Summer's End

After playing in the waves all day, as the sun starts to dip lower in the sky, she slowly makes her way back to shore.  It is August in California, the water is cold but refreshing in contrast to the scorching sun and the heat of the day.  It's finally coming down and the air will soon begin to cool.

It was nice spending the hot day bobbing in the waves like she did when she was a small child.  Technically, most adults would consider her to still be a child, but why did it feel like she no longer was?  Why did it feel like even though they consider her to be, she could no longer claim it herself?

She slowly begins to emerge from the waves, she feels them crashing around her and into her, pushing, forcing her closer and closer to shore and out of the sea.  The currents had taken her far from where she first submerged herself into the waves.  Far from where her friends and she set up their blankets, towels, and coolers.  The currents and crowds had long since separated her from her friends.  They didn't mind her, they knew she had a tendency to wander and that she knew her way back, that she would return to them soon.  It was just her way.  She could see them down the shoreline a little ways.  Some of them were still playing in the waves, some playing volleyball, some sitting and gossiping, all of them soaking up as much of the remaining sun as they could.

She wondered if it was just her.  Was she the only one scared and sad to be entering this last year of their childhood?  Did any of them feel what this meant?  Or was it just her?  Was she overthinking this?  After this year the only people who would still consider her a child would be her family.  To the rest of the world she would be an adult.  No longer would they be able to claim her to be a child either.

The sea had finally expelled her from its embrace and she dragged herself to a spot almost out of its reach.  She sat down.  The waves still lapped at her, surrounding her softly and retreating back.  Trying to entice her into returning when it had  just hurriedly forced her out.  She sat and watched.

This is California, so of course she would be back to sit and watch the waves, the birds, the people, the sun, and soon, but this would be the last time that it would be like this.  This would be the last time she would play in the waves as a child.  It would never be like this again.  From now on it would only be pretend.  Maybe one day she could play "as if" or "like" she was a child, but never as just a child again.

The sun dipped lower and began to paint the sky with its brilliance.  It was going to be one of those sunsets that only the most talented of artists could capture.  None of them would be able to capture this picture with a camera.  She raised herself to her feet, deciding that she didn't want to be alone.  Her friends were here and she was sure at least one or two of them would be willing to pause and watch the sky with her.

She sat on her towel and shushed the gossipers, drawing all their attention.

"Look" she directed them as she settled, pointing to the horizon.  The girls giggled and rolled their eyes.

"Of course."

Her best friend went to her and wrapped her arms around her.

She was the quiet one, but they didn't begrudge her this.  Most of the time they just let her be and went on with what they were doing.  This time, however, they all paused.  They gathered, sat, and shared the moment with her.  It was one of those moments that would always connect them.  People can connect in so many ways, not all of them have to be momentous, or tragic.  Some of them can be quiet, seemingly everyday moments.

The sky turned shades of orange, pinks, reds, and yellow.  Even though the sun is always setting, it never seems to set the same, it seemed almost infinite.  As the sun faded on the horizon the sky turned from lilac to midnight blue.  They could still see the light of the sun in the distance, just beyond, while the black of night rushed to catch up from behind them.

"Let's get dressed and get some pizza!"   somebody called out and they all agreed.

They clamoured back to life and rushed to pack up, shaking sand from themselves and their belongings as best they could.  The remnants of their day of playing would probably stay with them in their shoes, towels, and cars for weeks.  Then they hurried to the nearest pizza place, throwing hoodies and sweaters on over their bathing suits as they went.

They were louder and more boisterous than usual that night.  It was their last real day of their last real summer vacation.  Soon their last year of school would start and so would the rest of their lives.  They wouldn't have a day like this ever again, or so that's how it felt.  They didn't realize it, but they felt it.  When they couldn't delay going home any longer and stepped back out into what was now night, she looked up.  She was looking for the brightest stars.  You can't find anything but the brightest of stars in the night skies of most southern California beaches.  The bright lights stopped all but the brightest from shining.  The girl, almost a woman, isn't sad anymore.  Looking up as those brightest of stars inspires her, like they have so many before her.  She could be like them.  So far away but still bright enough to compete with all the bright lights around her.