve never gave up.. Momma I know.. This is so different.” I whispered as if someone were listening.

I couldn’t help but let a small smile tug at the corners of my lips. I smelt awful and she had told me so in my dream, along with a feces reference on my appearance. Glancing at the mirror a laugh escaped my pale lips, she was definitely correct. As I thought about it, my laughter was almost a strange sound to me. It hadn’t made an appearance in a couple weeks. A sudden urge swept over my body and before I knew it I was out of my bedroom. The wooden floor creaked below my feet, the sound always gave my body a sensation of happiness, as I made my way down the small spiral staircase. I flung the sliding glass door open, using my hand as a visor to block the afternoon sun. The air wrapped coolly around me, while the smell of sea and salt flooded my nostrils. My legs took over at this point and before I knew it I was sprinting towards the ocean, splashing through the ice cold water, and diving in. The water felt like needles against my skin, but I stayed under just holding my breath. I needed to feel alive again. I couldn’t let my mom down.

I pushed through the surface of the water and inhaled a deep breath, opened my eyes, and just smiled. Zyler stood in the sand just watching me, his arms folded across his bare chest; a look of worry mixed with a bit of happiness bared his face. The weight on my shoulders seemed to lift when he motioned me over to him with his index finger. My legs willed me out as he smiled at me. I had almost forgot about how horrible. Gross. Why did he have to see me like this? Had he been waiting for me to emerge?

“Lacee said you were out of your room.” His voice was slightly hesitant.

I stopped in front of him, “This is a fact.” I laughed lightly. Oh the eggshells people were going to walk on around me, that was the last thing I needed. “And you’re what?” I looked him over, “Trying to play lifeguard on this lovely November afternoon?”

Zyler shook his head and moved a hand up to rub the back of his neck. This gesture along with the slight breeze, sent the smell of his cologne in circles around me. I had missed that smell, letting my eyes close to savor it for just a moment. He wrapped his arms around me tightly, pulling our bodies impossibly close, and in that moment I felt completely okay. My hands encircled him, trailing my fingers down his bare back, letting my breath hitch with no intention of hiding it. Why I had waited a week and a half to feel this, left me clueless. I could feel the goosebumps on his skin rise wherever my fingers had touched and it made me smile.

“I missed you.” Zyler said gruffly, placing his lips to the side of my head.

“I’ve missed me too. But oh look! I think I kinda found me.” I teased, opening my eyes, looking up to him, and then down at my off the shoulder white tshirt and small shorts that were clinging to my body with sea water.

He moved a hand to brush some hair behind my ear and rubbed my arm with his other hand, “Chloe. You’re freezing. You’re even shivering. Can we get you inside?” I hadn’t noticed, but I was in fact shivering so bad I could fall apart at any moment. I was better off lost in his crystal blue eyes.

I nodded, clenching my jaw so my teeth wouldn’t chatter as he directed me inside my house. I stood there waiting for my body to calm down so that I could speak, “I’m just going to shower and change real quick.” I motioned for him to sit, “You’ll wait for me wont you?”