Free Ophelia Adrift by Helen Goltz

beneath his jacket line.
    “Hello moonlight girl,” he said in a warm tone.
    I smiled. “Ophelia,” I told him.
    He repeated my name.
    “And you are?” I asked.
    “Pleased to meet you at last,” he said. “I thought you would never come. I’m Jack.” He held out his hand. “Jack Denham.”
    I took his hand and I can’t explain what happened. It was some kind of connection. It sounds crazy to say but it was as if I had always known him, like I needed to know him. Then he let my hand go.
     
     
    JACK
     
    She was so beautiful. I knew the moment I set eyes on her that I would have her, but when we touched I was a little overwhelmed by the electricity—I had to let her hand go. I’m sure we were destined; some people don’t believe that but I have always believed that souls are made in pairs. Everyone else that you meet is just a learning experience, but one person is made just for you and you don’t want to lose that chance to be with them.
    “Why are you up at this hour?” she asked me. “I’ve seen you before haven’t I?
    “You did see me then?” I answered.
    She nodded. “I thought I was seeing a ghost.”
    “Is that a bad thing?” I teased her.
    She smiled again, bit her lower lip and looked out to sea.
    I watched her, not wanting to take my eyes from her face. “I could ask the same thing of you ... what are you doing up at this hour?”
    “I guess we’re both restless souls,” she shrugged.
    “I feel calm now,” I told her.
    Her eyes searched my face, she wasn’t sure about me or why she felt the chemistry but I knew she did as well.
    I offered my hand to her. “Come and sit on the rock with me for a while and watch the moon and tides for a bit? We don’t have to talk if you don’t want to.”
    She looked surprised like I had read her thoughts, which I had.
    “That would be good,” she sighed ever so softly. “When you’re new, everyone wants to talk and hear your story.”
    “And telling it is like opening a wound,” I said.
    “Do you know ... about me?” her brow furrowed as she looked at me.
    “No,” I answered, “but I know about me.”
    “Oh,” she said, realising that I might not want to share my story just yet. She stepped towards me and placed her hand in mine. I led her up the rocks and guided her as she jumped over some of the little rock pools.
    “You have a slight accent,” she narrowed her eyes studying me. “Or you speak ... well, formally.”
    “I didn’t notice,” I shrugged.
    “It’s nice,” she assured me. “Are you a local?”
    “I am,” I told her. I had been here for a very, very long time already.
    She fell into me once and I reluctantly straightened her.
    “Sorry,” she blushed.
    “I’m not,” I said making her blush even more. I picked a spot that I knew would remain high and dry and where the moon would look magical and we sat until dawn.
    When she had to leave, I helped her back to the sand. I watched her leave before Adam and her uncle were up and the house stirred into action. I was gone before she looked out of her bedroom window for me, but I knew she would look. Our bond was meant to be and I missed her already.
     

 
    Chapter 8
     
    OPHELIA
     
    “You haven’t stopped yawning all morning,” Peggy prodded me at lunchtime. “Did you stay up late studying?”
    Harry scoffed. “It’s the second week of term!”
    “Just because you don’t study, doesn’t mean other people aren’t cramming,” Holly told her twin.
    I saw Peggy nod. She was hesitant to go against Harry but she agreed with Holly. I noticed she was trying a few different hairstyles now that she had closer access to Harry through me. I think Harry remained clueless to her charms.
    “There was a fight last night,” Harry said, saving me from having to explain my nocturnal happenings to Peggy.
    “Yeah and Adam came off worse,” Holly added. She took the band from her wrist and tied her bleached blond hair back as a light wind whipped between us.
    My ears