After the song ended, I returned to the beach, took a few more pictures, and then sat down at a restaurant. Everyone ordered seafood, but as a picky eater, I didn't touch it. Instead, I settled for chicken curry and rice.
Later, we walked back to the hotel together. Neel was close by, cracking jokes to make everyone laugh. I didn't look at him—I was busy scrolling through the photos I'd taken and texting my best friend.
As soon as we entered the hotel, my phone buzzed. It was Neel.
"Did you hear what I said at that time?"
I simply replied with a short "Hum." Act like I didn't care about it.
Then, I turned off my phone and went to sleep.
The next noon, we returned to the beach. I stayed in the water, splashing and laughing, until the security guard began warning us that the tide was rising. By then, the water had already reached my chest. Suddenly, it rose higher and higher.
Mily and the others had already gone far ahead. When I looked around, no one was close. My heart pounded. I couldn't swim. I tried to walk back, but the water climbed to my neck, and soon my feet couldn't touch the ground anymore. Panic consumed me.
I screamed inside my chest. And then—Neel appeared.
I clung to his neck as my legs flailed. "Hurry up, hurry up!" I gasped, terrified. He pulled me toward the shore, step by step, until finally, we made it back to safety.
Instead of relief, anger boiled inside me. "You all left me there! Do you want me to die?" I shouted at the others. They insisted they hadn't noticed, but I refused to believe them. Furious, I stormed off toward the hotel.
"Don't follow me, or I'll make a scene!" I warned. They stayed back—except for Neel.
I told him again and again not to follow, but he ignored me. When we reached the hotel, the others called him. I didn't know what they said until Neel replied, "You guys go ahead today. I don't think Benny will go. I'll take her to Fish World tomorrow. I'm tired too. I'll rest."
After he hung up, I snapped, "You can go. I didn't tell you to stay with me."
He looked at me seriously. "I'll go if you go."
"I'm not going anywhere. Tomorrow, I'm going home," I muttered and headed to the bed.
He followed. "Don't be angry. If they had noticed, they wouldn't have left you. And why are you so afraid? I was watching you. I wouldn't let you die. Got it?"
I stayed silent, my back turned.
Then suddenly, the bed dipped. Neel lay down beside me in a rush and wrapped his arms around me from behind.
"What are you doing?!" I tried to move, but he only pulled me closer.
"What's wrong with you, Neel? Why are you acting like this?"
His grip tightened. His voice was low, almost trembling.
"I don't know what's wrong with me. I just… I just want to stay like this for a while."