"This story is about the boy I loved. This is about his suffering. This is about my suffering. All of it due to one thing. Affluenza."
TW : Key themes of suicide.
Sebastian Grey. Golden boy, trust fund baby, and Braylen Adams' mortal enemy. Braylen...
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SEBASTIAN CLEARS HIS throat once as the rest of my friends look up at him expectantly. "We are all gathered here today for this monumental moment of Braylen's life. It's been a tedious four months of hard work and dedication, but this is it. His first time catching a big wave!"
There's a loud cheering that I can hear even from out in the water. I laugh softly and look down at the dark red board that'd sort of become my own since Sebastian started training me. My legs were on either side of it and I was slightly worried a shark would mistaken me for a seal, but I didn't care. I was just happy to have even gotten to this point.
I wave at my friends once and then plop onto my stomach, pushing away from shore and deeper into the ocean. The blue water laps at my skin, finding its way into my hair and eyes, making me blink uncontrollably. I pant softly and try to remember all of Sebastian's tips.
Center your weight. Don't freak out. Wait for that wave. It's yours.
I stare out at the calm waters, sighing. There were no waves out, the one time I wanted to find one. I stop paddling dejectedly, looking up at the sky.
I'm getting ready to ask Sebastian for advice when I see it.
It's strong. Bigger than any of the waves I'd tried. And even those were with Sebastian by my side. I swallow down a huge lump in my throat and turn to the other side of my board, paddling heavily.
My friends shout at me, yelling out encouragements with every cheer. I smile softly and look back down at the board. With shaky hands, I press my palms into the surfboard and stand up.
There's a moment of complete silence. No cheering from my friends, no thoughts circling in my head. My feet dig into the surfboard and I chuckle softly.
I was flying.
I laugh surprisedly, standing up from my half crouched position and raising my arms up in victory. "I did it!" I shout to nobody in particular, and that's when the wave hits me.
I topple off of the board and the sound of water engulfing me fills my ears. I groan as my back hits a rock that digs into the sand. My head snaps back from the force of everything and bangs onto the rock as well.
My eyes squeeze shut as pain shoots through my head, like prickly needles are being poked into it. The last thing I feel is myself hitting the bottom of the ocean floor.
I hear my name being called and my eyes flutter open. A tall figure is lying next to me. I turn my head to the figure and instantly gasp, pressing a hand to my mouth to stop water from getting into it.
It's Sebastian, but his eyes are bloodshot red and way too wide. There's blood trickling from his mouth and scars and bruises staining his entire body. Hysteria bubbles up in my chest and I reach forward to close his dead eyes.
