It was an unbearably hot summer where the crickets sang in chorus and the nights were filled with ocean scented breeze. That time, where she felt like her heart had gone and her body almost burned to ash, she sought the self that she might be missing. Wishing all her worries would wash onto the sea. 

Thinking about it as a one-time encounter, despair fueled adventure that she will treasure for the coming days. 

Just this once, Sena hoped to be free…

 

---

 

“My goodness, you call this thing hair!?” the muscular uncle in leopard print tank top and pink headband shrieked in horror the moment his claws landed on her head. 

Sena winced. She admits she hasn't been taking care of it, “How about cutting it short?”

His eyes flew wide open giving her a look as if she had grown three heads. “Sure, I can only guarantee it won’t look worse than my pubic hair.”

So it’s that bad, huh.

Sena wanted to hide under the chair after hearing the beautician's brutal assessment. “Is there no other way?”

Uncle Barbie snorted, “No way? I don’t recognize the word darlin’. Leave it to me.” 

Pulling on his imaginary sleeves and flipping on his imaginary long hair, the guy started working on her head as though it was his life’s greatest challenge. 

For two hours Sena endured intense scalp rubbing, the feeling of being dragged left and right like a rag doll and being slathered with a generous glop of deep hair treatment cream. 

The hotel has its salon and spa, but she estimated she would bump into those women if she went in. A good thing she remembered is that fifteen minutes away from its premises there is a nice salon along the row of bars and bistros neatly tucked further east of the island. 

Many tourists come to that area to rent affordable rooms, even a small house at best. Naturally, there will be hair salons and other facilities as well to further service the oncoming visitors.

After fifteen minutes of walking along the shoreline. Alone. It took her a short time to locate the dainty little place. It was hard to unsee since the glaringly pink building is right next to a tattoo studio bursting with all sorts of neon lights. 

Truth to be told, the neighboring studio could be mistaken as a hooker bar if not for the sign hanging on its doors. Well, better not say it lest she gets herself mauled. 

She was about to fall asleep with Uncle Barbie’s occasional blabber as he rinsed her hair. 

“I don’t know what has gotten into you making your hair look like this. It’s really a pity.”

“As long as you save it from looking like a pubic hair, I would be eternally grateful,” she hummed with a grin.  

Finally, as her torture ended, she got to see the original look of her shoulder-length crowning jewel, even Uncle Barbie was lost for words after seeing the final result. Is this little beauty related to the haggard chicken he saw an hour ago?

“Aiy, this girl…” You seem a little familiar, he wanted to add.

Sena just smiled and turned to the mirror. She cannot do anything with her haggard face except makeup so she can only rely on her hair as a distraction. 

Fluffing it for the fifth time and feeling it was as soft as before she was very satisfied. Who would have expected that a miracle could happen in the hands of a huge man who looked like a relative of the Terminator? 

No wonder she heard plenty of hotel staff praising his service.

“Dearie, you have nice hair volume many would envy. Don’t abuse it again, okay?” 

“Won’t happen again,” Sena assured smilingly.

She paid her bill with an added generous tip and started back on the beach.   

On her way, she spotted a luau party near the sandbar. Fire performers began their show mesmerizing the audience from a wide makeshift stage. The dancers with long pois and jugglers followed the upbeat tribal music while performing their heart-stopping acts. Sena watched for a bit before turning away and headed to the shore. 

She tried her best to avoid calamity tonight. It’s almost nine o’clock and she was sure those women were probably at their wits end looking for her. They can look all night but she’s not coming back anytime soon. Rather than waste saliva on those plastic friends, she better sort out her life and rectify her bad habits as soon as she gets off the island. Before things careened into another unwanted direction. 

A good hour passed and still counting while she thought of the blunders she made in her last life, occasionally, mosquitoes would come to sip on her. Oblivious to the growing commotion on the luau, Sena mentally listed out the crucial events starting from the day of the wedding to use them as guide to avoid major disasters causing a dull ache to spread in her chest. 

