{OPEN} from where i'm standing

[malcolm levi james]

malcolm james was exhausted yet wired. it was seven am and he was laying on the beach, shorts on, but that was pretty much it. he'd left his shoes in the truck and his shirt was under his head as he looked up at the lightening sky above. the waves were reaching to almost within a foot of his bare feet, but he made no effort to move, maybe he would just become part of the ocean, like the little mermaid who became sea foam. yep, that would do him good. he'd had to close at the bar to begin with, but as they were trying to clear everyone out at about four, one of the guys got testy, clearly had too much to drink, and had decked him dead in the jaw. now, had it been any other night, malcolm probably would have just grabbed the guy by the collar and thrown him out, however that night, he'd already been tested patience wise, so he had ended up knocking the guy out with one good hit to the face.

but, the guy would be fine, just a bit sore. oh well. however, after that, he was too wound up to go home, so instead, he'd come out here. he'd ran for about an hour or so, just up the beach, trying to wear some of his energy off, but it hadn't helped. so now, he'd spent the last hour or so just sitting here, watching the sun rise and now he was just watching the birds slowly wake up. reaching up to touch his chin, he winced slightly at the bruise that was already forming. yeah, that wouldn't be fun to deal with, but he'd had worse. hell, pick a scar, he could tell you the story behind all of them. groaning, he pushed himself up, dragging his legs so they were bent up in front of him. resting his arms on them, he just watched the ocean, the gentle waves that came before a slightly larger wave broke.

for a moment, he thought of the many days he and his youngest sisters had spent out here, burying one another in the soft sand, sometimes leaving them just to freak them out a little. cass had been the funniest, she'd gotten stuck and couldn't move an inch, some guys had been playing frisbee and jumped over her, she'd shrieked and scared the guys out of their minds and one of them had fallen face first into a wave. he and elaine had about fallen over they were laughing so hard. their mother that night, on the other hand, had about smacked them though. this beach held so many fond memories for him, and it was for that reason that he was sitting here now, just letting it work it's magic on him.

[/justify]

[ryan marie berkley]

Her plane had landed at five and it was another hour and a half before the boat docked on the shores of Ehu. Almost immediately, Ryan was hit with a wave of bittersweet nostalgia. She stepped off the boat, closing her eyes and letting the world around her blur. The sound of the waves, calm and timid this early in the morning. The salty brine of the ocean. The calm stillness and the pungent colors of the sunrise. Yes, it was for sure, Ryan was home.

Her mediation was interrupted by the squeal of her Aunt Lonnie, running down the shore to greet her. Lonnie never changed a bit. She was always the chubby,tanned woman with sun-bleached hair. She always smelled like lilac and baby powder. Allowing a smile to grace her lips, Ryan held her arms out and willingly accepted the hug from her aunt. She smiled into Lonnie's shirt and inhaled. Never did she have this feeling with her own mother. The sense of security and unconditional love. For a moment she felt the bitter pangs of guilt stab at her. Why had she let something so petty, so unimportant drive her away?

He was unimportant. In comparison, maybe. No, she couldn't lie to herself. But before allowing her thoughts to go any further, Ryan was swept into another hug. This time from her Uncle Joe. His arms were strong and made her feels safe. She wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed before he let her go, holding her out at arms length. "I say, Miss Ryan, you get prettier every time I see you" She laughed as a small blush creeped into her pale cheeks. As Joe let go of Ryan to grab her luggage, Lonnie grabbed her hand and began leading her away from the beach, babbling about how they were so excited she was here, and they fixed up her room and got a new puppy.

Almost as if they were calling to her, the waves splashed against the shore, becoming the only thing Ryan could hear. How she had missed the pristine blue waters and white sand beach. She sighed to herself and squeezed her aunts hand. "Lonnie, would you mind if I met you at home? I missed the beach so much." She pleaded. Lonnie cast a knowing smile and nodded, letting Ryan's hand go and kissing her cheek. Ryan returned the smile before taking off in a mad dash to the shore. She felt alive and free as the wind whipped her blonde waves along her back. She ran until her toes touched the moist sand and the waves crashed over her ankles.

Throwing her arms out and tilting her head back, Ryan took in everything she had been missing the past year. So absorbed in her own delight, she didn't even notice the lone figure sitting no more than ten feet away from her.

