Chapter 1:
The Silver Sun



The sun was falling under the horizon as I reached my house. The house was dark spare for my mother’s lone reading light and the lighthouse shining bright a mile away (I was told this was equivalent to three blocks on main street).
My mother spotted me from the upstairs window and called down pleasantly,

“Are you going for a walk?” This was perfectly allowed, it was the middle of summer and the night was warm.

“I might.” But my mother knew I would in the end. So she nodded and smiled.

“Be back by eleven.” She then shut the window, as if closing a deal. I laughed and began to walk down the neighbored our lone house to look for sea glass.

The tide was low so I let myself brush my feet in the water as I walked. The moon shone bright, a silver midnight sun. The stars twinkled with laughter. I suspected when I was little that they had their own language.

After a while I turned back towards home, the silver sun on my back, disappointed I had found no sea glass.

My mother’s light had disappeared; she did not truly care if I was back on time. I went upstairs to my room and changed into sweatpants and a warm t-shirt. Then I just sat on my window seat and watched the whispering stars in their game of hide-and-seek, feeling as outside as I had when I was walking on the beach.

***


The next morning I awoke to the foghorn of the ferry and a beeping on my computer. The ferry, though, I was very much used to, so it is unlikely it was the computer that woke me up.

I knew who had IMed me before I even got up. It was 5:14 am, and with the time difference from Athens, Greece (where that person was) they would expect me to be up without realizing I was still dreaming of Peter (the possible love of my life and almost boyfriend), so I knew it was Vanessa (my traveling/partially rich best friend).

I sat up groggily at my computer and pulled up AIM (aol instant messaging) to which I accidentally kept logged on when I had gone out with Peter.

Vanessa- Hey! How was the date??

Hailey- Fine, u kno its 5:30 here rite???

Vanessa- Oh… Sorry. So how was it?

Hailey- it was fine. And 4 the record, I was dreamin about him! Best dream EVER! And you ruined it!

Vanessa- ? sorry, I’ll add it 2 the record.


That was Vanessa. She was the most sarcastic person I have ever known. But she was hilarious.

Hailey- well thank you Captain Sarcasm

Vanessa- Ur welcome

Hailey- Well gtg bye

Vanessa- Ok c u when I get back

Hailey- Ok, c u in a few weeks


I then got dressed in my favorite white button-up shirt with a pair of denim shorts. I tied my hair back with a hair tie and grabbed my camera.

I walked up to the rise to where I could see the ocean and the sand and I could piece in some of the grass I was sitting on.

I had taken some pretty good pictures here. My best was one of Vanessa sitting on the edge. She was sitting on one knee and the wind was blowing her red wavy hair off her shoulders.

Maybe the reason I liked this picture was her hair. Her hair was a pale and like those pictures of faraway princesses (except for most of them being blond).

My hair, on the other hand, was chocolate brown (like my skin) and curly brown that stuck out in practically all directions. The only real difference was from most African-Americans is my eyes. Bright green. Green as celery.

I couldn't get a picture like that, my hair was too short and unpredictable and curly.
I couldn't wait until Vanessa was back so I could tell her everything about my date with Peter.
The date was wonderful. Peter was charming, smart, and funny. He had taken me to a drive-in movie (one of the last in the US) and we'd eaten cheeseburgers and drank Coke as we watched some old classic.
I had always preferred to walk home alone so Peter kissed me goodnight before he walked away. Before he did, he told me that he was glad I enjoyed just being myself.
Another good thing about walking home alone was that the salty sea air kept me from being light-headed from that kiss. That kiss.

The kiss was like the one on movies that are staged on ferries like the one out by the lighthouse that goes to the mainland of San Francisco.

I love it here. The summers are warm and peaceful because tourists haven’t really discovered our humble abode that I’m not sure really counts as an island. I secretly believe that it’s and peninsula. Maybe it is, but I am perfectly fine with staying here on the PROVEN part that is an island.

But today was different. I got on my Schwinn and began to ride the perimeter of the island/peninsula.

I rode until I saw someone coming up the path. I laughed when I saw it was Peter.

“Hey stranger.” I called as I got off my bike.

“Hey.” He got off his also and walked over.

“Trying to escape the island?”

“No…” Ha said laughing.

“Good, this place would suck if you weren’t here.” I blushed and his smile, I noticed, was now a little crooked, like my blush had altered it. I smiled back.

Soon this moment of silence became awkward. He cleared his throat and looked out at the ocean.

“It’s pretty isn’t it?” I nodded.

“Maybe there will be some sea glass on the beach…” He said teasingly. I grinned.

“Do you want to go look?” I asked. He considered.

“Well… you hate looking for sea glass, so…” I began to walk down to the beach.

“Peter, come on.” He laughed and followed.

I laid down my bike on the sand and slipped off my flip-flops.

Soon we were finding the normal colors that littered the beach (light blue, green, brown, white).

