Remember Me
Sunrise
The salty water of the Atlantic ocean swept on shore before going back into the vast ocean only to return to the shore moments later. It was 6:30 in the morning in Jacksonville, Florida, which meant that it would be high tide in about an hour. The sun would soon begin to rise and the girl sitting on the beach wasn't going to miss it. Watching the sunrise in the morning and watching it set in evening was almost like a tradition for her. Never had a day gone by that she hadn't done it. One would think that a sunrise would look the same all the time, but it doesn't look the same. It was different every morning, which was why she always made a point to bring her camera with her. One day she would be a photographer and when that day came she’d be able to fulfill her second dream, travel the world.
Sitting on the sandy beach of Jacksonville beach she dug her toes in the sand feeling the coolness of it before it became too hot to bare. That’s just how it was in Florida. By noon the sand would become scorching hot after having the sun beat down on it for hours on end. Even then people still found a reason to go to the beach, no matter how hot it was. However, at this early in the morning she was one of the few people there.
An old couple walked hand in hand each holding their shoes as they let their toes be licked by the cool water washing up onto the shore. A fellow photographer crouched low to the ground taking pictures of baby sea turtles that hatched that morning and were slowly making their way towards the ocean. The girl had gotten there early enough to watch them come into the world and take pictures of it as it happened. Other than those few people there was nobody else on the beach, which was how she liked it. When the beach got too crowded with people she would be inside her family’s condo away from all the people. No, she wasn't antisocial, she just preferred to stay away from beach goers. Most of them weren't the nicest people in the world and not to mention with all those people in one place the heat of Florida’s summer just became that more aggravating.
A cool breeze whipped the long tendrils of dark brown, almost black, hair around her face, but she didn't mind. It felt good to have the breeze wash over her skin. Even at this early hour the heat was already starting to set in and a cool breeze from the ocean was just what she needed then. The sun was already making its slow descent into the Florida sky.
“It’s beautiful.” The voice of a stranger startled her out of her thoughts. Out of her peripheral she saw jean clad legs with a pair of Nike's covering the person’s feet. She let her brown eyes slowly make their way up the person’s legs, their tattoo covered arms, and up to his face where she saw him looking out at the ocean. He had shaggy dark brown hair, that was almost black, a square jaw with high cheek bones, a bit of stubble on his chin and from what she could tell, brown eyes. She’d never seen him around here before, which meant that he was either vacationing here or just moved here. Although, she doubted that it was the latter of the two as she would have known if someone had moved into the condo she lived in.
Silence fell over the two as the girl let her gaze fall back onto the horizon ahead of them. The sky was now painted with purples, pinks, oranges and yellows as the big, red ball in the sky slowly made its way over the horizon. It was truly a breathtaking sight. Today she hadn’t brought her camera as it was charging along with her laptop. So, she just sat there in the sand taking in every detail of the sunrise with her eyes.
“Mind if I sit here with you?” Once again the man had spoken startling the girl a bit. She had expected him to leave, but he had stayed and was asking if he could sit with her. Why he wanted to sit next to her made no sense, but who was she to deny this man his right to sit wherever he pleased.
“Sure.” Was all she said never once letting her gaze leave the horizon. As he sat down she watched him out of the corner of her eye. She wasn't the type to be paranoid, but nowadays one never knew what a person’s intentions were.
“I’m Brian by the way.” A large, calloused hand was held out to her as he looked at her with those deep brown eyes. No doubt this guy played some form of instrument. She would know, she played the guitar, which caused her hands to be calloused much like his.
“Helena.” She simply stated taking his hand in hers and shaking it.
Once they let go of each other’s hands an awkward silence fell over them as they looked back out at the ocean once more. This time it was her that broke the silence.
“ I've never seen you around here before. Are you vacationing here or something?” She was truly curious about why this Brian guy was here as she now looked at him. When he began to laugh Helena raised a brown wondering what was so funny. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing. It’s nothing.” He finally said after calming himself down. Clearing his throat he continued, “you haven’t seen me around her, because I’m not from around here.” He had a smirk on his face that said he knew something she didn't know and she was almost tempted to ask him, but refrained from doing so. If he wanted to tell her he would. There was no sense in asking a question that would receive no answer.
“Well, since you’re not from around here. Why are you here?” She had pulled her knees up half way wrapping her arms around as she cocked her to the side waiting for him to answer.
“Business.” That simple answer told her that he wasn’t going into detail. So, she wasn't going to press the subject. “What about you? Are you from around here?”
“Yep. Born and raised here in good ole’ Jacksonville, Florida. Been living here for all fourteen years of my life.” Even though she hated Florida it was the only home she had ever known and it would always hold a special place in her heart.
“That’s cool. So, do you like it here?” This was starting to feel like 20 questions, but she didn't mind.
“It’s okay I guess. Definitely not the best city to live in, but it’s home.” He just made an `o` shape with his mouth before the sound of a guitar solo rang through the still air. Helena looked at Brian a bit confused, but when she saw that it was coming from his cell phone she too made an `o` shape with her mouth. After pressing a few buttons he frowned slightly before sliding the phone back into his pocket.
“It was lovely talking to you Helena, but I have to go.” Both of them stood up dusting off the sand that had stuck to them. “Will you be here tomorrow morning?” She was a bit startled by this, but nodded her head anyways. Most would think it suspicious that a man of his age would want to hang out with a girl that was only fourteen years old. However, Helena felt an odd connection with this Brian character and she wanted to figure out what it was.
“Yep. Same time. Same place.” She found herself mirroring the smile that was now on his face once he heard her answer.
“Well, I guess I’ll be seeing you around then, Helena.” With a small wave of his hand he turned around and walked back up the beach leaving her standing there befuddled. Helena wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but the way he had said her name had made her smile. He had said it with such adoration.