[/justify]

[malcolm levi james]

watching a crab scurry up and out of the sand, it's body the same colour as the sand it walked over. when he was twelve, he'd come out here and caught dozens of those crabs and kept them in an aquarium in his room, he'd released them the next day, but it had been interesting to watch them that night, watch as they burrowed into the sand and make their little tunnels. flexing his jaw, he cringed, now the stiffness was setting in. moving it back and forth, malcolm wished not for the first time, that he thought before he acted sometimes. he'd been punched before, many a time in fact, but it was just the fact that he'd been hit in the jaw that irked him. he needed that! groaning, he rested his chin on his arms, watching a dolphin appear a hundred yards out, and disappear just as quickly.

but his peace was shattered when he heard footsteps racing across the beach, the noise that would only be able to be heard if there were no other noises about. shrugging it off as a runner, he kept his teal eyes trained on the sea, wondering how high the water would have to get before he finally moved backwards. now, for example, it was less than six inches away from his toes, since they were no longer just sticking up in the air. but then he saw a figure in the pale light as she raced into the water and then just stopped, tossing her arms out and looking up to the sky. frowning, malcolm studied the girl, she looked so very familiar, yet the only name that came to mind wasn't one he figured he'd see out here again. no, there was no way, no possible chance that this could ever happen, it wasn't like the beach was the most hopping of places at seven am, even in the summer.

but he knew that, despite all odds, it was her. but he'd seen her aunt just the other day at the store, and she hadn't said a word about ryan coming back. maybe it was just a tourist who looked remarkably like her? why was she here? what had made her come back? all the questions coursed through malcolm's mind as he contemplated this new turn of events. well, at least there weren't any picture frames to throw at him this time. ryan?

[/b] for a moment, it sounded like his voice wasn't coming from him, but he would know soon enough whether or not miss ryan berkley was back on ehu. [/blockquote][/blockquote][/justify]

[ryan marie berkley]

Ryan had not even thought about the possibility of running into Malcom again when she had decided to move back to the island. Which, in reality, was really dumb mistake. She knew his family's history, knew how long they'd been on the island and knew without a shadow of a doubt that he would still be there. But none of this had occurred to her as she packed her bags and boarded a plane bound for the tiny islands of Hawaii.

Maybe she didn't want to admit that it was an inevitable meeting. Part of Ryan never wanted to see Malcom again. Ever. In her entire life. He had take her delicate little heart, threw it on the ground and stomped on it. So she had thrown the nearest thing she could grasp at him. A picture frame. In retrospect, probably not the best idea. She wondered if she had left a scar. Oh well, it would serve him right. And yet, no matter how hard she tried to harden herself, to forget and move on, she still found herself wandering back down memory lane. Her excuse always being that you can't forget someone like that. Someone you grew up with.

That was a lie. She probably could have forgotten, or grown indifferent had she wanted to. But she didn't want to. Despite what she told herself. And that was exactly what she told herself on the plane ride over, as the reality of running into Malcom again hit her. She repeated that it didn't matter, he didn't matter and she was older, more mature now. That his charm and wit and eyes and smile and...no, they wouldn't affect her anymore. She would look him right in the eyes, turn around and walk away. She was so over that.

Ryan? Okay, maybe not. Her eye snapped open at the sound of a voice. And all at once her stomach dropped to her feet. She had not even been here five minutes before he waltz right back in her life. She cursed the universe under her breath before lowering her arms and turning her head toward the voice. Trying to look indifferent, she squinted her eyes in the grainy light, as if she couldn't see him perfectly clear. She'd know that face anywhere. "Who's there?" She said, trying to keep her voice even. Everything in her body told her to run as fast as she could in the other direction. But still, her curiosity got the best of her as she found herself inching forward. "Mal?" She said, and his name rolled off her tongue like it was meant to be there.

Maybe she should have just stayed in bed that morning.

[/justify]

[malcolm levi james]

it had been almost two years since he'd had to pick the glass out of the side of his face, the scars now looked kind of like pale freckles, but they were still there, but only if you knew to look for them. and in those months, he'd had to face her family on a regular basis, the knowledge that he had broken their niece's heart heavy in the air between them for months. running his hand through his kind of shaggy hair, he watched ryan with hesitation in his eyes. but the moment that he said her name, he saw an immediate change in the relaxed posture she'd been holding. the section of beach was heavy with palm trees, and even with the sun barely rising above the sea, the lighting was poor, but he'd known that girl since he was seven, he'd know her anywhere. who's there?

