"You guys could always learn with me," Isla told us, pushing a lock of her wet blonde hair behind her ear. "We could learn together. It'll be fun. Plus, how cool would the three of us look when we took pictures with our surfboards"

Isla was smiling so brightly, her mouth showcasing her perfect white teeth. The sight of it made me smile, knowing how much she was enjoying learning how to surf. She had been talking about it for years, watching videos online and following all her favourite surfers on Instagram. She was finally doing it, taking surfing lessons, but now she wanted us to take them with her.

"I'm not clinging to my life by my feet on a piece of wood, when God knows what is swimming underneath," Bella hummed from her position on the towel. She was like a plant, gaining life through the sun's rays.

"Fine," Isla pouted, before turning to me. "How about it, Indie? It could be me and you out there?"

I frowned. A large part of me wanted to agree, even if it was simply just to make her happy. But, I really had no interest in surfing. I didn't see the appeal of the possibility of being thrown into the ocean at a split second notice.

"You know I love you, right?" I smiled at her, wanting to let her down gently.

Isla sighed, shaking her head, "I'm taking that as a no."

"This is your thing, Isla, but we support you! We'll be here every time, watching you from afar," I told her, grabbing her hand in mine.

"From very afar," Bella chimed in, flicking her sunglasses back over her eyes.

"I get it," Isla said, her smile didn't leave her face. "I wish you guys could feel it, though."

"Feel what?" I asked her.

"The freedom. It's like I'm flying through the air, untouched and unhindered. Like I'm unstoppable."

"Indie?" Chase's voice pulled me from the memory I was lost in.

I shook my head, refocusing my eyes. Quickly, reality came back to me. I looked at Chase, the glow of the now risen sun coating his skin, making him seem even more beautiful than he already was.

"Are we done?" I asked him, noticing that his camera was already packed in his bag. I was so lost in my mind, I didn't even remember how long we had been there.

"I think I got everything I needed," Chase said, but he didn't seem happy about it. In fact, he looked sad.

I wondered if I had failed miserably, and I'm certain I did. I'm not sure how any of the pictures could come out good, considering I had basically forgotten he was even taking them. Though, I had a better understanding of what the look on Chase's face was for, when he walked over to me.

I didn't move from my place on the still wet grass, the blanket wrapped around my arms as he approached me. He moved slowly as he crouched down in front of me. When his face was on the same level of mine, he placed one of his hands on my shoulder. The other one reached towards my face, the sleeve of his shirt brought over his thumb. I didn't know what he was doing as he began to gently wipe under each of my eyes, before I realized I was crying. Chase was wiping my tears.

When he was done, he removed his hand from my skin, but he still stared at me. His eyes darted over my face, like he was looking for something. He didn't seem to find it as he slowly shook his head, just a small motion to either side.

"I'm sorry you're in so much pain, Indie," he told me, his voice so low I was surprised I could hear it. "I'm sorry you're going through this. I'm sorry you lost Isla. I'd do anything to change it."

"I'd do anything to change it, too," I told him. I wasn't uncomfortable at his words, in fact, I liked him even more for saying them.

When you lose someone so special to you, people tend to shy around it. They don't know what to say, so they say nothing at all. They don't mention her. They don't ask about her. They don't say her name. It's like she's a curse, one mention and it will bring back all the pain. The thing is, the pain never leaves. It's always there. When they pretend she didn't exist, that's when it hurts the most. Like they were erasing her from ever existing in the first place.

But, she did exist. Her existence was beautiful, but it was also cut short, and the edges were sharp.

"Come on," Chase told me, grabbing my hand. "Let's get you back inside."

He pulled me by hand, pulling me to a standing position, the blanket falling from my shoulders onto the ground beside me. He barely let it touch, his other hand grabbing it swiftly. We walked back to my house in silence, and it wasn't because neither of us knew what to say. No, we didn't talk because the silence was comfortable.

"What time is it?" I asked Chase, as the view of my driveway laid before me. I asked because my parents car sat in the driveway, and it felt way too early for them to be home.

"Almost 8," Chase told me, seemingly understanding why I was asking. His brows were furrowed as he looked at the car.

"My parents," I explained simply, finding the slightest bit of humour in the fact I had to even say that. My parents were so absent from my life, the reappearance of them had to be explained, and I think that was pretty sad.

"Should we go?" Chase asked hesitantly, "Asher and I?"

I almost laughed as I shook my head. "No, my parents are... well, you'll see."

