Chapter 2

It's 3:00 in the AM yet D'Andre can't fall asleep. He woke up really earlier than the time he was expecting. What's with this excitement? How did a woman whom he just met earlier made him feel like this?

Moments passed, he and Maiari were now making their way towards each other. Maiari is holding a lamp while D'Andre is just using the flashlight of his phone. They greeted each other “good morning” and exchanged warm smiles.

“Mai, you look sleepy,” said Drey.

“You look sleepy,” replied Mai, she can't lie. She just said what she just observed and even though Drey looks like he lacks sleep, he still finds him handsome.

“Why?” asked Drey to the woman who got lost in her trance, looking directly into his eyes.

“Nothing, I just didn't know you're this handsome when we both know we just got woke up,” replied

“How long are you gonna flirt with each other, huh? We'll be reached by the sunrise here if you're just gonna stand there,” said the uncle of Mai, waiting for them to hop on the boat.

It was a fun day for both of them, they enjoyed fishing and now they are with Maiaris friends. They are roasting the fish they got from fishing. It was a moment of happiness when they finally finished cooking.

“Hey, kids!” said the aunt of Maiari. “Mai's uncle told me to cook these seafoods for you and for our handsome visitor, Drey.”

Everyone cheerfully laughed at this woman's joke and she lent the bowl of seafood to the young man she was pertaining to.

“Hi, Drey... enjoy eating, please take care of my beautiful and fragile Maiari,” she teasingly said and then purposely looked at her niece who is now having a drawn red on her face.

“Auntie!” screamed Mai, cutting her aunt to speak more about her.

Everyone teased them and now is the moment they have to feed the beasts. They formed a circle and had a happy feast near the beach. A few hours they didn't notice, like the sun descended finally down the horizon of the sea, gleaming its warm light all over the peaceful beach with these guys. Maiari and her friends gathered around under the coconut tree playing their feet and legs on the surface of the beach sand, waiting for the sunset to finally show.

“Hey, give me the mallows,” started Jasmin as he laughed, her voice a calming note in the breeze of the sea. She held a stick and threw it at Daisy, the one friend who doesn't want to share the delicious mallows.

Maiari is chuckling as she reaches for another bag of mallows, “Here, Jasmin! They are all yours! Just let Daisy eat that by herself and don't you dare ask for a piece of it.”

Everyone laughed about it and as they flew over the clouds of happiness, the air was now filled with the smell of a sumptuous feast that they had just got finished. Their empty plates and full tummies, leftovers of the delicious seafoods are the witnesses of their laughter and stories about to unfold. Their faces are glowing like the sunshine, it's golden hour and the sun is kissing their skin and above them are the yellowish skies that is in blue hues a while ago.

“D'Andre, hope you caught more squids! Because the grilled shrimp were earlier, oh my gosh, I'm still having an aftertaste of it!” Rissa exclaimed and there goes another bursting laughter of Maiari's friends.

“As much as we wanted, Rissa,” said Maiari, “But it's so hard to catch it! You should've gone with us.”

“No, girl, thanks. I just wanted to eat.” Rissa then again hit Jasmine, they're laughing again.

Jasmine is about to die in laughter, still managed to talk and say what she's about to let them know. “Guys, I missed the buttered shrimp! How I wished D'Andre caught a fish net full of yummy, chubby and big shrimps!”

Maiari rolled her eyes. She was annoyed at how these ladies were trying to get the attention of D'Andre. Maiari stood up and walked away.

All of them were left amused and wondering what's wrong. Not until Maiari came back holding a guitar that she borrowed from her uncle.

“Hey, D'Andre, you play the guitar? I assume you do,” Maiari stated, a smile of excitement on her lips. “It's like, you know, here at the resort, we have a little, just a little tradition, right guys?”

Maiari earned the approval and noise of her friends, shouting and screaming how correct she is to her claim. “New visitors, yes, new visitors like you, none other than you, of course, 'cause you're the only one with us, uhm... you have to sing for us, sing us a song.”

“Go, D'Andre! Serenade us!” Jasmine exclaimed excitingly.

Everyone is now screaming, “Sing! Sing! Sing!”

D'Andre, with his eyebrows raised, he let out a purse on his lips, grinning. “Okay, let's give it a shot!”

Everyone is shouting for joy, screaming, “YES!” a prolonged and sustained one.

“Any song you want? Do you have something in mind... a special song... or what?” asked Drey, seemingly calm and not showing any signs of nervousness.

Laughter again crumbled all over the quiet beach and they started suggesting a lot of song titles but only Maiari's suggestion is what D'Andre wants to sing, and he really wants to do it to earn some points from the lady.

The stranger, D'Andre, no, let's not consider him a stranger anymore but more of a friend, yet he is still a new visitor who has to comply to this so-called tradition, he wasn't sure of it's just a make-believe or real, holding the guitar in his hands using the force of his muscular arms. His fingers clung on strings of the guitar and ran through the frets.

There's a gentle whisper of air touching his hair, giving off some added effects for his perfectly godlike facial features and it's as secretive as the mysterious sea. All eyes cross his soul and every feature, taking a brief second to make the guitar in tune as the audiences near him are holding their breaths, expecting for some eargasm.

D'Andre started strumming and his first notes of the song caught his audiences in awe as if conjured by the ocean magic; his voice is a delicate melody, their ears mingling with the soft sighs of the waves kissing the seashore.

His soulful voice soothes to the every chord he plucks in his fingers, carrying the tone of the song that seemed to be hearty echoes coming from the very depth of his pure heart.

Mai's attention never drifted from Drey, watching him closely by her eyes slowly closing to make her feel it even more, the serenade with her serene reverie, Drey's voice is even louder in her heart than the gentle sea waves.