Screaming and raving like a lunatic during the wedding banquet. Big sis’s sad eyes when she looked at her… it was supposed to be the happiest day of her life yet she made her cry. Linda had such a patient nature, she had always been warm and loving towards her but she failed her. She was going to cry, Sena realized in horror! She needed to calm down. 

“Little sister, you have a grudge on the ocean or something?” the newcomer said from right behind her. 

“I'm thinking how cold the water is,” she told him sourly. “Would big brother like to try?”

Sena was startled by his approach. He came out of nowhere scaring the daylights out of her so she did not bother to control her tone. 

Oh, she’s mad.

“Did I scare you?”

Sena scoffed. She could tell from his playful tone that he was old enough to know better but did not offer an apology so she refused to give him the courtesy of a glance. “You should refrain from invading people’s private moments.” With a yank of her left hand, she pulled the hair being tossed by the wind; then rigidly chose to face the darkness ahead instead of the person near her. A clear indication that she does not welcome his company. 

“I’d hardly call this side of the island private.” The crunch of sand under slipper soles made her aler all of a sudden. She froze, thinking wildly that the beachside isn’t a particularly safe place to meditate at this hour of the night. 

The sound continues. 

Though she couldn’t see him, she could sense a pair of strong gaze locked on her from the shadows. By slow degrees, she turned her head until she could see the figure standing against the light from the party. It was a tall man. A lean one at that. 

My God, he’s about big brother Leo’s height!

“Do you need anything?” the prickly tone rushed out as if to make amends to her timidity a while ago and from the fact that she was scared to death by this unwelcome stranger. 

Of all things, Sena hated being startled. The feeling of someone sneaking up behind her made her so vulnerable and annoyed. The stranger was unfazed. Ignoring her acidic voice he got himself comfortable beside her. 

Sena knitted her eyebrows, what's his deal? 

“If you have plans of shaking me,” she said spreading her hands, “better get on with it. I don’t have all night. Gotta be honest though, I don’t have a single cent in my pocket right now.”

The man laughed in a short amused voice. “Sounds dire. Don’t worry I don’t want your money. I’m not suspicious either.” 

Great, he's not a robber. Her sight returned to the sea wondering how to get her quiet uneventful night back after calming her rioting heart from the strangers approach.

“Is… something wrong?” 

Wah, he’s still talking to me. 

Sena did not care whether she sounded perfunctory, “Being unnecessarily disturb by someone at your leisure could put a damper on your day.” 

He muttered a brief apology and she thought he was going to follow through it but seconds passed... He really should start moving by now. Sena fervently hopes he takes the cue and just leaves her be. 

“Isn’t your idea of leisure kind of different?”

What's wrong with having a staring contest with the ocean? 

“I don’t remember asking for a brat’s opinion.” Sena snorted and raised her vigilance once again.

There’s got to be a catch when someone just walks up and talks to you.  

He did not budge despite the sour attitude she gave, instead, he maintained that wide bright smile like a bouncing ball of sunshine. Amazing how her rudeness did not get to him. She was positively complimenting his guts when he suddenly said something that made her fur stand at the ends.

“Whatever it is you’re planning. Don’t do it,” he said in a deep baritone she did not expect him to have. 

Excuse me?  

“Do what?” Honest to heaven the words left her out blank.

“Swimming. You know it’s pretty dark out here, and there may be sharks and—”

Guessing what he was trying to imply, Sena had the sudden urge to roar in laughter. “You— were expecting I would jump in the water and drown myself?” 

He raised an eyebrow, “Aren't you?”

She smothered a horrified laugh. “Too many weirdos nowadays… I get to meet you tonight.” 

“Well,” he shrugged nonchalantly. 

Sena scooted away yelling, “To put it plainly, you thought I’m going to kill myself?”

Brother, is your head okay?

The person seemed to freeze when she hit the mark accurately. 

