Celine stirred awake to the sound of waves breaking against the shore. For a moment, she braced herself for the usual noise—the clamor of laughter, the thud of footsteps running through the house, Kaia's voice shrieking at Kai, Mateo's booming complaints, Elio declaring something dramatic about his "golden complexion."
It's been days since she arrived and that's always her usual morning, but it's seems like the house is so... quiet.
She sat up slowly, the woven mat creaking beneath her, and blinked around the room. No one crouched at her bedside like watchmen. No one was perched at the window, waiting to ambush her with jokes.
She padded down the hall, expecting chaos in the kitchen, but even there it was still—save for the clinking of plates.
At the table sat Lola Marga, calm as ever, serving steaming rice into plates, and Tata Berto, already halfway through his breakfast. He slapped the table so suddenly that Celine nearly jumped.
"Praise the saints, I survived the night!" Tata Berto declared, raising a dramatic spoonful of fish. "I thought I wouldn't wake up after that sinigang last night—too sour! My heart almost leapt out of my chest!"
"Berto, don't scare the girl first thing in the morning," Lola Marga said dryly, though her lips curved in amusement. "That's also your fault, you're the one who cooked dinner."
Celine blinked, startled, then sat slowly at the table. "Good morning..."
"Good morning, Apo," Lola Marga said warmly. She placed a plate in front of her with garlic rice, fried danggit, and sliced papaya. "You're up just in time."
Celine hesitated, glancing at the empty chairs. "Where are the others?"
"Ah," Lola said, settling down with her own plate. "Probably being scolded."
Celine looked up, confused. "Scolded?"
"Yes," Lola answered calmly, pouring tsokolate into a cup. "With how often they sneak around, they're bound to get caught eventually. Parents don't stay quiet forever."
Tata Berto slapped his thigh so loud that Celine jumped again. "HA! I warned them!" he crowed. "Did they listen? Nooo. I told them—one day, you'll pay for skipping your chores, for climbing roofs, for picking fruits without asking permission! But did they care? No! And now? NOW!" He waved his fork like a weapon. "Justice has been served!"
Celine stifled a laugh behind her hand. "Do you always... overreact like this?"
"Overreact?" Tata Berto gasped, pointing dramatically at his chest. "This is not overreaction, ija. This is survival! You think this hair turns grey by accident? No! It is from the stress those teenagers bring into my life!"
"Your hair's been grey since before they were born," Lola Marga said smoothly, sipping her tsokolate.
Celine bit her lip, trying not to laugh.
"And you!" Tata pointed at Lola Marga, scandalized. "You encourage them! You feed them, you house them, you let them turn this place into a circus!"
"They're children," Lola replied simply. "Children need a place to run."
"Run?!" Tata Berto cried. "They don't run, Margarita. They DESTROY. You and your best friend are truly the same! Oh right, my Rosa... I miss her so much." He sobbed.
Celine couldn't help it; a laugh escaped her, bubbling out before she could stop it. Tata Berto froze, then dramatically placed his fork down and gave her a look of mock betrayal.
"You laugh at my suffering?" he said in a wounded tone. "Apo, I thought we were allies!"
Celine covered her mouth, cheeks warm. "I'm sorry—it's just... you sound so serious."
"Serious?" He clutched his chest, as if stabbed. "I am the only sane man in this house!"
Lola Marga shook her head, though her eyes twinkled. "Eat, apo, before Tata Berto collapses from his drama."
Celine obeyed, but as she ate, she couldn't help smiling faintly. She had gotten used to the teens filling every corner with their noise and chaos. But this—this quiet breakfast with Lola and Tata Berto—felt different. Softer. Like family in another way.
And though she wouldn't admit it out loud, she realized she missed the noise just a little.
Speaking of the devil. Just as Celine was helping with the morning chores, she heard the front gate creak open, followed by the familiar storm of voices.
"Lola Margaaaa!" they chorused.
"Celiiiineee!"
Before Celine even realized it, her feet were already carrying her toward the front door. She slowed halfway, catching herself. Why am I in such a hurry? she thought, quickly straightening her posture before stepping outside with her usual calm demeanor.