Chase kept my hand in his as we pushed through the door, and the sound of my mother's voice hit my ears instantly.

"Indica!" She chimed out, her voice melodic like a song.

Chase looked at me, a puzzled look on his face. "Indica?"

"Didn't I tell you my parents met at Burning Man?" I hummed out, rolling my eyes at the audacity of my parents to name me after marijuana.

The sound of my mom's high heels against the marble floor filled the room, as she walked into the foyer. Her long black hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, her designer clothes tailored to her body in a way that screamed I have money. At only 36, her face was still free of winkles, her olive skin tanned from their latest holiday. Though, my mother wasn't cold, as she sounds. She can be warm, like a lit candle in the middle of winter. The type of woman who can make anyone smile, but only when she chooses to do so.

Her eyes dropped to my hand, as she walked into the foyer, which was still clutched in Chase's. Chase seemed to notice too, because he slowly let it go, our hands returning to our sides as though the connection never happened.

"Indica, what in heavens were you doing out in the grounds so early?" My mother asked me as she approached me, as though I was a child again.

"We we're working on our photography project mom," I explained, gesturing towards Chase's camera.

"Project? Oh how nice," my mom hummed, kissing my cheek.

"This is Chase, mom," I told her as she pulled away from my face. "My photography partner."

"Just your project partner?" My mom asked, one of her perfectly manicured eyebrows raising as she gave me a knowing look, causing me to roll my eyes at her bluntness.

"And my friend," I told her in a somewhat pointed tone, hoping she would get the hint.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Chase," my mom smiled as she spoke, though her eyes still twinkled like she knew something we didn't.

"It's nice to meet you too," Chase spoke, but I could see the look of apprehension on his face, and I wasn't sure why.

"Well, come, come on. Your friends are having breakfast."

My mom lead us into the kitchen, and I was surprised to see Bella and Asher already sitting at the large table. Both of them were eating, and most surprisingly of all, Bella was smiling.

Chase and I sat across from them, as my eyes found Bella's. I was examining her, and I had the feeling I looked like Chase did when he was looking at me outside. Searching for how she really felt. Her eyes, though I could still see the sadness in them, they looked lighter than I had seen them in weeks. While one of Asher's hands was delivering food to his mouth, the other was laid on her thigh.

"So, Indica," my father said as he walked into the room. "We're home so early this morning because we have a flight in two hours, we'll be leaving for the airport soon."

"In a few minutes, actually," my mom added, as she placed papers into her large purse.

"What?" I asked them, my voice laced with shock. "Why are you leaving?"

"Indica, dear, we spoke about this. We have an important meeting about the house we're building in Morocco," my dad answered, seemingly unconcerned by my question.

"You can't cancel?" I heard the disappointment in my words. I didn't expect them to be leaving so soon.

"No, baby, we can't," my mother added, "but you'll be okay for a week or so, right? You'll be with Bella, yes?"

"I mean, I guess..." I felt the frown on my face. It's been nice having them here. I've felt less alone.

"And you have our emergency numbers, if anything happens. I wish we could stay, baby, but we've been putting this off for the last month. We thought you'd be okay by yourself by now," my mom continued, not even looking up from what she was doing.

Her words stung me, hitting the most sensitive part of me, my grief. It had been a month, but it had only been a month, right?

Bella's phone ringing interrupted us, she looked down at the device sitting in front of her. Her face buckled at the name of whoever it was, and she quickly answered it, pulling herself from the chair and exiting the room.

"Well, it was great meeting you all. Asher, my man, don't give up on that chord arrangement, okay? You'll get it. Indie, we will see you soon. Okay, princess?" My dad spoke to the room, as he leaned over me and pressed a kiss to my cheek.

"Okay," I muttered, trying to hide my hurt feelings.

"We love you, Indica," my mom said as she blew a kiss, the two of them walking out of the room.

I bit my lip as I heard the front door open and close, knowing everything I was feeling was written across my face. I didn't want Asher and Chase to see how devastated I was that my parents didn't find what had happened important enough to stick around for.

"Indie," Bella's voice caused me to look back up. She was standing before the table, looking at me, and the pain in her eyes was back.

"What's wrong?" Asher asked her, raising to her side at once.

"It's, well... it's just my parents," Bella explained, sitting back down in her chair. "I guess the therapist we've been seeing... she recommended that we need some distance. They said it's not healthy. We're supposed to start sleeping at our own houses at night. Separately."