“You know, girls, listen to me, this guy's voice could make even the waves of the sea jealous,” Jasmine whispered to Marissa.

Marissa nudged her with a controlled grin as she didn't want to interrupt this wonderful moment, “Shh, just seize the moment!”

Unbeknownst to Maiari, her friends exchanged looks and secret glances as they noticed there's a sudden shift of emotions in her face and it's subtle and new and really something. They noticed the depth of her gaze every time she opened up her eyes, her features are like the soft cheek of a baby as if the music really homes her soul and had touched a really special spot hidden in her heart.

As the song concludes, applause is the next thing they've heard. They praised D'Andre's beautiful voice. “Such a talented handsome creature!” Marrisa said, purposely exaggerating her words.

As the twilight came to their haven and as the bon fire's flame danced in their gazes, they bid farewell to each other. But Maiari couldn't forget D'Andre's voice, realizing that his voice is too good to be true, within the music's embrace, she had discovered something unexplainable yet she felt it was surreal. It's not that D'Andre's strummed the very strings of the guitar but she also touched her heart like his hands and voice reached the very depth of it. Like he made her listen to a song that she had been longing to hear.

In that concluding moment of them on the beach, they said goodbyes to each other and as the night enfolded them in their beds while lying, thinking of each other. Maiari felt really something, the echoes of the song, the glimmers of a newly formed connection, and the unspoken and undiscovered revelations started to unfold and swirled within her system, and a possibility that, it's confirmed, her stomach aflutter with the wild domain of butterflies in it.

ANOTHER day has arrived and under the sun's warm atmosphere, the beach seems to be infinite, a bed of fine sand waiting to be transformed into a competitive yet playful event. The afternoon breeze carried the salt into the air making its scent adventures as Maiari and her friends gathered near the shoreline, their energy renewed after a well-deserved restful slumber.

“Are you guys ready for fun?” Marissa exclaimed, her eyes alight with excitement as she held up the volleyball.

“Prepare to be defeated, sis,” says Jasmine, stretching her arms while smirking at Marissa.

Laughter burst out as they formed teams, D'Andre and Maiari became teammates and they exchanged each other's glance, and unspoken emotions began to explode silently.

As the game begins, the ball is flying over the net and everyone is trying their best to save it. However, D'Andre moved gracefully, tossing the ball in the exact position where Maiari was waiting for her moment to take the flight. Maiari's crosscourt spike ended the long rally of their beach volleyball game, thanks to D'Andre's perfect set. High five! They did it.

In the middle of the heated game, D'Andre and Maiari couldn't lose control of the ball, as much as they wanted to hit it back towards the opponent's court, time slowed them as they ran to get it without properly saying “mine”, then their body collided.

As if an invisible force guided D'Andre's hand, it encircled Maiari in a tight embrace on her waist, their bodies bridged the gaps and pressed close to each other. In that hug, their heartbeats echoing in harmony.

A collection of giggles and whispers circulates the atmosphere of the group, a chorus of amused and knowing stares are crossing each other's peripheral. Yet, in that particular moment, all that mattered was the electric touch that danced between Drey and Mai. Their eyes met, a mixture of something deeper than surprise, a connection that words could barely fathom.

“I... I'm sorry,” D'Andre stammered, his voice is a mixture of apology and a blend of bewilderment.

Maiari's chuckles started ringing out, a jovial sound that's been able to wash away any awkward moments they will have to feel. “No need to feel sorry about Drey. Accidents really happen, especially in the heat of the game.”

As they freed themselves from that warm hug, a lingering warmth remained, a tangible reminder of the touch that had sparked something more profound. The game continued, the players back in the rhythm of competition, but D'Andre and Maiari shared their stolen stares that speak louder than anyone, a silent promise to each other that there's an established connection that is beyond the bounds of a mere game.

And then, in a twist of destiny's naughty game, the ball bounced again towards them. They moved in synchronization, each determined to claim it, again, without establishing any gestures until their parts converged again, for the second time. And this time, as their fingertips touched the spinning ball, a breathless gasp filled the air.

Her flight made her toes twisted and lost balance. As she stumbled, their lips met in the gentlest collision, an electrifying sensation cascaded all over their body.

The world stopped.

Well, just at least, for a couple of seconds only. It's not that bad.

Maiari pulled herself slightly, her eyes widened and freezed on D'Andre's, mirroring her surprised look. Laughter erupted around them that broke their reverie. There's a chorus of cheers and teasing from Maiari's friends that literally broke the silence.

Blushing.

That unexpected kiss.

It's really something.

The two exchanged their cheapest smiles, their connection is now getting unexplainable.

D'ANDRE found himself lost in his own trance, it's been an hour since the game had finished. His feelings are still overpowered by the echo of that kiss.

Water droplets from the shower glistened on his skin, washing away the sand and sweat. Walking out the bathroom without a towel, he leaned against the balcony railing, looking at the tranquil sea that was occupied by them earlier, as if recreating the scenario earlier of how he ended up kissing Maiari, accidentally.

Sighed.

He made his way towards the bed, movements of fluid from his wet hair down to his chest. He settled onto the sheets, drifting his thoughts once more.

Smiling.

The events replayed like a movie but here comes the sudden ending; a soft chime disrupted his reverie. D'Andre's hand reached for his phone, the screen illuminating his face as he unlocked it by his fingerprints.

His heart skipped a beat as his eyes saw the unexpected message.

The name “Taylor” he whispers as he reads the name of the person he hadn't seen in a long time. His fingers trembled as he opened the message, heart's racing with a mix of anticipation.

“D'Andre, I still love you. Please talk to me.”