1 Drowned

It's 5:30 AM. What a typical Saturday morning, typical morning plus typical breakfast, cereal and hot cocoa.

The smell of hot cocoa doesn't linger in my senses anymore. I bet I'm so used to it. I'm done with the typical breakfast so I must continue the typical Saturday morning routine. I jog around the public beach. I usually jog with Tracy but since she got her dude, I jog by myself.

As I was jogging, I saw Tracy sitting on the bench; I greeted her "good morning" as I sat on the bench.

"Hey Tracy, what's up? Where's your boyfriend? It's weird. He's not with you? I mean, you guys are inseparable, right?!... That's why you ditch me all the time... JUST KIDDING!" Then I grinned as I pinched her arms.

"Ouch! You're really odd Stephanie Young! Yeah he's not around; he stayed awake all night playing those stupid computer games. I thought I would be such a bummer if I woke him up early."

"Steph?"

"Uh-huh?"

"How about we spend the long weekend together? There's no classes on Monday anyway, it's a holiday" said she, in an approving manner, "I could cancel my to-do stuff with Jared if you say yes! We need to catch up".

"Hmm what a stupendous idea! You can sleepover at home for the whole weekend. After all I'm tired of my usuals, my stereotypical life". Then I finally got up the bench and continued to jog with Tracy.

"Uhm Steph?"

"Yeah?"

"What do you mean about your stereotypical life?" Tracy asked, astonished. " I see you as awesome, confident and clever during the times we bonded frequently. What happened?" She looked at me with disappointment. "Is it because of me ditching you all the time?" She asked again.

"So you're admitting that I'm being ditched eh?" I chuckled.

"Definitely not Tracy, that's not it. It's not about the ditching", I glared at her, '' Well, I thought I just changed my perception about things".

"What things?" Tracy asked.

"Never mind", I said as I sighed then smiled. She rolled her eyes and we jog towards the trail near a log cabin. "Aw I missed this! I'll call you when I get home. We will plan today's whereabouts". Tracy shouted as she jogged her way home.

HOW DID TRACY AND I MET?

Tracy lives near the beach, Cottage Drive, first street on the east. She usually hangs out at the beach.

Actually, we met each other at the beach, five years ago. It was when she was taking her dog for a walk and I was jogging. She has a fat white dog which caught my attention, I asked her about the dog and learned that her dog is a "He", his name is Grover.

That was the start of our friendship. Before Tracy and Jared were inseparable, it was me and her. We went to the same school, same class, and same electives. Some of our classmates used to taunt us because we were too inseparable, they thought we're lesbians but it didn't bother us anyway.

We even decided to attend the same community college nearby and enrolled in the same major but we became more normal during college, we're still BFFs but we involve other people in our lives, we have other friends, we've got different groups. I think It's a mature stuff, I mean we've got our own lives, It's not like we're totally stuck with each other all the way. I totally understand Tracy regarding her boyfriend stuff and the ditchings because I was in Tracy's shoes before and she was on mine.

When I had a boyfriend, she's the one getting ditched, I don't do it on purpose though and she totally empathizes with the whole situation and we're still best friends. I feel most comfortable with Tracy, it feels good to be myself around her.

I also live near the beach, two blocks away, it is on Chalet Drive.

I remembered that Tracy would call me as soon as she went home. I hurriedly went home and rushed to the kitchen. I looked for a refreshing drink. My mom was there reading a cookbook and deciding which to prepare for later.

Mom's minty lemonade, whoa! Such a thirst quencher! As I finished the glass of lemonade, my mom darted her eyes at the lemonade with an intriguing look. I smiled at her in an ill-mannered way. She got annoyed and rolled her eyes.

"Why is there so much adrenaline? You looked excited at some point, what's with you?" Mom asked.

"Oh that. Tracy will be spending the weekend here. Uhm is it okay Mom?"

"Well of course, it's been ages since the two of you bonded, it's cool with me but I need you to run some errands for me at the grocery. I'll be needing some stuff. You should buy some snacks or whatever items you might need for your thingy".

I grinned at my mom awkwardly; I'm hoping she would let me drive her car. She understood my gesture.

"About the car, not a chance Stephanie!", said she.

"Aww okay Mom! I'll go to the grocery after I shower".

"Okay then", Mom said as she closed the book and poured some lemonade on a low ball glass.

It was 7:40 AM. I went to my room and opened my lavender coloured closet. While deciding what to wear, the phone rang. I picked up the phone excitedly, like I haven't received any phone calls for a decade.

"Hello? Tracy! I thought you're going to call me as soon as you got home?"

"Hey Steph! Sorry about that, it was messy here so I decided to tidy up first".

"Oh okay! Hey! In what exact time will you come over? I'll go to the grocery after I shower".

"Uhm may I go with you? I could help you out with your grocery items", Tracy said.

"Sure. I'll call you after I take a bath, wait for my call".

After Tracy's phone call, I took the time to shove off the sweat and took a refreshing bath. The citrusy scent of bath essentials calmed my excited nerves.

As I lay in the tub for a couple of minutes, it felt like I'm reclined in a huge floating bed over an enormous body of water. I closed my eyes to feel it more.

Could it be that I'm on the verge of dreaming? As I lay down calmly, the waves became violent and swished over the floating bed, I fell down.

I struggled to breathe, I am drowning. I opened my eyes a bit, I couldn't see clearly. I saw someone coming as I struggle for air, I opened my eyes again and saw my mom. She was in panic and pulled me off of the tub with great anxiety on her face.

"What's up with you? You've got any problem? If you're suicidal, this is so not the solution young lady!"

My mom questioned me non-stop, it was then I realized I was just dreaming. I almost drowned to death by sleeping in a tub. It is absurd! Things run pretty unpredictable this day, it wasn't stereotypical at all and I call it plain stupidity.