Out there, the teens were already crowding around Lola Marga, their chatter bubbling like an unstoppable river. Yet amid the noise, Celine's gaze instinctively searched for someone—and there she was. Solana, stepping away from the group, her calm presence cutting through the chaos.
"Good morning," Solana greeted, her smile soft but enough to send a quick, strange flutter to Celine's stomach.
It had been several days since she arrived in Kahelea, and each morning something in her seemed to shift, growing steadily, making her more and more comfortable with their presence.
"Good morning," Celine replied with a faint smile of her own. She tilted her head playfully. "You're all late today?"
Solana caught her tone immediately, lips quirking into a grin. "Forgive us, Princess Celine," she said dramatically, dropping to one knee. "The dragons blocked our path and made it difficult to reach your tower."
Celine let out a laugh before she could stop herself.
"Wow! The princess of darkness is laughing," Mateo gasped theatrically, clutching his forehead like he might faint. "Could it be... the end of the world?"
That set everyone into another fit of laughter, and to Celine's own surprise, she didn't feel offended—just amused. She was already getting used to their antics.
The morning rolled on with Kaia and Solana scrambling up the mango tree, shaking down the ripe fruits to satisfy their sudden craving. They tossed the best ones only to Celine, ignoring the chorus of protests from the boys.
Meanwhile, Mateo, Niko, and Kai decided to challenge each other on who could scale the tallest coconut tree. None of them succeeded—especially Elio, who stood at the bottom flicking his hair dramatically. "Such crude labor is beneath someone as beautiful as me," he declared, earning groans and laughter all around.
Morning chaos had barely subsided when Mateo, never one to sit idle, leaned toward Lola Marga with a grin that spelled trouble. "Apo Celine should come surfing with us! Right?"
Celine froze mid-bite of her mango, unsure if she wanted to be part of the argument—or stay hidden in her own bubble.
Kaia clapped her hands in excitement. "She'll love it! I'll bet she's never even touched a surfboard."
"Exactly," Kai added, nudging Mateo. "And I'll teach her how to fall gracefully, right?"
Niko snorted. "Fall? She'll get drowned before she even catches a wave if you're involved."
Lola Marga's sharp eyes swept over the teens, then landed on Celine. "Apo Celine, what do you think about this idea?"
Celine shifted in her chair, feeling every pair of eyes on her. "I... I don't know."
"You'll love it!" Mateo insisted. "The sea, the sun, the waves! How could you not?"
Lola Marga pursed her lips. "I don't think so. I've seen how these children behave." She gestured vaguely toward the others. "They're... chaotic. Reckless. I won't have you dragged into an early grave under the guise of a 'surfing lesson.'"
"That's not fair!" Kaia protested, dramatically throwing her napkin on the table. "We're not going to drown her!"
"You said that last week when Mateo tried to teach Elio to surf," Niko reminded her dryly.
"Details," Kaia replied, waving him off.
Celine felt herself inching back in her chair. She didn't want to be part of another disaster—yet the sea called to her in a way the city never had.
Just then, Solana stepped forward, calm as ever. "Lola, I'll teach her."
Lola's brows shot up. "You? You're in charge of her?"
Solana nodded, eyes steady. "I promise, no one reckless will be anywhere near her. It'll be a proper lesson. I'll take full responsibility."
Lola Marga's gaze softened as she looked at Solana, then over at Celine. After a moment, she sighed. "Fine. But only after lunch. I want you both fed, and I want this... safe."
Celine blinked. "I... okay." She wasn't sure if she was more nervous or excited.
Mateo and Kai whooped, Kaia jumped in celebration, and Niko muttered something about finally being free from responsibility, though his grin betrayed him.
—
Breakfast as a quieter affair compared to lunch, well, since the chaos source is here. Celine sat closer to Lola Marga this time, observing how her grandmother moved with practiced ease, slicing ripe mangoes and pouring fresh coconut juice.
"You don't have to eat fast," Lola Marga said gently. "It's not a competition."
Celine smiled faintly with mouthful. "I know... I just... don't want to disappoint anyone."
"Disappointment is something they can live with," Lola Marga said, lowering her voice so only Celine could hear. "What matters is that you're learning to live for yourself."
