Don't Cry.

Jordan meets someone.

 I ended up lying in bed again looking at the ceiling, waiting for Jake to get home from work. He's late. He was suppose to be back an hour ago. My body tried to make me go to sleep, but it was too early for me.

I remembered earlier, when Danielle and I formed a bond that I was sure going to last a very long time. She's so caring, and kind. It pained me to think that Jake might try to use her as his play toy. I rolled over on my stomach, pushing my head in the pillow for the second time today.


Boredom was surrounding me, smothering me with it's dryness. I sat up in bed, scratching my hair. There's got to besomething I can do.


All at once, I remembered. Danielle gave me her key earlier...


Before I actually thought more about it, I jumped out of bed and ran to my flip-flops. I'm just going for a walk, that's all. Most of me wished Danielle was here to come along, for she'd talk to me and get my mind off things. But she left a while ago, so I'm going to have to go alone...with my thoughts.

I paused, thinking about the cons of being alone with my thoughts. “Can't be any worse then being here alone.” I told myself sternly, telling myself that over and over again so I'd actually believe it.


I fingered through my pockets, searching for the silver key. When my finger tips touched something cold, I grabbed it and brought it out. “Found you.” I murmured as I turned the living area lights off and made my way out the front door.


The building hallway had a sort of eerie feel to it. Dark red walls surrounded me along with white carpet. Sure, it was nice, but...something about it made me feel uneasy. I quickly entered the elevator, pushing the button for the first floor.


Not a lot of people lived in this building; I guess it's more for the...richer people. This, a part of me did not like because most of the people are stuck up here. I walked out the door, a fresh breeze coming from the ocean hitting me, causing a smile to spread across my face. I looked up at the baby blue sky with only a hint of the storm clouds in the distance that had appeared earlier and was now leaving for another city.


I grunted as I walked on the mucky ground that was caused by the rain. Though, I must be the only one complaining in my head because everyone else looked so happy to be outside with family or friends. I kept feeling a pang of jealously towards the happy people, because honestly I felt lonely, I wish so badly that my friends could be here, but my friends and family are back in New York where I should be. I pushed the depressing thought from my mind, trying hard to think of something better.


I didn't need anything else to be upset about.


Desperately trying to find something distracting, I watched cars zoom by and people walking on either side of the road chatting. A palm tree was right in front of me, and all over, so I ran my hand along the bark feeling its roughness. I noticed I was right beside the beach now so I decided to go and take a look at it for the first time.


When I reached the sand line I took my flip-flops off and picked them up. The sand tingled when it went between my toes, but also soft at the same time. People were lying on the sand, trying to get whatever sun they could before night took over the day.


I dropped my purse on the ground and sat down cross legged. I tried very hard to clear my thoughts and enjoy this view of the crystal blue water, but it seems almost impossible. My thoughts are still spinning like a wheel, switching to another subject every few seconds without my permission.


I can feel my stress level rising, so I picked up sand with a shaky hand and let it fall between my fingers, liking the softness it provided, trying to again change direction of my thoughts. I watched as a little kid made sand castles, and watched him cry as it got demolished by a wave. He fell on the sand while holding his shovel, his face twisted in sadness as tears spilled from his face.


I frowned. Where are his parents? People rushed by, but none stopped to help this little boy with his pain. No one paused to tell him that everything will be fine, that he can make a new one.


I stood up while wiping the sand off that stuck to my bare legs. Tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, I strode towards the little boy at a normal pace. He clutched the shovel like it was the only thing he had left, letting his tears fall around his legs. I bent down trying to get his attention. “Hello.”


After sniffing a few times he looked up at me. His little blue eyes sparkled with water, and his bottom lip was pushed out. I felt my mouth open in shock at his little round face...but not at his face, but what was on it. Under his right eye was a massive black circle, like someone actually punched him. I rested my hand on his arm. “What's your name?”


The little boy wiped at his eyes with the back of his right hand. “My name is Henry.” he said in the cutest voice ever. “I'm six.”


I smiled kindly at him. “Well hello, Henry, my name is Jordan. I'm twenty-one.”


“Isn't Jordan a boy’s name?” he questioned, and I noticed his grip on the shovel loosen a bit.


“It's a boy and girl name.” I told him gently. I pointed to his eye. “What happened there?”


For a mere second I noticed something pass on his face, then it went as fast as it had come and all he did was frown. “I fell.”


My frown mirrored Henry's. “Where's your mommy?” I asked him, hoping to get an answer out of him.


He looked around as if he just realized she wasn't here. “She told me she would be back.”


I scratched my head. “Okay.” I sat beside him and held out my hand. “Do you need help with your castle?”


He grinned so brightly I almost broke into tears. Something about his expression hit a soft part inside me, like I've accomplished something. He almost jumped up with joy. “Will you?” he asked, his eyes shining brightly like the little boy he was.


I took his pale that was about to get washed with the waves and pushed into the ocean. “Of course, I'd love to.”


He got up on his knees and started putting sand in the pale. “I love making castles,” she stated, “it is fun,” he rambled on and on. “Do you?”


Honestly, I've never tried it before, but I nodded anyways and earned myself another smile. “Of course I do.”


When the pale was filled with sand piling over the sides he took it from my hands and turned it over. He pulled the pale up, and there was suddenly a castle building in front of us. “Nice.” I whispered.


He did the same thing over and over as I sat and watched. I smiled the whole time, still feeling tears in the back of my eyes ready to spill out. When he put the last sand castle on, he jumped up with happiness. “We did it!” he cheered.