Sena shot him an irritated look, “Tell me, did you lose in some sort of a bet and the punishment is that you have to talk to me?”

He shook his head, his voice solemn, “There was nothing like that. Believe me.”

She watched him with sharp vigilant eyes. The wind blew hard picking up the sand making it a bit painful on the skin. Sena pulled on her shawl. 

“Why come here?”

“Because you were out here looking like that. It’s kind of hard to ignore the sights of someone sitting by the sea so seriously at this hour.” 

Sena fought the overwhelming impulse to shiver. This weirdo, why does his honesty feel so disconcerting? 

Was it because she did not expect to hear such genuine concern from a total stranger? Sena’s twisted sense of humor sprang out of nowhere. For a moment there was a flash of weird premonition that he might just suddenly pull out the holy scripture and begin to talk about the gospel and the beauty of life with her. 

I can understand why emotionally vulnerable people suddenly end up turning to religion. But brother, could you please spare me?!

Sena didn’t know what to make of his wild conjecture. Did she look really that miserable to the point that a random passerby would suddenly pop up and give her a review about life? 

Should she cry or laugh first? 

He approached her out of nowhere having this thought that she might end her brand new life. For some reason, Sena suddenly found the person’s behaviour amusing. 

“Thank you for your concern, however, the thought never crossed my mind.”

“Never?”

“I’m torn whether I should be happy about your concern or just smack you straight make a run for it.”

“I’d like the former,” he said, tilting his head on the side. 

Sena had to stop herself from giving him a smack, “See that path over there? Follow that, then turn left, you may go now.”

“You don’t want me here?” He sounded wounded. 

Why would I even want you here? She should call the police and let them pack him. He’s weird! 

“I dislike being disturbed when I’m in the middle of thinking—”

“You told me earlier.” 

“— especially by someone who just saw me as suicidal!”

“I apologize, that was my mistake.” The man had the audacity to laugh. But she had to admit, the situation wasn’t nearly as annoying as she expected. Okay, laugh all you want.

“Little sister, you’re bad-tempered.”

“I’m aware of the flaw.” Sena replied dryly. 

“I should have brought beers, maybe I could have helped cool your head.”

“My head’s cool enough, thank you very much. That's the whole point of my sitting out here.” She mustered the meanest dead-eye look she could give and flashed it at him. But the person’s will seems to be made of the hardest alloy it wouldn't even bend. She gritted her teeth in defeat. 

“Scoot. I’d love to have my peace and quiet now.” 

“Don’t be stingy, I came because I’m curious. Don’t worry I’m not going to pester you unless you want me to. I’ll sit right here.”

Oh Lord, he’s not convinced she is not going to commit suicide, is he? Which benevolent group did this big-hearted person come from? Put him in a box and ship him out now!  

Turning, Sena discovered that his expression did not fluctuate much which made her suddenly feel like an idiot for all that fuss in her head. She gave up, maybe it’s not her but him. Who knows if he’s the one who badly needs someone to talk to.

Awkwardly she asked, “You really thought I’d jump out there fully clothed?”

“Well, you have been glaring at it as if giving it a serious thought. It could be dangerous.” 

Pitch black waves lapping at the shores looked eerily disturbing to her, she would never think of even dipping a toe in it.

“I’m not killing myself. Happy?” 

He smiled lightly making Sena bristled inwardly.   

I really won’t but maybe you will. 

For some reason, goosebumps spread on her skin. She had heard stories like this before; a stranger comes up to talk a person out of their loneliness, gives sound advice but in the end it turns out that it was them who eventually ends up taking their own lives. 

Shock! He’s not suicidal, is he? 

“The beach is especially beautiful in the morning,” he said, suddenly making her flinch. “it will be bad if a dead body rolls out of nowhere don’t you think?”

“Yeah…”

“You wouldn’t look too pretty if you chose drowning.” He added quietly. 

Sena felt her blood rush downwards. It only took a few short sentences for her growing sympathy to drain away. Well, he is not suicidal. He is abnormal! 

