The Deep End.
001;
“Be careful out there, okay?” I heard my grandmother say for the twentieth time. I looked over my shoulder at her, and smiled. She could be extremely over protective at times, but I tried not to get annoyed with her. “I’m serious, Megan. You know there’s a drop off to the deep end out there. Be careful.”
“I will.” I stated, slowly making my way towards to shore. I looked over at my young mother, who was lounged out across a beach towel, reading one of her favorite books, Jane Eyre. She took a moment from her reading to smile at me, knowing there was no need to bid me caution. My grandmother took care of that quite well.
I left my mother, and both of my grandparents on the sandy beach and strolled out to the sea. Sometimes I wished that I could have brought a friend or somebody to our vacation in Barbados. Especially when I saw so many other teenagers with a companion and I was by myself. I floated passed a group of boys who were play fighting in the water, and I couldn’t help but stare. They looked like they were having so much fun, while I must have seemed so boring. One of the boys caught my eye and gave me a friendly smile. I quickly returned a smile and kept making my way deeper in the ocean. I felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment that the boy had actually caught me looking.
I dove into the crystal blue salt water, washing my embarrassment away. I realized that I shouldn’t have been pining for a friend right then, I should just be glad I was there in the first place. Besides, I never had anybody along with me on vacations. It was only my family and I.
The reason behind this vacation was the celebration of my graduating from high school. It was my ‘last summer to be a child’, as my grandfather had put it. Therefore, a trip to Barbados was entitled.
But my grandfather was right; I was going to have to grow up now. I only had a week left until I was set to leave for England to study abroad- something that I had mixed feelings about. Of course it was going to be an amazing opportunity to live in England for two months, learning about the culture of the Brits. But there was a part of me that wanted to stay at home like the rest of the kids who graduated with me, and have a normal summer. I could have maybe gotten a summer job, hung out at parties with people, and maybe find a summer romance.
I immediately laughed at myself. I couldn’t have done any of those. That just wasn’t the person that I was. That wasn’t how I was raised. Going to England for the summer before I started college was normal for me.
However, I not focusing on my future that much. It tended to stress me out. So I dove under the water once more, washing away the worry and stress that I knew was about to submerge. The water felt so refreshing, even if the salt did burn my eyes and lips. But it felt soothing on my hot skin. I could almost hear my grandmother’s voice in my head telling me to reapply sunscreen. I probably should have before venturing off so far into the water…
I turned around to face the shore, just to make sure that I could see my family. I lifted my arm towards the sky and waved at them, to let them know I was doing all right. Heaven forbid if they thought I wasn’t. I would have to come back to the sand for sure.
But just as I was contemplating this, ironically, a sharp pain surged throughout my body. I couldn’t help but let out a scream, causing several people to look my way. I grabbed the back of leg, hoping to stop the raging pain coming from there only to pull a huge piece of driftwood out of my skin. The waves had caused it to stab my upper thigh, making my leg instantly start pouring the blood. The water was slowly turning red around me as people started shouting, asking if I was okay.
“Hey! You’re bleeding! Are you alright?” I heard the boy who had smiled at me only minutes earlier ask.
“I…I’m okay. I just need…” I wasn’t sure what I needed or what to say to this complete stranger. “I’ve gotta go.” I saw my family at the edge of the water, and noticed my mother was coming in after me. Great.
“I’m fine, I’m fine.” I shouted towards her. Holding the back of my leg still.
“What happened?” She asked, worried.
“A piece of drift wood.” I explained, once I was near her. She grabbed a hold of my hand and led me out of the water. Of course, my grandfather felt the need to pick me up and carry me over to the beach towels.
“This is why I knew you shouldn’t have go out there by yourself!” My grandmother whined, examining the gouge in my skin. “You’re going to need stitches darling. We’ve got to get you to the hospital.”
