Trecco Bay

The Morning After

CHAPTER ONE

Trecco Bay 2019. A small village and beach around the corner from Porthcawl, South Wales. Over the last twenty years young adults have started to flock there to try and get away from their parents, the bright lights of the city and local, miserable towns. Some would say that it's the safest place in the world.

But some would be wrong.

"Since when did you start staring out the window like ya in love with the world?" Cassandra questioned as she strolled into her own bedroom dressed ready for a run. Opposite her, over by the window was one of her best friends, Skye who slipped around on her feet to face Cassandra.

"I like a sunrise now and then. They're better than a sunset. They mark the start of a new day, rather than the end."

"The fun starts towards the end, Skye."

"For you maybe."

"Way too hungover for you to get all deep this morning." Cassandra paused. "Can you remember what happened last night?"

"Let me think." Cassandra watched with a lack of patience in her eye as Skye started to think aloud. "We got drunk here. You had an argument with your sister and then we went out, god knows where but somewhere with a lot of flashing lights." Skye tried to think of the rest but her mind failed her. "Probably just The Vertigo." One of the local clubs.

"What did I argue with Alana about?"

"I'm not too sure, something about her man. You know she can do a whole lot worse than Craig Norton, don't you?"

Cassandra grumbled in disagreement.

"Worse? You've gotta be joking. He sings on the streets and thinks it's a bloody career. Alana's been top of her class since she was three. She can do better."

"If he's making good money off of it then what's the big deal? We're not exactly swamped with good job opportunities around here. It was probably that or running donkey rides along the beach," the younger blonde giggled. She was just twenty-eight, but her intelligence and maturity was still greater than thirty-five year old Cassandra's. That was why they worked well as friends.

"Still not good enough."

"Whatever you say, Cass." Skye rolled her eyes downwards to the third person in the room. "I bet sleeping beauty down there will remember everything when she wakes up from her deep slumber."

"Nothing escapes Niamh, even when she's drunk. It must be an Irish thing." Cassandra chuckled as she followed Skye's gaze onto the brunette. The woman sleeping was petite in size and the same age as Cassandra. It was easy enough for all three to share a double bed.

After a pause, the older blonde averted her eyes back to Skye. "Are you coming?" Usually they would accompany each other on a run in the morning, both sporty in their own ways.

"No I don't think so, I'm going to sit this one out. Sundays are for rest and I have training all day tomorrow." She was a swimmer. Between competing and running swimming lessons for kids she made enough money to keep herself afloat - pun intended. "We'll leave as soon as this one's awake." It was normal for them to hang around even when Cassandra had gone.

"Make sure you get out before the others wake up, you know what they're like."

"We'll try our best."

Despite her age of thirty-five, Cassandra still lived with her family. It was a hectic household but it suited her extroverted and loud personality. There was always somebody around to annoy.