XX August, 2019.
The beach was alive with the golden pulse of summer with children shrieking as waves crashed over their knees, teenagers sprawled on towels with melting popsicles, and the distant hum of a radio playing some sun-soaked pop song.
The air smelled of salt and coconut oil, thick with laughter.
A group of boys, no older than seventeen or eighteen years old emerged from the water, shaking the droplets of water from their hair like dogs after a bath.
Their skin glistened under the afternoon sun as they trudged through the warm sand, their swim trunks clinging to their legs.
Nearby, a cluster of girls sat huddled in a loose circle, their voices a symphony of giggles and dreamy sighs.
The boys exchanged glances, curiosity flickering in their eyes and without a word, they wandered over ,plopping themselves into the sand among them.
The girls barely spared them a glance, too engrossed in their conversation about love and destiny.
"I just think when you know, you know". One of the girls sighed, twirling a strand of her hair around her finger. "Like, your heart just... stops for a second. You get extremely nervous and conscious whenever you're around them and you always want to make them happy and protect them at all costs".
A blonde-haired boy with tousled, sun-bleached locks and blue orbs sat stiffly among them, his jaw tightening as he listened further to their words.
The way they spoke about love , family and destiny sounded so sure, so enchanted and it made something in his chest twist uncomfortably.
He wasn't used to conversation like this. Love wasn't something he'd dwelled on, not when his own family was far from the picture perfect romance they were describing.
He stood abruptly, running a hand through his damp hair as he exhaled sharply.
"Hey, You good?". One of his friends called after him.
"Yeah. Just needed air". He muttered in response, though the ocean breeze was everywhere.
He strode away from the group , his bare feet sinking into the sand with each step. The farther he got, the more his shoulders relaxed until he saw her.
A girl.
Alone.
She sat cross-legged near the shoreline, her back straight and her gaze fixed on the horizon.
Her bikini was a soft lavender, the color of twilight and her skin was kissed by the sun, golden and smooth.
Her chocolate-brown hair tumbled over her shoulders, blowing with the wind.
Why is she all by herself?. He couldn't help but wonder as he glanced at her and then at the crowded beach that was filled with tourists, friends walking around with linked arms, friends sitting in groups but she was all alone by herself.
Before he could second guess himself, he found himself walking toward her, his pulse thrumming in his throat.
He opened his mouth to talk to her once he was standing before her but nothing came out. His mouth opened and closed like a fish.
Until her soft voice greeted him.
Hi.
Her voice was soft, sweet and melodic. She turned her head, and up close he realized she was even more breathtaking.
Her eyes were the color of honey, warm and bright, framed by lashes that caught the sunlight.
"H…Hi". He eventually managed, his voice embarrassingly rough. He cleared his throat and sat gently beside her, the sand still warm beneath him.
The wind gusted, tugging at his loose shirt and he absently ran a hand through his hair again thinking of what to talk about with her. He retracted his hands and then …
"Ouch!"
And then he was yanked back , the duo then turned almost at the same and they both froze.
Her long silken strands hair had tangled viciously around the leather bracelet on his wrist.
"Oh no!". She groaned, trying to tilt her head back.
He blinked.
Then he laughed at the realization and she stared at him, startled before a giggle escaped her lips too.
"This is absolutely ridiculous ". She said, shaking her head as she giggled which only made things worse.
"Hold still ". He murmured, leaning closer. His fingers worked carefully, separating the strands from the braided leather.
The sun caught the gold in her hair and he caught sight of the faint freckles dusting her nose and his breath hitched as he stared at her unmoving, still as a statue.
"Are you done?". She asked after a moment with a smile.
"Uh…yeah." He was pulled out of his trance and immediately pulled back, the bracelet freed.
She swept her hair back, revealing the full delicacy of her face, the curve of her cheekbones, the slight pout of her lips and he smiled.
"Thanks ". She said, smiling.
"No problem."
There was a beat of silence between them again, the waves whispering against the shore.
"Why are you sitting here all alone?". He finally asked.
She shrugged. "I'm new here. Don't have many friends yet". Then she paused. "Besides, I can still hear most of their conversation from here."
He nodded and glanced back at the group where he had just left. Their voices carried on the wind and they were still discussing happily on their topic about love and destiny.
"Why did you leave with a frown?". She asked suddenly, tilting her head to look at his face. "Do you not believe in love? Or… are you in love with someone?". She teased lightly.
He smiled and said to her . "I'm not in love with anybody."
But before he could answer further, the wind carried a new snippet of conversation…
"I don't blame him if he doesn't believe in love. Have you seen his family, it's entirely nothing to write home about. His dad's always drunk, hitting him and his mom. Growing up in such an environment, how could he still believe in love after that?. You didn't see his face when he stood up and left , he looked so sad and upset ".
He froze mid sentence at their conversation.
They were actually referring to him.
No doubts.
The girl beside him stiffened as well as she realized he was the one they were taking about, her smile vanishing instantly.
"I'm sorry ". She whispered. "Don't listen to them."
"It's fine". He said, forcing a smile as he shrugged his shoulders . "It's just the truth anyways ".
Her brows knitted as she placed her hands on his comfortingly. "Even so, they had no right to discuss about it like that".
He couldn't help but study her face , the way her lips pursed in anger and the protective glint in her eyes.
She was upset for him.
Something warm unfurled in his chest at this and he smiled.
"Hey". He said softly. "You know, despite all my family dramas, I still believe in love. Isn't that weird?".
Her expression softened as she answered. "Of course not. Just because your parents made their choices and had a bad relationship doesn't mean you have to follow them. You get to decide what you believe in".
He stared at her for a while and then smiled.
"Exactly ". He breathed.
A smile tugged at her lips upon seeing him smile. "I'm Gabrielle, by the way."
"Gabrielle ". He repeated, testing the weight of it. "Nice name. But do you mind if I call you Elle instead?".
Her eyes lit up immediately at his words and she nodded enthusiastically. "I like that. Everyone else calls me Gabby."
He grinned, reaching out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered, just for a second before he called her name.
"Elle". He called. "I think one day, I'll find the woman I love. What about you? Are you in love with someone?".
"No". She answered immediately, her cheeks flushing pink.
"Oh". He nodded. "Wanna go swim?". He asked suddenly.
She nodded and in seconds, they were racing toward the water, counting down before plunging in.
The shock of cold made her shriek, but she surfaced laughing, her hair slicked back, her eyes twinkling.
The others noticed them and soon, the chicken fight game was on. Teams were immediately formed, partners hoisted onto each other's shoulders but he barely heard the rules because she was climbing onto him, her thighs warm against his neck and her lovely scent filled his lungs , stealing his breath.
"Team?". She asked, tapping his shoulder.
He then snapped back to reality. "Hell yeah."
The battle was fierce, splashing and shoving, but he barely felt it. All he knew and heared was her laughter, her grip on his hair, the way she yelled as they dodged attacks.
And then they won.
She slid down, throwing her arms around him, her body pressed against his as she squealed. "We did it ".
He held her, breathing her in, his heart pounding for an entirely different reason.
"Elle". He thought. "Did you know?".
I think I just found the person I love.