“I take back what I said, I’ll drown you instead!”  

He chuckled while she fumed, “I’m not a brat or a kid, I have a name and it’s Nikki.”

“Should that make me feel okay?” People with hidden motives don’t easily give their names but he said it like he was casually giving off flyers. 

“It’s short.”

“As in Nikki for Nicholas?”

“Sadly.” He said in a way that is nowhere near sad. 

A few minutes of silence passed. The two of them kept on their positions just listening to the waves and crickets while feeling the warm sand below. Above the silken black sky twinkling with stars is unobstructed with the absence of city lights and smog. 

The silence continued. 

Isn't it the perfect time for him to start enlightening her about life? Where is it? Sena couldn't help but snicker. The corners of Nikki’s mouth were turned up knowing that she is currently thinking of something very rude. 

“Don’t stay out here for too long,” he said simply. 

“What are you some kind of a beach patrol?”

A row of pearly teeth flashed in the dark when he smiled, “Take a guess.”

From the faint flicker of lights, Sena could only vaguely see his face. It was hard to tell whether he looks young or mature aside from his voice and silhouette but she guessed someone in his mid-thirties wouldn’t be wearing ripped jeans and a tank top as he does.

“Take a guess, what’s my job?” He asked again.

Representation of goodness on earth? Serial killer?

“I don’t know… stripper.” She said in the end without batting an eyelid. 

A smile lit up his eyes. Like a light from a passing comet. It flashed so fast and disappeared quickly. “Ugh, you're horrible,” she heard him murmur in a helpless voice. 

Sena’s face flushed. 

“Want me to guess yours?” He asked in return then acted buried in deep thought. 

She waited. 

All of sudden he perked up. “Lawyer.”

It’s a shame he sounded enthusiastic but Sena has no intention of letting the conversation drag on. She shrugged and said, “Sure. How can you tell?”

“The attitude.” Nicholas wasn’t buying her bullshit.

“That’s mean.” She told him while shaking her head.

“High school student.”

“Hate to inform you but I already finished college at eighteen. By the way, I’m old enough not to be called a little sister by you.” 

His eyes narrowed, then it seemed to twinkle with mischief. 

“Is that so?” the words rolled out his tongue smoothly. 

“Don’t you have anything more fun to do than loiter around here? You seem to be popular over there.” Sena thumbed the direction of the luau party not far from them. 

A group of people, mostly women, waved at Nicholas. After gracing them with a wave he fixed his gaze back at her. The light coming from the artificial torch lamps stung her eyes but not as intensely as the way he stared at her. Sena looked away quickly.

“It’s starting to get lively. I’m not really up for that now,” he said in a low weary tone.

“Some party pooper you are, huh? Guess you gave them joy by walking away.”

She did not see his reaction but he doesn’t seem to be mad either. “I’m also a little tired so bear with me for a tiny bit, okay?”

Dude it's been an hour now. What tiny bit?

“Aren’t you supposed to be taking a break in your hotel room or something?” or somewhere far far away from here, she grumbled inwardly.  

He shot a smile, “Nah, let me stay here.”

Sena snorted inwardly. After a fruitless hour of staring at the dark ocean and digging her toes aimlessly to the sand, a stranger came to break the tepid atmosphere. Too bad he’s a little broken in the head. Her first impression of him was his velvety voice and the darkness wrapping around him. A silhouette of dark hair, dark eyes, dark skin, dark everything. 

The second impression was his stance. Nikki appeared wearing a welcoming smile and a bit of mystery with him. He walked in a lax sinuous manner of a man who had all the time in the world. Noting from the way he carried himself, it didn’t matter if he only wore a plain tank top, tied his shaggy hair in a rubber band or wore tattered jeans, people came to him in droves. Despite his casual clothing, he moved with a certain grace. 

