Story: Leviathan (chapter 1)

Authors: ALLjapan

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Chapter 1

Title: Leviathan- Chapter 1

Chapter One
A sigh escapes my lips melodramatically and fogs up the window sadly.
"Tanith, please don't do that."
"Not my fault. I wanna sta-"
"We've been over this already." My father's stern voice drifts to the back of the car.
"I can't see why you don't trust me."
"Tanith sweety," My mother starts. I don't want to hear it I put my earphones into my ears and turn the music up.
"Whatever alright. I don't give a shit. Too late to go back anyway."
There is then a blissful silence within the car. Apart from the music blasting my ears of course. My mother rolls her window down a bit and the distinct scent of the sea wafts into the small capacity of our lithe car. I lean my head back upon the leather seat quietly taking in a breath. The only advantage of going to my cousins for the week is that I am able to visit the ocean. It has been three years since I last came down to visit them. My aunt and uncle would also be pleased to see me too, I know. The only thing that bugged me was my parents miss-trust within me. The fact that they won't allow me to stay at the house as they go on their anniversary vacation. I loll my head to the side and watch the outside world pass me by. The sea wasn't exactly 'beachy' in the traditional way. The beach around her was rough, not much sand and plenty of rocks. But I remember me and my eldest cousin Louise used to have a ball together. We'd climb the rocks, explore the caverns. It was like we were on an adventure. A smile comes to my features and I quickly shake my head resting it back and switching the song on my Pod. Whatever. I was still pissed, I wasn't about to let my parents think otherwise. Let them feel bad.

**^**

"Hey Louise, what's your cousins name again?"
Louise looks back on the couch looking up at her boyfriend on the couch as he takes a bite out of his apple with eyes on the television set. She opened her mouth to answer but a little voice piped up from the living room doorway.
"Tanith! Don't you wwemembaw?" Louises little sister stands in the doorway her hands on hips and eyebrows arched heavenward.  She shakes her little head in disappointment, just as Louise or her mother would, trying as usual to be the big smart little girl which she was.
A bark of laughter makes the boy on the couch glace over his right shoulder and his sister steps in from another entrance and Gibb's slaps him making him wince at the play-slap. "Hey!"
"Hey yourself, you got the memory of a goldfish anyone ever told ya that?"
"Uh, sure YOU on a thousand occasions."
"And even little Gracie remembered!"
"Heyyy, I'm not wittle." Grace huffs at the doorway crossing her arms.
"Uhh, woops,"
"You better apologise Annette or you'll never hear the end of it." Louise tells her best friend covering a smile and laugh.
"Aww, sorry Gracie baby," Annette walks over and picks Gracie up swooping her into her arms and giving the seven year old a swing in her arms. "You're not little any more I know that. How old are you now?" Annette pauses and places a comical mask as she mock thinks pretending to forget. This makes Gracie laugh and Annette tickles the little girl making her squirm in her arms. "Ten?" A shake of the head and a giggle. "Oh, too little? How about eleven? Are you eleven?" Another shake of the head along with more giggles as Gracie hugs Annette around the neck.
"No, no, no! Not eleben!"
"Oh, well you're so big and smart." Louise watches from the couch now sitting on her boyfriend's lap as Annette and Gracie have their discussion. "So, how about you tell me then?"
"Seben!"
"Oh, of course!" Annette throws her head back hitting it with the palm of her hand. Almost as if Gracie's age was some kind of philosophical answer to the universe. This drama play makes Gracie giggle even more and Annette hugs the little girl before she grows restless in her arms and she's made to put her down.
"Alright so her name is Tanith I won't forget it then. So when is it that Tanith coming then?"
Louise re-adjusts herself a little looking at her watch. "Ten minutes I think. Just about."
"Ok then."
"Aww, there, there Tom." Louise pats the messy brown hair of her boyfriend and then grins. "We won't tell Tanith what a big dummy you are."
"Yeah, she'll find out for herself."
Tom glowers at his sister and takes a bite of his apple viciously. In return his sister winks before going to sit down on the red bean bag that Louise had previously occupied. She lets out a yawn and stretches turning her gaze to the television before a squeal of excitement catches her attention.
"I see their car. I see them!" Gracie is jumping up and down at the window and Annette gets up to see a silver ford pull into the driveway and park. "Can I get Taniths present?"
"Sure you can Gracie." Louise answers. Gracie runs off excitedly to retrieve the gift as Tom, Louise and Annette left the living room to greet their guests.

