Celix's POV :
The afternoon sun hung low, painting the horizon in muted shades of gold. The sea breeze was soft, carrying with it the smell of salt and the faint echo of laughter from the crowded side of the beach. Celix walked ahead, his two friends trailing close behind him Ren on his left, Maxim on his right.
Ren was the first to break the silence. "Celix, do you even know where we're going?" His tone was casual, but his eyes were curious.
Celix didn't even glance at him. "No idea," he replied, his voice clipped.
It was a lie, of course. He knew exactly why he was here. Not that he would ever admit it not to Ren, not to Maxim, maybe not even to himself. He was here because of her. Because of Serrira.
He had seen her once, on this very beach, and she had disappeared like mist before he could even call her name. He hadn't spoken to her, hadn't touched her, hadn't even learned who she really was. But her image had clung to him like the tide that clings to the shore. Her white hair unnatural, ethereal had burned itself into his memory. She had looked like she belonged to the ocean more than the land. And since that day, he had come back here, searching. Hoping.
Ren didn't press him further. Maxim stretched his arms overhead, yawning. "Hold up. I'll grab us some beers. Can't watch a sunset without one, right?"
Celix gave a short nod, distracted, and Maxim wandered off toward a small beach shack in the distance.
Ren and Celix sat down on the sand. The air was cooler here, the waves rushing in and retreating with rhythmic persistence. The sun was dipping lower, washing everything in orange. Couples moved around them holding hands, taking pictures, stealing kisses they thought no one was watching. Celix stared at them but didn't truly see them. His eyes kept scanning, searching, as if Serrira might suddenly appear between the shadows of two strangers.
Ren sighed dramatically, pulling his knees up. "Man, I miss Fiona so much. When will my baby come back? It's torture."
Celix barely heard him.
Ren elbowed him lightly. "Hey, are you even listening?"
"Yeah." Celix's answer was automatic. His mind was elsewhere.
When Maxim returned, three bottles of beer dangling from his hand, he plopped down in the sand beside them. "Here. For you. And you. And one for me." They clinked their bottles together "Cheers!" before tipping them back.
The taste was bitter, but Celix drank anyway. Anything to distract his restless thoughts.
Minutes passed in silence before Celix spoke, his voice low. "Did either of you see that girl yesterday? The one with the white hair?"
Maxim raised his brows. "Which girl?"
Celix looked at him sharply. "The most unusual one. She stood out you couldn't have missed her."
Recognition flickered in Maxim's eyes. "Oh… her. Yeah. She was… honestly, one of the most beautiful girls I've ever seen. Weird, too. Different. Like she didn't belong here."
Celix's jaw tightened. "Yeah."
"But no," Maxim continued, "I only saw her that day. Haven't spotted her since. Why? Don't tell me…"
Ren cut in with a mischievous grin. "Oh, don't tell me our Celix is falling for a girl? Should we help you look for her?"
Both Ren and Maxim burst into laughter, nudging him.
Celix didn't answer. He just took another long swig of his beer, letting the bitterness burn his throat. They wouldn't understand. Not yet.
Seven days slipped by like grains of sand through his fingers. Every day, without fail, Celix came back to the beach. Some days he walked along the shore until his legs ached. Other days he sat for hours, staring at the waves, waiting for a glimpse of her. But Serrira never appeared.
The obsession grew heavier with each passing day. She was a stranger, and yet she wasn't. Something about her pulled at him, as though they were bound by a thread neither of them could see.
That afternoon, he came again. Same place. Same restless hope gnawing at him. Maybe today, he thought. Maybe today I'll see her.
But the shoreline was crowded with the same faces he'd seen a hundred times before. Children splashed in the shallows. Lovers chased each other in the sand. Tourists snapped photos of the sun sinking into the horizon. And Serrira was nowhere.
Frustration boiled in his chest. He raked a hand through his hair. "Why am I even doing this?" he muttered under his breath. "I've never been like this before. Chasing after a girl like a fool. And why did she run from me that day? Who even is she?"
He paused, then whispered bitterly, "If I at least knew her name, finding her wouldn't be impossible. But I know nothing. Nothing!"
Finally, he exhaled sharply. "Enough. This is pointless. She's gone. She's not coming back."
He turned away from the ocean, ready to leave the sand behind him. But instinct made him glance back once more just one last time.
And that was when he saw her.
A figure breaking the water. Swimming with grace, as though the sea itself parted for her. Droplets shimmered on her pale skin like diamonds as she rose from the waves and stepped onto the sand.
His breath caught in his throat. His heart stopped.
It's her.
The girl with the white hair. Serrira.
Without thinking, Celix ran toward her.
She noticed him immediately. Her wide eyes filled with alarm, her body stiffened, and she instinctively took a step back, as though preparing to flee once more.
But this time, Celix acted fast.
"Hello," he said, breathless but steady. "I'm Celix." He extended his hand toward her.
Serrira froze, staring at his hand as though it were some strange object. Slowly, hesitantly, she reached out. Instead of shaking it, she turned his palm upward and studied it closely. Her fingers brushed against his skin, tracing the black ink of the tattoo etched there. Her eyes were wide with curiosity, almost childlike.
Celix's thoughts whirled. "Why is she staring at my hand like this? Doesn't she know what a tattoo is? Or a handshake?"
Her innocence unsettled him. It was as if she didn't belong to the same world as him.
"Hey," he said gently, catching her attention again. Smiling, he demonstrated the handshake, guiding her hand up and down. Confused at first, Serrira copied him.
"Um… hello. I'm Celix. And you?"
She bit her lip. Her voice trembled, but she spoke. "I'm… Serrira."
The sound of her name was like music. Celix's smile widened. "Wow. Such a sweet name."
Her cheeks flushed pink, and she looked down shyly, but she smiled too.
For the first time, she didn't seem ready to run.
"Do you live around here?" he asked.
She nodded. "Yes."
"Really? Me too. Where exactly?"
Serrira pointed vaguely toward the water. When Celix frowned, she quickly changed direction, pointing toward the town. "That way. My home is there."
Celix narrowed his eyes slightly. "Strange girl," he thought again. Out loud, he said, "Alright. Let me buy you a drink."
Her head tilted. "Drink?" The word sounded foreign on her tongue.
Understanding, Celix chuckled. "Don't worry. Something sweet. You'll like it."
Her eyes brightened, and she nodded.
Together, they walked to a beachside bar, its wooden frame decorated with colorful lanterns. The smell of fruit and sugar lingered in the air.
"What would you like?" Celix asked, but Serrira only looked around in confusion. The names meant nothing to her.