"Abigail-" I rolled over slowly, sighing deeply as the pleasant ache spread through my body. The soft, familiar, windswept voice that whispered to me from across the room reminded my heart of Home.
Without speaking a word, I rolled out of bed and threw my lame body into her outstretched arms. Diana Hanson embraced me, all of me, completely, with every bone in her body. Her arms folded around me felt so safe, gentle, motherly, much in the way her son's did. The Hanson family were love in motion. I hadn't before experienced people so captivated, controlled by any emotion. They had a way of bringing happiness and warmth into anyone's life, even if only for a moment.
"Oh, Abby, honey, you've grown so much! The last time I saw you, you were just barely out of fourth grade; still just a child. You're still the same gorgeous, innocent little girl I loved back then. I've missed you, sweetheart." As she held me, as if I was her own child, Zac and his seven-year-old brother, Mackenzie, came up the stairs. Zac held Mackenzie's delicate hand, speaking softly to him.
"Mom, Mackie has to use the...bathroom." Upon seeing me, Zac hung his head, seeming ashamed. He froze completely, staring aimlessly at the floor. Diana and I pulled timidly away from each other. Nobody seemed to know what to say.
"Hello, Abigail." Zac murmured, now shaking. I looked into Diana's eyes, smiling at her, trying not to seem afraid. "Hi, Zac." I replied in a whisper. Mackenzie, who didn't appear to recognize me, hid behind his blond bush of hair. Diana took his hand from Zac's, pulling him along down the hall. She left us standing, alone, together, terrified by what we would have to face.
"Well, it's nice seeing you again." He stammered, shoving his hands into his pockets. I nodded politely, folding my hands behind my back. "Yeah, nice seeing you too." I turned to my bedroom window, which faced the ocean. Zac followed my gaze, and his face fell. Then, without warning, he took my hand. "Let's go take a walk, Abby." I nodded again, because that was all I could think to do. "Erm...yeah, all right." As we walked down the stairs, and out my front door, I could feel myself becoming real again. I had missed him so much-and now, his touch was back.
Maybe it was love that I felt that morning, walking down the street, hand in hand, with my childhood best friend. Or maybe just lust for the place we were going to. I wasn't sure. All I knew was that, for once, I felt entirely happy. The little girl in me that had cried to come out for years now plastered a smile on my face, and laughed whole-heartedly. It seemed that nothing had changed between Zac and I since the day he had left five years ago. We were still the same kids we had been then. Just older.
We walked all the way to the beach, where the sound of the waves filled the air. The smell of the salty water woke my lungs up, and the damp air whirled around us. We threw our shoes off and strolled barefoot along the seashore, at the exact place where the ocean met the sand. We watched as the waves washed away our footprints behind us, the way we had when we were younger.
Zac's arm was around me now, and his hand played with my long, chocolate-hued hair. I laughed at the way it felt; it was too good. I had never had a boy give me so much positive attention, and my young, adolescent mind could have drowned in the pleasure it gave me. "Zac, do you remember when we used to swim in this ocean?" Zac smiled and remininsced, sitting down in the sand. I sat down beside him.
Together we laid down on our backs, our feet lingering in the water, our hands buried in the sand. "Yeah. Those were some rocking times, huh? I remember you saved me once, when I thought I was drowning-I was what, maybe five? You were so little, but an amazing little swimmer. I was to macho to thank a girl for saving me. I guess I owe you for that, don't I?" I rolled over to face him, shaking my head. "I saved you once?" He nodded, laughing. "Yes, you did. You came out in your little floaties and saved me from swallowing some water. What a save. You were my heroine and my idol from then on." I giggled, the way I had as a child.
"I was your idol? Wow, I'm flattered. What a compliment. Well, coming from the source." Zac shrugged. "Well, I'm flattered that anyone's flattered to be my idol. Especially coming from the source." I punched him lightly in the arm. "Oh, shut up. You're still picking on me, after all these years? I thought you of all people would grow up." Zac pulled me to my feet. "What's my age again?" I put my arm around him this time, playfully.
"You were a Blink fan too?" He nodded. "Oh, yeah. Way back in the day. Pretty long ago, wasn't it?" He yawned. "Mr. Zac Hanson, you aren't entitled to yawn. That isn't possible." He inhaled some air. "You share the teenybopper views, too?" I glared jokingly at him. "Don't mock the teenies, boy. They're the ones that buy your pin-ups." He kicked a wave, something I recalled him doing fondly as a little boy. "Oh, so you don't buy my pin-ups?" I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "Oh, no, of coarse not. I have the real thing to look at." He sighed again. "I'm nothing special, Abby. I'm just a normal guy." I shook my head, leaning slightly against him. "Sorry to break it to you, but you aren't normal, buddy. Normal guys are dogs. You are obviously not a dog. You're special." He looked off into the horizon, admiring the endlessness of the ocean. "That's what my teachers say, too." I laughed and pushed him down hard, into the sand. "They say I'm specialer." He got up. "You'd better run, girl." Doing as he said, I ran, my legs carrying me away like wings. And there was Zac, flying behind me, forever the driving force in my life.
Chapter 5-Reunited