**^**

I step out of the car and turn my music down, I take out an ear piece and stick it in my shirt to get it out of the way so that I can 'exchange pleasantries'. I can't hold back a smile as Louise comes out of the house. She's sporting short shorts and wears a khaki shirt that says "POW" in capital orange and white comic colors with the classic burst bubble surrounding it. She runs to me with the excitement that was just the same as when we were eight and I could not help but run too. She jumped into my arms and I caught her, a laugh coming out of my mouth before I can stop myself.
"Tanith! So good to see you."
"Wow, good to see you too Louie." We hug and I squeeze her a little in my grip a grin set on my features. I really had missed her, and now that I was hugging her for the first time since forever I knew my smile wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.
"Hello." I let go of my cousin and she slings and arm around me and I see a boy and a girl step forward. The boy has messy matted brown hair and he smiles and waves a little. The one who had spoken was the girl beside him who grinned at me. The boy was of a stocky build and obviously worked out. He had straight teeth and a tan that said that this guy was pretty outdoorsy. I immediately assumed him to be the boyfriend that Louise had told me about over the phone. My eyes were quick to assess him. Not that I was interested. I was strictly lesbian. But I didn't want my favourite cousin to be with some jerk. He appeared okay, and levelled up with what Louise had only bragged about a million times on the phone. I step forward and put my hand out to shake his. He seems taken aback for a faltering second but has his composure back in a millisecond.
"Shaking hands, isn't that civil."
"My parents raised me to be as such. I'm Tanith Brown. Hi."
"Well, I'm Tom Sterling."
I turn my gaze to the other girl. Her name was Annette to the best of my knowledge she was Toms brother and Louises bestie. Now this time I'm definitely checking her out. Not to see if she's good enough to be Lousies friend. But more to the point that Louise mentioned Annette was bi. Single. And had SWORN to try and hook us up. I take her hand and she gives it a firm shake and holds my hand before pulling me into a hug. I try not to blush wondering whether or not Louise had told her to do this. God damn her if she did! Was she trying to make me blush and splutter like a fool?
Annette laughs whole heartedly and steps between Louise and I to bring us both under her arms. "Well this is how MY folks raised me to greet people."
"As if! You learnt THAT on your own." Tom butts in.
"Oh, shut it lanky."
"Tanith," My aunt smiles and leaves my mom and dad coming over and opening her arms in welcome. "How are you sweety?"
"Oh, fine Aunt Marley."
"That's good. I see you four have all said your his you mom dad and I are going to go inside now okay."
My dad is with my uncle and they're already heading in. Then Gracie comes racing out sporting a package in her hands. She stops when she sees dad and calls out a joyous "Uncle Sam!" And he gives her a hug.
"Do you wanna go to the tree house?" I'm bought back into the conversation and see Tom nod his head pulling sunnys from his shirt pocket and puts them on.
"We may as well." Annette lets Louise and I go as Louise links arms with Tom and Gracie collides with me in a hug.
"Tanith!"
"Gracie! Hello!"
"I hab a gift for you."
"We'll open it in the tree house okay Gracie?" Louise says as she and Tom begin walking.
Gracie nods her head with enthusiasm and insists upon holding my hand. Annette takes her other hand and we begin to walk toward the old tree house which Louise and I had played in since we were Gracies age; and possibly younger.

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