Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE
The bathroom water is off, forcing me to brush my teeth and wash my face in the kitchen sink. Needing to wake up and get stuff done. Today is my only full day here, so I need to get as much as I can done.
I feel lost standing in the kitchen, looking through the cabinets. “Where is the coffee pot, Dad?” I question the still house. Opening and closing cabinets, I realize even if I do find one, there are probably only expired coffee grounds hiding away in here.
“Ugh.” I can’t function without coffee, so knowing I have to venture into town is like pulling out my toenails, one by one.
Making quick work of slipping out of my dirty clothes in the middle of the living room, I replace my panties with clean ones before slipping on a blue and white sundress, placing my feet back into my sandals from last night.
My curls are untamable without water, so I throw them into a messy bun, dig my sunglasses out of my tote, and head to my car. I don’t even bother locking the cottage.
Main Street is busy for morning, people milling around and stores wide open for business.
Thankfully, the coffee shop has parking only for customers, and I’m met with an empty spot.
Entering Sippy’s, there is a small line. Getting into it, I play on my phone until it’s my turn. Finally, ordering my iced coffee to go, I wait at the pickup station when I hear my name.
“August Graft?”
Closing my eyes for a quick moment, I plaster on a smile, turning around to see who’s calling me.
I look, but don’t notice anyone. When I see a hand waving at the back of the line. Confused, I wave back, inching to turn around. “It’s Molly.”
Her name makes me stop. My eyes slowly glance over her, taking in her outfit, perfect blonde hair, and the smile she’s throwing me.
Her smile is anything but friendly. I’ve never really met Molly; we’ve only spoken in passing.
She was a few years younger than us, so we didn’t run in the same circle; plus, her family didn’t want her running with the townies.
My eyebrows draw up, but thankfully my name is called, giving me a reason to ignore her.
Taking a huge sip, I sigh and turn to leave.
“What are you even doing back here?” she questions me loudly in front of everyone. I can feel my cheeks heating from the gazes thrown our way.
Sipping, I raise my shoulders, I say. “Finalizing some business.” I take a step, raising my eyebrows. I can see her mind spinning.
“Make sure you stay away from Bo.” Her words are laced with venom. But I throw her a stare that’s laced with it too. Giving her what she’s giving me.
I laugh, not saying anything to her, leaving Molly standing there.
“What the hell?” I whisper to myself when I step outside, looking back into the coffee shop, shocked and annoyed. Now that the sun is out, I want to walk Main Street before I head back to start getting things together for donations and try to forget about Molly.
Looking down, I place my phone inside my tote, my other hand holding my coffee. I run into someone. “Ouch, sorry.” Panning up, I’m met with blue eyes that are searing a hole into me. I quickly step back. “Sorry,” I say again, stepping aside to walk by.
My hand is grabbed, and I halt. “I’m sorry about last night. That wasn’t fair to you.” His words make my stomach hurt. His finger caresses my hand. My stomach turns in a knot just by that small touch.
“It’s okay.” I hurriedly tell him, pulling my hand away from his grip.
His fingers slowly graze them in their withdrawal, leaving a burning sensation in the wake.
He opens his mouth to speak, but “Bo!” is screamed behind me, and I let my eyes close knowing I just heard that voice in the coffee shop.
I don’t look behind me as she walks up to Bohdi, grabbing his hand, marking her territory.
“Bo, introduce us. We never officially met.” She smiles at me sweetly. “That night was so crazy with her drowning and all.”
I look at Bohdi and then Molly, not understanding her. Bohdi draws his lips together, not saying anything.
Molly holds out her hand to me; her enormous diamond is obnoxious, the sun glinting off it. “Molly. Bo and I met at the bonfire that night.” Her words leak with contempt.
My mind flashes back to that dark night on the beach when I see him making out with someone. All I remember is the long blonde hair, the same as Molly’s. My eyes get big with the realization, but I quickly pull my glasses down.
“Well, Molly, it was nice to meet you.” I smirk.
“And Bohdi,” I call him by his actual name.
“Nothing is ever like it seems, is it?” I take a step, needing to get away from them.
My chest feels like it’s cracking open. That was the girl from the beach; I know it.
