time to think about her parents. She smiled at the dogs enjoying themselves as they ran back to her side and back to the water’s edge again. Out to sea she could see a ship on the horizon and knew Sebastian would be excited watching from his office window. Further down the beach a couple of joggers ran past us but otherwise, the beach was largely deserted. At the point, the surfers were out catching the remaining waves of the day.
This was nice, very nice; just the two of us and Agnes and Argo. I felt like I had her all to myself. She breathed deeply again and followed the dogs to the water’s edge to walk in the firmer sand. I could do this every day, Ophelia. We could do it together. Like trained protectors, Agnes and Argo took turns at coming back and checking on her; neither going too far ahead. Maybe they sensed me, so did Ophelia; she shuddered walking through a cold pocket of air. She walked on for another fifteen minutes or so, the ocean breeze gently keeping her hair off her face and masking her with salt water spray. As she neared the point, she saw a group of six people on the beach watching the surfers. Ophelia shivered—it was chilly out there, they were diehards. She called the names of both the dogs and when they joined her, she told them it was time to turn, and they began to walk back the other way.
As I walked, behind her, we both heard her name being called. I knew who it was—like vultures these men looking at new prey. First Adam Ferrier, now Chayse Johann. He was heading out of the water, his surfboard tucked under his arm. He called out her name again.
“Ophelia, wait up.”
She stopped and the dogs rejoined her. I waited nearby as Ophelia watched him head up the beach and pull the surfboard strap from his leg. He dropped his board on the sand, grabbed his towel and ran towards her. I felt Ophelia’s heart racing—he was tall, handsome and glowing, his tanned skin wet and his hair slicked back. She could see why he was the school heartthrob but not her type, I was sure of that.
“Hey,” he caught up to her. “We haven’t officially met, I’m Chayse.”
“Hi, I’m Ophelia,” she offered her hand.
His large tanned hand enveloped it.
“I know. We don’t get many newcomers at school in year eleven or twelve, especially mid-year. When did you arrive?” he asked. He ran his hand through his hair and shook out the excess water.
“Last week. You’re good,” she said with a nod to the waves.
“Yeah well I’d want to be. I’ve been surfing since I could walk.”
Ophelia smiled at him not sure what to say.
“You’re living with Sebastian,” he said more as a statement than a question.
“Yes, he’s my uncle. He’s been good enough to take me in.”
“Yeah, I heard about ... well, I’m sorry,” Chayse said. He looked at her sincerely and held her gaze.
Ophelia nodded. “Thank you.” She looked back out to sea. Clearing her throat she asked, “Can I ask a favour?” Argo came and stood beside her and Ophelia ran her hand over Argo’s silky head.
“So soon?” he grinned.
Ophelia reddened. “It’s no big deal if you don’t want to.”
“Ask away.”
“I’m doing a history paper on the shipwreck history of the area, cause and effect—Mr. Meadows said you’re a descendent with a shipwreck past and might tell me your story,” Ophelia shrugged. “But only if you have time and want to ... it’s no big ...”
He cut her off. “Love to. Maybe this weekend we could catch up, if you’re free?”
Ophelia nodded. “That would be great. I don’t know too many people here yet so I’m free all the time at the moment.”
Chayse laughed. “Well good of you to fit me in then.”
My heart leaped. I wanted Ophelia to myself this weekend. I willed him to leave.
“I think you’re wanted,” Ophelia said. I saw her glance behind Chayse to see his stunning blond girlfriend looking gorgeous in a very small white bikini bottom and cropped top. Clearly she was
This was nice, very nice; just the two of us and Agnes and Argo. I felt like I had her all to myself. She breathed deeply again and followed the dogs to the water’s edge to walk in the firmer sand. I could do this every day, Ophelia. We could do it together. Like trained protectors, Agnes and Argo took turns at coming back and checking on her; neither going too far ahead. Maybe they sensed me, so did Ophelia; she shuddered walking through a cold pocket of air. She walked on for another fifteen minutes or so, the ocean breeze gently keeping her hair off her face and masking her with salt water spray. As she neared the point, she saw a group of six people on the beach watching the surfers. Ophelia shivered—it was chilly out there, they were diehards. She called the names of both the dogs and when they joined her, she told them it was time to turn, and they began to walk back the other way.
As I walked, behind her, we both heard her name being called. I knew who it was—like vultures these men looking at new prey. First Adam Ferrier, now Chayse Johann. He was heading out of the water, his surfboard tucked under his arm. He called out her name again.
“Ophelia, wait up.”
She stopped and the dogs rejoined her. I waited nearby as Ophelia watched him head up the beach and pull the surfboard strap from his leg. He dropped his board on the sand, grabbed his towel and ran towards her. I felt Ophelia’s heart racing—he was tall, handsome and glowing, his tanned skin wet and his hair slicked back. She could see why he was the school heartthrob but not her type, I was sure of that.
“Hey,” he caught up to her. “We haven’t officially met, I’m Chayse.”
“Hi, I’m Ophelia,” she offered her hand.
His large tanned hand enveloped it.
“I know. We don’t get many newcomers at school in year eleven or twelve, especially mid-year. When did you arrive?” he asked. He ran his hand through his hair and shook out the excess water.
“Last week. You’re good,” she said with a nod to the waves.
“Yeah well I’d want to be. I’ve been surfing since I could walk.”
Ophelia smiled at him not sure what to say.
“You’re living with Sebastian,” he said more as a statement than a question.
“Yes, he’s my uncle. He’s been good enough to take me in.”
“Yeah, I heard about ... well, I’m sorry,” Chayse said. He looked at her sincerely and held her gaze.
Ophelia nodded. “Thank you.” She looked back out to sea. Clearing her throat she asked, “Can I ask a favour?” Argo came and stood beside her and Ophelia ran her hand over Argo’s silky head.
“So soon?” he grinned.
Ophelia reddened. “It’s no big deal if you don’t want to.”
“Ask away.”
“I’m doing a history paper on the shipwreck history of the area, cause and effect—Mr. Meadows said you’re a descendent with a shipwreck past and might tell me your story,” Ophelia shrugged. “But only if you have time and want to ... it’s no big ...”
He cut her off. “Love to. Maybe this weekend we could catch up, if you’re free?”
Ophelia nodded. “That would be great. I don’t know too many people here yet so I’m free all the time at the moment.”
Chayse laughed. “Well good of you to fit me in then.”
My heart leaped. I wanted Ophelia to myself this weekend. I willed him to leave.
“I think you’re wanted,” Ophelia said. I saw her glance behind Chayse to see his stunning blond girlfriend looking gorgeous in a very small white bikini bottom and cropped top. Clearly she was
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