What was I supposed to say to her? No? Of course not. Saying no to her was deadly and actually unheard of. The only one who had ever gone against what my grandmother wanted was my mother. And that didn’t turn out good. So therefore, I went to the hospital that fateful day. Honestly, I’m glad I did.
“I will.” I stated, slowly making my way towards to shore. I looked over at my young mother, who was lounged out across a beach towel, reading one of her favorite books, Jane Eyre. She took a moment from her reading to smile at me, knowing there was no need to bid me caution. My grandmother took care of that quite well.
I left my mother, and both of my grandparents on the sandy beach and strolled out to the sea. Sometimes I wished that I could have brought a friend or somebody to our vacation in Barbados. Especially when I saw so many other teenagers with a companion and I was by myself. I floated passed a group of boys who were play fighting in the water, and I couldn’t help but stare. They looked like they were having so much fun, while I must have seemed so boring. One of the boys caught my eye and gave me a friendly smile. I quickly returned a smile and kept making my way deeper in the ocean. I felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment that the boy had actually caught me looking.
I dove into the crystal blue salt water, washing my embarrassment away. I realized that I shouldn’t have been pining for a friend right then, I should just be glad I was there in the first place. Besides, I never had anybody along with me on vacations. It was only my family and I.
The reason behind this vacation was the celebration of my graduating from high school. It was my ‘last summer to be a child’, as my grandfather had put it. Therefore, a trip to Barbados was entitled.
But my grandfather was right; I was going to have to grow up now. I only had a week left until I was set to leave for England to study abroad- something that I had mixed feelings about. Of course it was going to be an amazing opportunity to live in England for two months, learning about the culture of the Brits. But there was a part of me that wanted to stay at home like the rest of the kids who graduated with me, and have a normal summer. I could have maybe gotten a summer job, hung out at parties with people, and maybe find a summer romance.
I immediately laughed at myself. I couldn’t have done any of those. That just wasn’t the person that I was. That wasn’t how I was raised. Going to England for the summer before I started college was normal for me.
However, I not focusing on my future that much. It tended to stress me out. So I dove under the water once more, washing away the worry and stress that I knew was about to submerge. The water felt so refreshing, even if the salt did burn my eyes and lips. But it felt soothing on my hot skin. I could almost hear my grandmother’s voice in my head telling me to reapply sunscreen. I probably should have before venturing off so far into the water…
I turned around to face the shore, just to make sure that I could see my family. I lifted my arm towards the sky and waved at them, to let them know I was doing all right. Heaven forbid if they thought I wasn’t. I would have to come back to the sand for sure.
But just as I was contemplating this, ironically, a sharp pain surged throughout my body. I couldn’t help but let out a scream, causing several people to look my way. I grabbed the back of leg, hoping to stop the raging pain coming from there only to pull a huge piece of driftwood out of my skin. The waves had caused it to stab my upper thigh, making my leg instantly start pouring the blood. The water was slowly turning red around me as people started shouting, asking if I was okay.
“Hey! You’re bleeding! Are you alright?” I heard the boy who had smiled at me only minutes earlier ask.
“I…I’m okay. I just need…” I wasn’t sure what I needed or what to say to this complete stranger. “I’ve gotta go.” I saw my family at the edge of the water, and noticed my mother was coming in after me. Great.
“I’m fine, I’m fine.” I shouted towards her. Holding the back of my leg still.
“What happened?” She asked, worried.
“A piece of drift wood.” I explained, once I was near her. She grabbed a hold of my hand and led me out of the water. Of course, my grandfather felt the need to pick me up and carry me over to the beach towels.
“This is why I knew you shouldn’t have go out there by yourself!” My grandmother whined, examining the gouge in my skin. “You’re going to need stitches darling. We’ve got to get you to the hospital.”
What was I supposed to say to her? No? Of course not. Saying no to her was deadly and actually unheard of. The only one who had ever gone against what my grandmother wanted was my mother. And that didn’t turn out good. So therefore, I went to the hospital that fateful day. Honestly, I’m glad I did.
3/13/13