Were they something before that night? How the hell could he let me think I ruined it all, when look where he is now.
The same place he left me watching eight years ago.
My car is behind me and I’m not turning around, so I keep walking.
Turning onto the wharf, I fall onto a bench, looking out into the bay, completely numb and needing to get out of here.
This town just brings heartbreak. I sit there watching the families gather to look at the seals lying on the rocks, so happy in that very moment.
Standing, I walk to the only place I know where to go… Baylee’s house.
The house looms over me like it used to when we were kids, but instead of it being run down, it’s beautiful, brought back to life.
I smile as tears come to my eyes. Tears of happiness for Bay, for the girl who only ever wanted to be loved and needed.
To know she found that in Kai makes me so happy for her.
Opening the small gate, I step onto the property of Seaside Manor for the first time. There isn’t a doorbell like houses have now; this one, you turn the mechanism, and it rings.
I stand there uncertain if this is my right move, but I don’t know where to go. I couldn’t see them two again. I just need to get away from them.
My hands shake as I wait.
I see her peek through the mosaic window on her door, immediately opening it when she notices it’s me. “August?” Her voice has a hint of confusion, but excitement is woven in. She reaches out and hugs me; I let her. Falling into her arms.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know where to go,” I whisper into her red hair.
Still holding onto my arms, she leans her head back, eyes bouncing between mine. “What’s wrong?” She pulls my hand, leading me into the house.
“No one owes me anything, but were they together when we were?” I ask her, not needing to add names. It’s stupid; why do I even care? And after all this damn time.
Her nose squinches up, “What happened?”
I tell her the encounter as she leads me into her sitting room.
“Sit.” She points, directing me. “I honestly don’t know if they were. But we had never seen him with her until two years ago. But her saying that today makes me wonder if they were this whole time,” Baylee says.
“I don’t know why I feel this way hearing her say that, but it invoked such potent emotion. And I don’t know why.” I take a sip of my coffee.
Grabbing a pillow, she hugs it to her. “I know why, August.”
I look at her, waiting for her to tell me, to let me in on why I feel this way.
“You still love him. There is still something there if that encounter woke something up. You might say no, but your heart says something else entirely. And the heart does not lie.” She tells me as if she knows it doesn’t.
I let myself get more comfortable on her sofa, watching her.
“I missed you,” I tell her truthfully, because in that moment with them, the only person I wanted to run to was Baylee.
My soul wanted my friend. The friend I just left behind.
And with that thought, the tears pour out of me.
“I’m horrible. I’m sorry I left you. You’re the one person who never did me wrong, Bay.
And I just threw you away,” I cry out. “Please forgive me, please,” I beg her.
My sobs turn into wracking hiccups. The pain I’ve been holding onto for so long is expelling out of me.
Needing her forgiveness, even though I don’t deserve it.
This town is making me realize just how shitty I did everyone.
Bay scoots closer to me, dropping her pillow.
“I want my friend back. I don’t care what that looks like, August, but I need her back.
” Baylee begins to cry. “I’ve missed you.
I’ve been so angry at you, but seeing you the other day in Crabby’s, I saw the brokenness in you.
Not just from losing your dad, but from losing it all.
And I think you’ve already had enough loss.
Enough running away. I can’t stay mad at you.
Even if I wanted to, you and I both know that’s not how I function. ”
And I know that about Baylee, but a part of me wants her to scream and yell at me, tell me how awful I am. But she’s anything but that. She comes from that, and she will not mirror that.
“Did I hope you’d come back one day? Absolutely, I was hoping since the day you left.
I kept in contact with your dad, and he’d give me updates on you.
I was still mad at you, but needed to know you were okay.
A year after you left, he begged me to go visit you.
To make you understand what you left, but I couldn’t.
I needed you to understand what you left, for you to learn that,” she softly cries to me, “and maybe you still haven’t, and that’s okay, because when you leave Driftwood Bay, you’re not leaving me too.
” Her tone is deeper now, more confident.
Shaking my head, I say, “I’m not. I’ve needed you, but I didn’t know how to come back and say I’m sorry. And I didn’t think you’d want me to.” My brain lied to me for so long.