Chapter 2: Bonfire
The great beach bonfire happened every year before school started. The whole town would gather on the seashore: drinks would be served, toasts would be made, kids running around, parents chatting, friends dancing, and the ocean behind it all. Amenia would be coming over soon probably dragging Zac and Tyler along. Amenia had known Krystal since elementary school and never failed to mention embarrassing stories that Krystal preferred to forget. Zac and Tyler had joined their friend group in the beginning of high school when Krystal and Amenia had first signed up to work at Nini's Seashore restaurant. The four hung out during school and then walked to work laughing all the way. Krystal smiled as she replayed their memories of earlier years of the bonfire: it was never a boring time with those three. The light slowly fade giving way to the evening. She untied her messy bun, letting down a wavy mass of sandy blond hair, and starting trying to untangle the knots that had accumulated during the day.
She could now see people walking down to the beach. "Shoot! I can't be late," Krystal muttered grabbing a flowy dress and throwing it over her head. She never had cared much about her looks or trying to impress anyone. The few relationships she had in the past had died out all within the first couple of weeks. She didn't have time anyway with school and work. Krystal grabbed her sandals and clambered down the stairs.
"I'll be out late so don't wait up for me," called Krystal as she opened the front door. Glancing back one more time, Krystal could see her father slumped over with beer cans littering the floor. She sighed and went back to clean up the mess he had made. It had always been like this. Ever since her mom walked out of the door. She still remember that day. In fact it had been just over eight years from now...
"Krystal, I'm going out for a bit to collect something for work. Will you take care of Daddy for me?" her mother smiled at her gently, caressing Krystal's forehead.
"Yes mommy," Krystal beamed,"I promise to always look after Daddy!"
Krystal's mom laughed, "Oh sweetie what would I do without you? You really are something. Hmm..how about when I come back we go out together for a little special something. What about Nini's Seafood Restaurant? They opened recently and everyone is gushing on how pretty the view is."
Krystal flung her arms around her mom, "That sounds yummy! Make sure to hurry back. I'll be waiting right here for you. "
She could still see the happiness radiating from her mom. Krystal remembered how everyone always commented on how her mom shone like the sun. Wherever she went, people's heads would turn. It wasn't just her beauty that lured everyone towards Krystal's mom. It was her kindness, her humbleness, her selflessness, or so Krystal thought. She had truly loved her mom. She had thought that her mom would always be there. Maybe Daddy wasn't there for her, but Krystal's mom had made up for the both of them. That was until, Krystal's mom hadn't come back.
She remembered sitting in the room that day, excited to go to Nini's Seashore. Her eight year old little self was humming a tune and blissfully dancing in the changing light that leaked from the windows. That was until it got dark and Krystal had gotten worried. "Wasn't Mommy supposed to be back by now?" she wondered.
Krystal crept to room her dad was in, "Daddy, when's Mommy going to come back?"
Her father turned to look at her. He had a gleam in his haunted eyes that night from drinking too much alcohol. Krystal still remembered the terror as she watched her father lung at her, tackled her to the ground, and start to beat her with a broken bottle.
"It's all your damm fault," he screamed, "You freak. Get out. I said GET OUT." Krystal tried to get up and crawl away as her tiny bony arms had started to bruise and bleed.
"You did this, don't you see. YOU FUCKING DID THIS. Go get your mother before she can run away. HURRY UP YOU BRAT," her father had spit in her face.
Krystal had ran out that night, tears pouring down her face. She ran to the only place she knew; the ocean. She had always loved the waves, but this night they were especially rough. They beat down on the sand, wilding thrashing their spray up into the cool night air. Krystal's hair had whipped back in forth in the wind, and her words were drowned out by the roar of the oceans. Where, where was Mommy?
She woke up a few days later in the comfort of a stranger's home. Apparently he had found her in a heap behind some tall grasses in the town-front. She remembered blinking, dazed, around at her surrondings and noticing a little boy her age. Oh how she wished that she was like him; with a smiling mother who tended to her wounds, and a strong, soft father who had promised her that everything was going to be okay. Instead she had a mother who never would returned and a father drunk out of his mind. She had never gotten to thank them for their hospitality, as the police came later and took her. They had asked her how she had gotten so many bruises and gashes. Krystal had merely replied that she had tripped over a rock during that stormy night.
She didn't know why she had lied to save her father. Maybe it was because deep down she understood his pain. Maybe it was because she had promised to look after him for her mom. Maybe because he was all she had left.
She had found the news out later that day. The police had brought her back to her house and sat her down. They smiled sadly and said that this was "grown-up" talk, but her mommy wouldn't be coming back. They got up and left, leaving Krystal alone. Alone with her dad who just glanced at her with a dark furry in his eyes before slamming the door to his room.
Krystal had always loved the ocean, but that had been the first time she had felt like she was truly drowning. Drowning in a sea of loneliness and despair. Drowning with no one to save her. And so while no one was watching she let that happy little girl plummet towards the depths of the ocean. That was the first time she truly felt like dying.
From then on, Krystal had changed. She had become cold and quick to anger. She had gotten a job as soon as she went into high school so she could work to support her dad and herself. She stopped complaining and stopped dreaming. She put on a quick smile and soon it was plastered on her face. The waiter who was always cheerful, the schoolgirl who was always happy, the daughter who always put food on table.
Amenia had asked a couple times if everything was all right, and Krystal would just laugh and shut her down. Everything all right? No, certainly not. Not after...not after...her mom died.
Krystal slumped to the wall. She still remembered that day so clearly. Perhaps she wouldn't go to the bonfire. It would be a late night and tomorrow she had school. She would tell Amenia and the rest that she was tired. Yes, that would work. After all it wasn't a lie. She really was tired. Tired of everything.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Annabeth_Bogan
Annabeth_Bogan More is coming soon! I have a busy schedule this week so I'm trying to get a bit more down. I know some of you might think this is a slow start and want more action, however this is not just about romance, but about Krystal's life as a whole and how everything changes and what leads her to make certain decisions. This novel is going to take a more bookish approach to setting up things, instead of jumping into hot and heavy romance like some novels do on here (no offense, I still love everything people have written). Please let me know what you think by writing in the comment section and rating these chapters. Hope you enjoy! Thanks!
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