Some colors were more rare than others. Reds were most rare. Then came dark blue, purple, dark green, green, light blue, and brown, then white (the least rare).

I collected as much as I could in my pockets to put in the mason jars that lined my bookcase and windowsills. Peter offered to give me some of his. I declined. He loved sea glass almost as much as I did. He looked very relieved that I did.

“Do you think that you’ll ever find a red piece of sea glass?” He asked.

“I don’t know. Do you think you will?”

“Maybe. You know Hailey, I had a really good time last night.”

“So did I. Did you get your letter from Yale yet?”

Yale was his number one college choice and he had applied for an internship there for next summer. The summer before our senior year (we were going into our junior year, if that wasn’t obvious).

“No. But I have a really good chance.”

“You better get in.”

“Or you’ll come yell at the admissions guy with me?”

“Maybe. If your lucky.” He laughed then picked up another piece.

“Look! It’s completely round!” I studied it.

“A hole to!” It did. The hole was lopsided but a hole none-the-less.

“It would make a good necklace.” He said slyly. I grabbed it and transferred it from hand to hand. He searched his pockets then his backpack.

“Ah, hah!” He pulled out a ball of twine.

“Why do you have that?” I said laughing. He shrugged sheepishly.

“Don’t know. Why does it matter? You need it, right?”

“Yeah. Do you have scissors?” He went back to the backpack and I took the twine.

He came up happily with a pair of kindergarten safety scissors. I measured how much I needed plus extra (for safety). He cut it. The ends frayed and I tied it around my neck.

“Perfect. Just like a kindergarten one.” I joked. He smiled and checked his watch.

“It’s noon. Want to get lunch at Livery’s?”

“Okay.” We got on our bikes and rode over.

Livery’s was a small diner about five miles down from my house. Most of the school year I would sit at the counter and either drink lemonade (hot days) or coffee (cold days). It was the place I could concentrate most.

We sat at the counter and my usual waitress Sally Livery came over. She was about sixty with a southern accent, white hair, and blue highlights.

“Hey kids,” She drawled, “got some freshly made lemon cake if you want it.”

“Sounds great! Thanks Sally.” I said.

“Thanks Sal.” Peter said.

Sally owned the diner but on most days she worked with people. It was in her blood and she enjoyed it and made sure that there was freshly made lemon cake. It drew people in, well that and Sally, mother hen of the island and social butterfly of the world. Everyone who comes to the island goes to Livery’s.

She brought the cake over and Peter and I grabbed some forks and dug in. I grinned when I tasted it.

“Wow. Even better than last time.” I told her. She laughed.

“Which was last week. Thanks and Susan will be done with her lunch break soon. Please don’t talk to her for too long.”

Susan was Sally’s youngest brother’s daughter. She was fourteen and a year and a half younger than us. This was her first real job. She also would always say hi and look to see what homework we were doing so she could have a sneak peak of her upcoming sophomore year.

“Don’t worry Sal. We won’t bother her for too long.” Peter said, trying to hide his grin. Sally smiled suspiciously.

“Always the charmer Peter. Just like your father.” Peter looked pleased until I whispered,

“Charmer is the polite word for annoying flirt.” He hit me.

“Great girlfriend you are.”

“Oh, I’m your girlfriend now?” He shrugged.

“Not anymore.”

“Fine.”

“Fine.” Then Susan walked over evidently laughing at us.

“Fighting again are you?” I rolled my eyes.

“It’s all his fault.” She grinned.

“Peter, why don’t you just kiss her?”

“He won’t.” I added. Peter groaned.

“I’m going to the bathroom. Don’t-” He said as I reached my fork over for some of his cake, “eat my cake.”

“Fine.” But as soon as he was gone I ate some. Susan laughed, and then groaned.

“Oh god, he’s back.” I turned to see some teenage guy walking in.

“What is it?” I asked.

“That guy comes in everyday. Sometimes comes with a girl, sometimes leaves with one.”

“Flirt?”

“You bet. Every once in a while he tries to flirt with me. Creep.”

“Next time, get Peter. If he does it again, get me.” She laughed.

“Okay. So you’re the one who’s actually scary?”

“Just ask Peter.” She laughed again.

“Whatever you say.” She went to go wait on the guy.

Susan has bright blond hair (it almost looks fake) and gray eyes. I have told her to be a cheerleader, but it’s not her speed. She spends most of her time with Sally because her dad works and her mom dies when she was two.

She went over to wait on the guy. He smiled at her and began the flirting. I rolled my eyes and when Peter came back I pointed them out. He laughed.

“You told her I thought you were the scarier one?”

“Yep.” He shook his head.

“Hailey, I think you are insane.”

“And yet you like me anyway.” He shrugged.

“Maybe.”

“Fine. What time is it?” He checked his watch.

“1:30.”

“Well I have photos to develop.”

“I know you let them sit a few days first.”

“I know you know. But I better get going anyway. See yeah.”

***