Shaking her head of those thoughts Helena knew she had just been hearing things and that someone that had just met her wouldn't adore her in the least bit.
Smiling to herself nonetheless she made her way back to her family’s condo. It was only seven in the morning on July 21, 2011, and she was already looking forward to tomorrow.
Sitting on the sandy beach of Jacksonville beach she dug her toes in the sand feeling the coolness of it before it became too hot to bare. That’s just how it was in Florida. By noon the sand would become scorching hot after having the sun beat down on it for hours on end. Even then people still found a reason to go to the beach, no matter how hot it was. However, at this early in the morning she was one of the few people there.
An old couple walked hand in hand each holding their shoes as they let their toes be licked by the cool water washing up onto the shore. A fellow photographer crouched low to the ground taking pictures of baby sea turtles that hatched that morning and were slowly making their way towards the ocean. The girl had gotten there early enough to watch them come into the world and take pictures of it as it happened. Other than those few people there was nobody else on the beach, which was how she liked it. When the beach got too crowded with people she would be inside her family’s condo away from all the people. No, she wasn't antisocial, she just preferred to stay away from beach goers. Most of them weren't the nicest people in the world and not to mention with all those people in one place the heat of Florida’s summer just became that more aggravating.
A cool breeze whipped the long tendrils of dark brown, almost black, hair around her face, but she didn't mind. It felt good to have the breeze wash over her skin. Even at this early hour the heat was already starting to set in and a cool breeze from the ocean was just what she needed then. The sun was already making its slow descent into the Florida sky.
“It’s beautiful.” The voice of a stranger startled her out of her thoughts. Out of her peripheral she saw jean clad legs with a pair of Nike's covering the person’s feet. She let her brown eyes slowly make their way up the person’s legs, their tattoo covered arms, and up to his face where she saw him looking out at the ocean. He had shaggy dark brown hair, that was almost black, a square jaw with high cheek bones, a bit of stubble on his chin and from what she could tell, brown eyes. She’d never seen him around here before, which meant that he was either vacationing here or just moved here. Although, she doubted that it was the latter of the two as she would have known if someone had moved into the condo she lived in.
Silence fell over the two as the girl let her gaze fall back onto the horizon ahead of them. The sky was now painted with purples, pinks, oranges and yellows as the big, red ball in the sky slowly made its way over the horizon. It was truly a breathtaking sight. Today she hadn’t brought her camera as it was charging along with her laptop. So, she just sat there in the sand taking in every detail of the sunrise with her eyes.
“Mind if I sit here with you?” Once again the man had spoken startling the girl a bit. She had expected him to leave, but he had stayed and was asking if he could sit with her. Why he wanted to sit next to her made no sense, but who was she to deny this man his right to sit wherever he pleased.
“Sure.” Was all she said never once letting her gaze leave the horizon. As he sat down she watched him out of the corner of her eye. She wasn't the type to be paranoid, but nowadays one never knew what a person’s intentions were.
“I’m Brian by the way.” A large, calloused hand was held out to her as he looked at her with those deep brown eyes. No doubt this guy played some form of instrument. She would know, she played the guitar, which caused her hands to be calloused much like his.
“Helena.” She simply stated taking his hand in hers and shaking it.
Once they let go of each other’s hands an awkward silence fell over them as they looked back out at the ocean once more. This time it was her that broke the silence.
“ I've never seen you around here before. Are you vacationing here or something?” She was truly curious about why this Brian guy was here as she now looked at him. When he began to laugh Helena raised a brown wondering what was so funny. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing. It’s nothing.” He finally said after calming himself down. Clearing his throat he continued, “you haven’t seen me around her, because I’m not from around here.” He had a smirk on his face that said he knew something she didn't know and she was almost tempted to ask him, but refrained from doing so. If he wanted to tell her he would. There was no sense in asking a question that would receive no answer.
“Well, since you’re not from around here. Why are you here?” She had pulled her knees up half way wrapping her arms around as she cocked her to the side waiting for him to answer.
“Business.” That simple answer told her that he wasn’t going into detail. So, she wasn't going to press the subject. “What about you? Are you from around here?”
“Yep. Born and raised here in good ole’ Jacksonville, Florida. Been living here for all fourteen years of my life.” Even though she hated Florida it was the only home she had ever known and it would always hold a special place in her heart.
“That’s cool. So, do you like it here?” This was starting to feel like 20 questions, but she didn't mind.
“It’s okay I guess. Definitely not the best city to live in, but it’s home.” He just made an `o` shape with his mouth before the sound of a guitar solo rang through the still air. Helena looked at Brian a bit confused, but when she saw that it was coming from his cell phone she too made an `o` shape with her mouth. After pressing a few buttons he frowned slightly before sliding the phone back into his pocket.
“It was lovely talking to you Helena, but I have to go.” Both of them stood up dusting off the sand that had stuck to them. “Will you be here tomorrow morning?” She was a bit startled by this, but nodded her head anyways. Most would think it suspicious that a man of his age would want to hang out with a girl that was only fourteen years old. However, Helena felt an odd connection with this Brian character and she wanted to figure out what it was.
“Yep. Same time. Same place.” She found herself mirroring the smile that was now on his face once he heard her answer.
“Well, I guess I’ll be seeing you around then, Helena.” With a small wave of his hand he turned around and walked back up the beach leaving her standing there befuddled. Helena wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but the way he had said her name had made her smile. He had said it with such adoration.
Shaking her head of those thoughts Helena knew she had just been hearing things and that someone that had just met her wouldn't adore her in the least bit.
Smiling to herself nonetheless she made her way back to her family’s condo. It was only seven in the morning on July 21, 2011, and she was already looking forward to tomorrow.
3/31/13