Page 39 of All My Broken Pieces (FindingLight #2)

Fallon

Waves crash against the shoreline, the smell of sea salt fills my nose.

I inhale deeply, enjoying the serenity of this moment.

“This seat taken?”

My head whips up, eyes widening at the woman beside me. I shake my head wordlessly, watching as she slowly sinks into the sand.

A peaceful silence surrounds us. We don’t say anything, both staring out into the endless ocean.

I can’t remember the last time I felt this…calm. Like all my worries, all the anxieties that plague me are just…gone.

A bird chirps as it flies overhead. Wind blows softly, lifting the tips of my hair. And the waves continue to build and crash. An endless cycle.

“Where am I?” The question slips from my lips without the conscious decision to ask.

The woman hums, scooping a handful of sand into her hand. “Nowhere. Everywhere.” I shift my gaze to her, tilting my head. She chuckles at my confused expression, letting the grains slip between her fingers. “It’s not important. The real question is, what do you want, Fallon?”

My breath catches at the sound of my name on her lips. “How-”

She chuckles again, her melodic laughter echoing around us. “I know more than just your name, sweetheart.”

My brow furrows at her response, but even her confusing answers don’t break the calm inside.

Smiling at me, she shifts her body to cross her legs, propping her elbows on her thighs and leaning on her hands. “What do you want?” She asks again.

I close my eyes, letting my mind wander.

What do I want?

“Love. And to be happy. And…” My voice trails off, a lump forming in my throat.

“And?” She prods.

Blinking mine open, I meet her green eyes and whisper, “To be accepted, for me.”