nobody's paradise

 it was too windy but she couldn't care about that now...she was still in a daze. she looked at the endless darkness that stretched for miles and miles.. the sound of splashing waves made her feel tiny in front of the vastness of the sea. she sat there wondering why she had laughed at the girl back in the camp when she had claimed to have seen a shooting star. 
"yeah rite,and i met Matt Lewis yesterday." had been her sarcastic response when she had heard Natasha discuss it with the girl.
20 hours later she saw a shooting star with her own two eyes.
and she was still dazed.
Natasha and Anita soon started complaining about the wind making their hair tangled. minutes later they got up and left.
"you coming Alice?"
"nope Nat. i'm good."
"dont stay here for too long,you might get a headache."
"you worry too much Nita!"
"oh OK,we're leaving,see ya later."
"hmm."

and she was left alone to ponder over everything that happened an hour ago.

"That was the best crime thriller ever!"
"uh,can we not discuss this now Sean?"
"why,you scared Al?" 
"are you blind? look at HER!"
Nat,Nita,Maddie,Harry,Sean,Aaron and the camp guide Bob finally realized what was wrong. sweet little Rhea looked as if she had seen Death itself.she had gone ghostly pale.

"scared are you,sweetie?"
Everyone was smirking.

"shut it Maddie!"
"aw Alice, Mother hen,come to rescue Rhea birdie!"
"ha-ha good one Sean!"

she didn't know they would behave like complete idiots.

then,she realized,Rhea had gone all rigid.
Harry noticed it too,and squeezed her hand to calm her.

Rhea snapped.

"fuck off!

that shut up everyone.
Rhea shoved Harry away,got up ,and left.Maddie tried to restrain her,but Anger made little Rhea very strong.

everyone rushed off after Rhea. they had never seen her this angry.
 she had realized halfway back to the camp that Harry wasn't there.

minutes later she found him beside the dead remains of the camp fire. the look in his eyes were dead too...
"you'd like some space,wont you Harry?? um,if u want, u can talk to me"
"not now sis"
"okay. but they'll come back when they realize you aren't there"
"right. but i don't want to go back there now Alice"
"she loves you, u know that right? it will be okay.
"hmm. idnt want to stay here."
"go somewhere else then."


She didnt want to think anymore.. but the scene kept recapitulating in her head. she wanted to scream,talk out loud to prevent those thoughts to consume her again.

she had failed them both. she,Alice the Mother hen of the group, hadn't been a good enough care taker.

she didnt want to think.the only thing she could do was sing out loud maybe...there was no fear of anyone hearing her sing,the crashing waves made sure of that.

"I cannot find

a way to describe it

 It's there inside, all I do is hide"

but she remembered still.. Harry had gone and stood  beside one of the overhanging cliffs.he said it helped him think.but it didn't stop Rhea from becoming hysterical when she realized he was nowhere to be found. 

 

"Alice thank god you are here! she's a mess!"

"huh?"

when she saw Rhea's condition,she realized what the definition of "hysterical " was.

Rhea was inconsolable. and it was her fault now.

they all calmed down after Aaron texted that he had found  Harry.

She had then shooed everyone out of the room, sent in Harry, and before shutting the door on their bewildered faces,said,"sort it out."

but she still felt guilty, couldnt face anyone. so she ran to the shore.

"I feel like I am all alone

 All by myself I need to get around this."

and then she was interrupted.

"you should probably sing more often Alice!"
"Hello Aaron!"
he sat beside her, and started off without preamble.
"you neednt have run out back then. no one is angry with you."

She was very startled. she hadn't known that he was this observant.
she really didn't know what to say.

"sing the rest, why don't you?."

"My words are cold, I don't want them to hurt you

If I show you, I don't think you'd understand

 Cause no one understands"

"i disagree",he interrupted.

she kept quiet. she didn't want to elaborate on what exactly made her upset.
she fiddled with the hem of her tee.

"Alice?"
"yep?"

"i got my camera. wanna go photohunting?"

she knew he was trying to cheeer her up,even when he didnt even know what was wrong. heck,he didn't even ask. but thats how he was. he knew she couldnt say no to taking pictures..
so, after hours, she smiled.
"allright. but where to? its so dark!"
"the cliff.where we found Harry. its got a lovely view of the city lights and the lighthouse and the sea!"
"really? then lets go!"

and off they went.


She forgot all her worries the moment she saw the crashing waves down below after she got to the cliff top.
"its amazing here Aaron! thank YOU!
"dont mention it!"

some things dont need to be mentioned.She was already feeling better after taking a few pictures.
tommorow would be better  than today. maybe someone else will pick her up when she goes down. but she wont be alone.

And then they both saw the shooting star.

She would never laugh at anyone for seeing a shooting star.. you needed things like that in life once in a while.

"this is great!",he said
"i feel infinite!",she quoted from her favorite book.

"And in that moment, I swear we were infinite."