36

Seventeen Years Old

THE BEACH HOUSE ISN'T at all what I expected it to be. Moriah and her family enjoy going on boats and jet skis. But the water is murky and cold. I enjoy sitting on the dock, listening to the water move in the stillness.

Moriah takes a seat next to me. "I know you're upset about Ophelia, but I'm sure she'll come around."

"Moriah… have you been ignoring Ophelia's texts?"

Moriah is silent beside me for a long time. I almost think she's not going to answer, when she finally sighs. "Sometimes I was busy. So I did forget some texts. Why?"

"Ophelia feels like we didn't put any effort into including her. That's why she pulled away. And she's right. I would cancel on her constantly if you wanted something from me. I never made time for her."

Moriah shifts away from me. "Okay, well, when you have a girlfriend, you can't always give your girl best friend all the time she wants."

"She was my best friend before we dated. And before I ever met you. I can at least give her a little time. We could've all gone to do things together. But we didn't even try."

Moriah stands up. "I don't understand why you're so hung up on this—unless you have feelings for her, too."

"What?"

"Do you have, or have you ever had feelings for Ophelia?"

I shake my head. "I don't think so. I don't have feelings for her right now. I'm with you. I don't know about before. I never really thought about it. But I know I feel bad that I never made her a priority."

The skies begin to darken behind Moriah. A storm must be coming.

I rise to my feet. "When we get back home, we have to give her time."

"I don't want to, okay?"

"Why not?"

"Because she has feelings for you. I don't buy that she's over you and with Milo now. Maybe he's a distraction, but they're not compatible. I'm not comfortable hanging around her when I know how she feels."

I cross my arms. "You apparently knew how she felt before we started dating and that didn't stop you from dating me."

Moriah huffs. "You're blaming me?"

"No, I'm saying that you knew this would happen." Suddenly everything feels very still inside me. "Honestly, I think we need to take a break. I'll call my mom to come pick me up. You finish out the vacation with your family."

Moriah shakes her head incredulously. "You're leaving me?"

"I don't think we should see each other right now. We need to take a break."

"So that's it? Just because some old crush Ophelia had on you comes to light, you want to end everything we've had for two years?"

I shake my head, but the anger inside of me is rising, threatening to break to the surface. "I'm not trying to end everything. I'm saying that I've ignored my best friend for two years to be with you. And I'm realizing I should've done more to be there for her."

Moriah crosses her arms, standing in the way of me making it back to the house. "I am your girlfriend. I'm not comfortable with you having a girl best friend. Does that mean nothing to you?"

All my pent-up anger bursts out now before I can stop it. "You knew she was my best friend before we started dating." My voice is louder than I intend it to be, but I can't stop now. "Ophelia and I both trusted you. You broke her heart and, in the process, you made me break hers, too."

"If you have a crush on her, just come out and say it already. You obviously want her more than me."

"At the moment, I wish I'd known she had feelings for me because then maybe I wouldn't be stuck here dealing with yet another mess you've created."

The words are out before I can stop them. Moriah's eyes widen, as if she's been slapped in the face.

She storms off without another word. I lean against the post on the dock. I stay rooted to this spot for what feels like forever. I'm scared to face what awaits me in the house. Eventually, though, I have to get home, meaning I have to face them all. I turn away from the ocean, glancing up at the clouds forming in the sky.

When I get back to the house, Moriah's mom is there. "Honey, you don't have to leave. Sometimes arguments happen."

I force a smile. "Thank you, but I think it would be best if Moriah and I had some space. I want her to enjoy her vacation."

A loud clap of thunder shakes the house, startling all of us. Moriah's mom pales. "Oh no. I need to stop Moriah from going out on the water."

"What?"

"She said she was going to go jet skiing to cool off. I know that thunder won't deter her from going."

I follow Mrs. Reyes and we run towards the dock. Moriah is already out on the water as rain begins to fall.

"MORIAH!" Mrs. Reyes calls out.

But she's too far. And suddenly it's raining, hard. We start waving like crazy, shouting her name. Rain is soaking through our clothes now. The wind has come up, and the surface of the ocean turns choppy.

Everything that happens next is a blur. The jet ski toppling over. Moriah trying to swim back, her head bobbing frantically above the waves. The water churning around her, taking her under.

Mrs. Reyes screams. I run to get Mr. Reyes, who's still in the house. Mrs. Reyes pulls out her phone and calls the police. I rush back down to the dock, with Mr. Reyes right behind me. Moriah has yet to surface.

The first responders arrive quickly in their vehicles, and a harbor patrol boat appears shortly afterward. There's a lot of commotion and activity, both on shore and out on the water. I wait on the shoreline with Moriah's parents; the rain is still pouring down with no remorse. When they pull Moriah from the ocean, she's not breathing. The paramedics rush her to the ambulance, her mother and father rushing with her. I wait on the porch of the house, pacing.

But I already know she's gone when Mrs. Reyes wails, crumpling to the ground, calling out for Moriah. She begins sobbing uncontrollably.

I know she's gone when Mr. Reyes, through his own tears, comes over to the porch and assures me that none of this is my fault.

I know she's gone when the ambulance takes her away, its lights no longer flashing, the sirens silent. Mr. Reyes helps his wife into the car before they follow the ambulance, away from the beach house.

Away from me.

I call my mom to come get me, though I'm barely aware of what I'm doing. My body is numb; my mind is beyond rational thought. I'm too shocked to speak at first when my mom asks me what's wrong.

And then I'm sobbing, trying to explain everything that's happened. She's calm, but I can hear the emotion in her voice when she tells my dad he needs to come get me. She keeps me on the phone, but I don't speak.

I'm crying, then I'm not. I've cried all I can. I look out to the ocean, watching as the rain finally slows down to a stop. Watching as the weather no longer looks dangerous or threatening.

But it doesn't matter if the storm's stopped now because Moriah is gone.