Nicholas picked a pebble and flicked it over his fingers. Another round of silence passed with just him playing with a pebble and her making a little mound on the sand chalking up all her annoyance to it. Nicholas was about to stand up and stretch his legs a little when Sena stopped and turned to him. 

“You’re leav—” she stopped herself in time, “I mean bye.” 

Seeing him getting ready to go back she strangely felt a bit lonesome. She enjoyed just sitting here facing him while she roasted him in her head. Nicholas, on the other hand, noted her reaction. He put his butt back down and dawdled.  

“It appears you grew fond of my company.” He turned his head to her when he spoke. 

The intensity of Nicholas’ gaze was as unnerving as his size. She hastily took her eyes back. 

“Are you usually rude to strangers or is it only to me?” 

“Oh, I’m a very nice person.” she lied with a straight face. “Quite an outstanding one if I do say so myself.” 

He cracked into helpless laughter before throwing her a suspicious look.

Sena bit her tongue, “It’s natural.” 

“So the stress turns you into an antisocial?”

Tilting her head to the side she said, “No, I’m usually like...” The words hang on her mouth as she gets distracted with the pebble dancing over his fingers. “Did you expect me to say I’m a sweet nice lady? Even if I want to, my conscience would hurt. Besides, my livelihood depends on honesty.”

Nicholas put an elbow to his knees, “What kind of brutal job is that?” 

“The kind where I have to tell people what they usually do not want to hear in order to get everything done. You know how that goes when you’re working as a go-between. One cannot be a cherub with a plump butt when aiming for the top.”

“So you can only be someone with two pointy horns poking out? Your job sounds exciting.”

“It is, especially when the client gets so pissed and drives you out the door with a broom.” 

Nicholas laughed until he folded on his stomach. “Sucks to be a hardworking adult. Looks like you've been in a lot of trouble before.”

“Don’t we all? In my case, it’s as normal as my coffee. I like my job because it lets me be me. Not other people’s ideal.”

Well, she is right. Hard to stay true to oneself when you’re loaded with all those expectations. Sena agreed with him a hundred percent. 

“It’s like trying to fit a 9 inches male foot to a baked bean can.”

“Baked-beans can? What kind of people do you surround yourself with?”

Her eyes softened as she stared into the endless dark sea and her voice had a hint of a smile when she spoke, “Lovely people. Very lovely people.”

Nicholas raised an eyebrow, “Others?” 

“Typical.” 

“Like how typical?”

“The kind that unnecessarily fits you into the good guy type but gets disappointed once you show your true colours.”

He nodded in agreement, “We’re all loyal to our ideals but only until the fantasy shatters.”

She looked so wound up, but he very much liked how the girl thinks. The kind who can separate two things is those who keep a reality check. 

“Just stay true to those who love you. Others, don’t bother with them. You’re a good girl right?”

Her skin prickled. “You really just run your mouth however you please. Now you're even flattering me.”

Nicholas patted his knee and gave her another long stare. 

“Did that come out too obvious? I was thinking of a nice pick-up line though.” 

Sena did a double-take. That sounded strange, was she just hearing things? 

The guy just came out of nowhere because he thought she was having a hard time and then she thought he was the one having a hard time. Then she had some suspicion that this might be a trap but then she was clear of those witches' methods. They want her to ruin the wedding at the same time they do not want it to be too obvious on steering her. So this guy is… 

“I get it, you’re trying to cheer me up.” She chirped, finally giving herself the privilege of genuine relief. 

He’s really just some random passerby. 

“No. I’m picking you up.” He told her bluntly it almost made her choke on a spit.

Now she was certain he had no involvement with those people.

“Cheeky brat, does that usually work for you?”

Nicholas was smiling boyishly once again, this time he boldly captured her eyes, “Gotta be honest, I’ve never tried to pick anyone up. Just you.”

“In case you’re drunk or blinded, whichever. I’m a stranger.”

Wait, that's wrong. He is also a stranger!  

He just shrugged it off. “I’m not picky.”