Moving Through The Waves

One

Here's Chapter One, let me know your thoughts 😍💚💙💜

"Next stop, Elliston."
The slightly scratchy throated voice of today's bus driver declared, the small speaker's overhead crackling.
"Estimated arrival time is fifteen minutes."
The bus driver informed us.
"From there we will continue South-West until we reach Reef Bay, which is our rest stop tonight. We estimate to reach Reef Bay by eight PM folks."
My heart picking up its pace inside my chest, I leaned over my vacant passenger seat and poked my head into the bus' aisle to look towards the front of the long vehicle.
The clock's illuminated red numbers read 6:30PM.
That meant, if we stayed on schedule, we would arrive in Reef Bay in an hour and a half.
I would arrive back in Reef Bay in an hour and a half.
My stomach positively flipped thanks to a sudden rush of anxiety in my heart.
Of course there were many reasons for which I was dying to get home.
I miss Phoenix like crazy.
I could hardly even believe that it was currently four and a half weeks since I'd last seen my beloved Golden Child.
Each and every day I was missing Zander.
I'd spent just about every night in random hotel room's looking out at the big black sky, staring at the twinkling white stars, wondering if He was watching the same view and thinking about Me too.
I was missing my Brother's too, as over protective and infuriating as they could be.
But dread filled my heart.
Would I even be safe in Reef Bay now?
What if Lane was still around?
Could I possibly even leave the safety of my own bedroom?
Wait...
I don't even have one of those anymore.
The last place I'd been staying was at Jade's place with Zander.
But Zander was angry with Me when He'd returned from the Surfing Competition in Torquay, because I'd made my Brother's promise to not tell him about Lane's attack on Me until He came home.
Being away for 4 week's, on an unplanned road trip with my Mother had given Me plenty of time to think.
I definitely realised that it had not been fair to keep the information from Zander.
He's cared about Me since our earliest years.
I love Him.
He loves Me.
I'd thought I was being the bigger, stronger and more caring person by leaving him to concentrate on his first Interstate Surfing Competition.
Turn's out, I'd hurt and infuriated Him, instead.
Surfing means nothing in comparison to you!
Not for the first time, His words echoed in my head.
While I was desperate to get back to Reef Bay and run into Zander's arms, a part of Me was second guessing my urges.
Lane's assault on Me had inflicted damage upon Me, that somebody who hasn't experienced the pain for themselves, could have no hopes in understanding.
I was hoping it was more to do with my seemingly unwell Mother dragging Me all across the Eastern and Northern states of our Country, but lately I struggled to sleep.
If the room was properly dark, my heart would literally be racing inside my chest, the palms of my hands and the soles of my feet clammy with sweat, even if the night time temperatures warranted wearing a second blanket.
Having a gentle light on almost seemed as bad, because the sight of a shadow out the corner of my eye had me nearly jumping out of my skin.
Lining up to be served at a Shop or Convenience Store, I found myself going out of my way to avoid being served by a Male Cashier.
God help Me if a Guy managed to brush against Me or bump into Me in a Shopping Centre or along the sidewalk of a Town.
The fear that brought on, had more than once led Me to nearly blacking out.
Deep breaths barely helped my heart rate to slow down.
Counting to 10 was all but useless.
You'll be fine when you're home with Zander and your Brother's.
I tried to coach myself.
My dismal thoughts had encouraged my palms to grow sweaty, so I breathed in deeply and wiped my hands on my jeans clad thighs.

My knee's felt like jelly and my heart absolutely raced inside my chest, the beat pounding like the hoofbeats of the Racehorses I'd begun to ride before my unplanned Holiday, as I tried to move off the State Lines Bus with the rest of the passengers.
The grey haired Bus Driver gave Me a nod as I shuffled past and I did my best to give Him a half hearted wave.
The three steps to the ground seemed like the treacherous descent of a cliff, so I grabbed the safety rail with my clammy right hand and staggered my way down the steps, praying that none of the other Passengers were watching Me and wondering 'what the hell's wrong with that Girl?'
Unlike the other passengers, I had no luggage other than the backpack I already had slung over my shoulder, so instead of standing on the pavement waiting for the Bus Driver to come on out and open up the luggage compartment, I avoided meeting the other Passengers eyes and made my way away from the Car Park.
Trudging along the well worn gravel path, gradually making my way towards the beach and the few buildings like the Reef Bay Diner, I realised I had a bit of a predicament.
I had kilometres to walk.
But I also didn't really know where I could go.
It was over a month since I'd had any contact with anybody from Home.
The only person I'd been able to talk to a couple of times, briefly, was Zander because I knew his mobile number off by heart.
The odd time that Mum had sent Me out on an errand, I'd used a phone box and reverse charges and called Zander's phone.
Four times I'd tried, twice He'd managed to answer the call.
Four times I'd managed to sneak a call off Mum's phone when She'd left her phone charging in the Kitchen area of the suite's we'd stayed in and was off in bed.
Of course I'd had to be careful to end the call quickly enough that I could delete the call history before She had a chance to wake up.
The problem was, I was back in Reef Bay, but had no way to contact anybody.
Feeling all but defeated, I continued placing one foot in front of the other, slowly making my way towards the twinkling lights of the Beachside Town.
Maybe at the Diner or somewhere, I could borrow somebody's phone and call Zander or one of my Brother's.
But the only person who's number I knew, was Zander's.
I'd been hoping to surprise Him on my return.
Though I guess calling him and saying 'hey guess what, I'm in Town' would be surprise enough.
Was it too much to hope one of my damn million Brother's would come driving down the road?
It was Saturday night, so they should be out and about.
But I doubted the Evans Brother's ever played Designated Driver.