CHAPTER 02

[ CHAPTER 02: BEACH ]

I am annoyed. When I feel so annoyed I feel like crying.

That's what I'm feeling right now. But it's not just annoyance.

Daddy never ever shouted at me before like what he did earlier. He even called me spoiled brat! 

I know I am a spoiled brat but he don't have to shout at me like that. What could he not understand when I said I didn't want to get married? I don't want to marry someone I don't know.

Do I have to repeat myself? I am not a fan of arrange marriage.

I sighed irritatedly. I was thankful that there weren't too many cars on the road today because it was still early. No traffic, less hassle.

I opened the stereo and looked for good music.

I took another deep breath while listening to the calm music from the stereo.

I hummed while slightly tapping my fingers at the steering wheel, going along with the beat.

I went straight to my favorite hangout place, the beach. It's calming hearing the wild waves for me. It helps ease my mind. Relieves my stress.

I drove a few more minutes before I reached ‘Back off, Beach’. Yes, that's the name of this beach. I don’t know what the owner thought and that’s what he named it when he bought the property.

I parked my car at the road side. I opened the door and got out of the car. I turned around to get to the backseat.

"Where is it?" I whispered to myself while searching.

I searched for my slippers. I always carry slippers in my backseat incase of emergency. And, when I say ‘emergency’, that means when I go to the beach, unplanned.

Like today.

"There you are," I uttered while smirking when I found my slippers wrapped in a plastic shoe bag.

I took off my shoes and put on my slippers. I put the shoes in the plastic shoe bag before I walked away — to the beach.

The sun is so bright today even though there are clouds around covering it. 

I smiled. I walked even closer to the sea. There was sand on my feet but I didn't mind it.

When I was already near the water, I removed my slippers and set it aside.

I walked until I could feel the water on my feet.

It calmed me. 

I closed my eyes and looked up, feeling the moderate heat of the sun. I let the sound of the crashing waves dominate my ears. I didn’t give attention to my surroundings.

This is my definition of peace and freedom.

I inhaled then exhaled deeply. I opened my eyes and scanned across the beach.

Clear. There's no one here.

I took another deep breath before shouting out loud.

I screamed and screamed and screamed until I felt my throat hurts.

I was out of breath but I was still able to shout again.

"You're not even giving me the attention and love that I need yet you want me to do something for you, for what? For my own good?!" I shouted.

I let my tears flow.

Growing up, mommy and daddy were always busy. Business trip here, business trip there. Meetings here, meetings there.

Yes, they provide everything I need and want that's why I grew up like this. I always want to get what I want and in just a snap of a finger, I have it.

I am that privileged because we're rich. But, that's not enough for me. After all, I'd rather we didn't have this much business.

Because of our business, mommy and daddy is always not home. They always miss our breakfast, lunch and dinner together.

"I always do what you want me to do! But not this one. I won't do this!" I screamed once again.

"Will you fucking shut up!"

I was startled when I heard a baritone voice behind me.

I immediately wiped my tears before turning around to see him.

"Can't you see someone is sleeping? And you're screaming there. Who do you think you are? You're not in some kind of a shooting, aren't you?"

My eyebrows met. I'm sure I haven't seen him earlier. I looked around to make sure there was no one else before I shouted earlier.

And, what? Shooting?

"What do you mean by 'shooting'? And, for your information, I checked twice if there was anyone but I didn't saw anyone. Who are you fooling?" I asked, annoyed.

He raised his eyebrow. 

"If you are 'that' bored, Please, don't fool me because my head hurts. My fist might end up landing on your face," I added.

He grinned in disbelief. "I wasn't bored. Why would I be bored? You did not see me? That's quite... scary," he said.

He took a few steps forward and I walked backwards. 

"W-what are you doing?" I asked incredulously.

He stopped. I did too. 

He tilted his head sideward. "You can see me?"

"What kind of question is that? Probably!" I replied irritatingly.

His eyes widened in shock. My eyebrows met even more.

What did this man sniff? Is he high?

He raised his hands and covered his palms with his mouth, startled.

I was confused at what he did. What is he really doing?

"Are you alive or are you dead too?" he asked.

I hissed. "Of course, I'm alive! What are you say—"

I was stunned. What?

"Are you alive or are you dead too?"

"Are you alive or are you dead too?"

"Are you alive or are you dead too?"

What. The. Hell?!

What he said earlier echoed in my mind.

Maybe he realized that I realized what he just said. Fuck, the realization is making my head hurt!

"Oh, so you don't know that you can see people like me?" he asked in astonishment as he stared at me.

I wasn’t sure but I felt the hairs stand on my neck. I simply hugged myself because it seemed to suddenly get cold, I think?

Or was it just me?

