Chapter 6

SARAH'S POV:

My friend and I were still enjoying ourselves on the same beach. We were having such a great time that we decided to attend a party. As soon as we got there, the sound of music filled the air and Brenda immediately rushed to the dance floor, eagerly joining the dancing crowd. I stood there alone for a moment, taking in the scene, when suddenly I heard a familiar voice calling out my name and turning around. I was pleasantly surprised to see Paul, who happens to be Mark's cousin, approaching me with a warm smile.

"Hello, Sarah," he said, extending his hand for a handshake. I couldn't help but smile.

"Paul, what are you doing here?” I asked as I opened my arms to give him a warm hug. It had been a while since we last spoke, and I was worried about him.

"I just came here to let loose and have some fun." He replied. His answer put my mind at ease, and I was glad to know that he was here to enjoy himself.

But I could sense that there was more to the story, so I asked him, "Haven't heard from you for a long time now, hope you're okay?" I inquired, I couldn't help but feel concerned about him, hoping that he would open up to me. I wanted to make sure that everything was alright with him.

With a small grin on his face, "I'm doing well, thanks for asking," Paul reassured me. It was great to see him after such a long time.

"What a coincidence, or were you here to monitor me?" I asked him with a hint of suspicion in my tone, as I still wonder if it was just a coincidence or if he was actually here to keep an eye on me.

He seemed taken aback by my question and quickly replied, "Not really." His response didn't entirely convince me, and I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off.

"I was wondering if you've had a chance to run into Mark today," I asked him inquisitively.

He paused for a moment, appearing to think it over. "No, I haven't actually seen him since yesterday," he replied. "But don't worry, I'll make sure to catch up with him as soon as I get out of here."

With a friendly smile, he bid me farewell and walked out. "Have fun," he called out as he left.

As soon as Paul left, I couldn't help but think about Mark. I knew he was out there somewhere, probably having fun with his mistress, but I tried not to let that ruin my moment. However, as the thought lingered in my mind, I impulsively reached for my phone to call him. But then I stopped myself. I didn't want to spoil this moment of peace and enjoyment by getting into a fight with him over the phone. I decided to put down my phone and focus on the present moment.

"Hi, beautiful." I heard someone call out to me, I turned around to see the guy who had introduced himself to us earlier at the beach. I couldn't remember his name.

"You are...?" But before I could finish my sentence, he interrupted me by saying, "Joe." He then straightened out his hands to shake mine, but I jerked it away, feeling a little uncomfortable.

After realising that he was becoming a disturbance, I made the decision to leave his presence and walk away towards a different location. I didn't want him to continue to bother me and disrupt my peace of mind, so I took action to distance myself from his presence.”

As I was walking away from him, l noticed him following me. I started to feel uneasy as I didn't know what his intentions were. Suddenly, he caught up with me.

I let out a startled scream as I suddenly noticed him walking beside me. My heart raced as I turned to him and shouted, "Stop following me!" Despite my outburst, he simply smiled back at me. I couldn't understand the reason for his presence, and his smile only added to my confusion.

"Do you care for a drink?" His polite tone was enough to break my reverie, and I looked up to meet his gaze. He seemed to be pleading with me. I hesitated for a moment, but then I waved at him in acceptance, grateful for the offer of a refreshing drink.

As we sipped on our drinks, we engaged in a lively conversation. I found myself particularly enjoying the discussion with Joe, as we delved into the intricacies of the legal system. However, our conversation was abruptly interrupted when Brenda interjected.

"No, no, no!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands to get our attention. "We're at a party, guys! and you two are discussing law?

"I did her a small favor, and she felt obligated to talk to me." Joe responded,

"No, I was actually enjoying the conversation-by the way, are you a lawyer?" I asked Joe with a smile on my face, hoping to learn more about him.

However, Joe's response was negative as he said, "No, not at all.”

Brenda looked at his face with a look of surprise. "Aren't you the guy from the beach?" she asked him, trying to place where she had seen him before.

"Yes, I am him." Joe replied to her with a smile.

“Have we met before now?" Brenda continued to ask him as her curiosity got the better of her.

But Joe thought for a moment before answering, "No, I don't think so," trying to recall if he had ever crossed paths with Brenda before.

I couldn't help but notice Brenda's tendency to ask a lot of questions. She was firing them off one after the other, and I could see that Joe was starting to look a bit overwhelmed. I knew that she meant well, but I also didn't want to make Joe feel like he was being interrogated. So I leaned over and gently whispered to Brenda, "Hey, I think you might be asking a bit too many questions. Let's give him a break for a bit, okay?" Brenda looked a little taken aback at first, but she quickly nodded.

"Okay, let's go party, guys!” Brenda exclaimed as she was all pumped up and excited for a party. She held Joe's hand and began to drag him eagerly towards the party venue. However, Joe suddenly stopped in his tracks and straightened out his hand. It was at that moment that I offered him my hand.

Brenda was practically bouncing with excitement as she grabbed onto our arms and pulled us along with her. "Let's go dance!" she exclaimed, practically dragging us along behind her. Her enthusiasm was infectious as she continued to urge us on. "Come on, come on, let's go!".