The Other Side of Tomorrow

He clears his throat. “She says she’s not getting rid of anything yet, except clothes she’s going to donate, but the rest she’s packing away so even though it’ll be in the house it won’t be there.”

“I can’t imagine how you feel, so I won’t pretend like I do, but I can tell you if this was Harlow, my soul would be crushed. She’s more than my sister, she’s my best friend.”

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nbsp; He nods, looking back at the ocean.

He grows quiet, so I do too, not wanting to urge him to speak if he doesn’t want to. Sometimes, we need a moment to ourselves but we don’t want to be alone, either. So, I stay by his side, giving him that comfort and quiet.

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I jolt awake suddenly and my eyes blink rapidly against the blinding sun.

Why is it so bright?

I place my hands on my bed … no, no that’s not my bed, that’s definitely a chest.

Why is Jasper in my bed?

As my eyes adjust I see that I’m not in my bed, instead I’m on the beach. Jasper and I clearly fell asleep and now are bodies are entirely entwined together. Beside me he begins to stir awake, his hands tightening against me. He pauses, like I did, wondering why things aren’t right.

He blinks his eyes open and looks at me. Up this close I see a small smattering of lightly colored freckles on his nose.nbsp;

“Hi,” he says, his voice husky with sleep.

“Hi,” says another voice, but it’s not mine.

Both of our heads jerk up and he look up to find my dad standing over us, his mug of coffee in one and the newspaper in the other.

“I was on my way back from getting the paper and I wondered why the gate was open. Now I know.”

Jasper jumps up, brushing sand off his clothes and then holds out a hand to help me up.

“I’m so sorry, sir,” he rattles. “We lost track of time and must’ve fallen asleep.”

“Sure seems that way, but why were you even here?” My dad tilts his head before slowly bringing his coffee mug to his lips. “Hmm?” he hums when Jasper doesn’t reply immediately.

Jasper looks from Dad to me and back again. “Um … I needed to talk to Willa.”

“And this conversation was so important it needed to take place in the middle of the night on the beach? Interesting. Care to enlighten me?”

“Dad,” I hiss. “Please. It’s obvious nothing happened, let it go.”

“I’m not going to let it go, Willa. This isn’t okay with me.”

I feel anger bubble up inside me. “Dad,” I say again, this time sterner. “I think over the years I’ve proven I have my head on straight and that I’m a good kid. It’s not like I’m out dancing on tables or getting drunk. But I am allowed to have a life. I haven’t had one in three years, not a real one anyway, I was too scared and held myself back when I shouldn’t have, but now that I am getting out there you have to let me go. I’m not a little girl anymore.”

He sighs, his face softening. “But, Willa, you’ll be my little girl until the day I die.”

“I know that, but it doesn’t mean I am one. I have to grow up and spread my wings.”

He looks over at Jasper and back at me, his jaw tight. “Okay, fine, but this better not happen again.”

I nod, because if I open my mouth I’ll have to lie. I can’t make that promise to him.

nbsp;He sighs, shaking his head as if he can’t believe he has to deal with this kind of stuff and heads back around the side of the house, leaving the two of us alone once more.

“I didn’t mean to get you in trouble,” Jasper says sadly.