Chapter 132

Angelica

Andrew was a runner.

I could tell by his stride, the easy way he inhaled through his nose, out his mouth. While I thought I was going to pass out from shortness of breath.

"Andrew!" I yelled.

The ocean swallowed my voice.

Finally, he stopped and turned.

I kept running; he was a good hundred feet in front of me.

And when I finally caught up, I couldn't catch my breath, my tears were mixed with sand by then, and my lungs burned.

"I'm disappointed." He rasped, "You still don't exercise. Isn't that part of the steps in rehab? Find a healthy..." He made mock quotes. "Outlet."

"I bite," I sucked in a gulp of air, "My fingernails and," I put my hands on my knees and tried breathing in through my nose, out through my mouth. "I color."

"Color." he repeated, "With crayons? Markers? Colored pencils? Watercolors-"

"Crayons." I blurted then collapsed onto the sand.

Slowly, he lowered his massive body next to mine.

We were a few feet apart.

Both of us staring at the ocean.