Celine nodded, the weight of her grandmother's words settling in her chest like warm sunlight.
—
After lunch, Solana made the mistake of asking Kaia to bring Celine something to wear for surfing. Big mistake. Because Kaia didn't just bring options—she brought practically her whole closet.
"Here we have bikinis!" Kaia chirped, holding up two-piece swimsuits like she was hosting a game show.
Celine grimaced. "Absolutely not."
"Fine, then how about a one-piece?" Kaia tried again, waving another suit.
Celine shook her head faster.
Kaia sighed dramatically. "Girl, you left me with no choice." She grabbed Celine's wrist and dragged her into the bathroom before she could escape.
From outside, Solana could hear shuffling, thuds, and Celine's muffled protests. But she just smirked to herself and kept changing into something more comfortable for surfing.
Then the door burst open. "Tadaaa!" Kaia declared, striking a pose like she just pulled off a magic trick.
And there was Celine—stuffed into a tankini, cheeks red with embarrassment. She instantly caught Solana's eye. Solana was standing there in a cropped tank top and jorts, her grin teasing, her skin glinting under the light.
Celine's stomach flipped. She quickly looked away, but her mind betrayed her: She's effortless.
Meanwhile, Kaia spun around like a proud stylist, rocking her own bikini top with swim shorts. "See? Everyone's serving looks now. You're welcome."
Celine groaned, Solana laughed, and Kaia just grinned wider—because, really, the chaos was half the fun.
—
Outside the room, the boys were gathered, groaning like they'd been waiting for hours.
"This is taking forever," Niko complained, slumping against the wall. "What are they even doing in there? Building Atlantis?"
"Girls," Mateo said, flipping his red hair dramatically, "they vanish into bathrooms and come back like they've fought a whole war."
Elio huffed, brushing imaginary dust off his shirt. "They better look fabulous, or else this waiting is a crime against beauty."
Kai, leaning against the doorframe, snickered. "Knowing my sister, she's probably torturing Celine with fashion choices."
Niko rolled his eyes. "Figures. I bet Kaia's got her in like—three swimsuits layered on top of each other."
Mateo smirked. "Tankini inception."
That made all of them crack up, though Elio dramatically fanned himself. "Ugh, boys' humor. Please. I demand glamour, not nonsense."
And just as he said that, the door inside finally swung open, and Kaia burst out first like she was walking a runway. "Presenting—Celine's surfing debut look!" she announced with jazz hands.
Celine stepped out slowly in her tankini, her face already burning. Solana followed, casual in her cropped tank top and jorts, looking effortlessly cool, while Kaia twirled beside them in her bikini and shorts.
The boys' heads all snapped up.
"Ohhh, finally!" Niko groaned. "What were you doing in there, knitting the swimsuit from scratch?"
Mateo let out a whistle, not at the girls, but at Celine's expression. "She looks like she's about to sue Kaia for emotional damage."
Kai laughed. "Accurate."
Elio gasped dramatically, clutching his chest. "But hello, the fabulousness! Solana is serving cool-girl surfer chic, Kaia's giving chaos-core summer vibes, and Celine... darling, you look adorably uncomfortable. It's beautiful."
Celine groaned and covered her face with her hands. "Can we just go already?"
"Not before I rate the outfits!" Mateo said, wagging a finger. "Solana: 10/10. Kaia: 11/10. Celine..." He squinted, pretending to think hard. "Solid 9. But only because the tankini's fighting you back."
Niko snorted. "Nah, I'd give it a 6 just for how long it took."
"Rude!" Kaia gasped, smacking his arm. "Do you know how hard it is to style someone who rejects literally everything? You should be thanking me for this miracle."
Celine muttered under her breath, "It feels more like a crime."
Solana just chuckled, bumping Celine's shoulder playfully as they all started heading out.
Mateo leaned toward Niko and whispered, "Place your bets, five minutes into surfing and Celine's tankini will rebel."
"Bro, it's already rebelling," Niko shot back, making the group burst into laughter.
—
The group finally made their way to the beach. Solana stayed close to Celine as the others began setting up boards and adjusting fins.
"Ready?" Solana asked softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
Celine nodded, gripping her board nervously. "As ready as I'll ever be."
