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THE BEACH MOMENTS LATER
DESPITE WEARING VANS Saf could feel the sand beneath her feet before her eyes had even adjusted to the harsh sunlight and blue of the ocean in front of her.
Surfers were walking to and from the waves, carrying their boards and laughing through their soaked curls and tanned faces. Teenagers were playing volleyball in front of her, tossing the ball up and laughing with each other.
And the waves.
How Saf wished she could walk right into that blanket of coolness, feel it against her warm skin, and just bask in the waves under the sun.
She turns around, ogling at the activities the beach goers were doing, and her eyes land on the three boys, whom she had almost forgot she followed here.
They all stare at the business strip in front of them; the restaurants and stores that lined the beach offering a multitude of purchases.
I thought we were coming to see Reggie's family?
"A bike shack, right where my house used to be. Right here." Reggie says sadly, staring at the bike business in front of him.
Ah. That's why.
Saf walks over and stands next to Alex, listening in on their conversation.
"Yeah, I'm sorry, man." Luke tells him, clapping him on his chest in some form of comfort.
"They made the Meyersons' house into a noodle shop. Why couldn't they have made mine like a pizzeria or something?" Reggie exclaims, his face full of sadness as he stares at the few business in front of him.
"They tore down the whole neighbourhood." Alex says, motioning around him.
"They did that a few years ago. You guys have missed a lot." Saf tells them, drawing the attention to herself for a moment, the boys nearly forgetting she was with them.
"I guess my folks are gone." Reggie sighs, looking at her with hopeless eyes.
"No. Everyone's gone." Alex turns to him, dampening the mood even further. Luke walks over to the fallen tree trunk in front of them and takes a seat.
"Twenty five years, gone. Friends, family. Bobby, everyone." Alex continues, listing off the things that had gone.
"Bobby, that's right. I guess that vegetarian lucked out." Reggie's eyes widen in memory of the name, and Saf steps forward, confused and curious as to who Bobby was.
