The bright sun beamed down on Tempest's skin.
It wasn't as blissful as she had expected it to be.
It had been two days since Sam had thrown her out of the only home she knew on this side of the country.
Two days of gut-wrenching misery. Even after catching him in bed with his best friend, Tempest couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more she could've done.
Maybe if she wasn't so set in her ways, if she wasn't so rigid in her belief to not have sex before marriage, he wouldn't have cheated. Maybe if she were…
No, even in her worst moments she knew that Sam was just a jerk. There was nothing that she could've done to force him to do right by her.
Deep down, Tempest knew she was a good woman. Loyal, pretty by most people's standards.
Sure, she could stand to lose a few more pounds, but she was working on it.
Tempest was determined to get on with her life. Determined to turn over a new leaf.
She lifted her head a little higher and forced herself to bask in the radiant vitamin D.
Her blue sandals dangled from her fingertips as she walked along the trash-strewn beach. It was nothing like the beaches she knew from her childhood in California, but it was full of memories.
Tempest turned her head toward the cluster of rocks. It was right there that Sam had kissed her for the first time.
She looked up on the small boardwalk and saw the bench where Sam had convinced her to transform what would be her three-week vacation destination into a permanent residence.
Every memory caused the frog in her throat to expand more and more until it felt like she couldn't breathe.
Tempest turned to face the water. There… there is where she would be able to feel some relief. She'd always felt the most at peace in the ocean.
Slowly, she made her way to the frothing coastline and stuck her feet into the unusually warm water. Just that one touch was enough for her to know that she needed more. She needed to be bathed in the cleansing ocean. Maybe then she would be rid of this guilt and agony that were her feelings for Sam.
She didn't want to give him any more of her time. Didn't want to let him rule her world anymore. For the first time in years, she was free. She could do whatever she wanted with whomever she wanted.
The only problem was all she wanted was the good times she had with Sam.
It was unhealthy.
More and more she began questioning if she had indeed been brainwashed.
Her ex-best friend Rebecca said that to her once after Tempest had canceled yet another dinner plan, effectively ending their long-standing friendship.
At the time, Tempest was sure that it was for the best. After all, she had to focus on her relationship with Sam. He convinced her if she would give him all of herself, she would be greatly rewarded. She'd have the husband she'd always dreamed of.
That was the carrot at the end of the stick when it came to her life with Sam. He always told her that he'd marry her. That they'd have a large wedding. Two kids, maybe a dog.
It was the fairy tale that Tempest had always dreamed of, and Sam had a way of mentioning it anytime they were going through a rough patch. Giving Tempest hope that the better times were just around the corner.
What a load of bull.
Tempest swallowed past the lump in her throat, or she tried to. The tears blurring her vision made the azure liquid swirl even more than the waves cresting around her.
For a moment Tempest worried about the clothing she had on; it was a simple pair of leggings and a loose T-shirt. Unfortunately, it was some of the only clothing that she owned.
It didn't matter; she'd just sleep tonight in wet clothes.
Each step deeper and deeper into the ocean wrapped around her body like a liquid blanket. She felt safe. Still alone but safe nonetheless.
She waded deeper and deeper into the water until she was on her tiptoes and her head was barely above the surface.
Tempest breathed in deeply, in through her nose and out through her mouth. Over and over. She tried to force her body to settle. To see the good in the possibilities that lay ahead of her.
Instead, all she could think about were the words Sam said.
She wasn't worthy.
She was nothing.
No one would ever love her enough to wait.
It was hopeless.
All she had to do was take a few more steps forward, and it would all be over. She wouldn't have to worry about thinking about Sam and his new happy life with his best friend. She wouldn't have to think about how she would survive in the cold, rocky landscape that was the East Coast. She wouldn't have to worry about anything.
It would be all over.
Tears spilled down Tempest's face, dropping like little pebbles into the vast ocean below.
There wasn't even a bird call to distract her. It was absolutely peaceful. Quiet. Still.
Another step forward.
Her instincts urged Tempest to try to keep her head above the surface, but her depression won that fight.
Slowly Tempest allowed her body to become fully submerged. The warm water was chillier underneath. Her entire body shivered as the water cradled her in its embrace.
The further down Tempest sunk, the darker it became. It felt like the depths of her soul.
Tempest closed her eyes and waited for her body to stop fighting. She was still holding her breath, but she knew eventually her lungs would fail her. Just like every other facet of her life. An utter failure.
Bubbles forced their way out of her mouth, and all at once the panic Tempest thought she was immune to raced to the surface like the air that was slowly seeping from between her lips.
Tempest narrowed her eyes and looked in the direction she thought was up. Somehow in the midst of her letting the ocean take her, she'd gotten turned around. There was darkness all around. Tempest flailed and thrashed her arms, desperate to get back to where she thought the surface was.
It was no use. She was too far down.
Her strength and adrenaline surged. Her arm cut through the water like knives, but still she didn't seem to be moving up.
She wanted to scream, wanted to fight the world a little longer, but it was no use.
Slowly, the darkness all around her started to ebb away.
Light! There was a light just below her.
She realized in that moment she must have been going the wrong way. That has to be the reason she didn't reach the surface yet.
Tempest flipped in the water and swam as hard as she could toward the light growing brighter and brighter.
Something was wrong. Tempest couldn't figure out if it was the air still in her chest or the water around her, but it felt like the pressure was increasing. Tempest stopped struggling for only a second, except her body continued to float toward the light at an alarming pace.
Fear paralyzed her limbs for only a second. This was wrong. It's taking too long to get to the surface.
The light bloomed all around her, getting brighter and brighter as the long seconds passed.
Maybe this was heaven. Maybe it was really all over.
No matter how scared Tempest was of the unknown, she couldn't help but feel a little relief.
Whatever was on the other side of this light had to be better than the hell she'd just come from.