"What are you saying?!" defiant, I shout. I cursed myself when I stuttered. He shouldn’t noticed that I’m scared. I remembered our maid said that whenever you're scared, the d-dead will scare you even more.

He tilted his head. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. You just refuse it. Don't worry, I won't hurt you. Besides, how can you be hurt by... the dead?" he asked smiling.

I backed away until I could feel the sea water on my feet.

"No, it can't be! There is no history of having a third eye in our family. Get away from me! Find someone else to help you calm your soul, because, boy, you came to the wrong person!" I tried to be brave.

He was still smirking. I'm getting scared. I backed away as he moved forward.

"Stop right there!" 

He didn't listened to me.

I looked down when I felt my knee get wet. Shit, the sea is already on my knee level!

I felt my tears slowly streaming down my cheeks. "Please, I really don't want to be possessed.

He finally stopped which I silently thanked.

I was scared while looking at him until one corner of his lip gradually lifted for a scary and annoying smirk.

Less than a few seconds later his smirk was immediately followed by a loud laugh.

I stared at him, dumbfounded. "What the hell is his deal now?" I ask myself.

He looks crazy. Wrong. He is really crazy.

I saw a tear dripping from his eyes due to excessive laughter. He's laughing so hard to the point that he almost lost his voice. But, he didn't stop. He was even holding his stomach.

"What the actual fuck? You believed me?" he asked with a laugh, pointing at me with his right index finger while his left hand was still holding his stomach.

My forehead furrowed. My blood pressure rose! I'm sure my whole face is red with a mixture of annoyance and anger.

"Was that funny?!" I exclaimed.

He stopped laughing for a bit and looked up while his finger is resting on his chin. Pretending to think.

"Uhm, yes."

My nose flared. I shot him a death glare. I ran the distance to give him a taste of the sweetness of my fist but he also ran quickly towards the beach.

This brocolli haired guy... is seriously getting on my nerves!

I shouted loudly in annoyance before following him.

I could see how he ran while carrying my slippers.

How dare he! I scoffed loudly and screamed at him, "Leave my slippers alone, you jerk!" 

I almost stumbled because of the blocking rock in the sand.

I chase him while barefooted in the sand. My foot is itching. I'm already mad with this guy!

My day is already unlucky, he will add more!

"Hey! Stop it. Give it back to me!" I shouted but he just laughed.

We were both running in circles. I'm really tired now!

I gasped for a moment. I saw small rocks next to me.

I smiled. Don't dare me.

I immediately approached the location of the rocks and took a lot. The more, the merrier!

"What? Are you tired?" he asked loudly so I could hear him.

We were ten meters away so I ran that few distances before jumping.

He wasn't able to react at my sudden move. I threw stones at him so hard that he immediately turned around.

I kept throwing rocks at him until I finally reached his spot. 

"Ouch! What the fuck, that's too much, hey!" he complained.

I reached for his brocolli shaped hair and pulled it. I hit him hard. There I piled up all the anger and annoyance I was feeling.

"You jerk! I'm being too much? You are fooling me. I didn't even do anything bad to you!" I cried out in annoyance.

He winced in pain. He tried to remove my grip on his hair but he failed because I slapped his hand away.

"O-ouch!"

"Don't even act like that! I almost had a heart attack because of your lying! It's good I didn't have an asthma attack."

Of course that was a lie. I mean, yes, I almost had a heart attack but I don't have asthma or any heart complication. I just want him to feel guilty, though I know it's bad. I was just really annoyed with him to the point that I could no longer control the words coming out of my mouth.

"Shit, stop! My hair," he continued to complain.

I let go of his hair because I might be able to remove his scalp. Instead, I slapped his shoulder as hard as I could.

He grabbed my wrist so I was able to stop hitting him.

He refused to look at me. "Goodness, woman, will you stop for awhile? I'm sorry," he apologized.

I don't know if he's sincere or not but I'm really irritated with what he did.

"Do you think I'm happy with what you did?!" I exclaimed.

He sighed before shaking his head. "I'm sorry. I thought you'll find it funny since you really look like you're carrying the whole world's burden," he said while grinning.

He let go of my wrists and brushed his brown hair backwards. He also ran his tongue over his lip before biting the bottom of it.

I violently wiped away my tears when he released me and it was also to hide my amazement on his godly face because of what he did.

I must be irritated with him, why the hell am I suddenly attracted by his manly beauty?!

He just stared at me with a frown while I looked at him badly.

I can see a ghost of smile forming in his lips. "Sorry..." he said.

After a while, he suddenly laughed loudly again, which made me mad even more.

"Jerk, could you please?! It's not funny!"

His laughter subsided but it was still there. He coughed multiple times before eyeing me with his signature annoying smirk.

I hope it suddenly waves hard and then sweeps me away because the next thing he said made me want to run away and just hide.

"You still have a snot on your cheek."