Raml: The Sands of Change

Sand?

I was on my back, my eyes shut, and utterly confused. Why was there sand under me? I struggled to move around, frustrated my eyelids were clearly rebelling. Poor rebellion that it was, I eventually managed to open my eyes and discovered I was laying on a beach looking up at the bright blue sky. Scooping up a fist of sand I watched it slip through my fingers.

Where am I? How did I get here?

I slowly got to my feet and glanced around the beach desperately trying to get my bearings. The beach before me was packed, people sitting around in large clusters, laughing, talking, enjoying themselves as though they were at a party I wasn't invited to. My gaze brushed over the crowds before me, barely registering the shapes and figures as people. As I continued to look around I started to realize that the crowds were not made up of strangers. The laughing figures became people I knew. I took a few steps forward scanning the crowds as my eyes and brain began to work in unison. Every step I wandered deeper into the crowd, I was met with another familiar face.

Confusion clouding my brain again, I started walking deeper into the beach. I saw people I'd met recently, people who have made my life worth living, people who have hurt me, and people who have helped me through my darkest times. Everyone I had ever known seemed to be on this beach.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a group of people waving at me. As my eyes focused on the group, I recognized my most recent mistake. He stood amongst the group bidding me walk in that direction. A shudder ran through me as the awful memories came rushing back.

I'm glad I got away from that relationship.

Muttering, I tried to decide what to do. I knew I did not want to be anywhere near him or have any interaction with him whatsoever. So I did the first thing that came to mind.

Run.

I ran like I never even noticed him or the group of friends waving at me; I ran like I was running towards another friend. In reality, I truly had no idea where I was headed, but I knew I needed to get away from my past. I needed to run as far away from the pain as possible. As I picked up speed I was hit with how much I loved the heady feeling of being able to laugh and run with truly reckless abandon. The wind tore through my hair and beat down on my face, a knot in my chest unraveling and falling beneath my feet. And I ran.

I hadn't felt this free in a long time.

I ran, greeting some people and weaving through the throngs to avoid others. Before long, a tiki bar came into view. I decided to stop there to get a drink of water before I continued through the beach to find someone I actually wanted to sit down with.

Just as I was about to flag down the bartender I saw a man come up to the bar looking at me with an unabashed interest in his eyes. Still heady from my glorious dash through the sand, I returned his curiosity, silently raising one eyebrow as I met his gaze.

"Hi! I'm Nick. Nice to meet you," he said cheerfully.

"Hi, Nick. Anaya. And I'm still trying to decide if it's nice to meet you too," I said chuckling as I took his proffered hand.

"Haha well, let me buy you a beer and you can take a little longer to decide."

"Sure, but make that a water and you're on."

"Absolutely," he said turning to the bar to order. "So Anaya, what do you do?"

"I'm still in undergrad. You?" I asked taking the water he offered

"Well I just graduated and I'm starting dental school in 2 weeks."

"That's interesting. One of my close friends is actually about to start dental as well. I'm sure she's around here somewhere," I said looking around and then added mostly to myself, "Since most people I have ever known seem to be here for whatever reason."