What If We Drown ?

What if we Drown (33)

Her heart liquified, touched by the sentiment. The invisible cord that connected them tugged, and Ashlyn took a step towards him, wanting nothing more than to know his embrace, to share in his joy at that moment.

As if guided by the same invisible cord, Derek took a couple of steps towards her. Ashlyn felt that her heart was flip-flopping in her chest.

Neither had made it more than a total of five steps when suddenly something cold like rain hit Ashlyn's back.

One of the girls laughed behind her, and more drops of water followed until the back of Ashlyn's legs were dripping. Her friends and family laughed on the beach, the delicate moment having met its end in favor of the new game the twins had orchestrated.

Derek's laughter boomed across the beach as the rain continued to fall down upon her legs, her dress clinging awkwardly to the back of her thighs.

Ashlyn turned to face the twins, a playful spark in her eyes as she assessed the situation. The twins danced in the breaking waves, their tongues out as they taunted her to come and get them again.

Swept up in the adrenaline of the moment, she laughed and boldly stepped back into the ankle-deep water and kicked out at the water that rippled around her. The joy that flooded her at such a gesture made her laugh again. She felt like she was that young girl, playing in the waves for the first time all over again. With each kick, she felt the fear slowly chipping away, in favor of this new strength she didn't know she'd still possessed.

The twins' squeals danced on the ocean breeze, and Ashlyn's heart moved within her chest. The gentle lapping of the ocean and the sounds of unblemished joy were enough to make Ashlyn believe in magic again.

The voice that had called her and coaxed her towards the water paired with the carefree spirit the twins had awoken in her had not occurred by mistake. She knew it hadn't.

Derek's arrival in town, the friendship they shared, the twins' presence, and the magic of the fourth of July, the comforting presence of her father's spirit, had all been part of a perfectly orchestrated plan that had brought her to that moment. A moment that had the power to give her hope. This part of her father, once tainted, was now cultivated to bloom.

Though it wasn't much, Ashlyn could look upon the cerulean waves, and the first thing she thought of at that moment wasn't of fire or her father falling. She thought of the squeals of delight, and the comfort of his presence at her side as they'd faced this together the first time, and again now.

For the next ten minutes, the three of them continued their water fight, neither of them wading any deeper into the water, for which Ashlyn was pleased. While she felt brave enough to stand in the shallows, she'd made enough progress for one day.

For the moment, a quiet peace existed between her and the ocean, and she didn't dare to test its boundaries. Perhaps another day, if the magic remained, she would try to wade deeper.

When they were as saturated as they could be, Sage observed Derek approaching across the sand, calling out as such. She then turned to Poppy and beckoned Ashlyn over to whisper in their ears. The secret pact created between them sealed with a fit of giggles and vigorous head nodding.

When Derek stepped into the water to let them know it was time for dinner, he was met by three cheeky grins. As soon as he drew close enough, Ashlyn counted down from three on the fingers she hid behind her back, and the twins began to splash water in his direction.

His laughter erupted around them as he tried to fend off as much of the water as he could. His efforts, however, were wasted. Or perhaps it was merely that he wasn't trying hard enough.