Shadows

The warm breeze lifted Mia’s hair from her shoulder. She gave it a lazy swipe and then shielded her eyes from the sun. Still bright, she squinted and looked around. Carson appeared to be passed out on the raft. His left hand was on the edge, his pinky finger in the water. His face was serene, the late afternoon shadows covering the deep end of the pool.

She turned her head slightly, but the other lounge chair was empty. She hadn’t heard Becca get up. Mia wondered where she’d gone, but she hesitated to break the peaceful summer silence to ask Carson. Instead, she lifted her head higher to see past her strawberry-colored toenails and to the house. But there was still no sign of Becca.

Sweaty and a little restless, she turned over to lay on her stomach. Studied Carson again for a moment and then turned her head in the other direction. The shadows stretched longer now, and the sun only fell over her upper body.

Mia closed her eyes, worried about Becca. Had her friend gone inside to call him again?

The writing prompt was the phrase the shadows of the afternoon

#shadows #afternoon #pool #sunbathing #lounging #friendship