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I flopped ontoat the little plastic bulbs hanging froot my wish for silence, and now that I had it, it was oe and our life together as a family

Unable to take it any longer, I got up, grabbed my phone and jacket, and headed for my car I drove to the beach and parked in one of the public beach access parking lots In the suold, but in late Deceht

I iant dunes, and toward the beach The sound of the waves greeted ht of the vast blue But once I crested the stairs, the dark waters greeted me Foa cadence, and I knew from experience the dark waters would be cold as ice

I watched for athe ocean soothe me before I descended the stairs andinto the damp sand the whole way

I stood until the toes of e, not to risk getting soaked I don’t kno long I stared out into the horizon before the da cah tide

My parent’s e was over

I got rejected from UNC

I still haven’t heard from Duke, but it was probably a “no”

Carson was avoiding me

Soon, high school would be over, and where would I be?

All these things and more flooded my brain

Not having any answers scaredwould ever be the saain

???

After some time, I turned and made my way up the beach, then realized with a start that I wasn’t alone Soroup of people had started a bonfire

I watched as several guys lugged coolers onto the beach, and they began collecting driftwood for a fire Then two girls ran down the dunes, and I recognized the into