Haven Harbor • a.i. •

Chapter Two

The wind whipped my face making my cheeks pink. My hair flew behind me like a cape and a smile graced my face.

"You've got this Car!" I heard my father shout behind me and I smiled wider.

The plastic pedals beneath my feet squeaked as I pushed them, my hands griped tightly to the handle bars.

I made a risky move and decided to turn around in a circle, raising a hand to wave at my father as I did so. My ignorance of bike riding led me to know nothing about the consequences.

"Don't let go Car!" He yelled but he was too late. My small body hit the concrete of the aquarium parking lot with a thud.

I didn't realise what had happened but out of my shock tears gathered in my eyes and began to flow down my cheeks.

I looked in the direction of my father but he was already in front of me, crouched on his knees and beginning to pick me up.

"It's okay baby. Shh...sweetheart don't cry. You did great for your first bike ride. I'm proud of you."

I sniffled and gasped for air as I tried to stop crying.

"I-I fe-el." I managed to say.

"Everyone falls the first time they ride a bike but they pick themselves back up and keep riding. Don't give up just because you fall." He said stroking my cheeks with his tan fingers.

His thin framed glasses were sliding down the bridge of his nose, the sun reflecting off the rims.

"Ok d-daddy." I said again and he gave me a tight hug.

"Now next time, keep your hands on the handle ok?" He poked my cheeks.

I giggled and he cradled me against him in one arm while he pushed the bike back to our house with the other.

"Handle bars never let go for anyone." He said quietly while I was still in a fit of giggles, not understanding what that meant.

-

"BEEP BEEP BEEP"

I slammed my hand down on the alarm clock next to me, silencing the obnoxious noise that abruptly woke me up from my dream.

"How rude." I grumbled at the alarm as I forcibly removed myself from my bed.

I fumbled around in the dark until I found the light switch, the sudden brightness causing me to squint my eyes.

I wasn't fully awake. Part of me wanted to crawl back in bed and dream more about my dad. That seemed to be the only place I could see him. But I knew I couldn't.

I sighed instead and stumbled my way to my closet to yank a navy blue t-shirt that had "Chase Marina Tours" printed across the top in white letters.

I took a pair of ripped shorts and threw on the clothes. I laced my old, dirty, black and white converse on my feet and then opened my bedroom door, heading to the bathroom.

After brushing my hair and teeth I took the stairs down to the kitchen, pouring water into the coffee maker and pressing the heat button before scaling the steps back up.

I reached the white wooden door to Enders room and knocked.

I got no response from the other side of the door and sighed.

I knew he would be difficult to wake this morning. After all of his excitement and hard work yesterday he was exhausted.

I opened the door and flipped on the lights, his arm flying over his eyes to block the brightness.