{ Spare Me a Dance? } -- Fledger Rells

Fledger Rells

I want to relax. I want to forget. I want to do anything but go home. I don't feel like dealing with mom today. I don't want to know if she remembers me today. Odds are, she won't. I wish I didn't have to take care of her like this. I wish there was someone else who could buy her food and the things she needs to survive. Because then, I could go out and have my own life. I could get married. I could have children. Not right away, but someday. Someday.

I walk to the shores, away fro the docks. I'm still sweaty from work today, and I probably smell like fish. I peel off my shoes and let the waves touch my toes. Cold. Oh well. I peel of my shirt and wade into the water. When I',m waist-deep, I dive under.

I love the water. It clears my head. Lets me forget everything I've been thinking about. I feel almost free. Almost. But she's still there, in the back of my mind. Mom.

By the time I drag myself back to the shore, the sun is beginning to set. I see someone standing on the beach a little ways off. I pull my hair back into a short ponytail. I'm too tired for this today. Too tired to walk up to someone and figure them out. I plop down on the beach and close my eyes.

The wind caresses my cheek, comforting me like an old friend. I'll just sit here, listening to the sea gulls until I dry off. That sounds nice. The ocean smells good. Pure, somehow. I draw my knees up to my chest, cross my arms over them, and lay my head down. Yeah, I'll just stay here for a while.

My head flys up as I hear a voice. Was I sleeping? Yeah, I think I was. The sun's lower in the sky. I look around to find who was talking to me. The girl from earlier. She's standing about five feet away. She has red-blonde hair, and she looks kind of short. Probably close to a foot shorter than me. I sigh. Okay, fine. I'll talk to her. I plaster a smile on my face as I get to my feet.

"Thanks. I guess I am a pretty good swimmer, but that's not saying much here."

In district four, you're taught how to swim almost before you learn to walk. Everyone here knows how to swim, though I've a met few that choose not to.

I reach down and grab my shirt, then pull it over my head. I'm still a little wet, but it doesn't matter. Water won't ruin my shirt, and I can wait for it to dry. Where have my shoes gone off to, I wonder? I look down the beach, but don't see them. They must be further up the shore. I'll get them later. I turn back to the girl.

"Want to walk with me?"

It's a nice night, and I don't want to go home quite yet. So what's wrong with a little walk?