Once Upon A Wave

Chapter Nine - Detrimental

I'm no Cinderella. There is no happily ever after. No fairytale ending. It's just me in a world of chaos. I'm just the girl with the ocean dream and the broken heart that wants to go as far away as possible from Berklee Cove, California because I can't seem to get a break. I'm no princess. My life is anything but chipper and perfect. Just as I am pulling out, Carter waves me down and asks, "Where are you going?" If I lie to him...he'll know. After all I did date this kid for like years. If I am blatantly honest with him...he won't know what hit him.

"I'm headed out to Thunder Valley Beach. The swells out there are to die for. I'd say come with me, but we all know how terrible of a surfer you are."

"Fine...don't tell me." Mumbles Carter as he imitates me standing on a board as if he were surfing. I blow air on him and he pretends to topple over. "Stay safe Tinsley. We can't replace our senior class Prez so easily!" He hasn't called me by my last name in ages. It felt nice. Don't fall for his charming personality, Cass. That's why you broke up with him in the first place. Plus I think Aria has a crush on him and what the hell am I doing? I'm still with Link. Just because Josie is being an over reactive little bitch doesn't null and void my relationship with Lincoln.

"There's no promising death when I kill the waves out there."

"There you go again...over exaggerating. Talk to you later, captain." Waves Carter as he runs back into school to a class he was attempting to avoid by talking to me. Why am I doing this? Attention? Not a chance. Thrill? Maybe. To forget everything? Yes. As I pull out of the school parking lot, I take the scenic road up to Thunder Valley Beach.

It has the biggest, most bad ass, and the most treacherous waves known in California. No one goes up here anymore since the last person to ride these waves died from a surfing accident like five years ago. It's not like life has been easy on me and I don't want to be Cassenderella anymore. No more responsibilities. No more reputations. No more comparisons. No more anything. I don't want to suffer anymore. Not that I want to die, I don't want to live either. My brother won't tell me what's been gnawing at him for weeks; my sister is torn between literally everything; Josie is pushing all of my buttons; and my so-called boyfriend is just that. Where do I fit into anyone's lives anymore?

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As I shut my car door, I walk over to the fence and stare out at the riveting cobalt blue ocean with shards of rocks all throughout it. Unlike the beaches I'm used to, the sand is a rich black color due to the volcano that erupted many years ago. To my left, you see a flock of seagulls dart towards me where I just stand letting the view sink in. If I could do this every day... I would. Being a land mermaid sucks when I want to be in the water as much as possible.

Soon I'm slipping underneath the fence, and hopping down from one rock to the next until I get to the steepest one. The water bashes against the rocks trying to swallow me whole. Almost slipping, my stomach lurches forward and I cling on for dear life on the rock. As I finally steady my feet, I jump.

I'm going to die. There's even sharper rocks all around me. One wrong move and its lights out for me. There's a variety of sharks circling while out for their morning grub. Maybe I'll get to see a hammerhead shark? Too soon? My arms flinging in the air as my surfboard free falls; until we break against the water and my body sinks.

It felt like a leather whip swinging against my back. Sharp pain. Unbearable pain. As I sunk, I held my breath as I watch the light fade above me. This is the last thing I will ever see. I'm the titanic heading to its final resting place. Dark clouds rumbling around the sun as the water stung my eyes. Panic radiated through me when I suddenly couldn't breathe, move, or do anything. This is where I will die. No one is coming. Carter thought I was joking. Lincoln is too mad at me to have paid attention to where I have gone. My brothers could care less. I've burned all of my bridges with everyone I was thought to have loved.