[/i] hesitating, he was about to say something when she stepped closer.

he could see her perfectly in the dim light, so he knew what she was doing, and even though he knew that he'd hurt her, it still pained him. mal?[/i] nodding, he debated about getting to his feet, but he figured for now, he'd just stay where he was, he still wanted to know why she was here, but he also wasn't sure he was the first person she wanted to see that morning. hey there, ry. her nickname was so familiar. much like the crabs crawling out of the ocean, it held so many memories. anything from trying to teach her how to surf years ago, to just being best friends as they grew up. he missed his best friend. and maybe that was the worst part about everything that had happened, he'd lost the most genuine friend he'd had.

what're you doing back here?[/b] he knew that at least the phrasing sounded a bit rude, but he was genuinely curious and he couldn't think of any other way to put it. but it was at that moment that his concern kicked in, the last time he'd spoken to her before they'd broken up, she'd mentioned how things with her mom weren't the best, but he tried to push that aside, maybe she'd just wanted to come relax on the beautiful island. maybe she'd just needed a vacation. maybe he was just hallucinating and the guy had hit him harder than he'd original suspected. he preferred option c, it made a bit more sense than seeing ryan berkley standing not ten feet away from him at seven o'clock in the morning.[/blockquote][/blockquote][/justify]

[ryan marie berkley]

No, of course it couldn't have been easy enough for her to just enjoy her first morning back on the island on the beach. Alone. Of course not. The universe hated her, and it made that pretty clear. She hadn't wanted to see anyone, much less Malcom James when she first arrived. But here she was, standing just a few feet from him, the awkward silence buzzing between them. What was she even supposed to say to him? What was there to say? "Oh, hey, your a dick and I never wanna see your face again?". Okay, that was only partially true. She had wanted to see him again, she had for almost two years. But she was stubborn, and hurt and she wasn't going back.

Yeah, right.

As Ryan looked at the boy who had turned into a man, the man that she had fallen for, she couldn't help but mourn the loss of something more than just a relationship. Malcom, above all, had been her best friend. He had taken her under his wing when they were kids, protected her, taught her everything she needed to know. And that bond, above every other, came first. And the loss of that was more of a shock than she had wanted to admit. Things could never go back there now. Was it always going to be awkward? Ryan almost let a sigh escape her lips, before realizing she couldn't let down her defense. He was the enemy here. The jerk. Not her. It wasn't her fault.

She visibly stiffened at her nickname rolling off her lips. Too many memories, too much time together. Just too much history. Suddenly, it occurred to Ryan that coming back had been a bad idea. How was she going to deal with this? The island was small, they couldn't hide from each other no matter how hard they tried. So which was easier, going home to a house she couldn't stand or staying on an island where she was constantly reminded of the ghosts of her past. She chewed her bottom lip as she contemplated this. Her train of thought was broken by Malcom speaking again. She snapped her head to attention.

what're you doing back here?. She shrugged nonchalantly. She sure as hell wasn't going to tell him the real reason. Though she longed for someone to talk to, to vent to, she held back. They were no longer best friends, he no longer had any obligation to listen to her. She cleared her throat. "Visiting." She said softly, not giving more detail. He didn't need to know she was here to stay. Hell, she wasn't even sure she was anymore. "Lonnie and Joe missed me. So, I'm visiting." She finished her voice holding more conviction now.

An awkward silence settled and Ryan crossed her arms in front of her. The polite thing to do would be to ask how he had been. But she was maintaining her shield of indifference too well to let that slide now. She looked at him with brows furrowed and shrugged as if to say 'Not that I care, but what now?'

[/justify]

[malcolm levi james]

all that time ago, she'd accused him of being with others while she was back in the states, going off of a rumour that had spread across the island. he didn't even know who had started it, what he did know was that he hadn't actually done anything. but did anyone believe him? not a chance. and why? because he was four years older and a guy who was at least sort of good looking. that did not make him a pig. questioning why she was here, he couldn't help but feel that very familiar flutter that had been smashed along with the picture frame, that vain hope that she was there for him, but the truth was very evident, but it was one of those hopes that no matter what happened, it would always be there. visiting. lonnie and joe missed me. so, i'm visiting.

[/i]

nodding, he gave her a half-hearted smile. in truth, he was thrilled to see her, but he knew that he'd lost that privilege. cass and elaine have been asking about you.[/b] he mostly said it to fill the awkward silence that had befallen them, however it was true, his sisters loved ryan, even though they were two years younger, and it was for that reason that he hadn't told them the full story as to why she hadn't been coming back. he'd simply said that the long distance thing hadn't worked out. which was kind of true. . . in that tilt your head to the left, close one eye, and jump up and down kind of way.

temporarily forgetting about his jaw, he ran his hand across his chin, immediately regretting it when the pain kicked back in with full force. how long are you going to be here? i think cass wanted to give you a birthday present. the first few words were stiff simply cause he was having to talk around pain, but after that he sounded normal again. was there any way to get around the awkwardness of this whole thing? any way that they genuinely could try to be friends? and not in that lame break up line kind of way, but actually go back to being friends?

{sorry it's so short, i have to run.} [/blockquote][/blockquote][/justify]