Page 40 of The Hallows Queen

I walk along Main Street, snapping photos of the sunset with my phone and posting a few on Instagram before I check my text messages from the day. Katie has started her new job in Seattle, meaning she has been too busy to check in with me, so I send her a heart emoji before I click on Hayden’s name and read over his message from this morning. I never responded, wanting to keep my head on straight for the day, but I think over what I could say now that eight hours have passed by and I’m feeling restless again.

I decide not to say anything, and just put my phone back into my purse and ignore it for a while. Maybe sitting alone on the sand will give me some extra clarity about what I’m doing with my fucking life.

I savor the smell of salt and wind as I take my first step onto the sand, sliding my sandals off and letting them hang in one hand so I can let my toes feel the softness. I want to cry. I don’t know why, but it feels like I’m finally fucking home when I sink my feet into the cool sand and stand there for a moment.

A smile spreads across my face, and I take off running.

By the time I reach the water, my chest is heaving and I’m laughing in joy. I throw my purse and shoes behind me, strip off my dress and leave it on the sand, then run into the water.

It’s cold, and the waves are high, and I want to scream at the top of my lungs.

I keep running until I trip, going face first into the water. Laughing at myself, I get back up and move slower this time, wading out into the ocean until I’m covered to my neck. Taking a deep breath in, I float onto my back and smile up at the pink sky.

This is bliss.

There’s nothing like this feeling for me, nothing in the world that compares to the calmness I feel in my very soul when I’m in the ocean. Whenever I’ve had a problem in my life, this has always been the answer. Happy or sad, this is always where I want to be at the end of the day.

I float for a while, letting the waves crash over me and take me away every now and again. When my limbs are aching from holding myself above the water, and I’ve swallowed enough saltwater to turn my stomach, I swim back to the beach.

Even though the sun has disappeared, the sky is still pink. The moon kisses the sky, and the stars are starting to show as the clouds clear from the sky, so I lie down on the dry sand next to where I dumped my purse and stare at them, using my dress as a pillow.

The saltwater dries on my skin, making me feel sticky and rough, and my hair has matted on my head from the waves. It’s my favorite feeling, though, feeling the salt become one with my body, letting the ocean consume me even after I’ve left it.

When I’m dry enough, I grab my phone and open Hayden’s message again. Before I can back out, I drop a pin to my location and smile.

Chapter11

Hayden

With Carson offat football camp, Logan decides she’s going to spend the last couple of weeks of summer in her old neighborhood, leaving me and Levi to enjoy the last piece of freedom by ourselves.

By midday, I’d grown annoyed that Penelope hadn’t responded to my text message and made plans with Levi to go to a party tonight. Better than sitting at home by myself, and maybe I’ll find someone to ride me into forgetting about the woman I can’t stop thinking about.

Levi and I are about to head out my front door when my phone goes off in my pocket. I pull it out, Penelope’s name lighting up the screen. I hate the feeling that rushes through me, like something attacking my insides and threatening to birth anxiety.

I open my messages, seeing that Penelope has sent me nothing except her current location: Luxington Beach. I lick my lips, grinning.

“Dude,” I say, pulling Levi’s attention. “I gotta bail.”

He’s standing in front of the mirror next to my front door, running his hands through his hair, when he snaps his head to the side to look at me. “What?!”

I laugh, pulling my keys from my pocket and tossing them at him. “Take the Maserati.”

He catches the keys between his hands, then narrows his gaze at me. “What the fuck? You never let anyone drive the Maserati.”

I take a step backwards, typing out a text to Penelope with one hand. “Have fun.”

“No, no, no,” he says, following me. “What the fuck is going on?”

I chuckle, waving my phone at him. “Other plans.”

“With who?” he asks, tilting his head to the side in question.

“None of your business.” I grin. “Now go before I change my mind and you have to call an Uber.”

His brows raise, but he isn’t stupid, so he laughs before he turns and leaves through the front door, not saying another word.

I send the message to Penelope, then run upstairs to change.

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