I laughed at his expression. “Yes, Henry, we did.”


Suddenly, shocking me, he hopped down and flew his arms around me. I hugged him back. His body was so tiny in mine that I thought he'd break. When he pulled away he sat back down again. His eyes were still shining with happiness as he popped up and down like a rabbit “Will you bring me in the water?” he asked excitedly.


I looked at the moving ocean, considering. “Okay, but not that far.”


We stood up and walked over to the water. When I put my feet in I felt tiny ripples swish along my toes, tickling them. Apparently Henry felt the same thing because he started giggling. “It tickles.” He laughed.


I joined him. “Yeah, it does, doesn't it?”


We went in a little farther. And when he grabbed my hand he said the saddest thing ever. You would not expect a child to say this, never in your life. When he said it, it was so soft, but full of so much sadness that you wanted to just burst out in tears. “I don't want to drown, like my sister.” His eyes held mine very steadily, but I saw the pain in them that was forming, almost like he was re-living the moment when she died. “You won't let me drown, will you?”


His voice was barley above a whisper and I saw a tear escape his blue eye. His brown hair was ruffled as he let a few more tears escape. I’m speechless; I have no idea how to respond to him. Of course I wouldn’t let him drown, but who let his sister drown? Who could be so mean?


I put my other hand to my mouth and bent in front of him, I seldom felt the tear that escaped my eye. “Oh, sweetie, I'm so sorry. No I won't let anything happen.”


I stared at him with sad eyes as he fiddled with my fingers and stared at the water. Tiny tears dripped in the water; breaking apart when colliding with the surface.


I felt my throat fill up with tears and I couldn't speak for a moment. I simply looked at him, feeling horrible. His tiny hand started to shake within mine.


I squeezed his hand slightly and made him look at me. I cleared my throat and decided to try and speak “You won't drown. You'll be okay with me.”


At first he didn't look at me, and when he did a tiny smile was spreading across his face, and something else formed in his eyes; trust. “Okay.”


He took a calming breath, and then started splashing me with water while giggling. The memory of his sister drowning didn’t go away, but that didn’t stop him from being a little six year old. Though I laughed with him, what he said still ran deep within my mind. I don't want to drown, like my sister.


Where was his mom when his sister drowned? I swallowed hard, trying to stop the tears that wanted so badly to escape.


Suddenly, we heard someone yelling.


“Henry! Where are you!” her deep voice overpowered everything and everyone at the beach.


She emerged from a crowd and stood at the water line. “Henry get back here!”


He quit splashing me and his face twisted in fear. He squeezed my hand tightly and started walking back to his mother. “Mommy, I was swimming!”


She snatched his hand from mine when we finally reached her and looked at me quickly. “You went swimming with this stranger? What if you drowned?”


He flinched, probably knowing she was referring to his sister. “I wouldn't, I like her, and she’ll protect me.”


He sounded so sure, like he'd trust me with his life if a time like that every came; if he was drowning. I slightly bent my head, feeling a care growing for Henry. Then snapped my head up as his mom spoke.


She shot a look of hatred at me. “You should be ashamed; I should call the police for taking my son.”


I looked at her square on. “I didn't take him, Miss. I was helping him because you left him.” I made sure the message got to her head.


She lifted her top lip then grunted while turning around. “Henry, your dad will be so mad...” her voice trailed off as they left.


Though, before they were gone, Henry turned around, smiling and waving at me. I did the same back as a tear spilled from my eye and down my cheek.


I'll always remember Henry, and a part of me wished he didn't have to go back to his family.


A part of me knew he'd be unhappy again.


"


I walked back to where I sat before, only to find my purse missing. “D****t,” I mumbled, “why did I leave it here?” I raked my hand through my hair, “s**t.”


I stomped back to the building with nothing in my hands, my mind rambling, and a part of me worrying about Henry. I went to the beach to clear my thoughts.

Author's Note

I'm updating so fast because I have at least the first 8 chapters written already :P I'm still working on the rest. Hope you guys enjoy this one :)

Reviews

[steph]

Somer, The thing I like most about your work, is that its got the ability to capture you within the first couple of sentences.... Your grammer is super, and your sentence structure is superb It has a resonate sweetness that will be GREAT when published (You better get it published too :P) I love everything so far the style is exquisite. Another favorite for the box

[Samantha (:]

As always, well written. Although, for some reason, I just wasn't feeling the first few paragraphs as much as I did the rest. It was odd, just didn't really feel like your writing style. Really love the description of her finding the key in her pocket, and how you had her thinking about how happy everyone else around her seemed. When you're unhappy, everyone else's lives seems to be so perfect. Shouldn't it be "I watch cars zoom by." Not zoomed? I also loved the symbolism of the little boy on the beach, and how you used it to show that the main character finds strength in helping someone else, but can't seem to help herself. SO descriptive, and the scenes discussing the drowning of Henry's sister are devastating. Wouldn't it be YOUR dad will be so mad, not you're? Great write! (:

[Daydreamer54]

I liked this one. it eas sad, but touching i hope she meets the boy again. I wosh that the guy she meets in the next chapter. (well i hope it's a guy.) was the boy's uncle or something who was taking care of the boy becuz his parents were abusive. *shrugs* just think that would make it more intresting.
she stated-he

[Midnight_Mystery]

poor Henry, really makes you feel for him and wonder what happens next,not only for Jordan but for him as well.