Celine Dion
Running Through My Mind
“Laur, are you coming?”
“I’m coming!” I called out to Julia from the other side of the bridge leading to the beach. It was an early morning in Brigantine. I woke up feeling relaxed and happy with my appearance as I always had when waking up at the shore. My skin was already a deep bronze, even in the beginning of July, and my eyes were a pale green shade due to exposure to the sun the previous day. The only thing I needed, I thought, was cold water, a good book, and a beach chair to accompany my confidence as I walked to the beach.
Julia was waiting for me to get there early. She was new here. I had a group of friends that I grew up with each summer, which was very different from my social experience home at an all-girl’s school, surprisingly. She arrived at the end of June, and I first met her as I was sitting on Adrianna’s steps cracking jokes and imitating Family Guy episodes. “The neighbors are coming!” I yelled, as I impersonated a Stewie Griffin voice. Adrianna burst out laughing, which she did often, making me feel important. Julia got out of her car holding a hamster cage and a bag. She seemed quiet, but I knew I liked her already.
She told me she was about to set her things down, but was going to head back to her house to pack some breakfast that she had forgotten to bring. I knew I was okay with that. For me, a morning on a fairly remote beach sent waves of serenity and belonging over my body as I looked out to the blue-green ocean. I craved the sun on my face, and I set my chair at the edge of the water and pulled out a book to read. I watched out of the corner of my eye as the handsome lifeguards ran from stand to stand to get in shape for the rest of the summer. It just felt so easy to live and breathe there, and I turned my head back towards the water as they ran past so they couldn’t see me looking. In a split second, I heard heavier footsteps behind me, and I saw him running behind me. He was taller and extremely
“Laur, are you coming?”
“I’m coming!” I called out to Julia from the other side of the bridge leading to the beach. It was an early morning in Brigantine. I woke up feeling relaxed and happy with my appearance as I always had when waking up at the shore. My skin was already a deep bronze, even in the beginning of July, and my eyes were a pale green shade due to exposure to the sun the previous day. The only thing I needed, I thought, was cold water, a good book, and a beach chair to accompany my confidence as I walked to the beach.
Julia was waiting for me to get there early. She was new here. I had a group of friends that I grew up with each summer, which was very different from my social experience home at an all-girl’s school, surprisingly. She arrived at the end of June, and I first met her as I was sitting on Adrianna’s steps cracking jokes and imitating Family Guy episodes. “The neighbors are coming!” I yelled, as I impersonated a Stewie Griffin voice. Adrianna burst out laughing, which she did often, making me feel important. Julia got out of her car holding a hamster cage and a bag. She seemed quiet, but I knew I liked her already.
She told me she was about to set her things down, but was going to head back to her house to pack some breakfast that she had forgotten to bring. I knew I was okay with that. For me, a morning on a fairly remote beach sent waves of serenity and belonging over my body as I looked out to the blue-green ocean. I craved the sun on my face, and I set my chair at the edge of the water and pulled out a book to read. I watched out of the corner of my eye as the handsome lifeguards ran from stand to stand to get in shape for the rest of the summer. It just felt so easy to live and breathe there, and I turned my head back towards the water as they ran past so they couldn’t see me looking. In a split second, I heard heavier footsteps behind me, and I saw him running behind me. He was taller and extremely