"Good," Solana said, smiling. "Now, let's make sure you don't drown."
Mateo grinned from a few steps away, muttering, "I told you I wouldn't be responsible... but I will supervise from a safe distance."
Celine laughed—a little, bright and unguarded—feeling the beginning of a summer she might actually enjoy.
—
The beach shimmered under the noon sun, the waves rolling in with steady rhythm. The others had already run ahead, hauling boards, shouting challenges at each other, and racing toward the shoreline like it was a battlefield.
Celine, however, stood rooted in the sand, clutching the surfboard Solana had handed her. It felt heavier than she expected, awkward against her arms.
"You look like you're about to face a firing squad," Solana remarked, standing beside her with effortless ease, board balanced casually under her arm.
Celine shot her a wary glance. "This board is taller than me."
"True," Solana said, smirking. "But so are most things, technically."
Celine groaned. "Not helping."
"Relax. First lesson is on the sand." Solana laid her board down on the beach. "No drowning today. Promise."
"Keyword being today," Celine muttered, but she followed anyway.
Solana knelt down and motioned for Celine to do the same. "Okay. Rule number one: don't fight the ocean. You'll lose."
"That's... comforting."
"Rule number two: trust yourself. Balance comes naturally when you stop overthinking."
Celine raised an eyebrow. "Easy for you to say. You're not the one destined to fall flat on her face."
Solana grinned. "Then I'll make sure you fall with style."
She demonstrated how to lie flat on the board, arms paddling against the sand, then smoothly popped up into a stance. It looked ridiculously graceful, almost like a dance. Celine, watching, couldn't help but notice how the sun lit up Solana's hair, how she looked like she belonged to the sea itself.
"Your turn," Solana said.
Celine lay down on her board and tried to mimic the motions. Paddle, push up, stand. Except the standing part was more of a wobble followed by a graceless flop onto the sand.
From a distance, Mateo and Niko burst out laughing. "She's a natural!" Niko yelled.
"Natural disaster, maybe," Mateo added, clutching his stomach.
"Ignore them," Solana said calmly, offering Celine a hand to pull her up. "They've got the maturity of toddlers."
Celine hesitated, then took her hand. "You make it look so easy."
"That's because I've done this a hundred times," Solana said, her tone softening. "You? You're just starting. And that's okay."
Something in the way she said it made Celine's chest tighten. It wasn't just about surfing.
After a few more tries—each one ending with varying degrees of awkwardness—Celine managed to pop up and hold her balance for all of three seconds before tumbling into the sand again.
"You lasted longer that time," Solana pointed out.
"Three seconds," Celine grumbled, brushing sand off her arm.
"Progress is progress." Solana's eyes gleamed with encouragement. "Now let's take it to the water."
Celine froze. "Wait, we're already—"
Before she could finish, a wave of water sprayed them as Kai zipped past on his board, whooping like a maniac. Mateo followed, crashing spectacularly a few feet away, and Elio posed dramatically on his board only to get dunked immediately after.
"See?" Solana gestured toward the chaos. "That's what happens when you don't listen. You, on the other hand, have me."
Somehow, that didn't feel like reassurance—it felt heavier, warmer. Like a promise.
With Solana guiding her, Celine paddled out slowly, the saltwater cool against her skin. She wobbled, panicked, nearly tipped over, but Solana's steady hand on the back of her board kept her grounded.
"You're doing fine, sunshine." Solana said over the sound of waves. "Don't look at the others. Just focus on you."
For a brief, shining moment, Celine caught a small wave, rising to her feet—shaky, unsteady, but upright. The thrill of it was electric. She laughed, unguarded, until the wave carried her down and she toppled headfirst into the surf.
When she resurfaced, sputtering and laughing all at once, Solana was already beside her, pulling her board back. "See? Not drowning. Progress."
Celine grinned, hair plastered to her face, saltwater stinging her eyes. "That was... actually fun."
"Of course it was." Solana's smile lingered, soft and knowing. "Told you I wouldn't let you drown."
And just like that, the noise of the others seemed to fade. For one fleeting second, it was only the two of them—Celine, still catching her breath, and Solana, steady and unshaken, the sunlight turning her eyes into something impossible to look away from.