The beach was deserted as Nina walked along its edge aimlessly. In the
dimming light of dusk, she could barely make out the outline of the
small cottage from which she came. Grains of sand scratched the soles of
her bare feet. Looking up at the sky, she took notice of the seemingly
synchronized twinkling of the stars. Slowly, she lowered herself to
the sand and breathed in the salty smell of the sea breeze.
"All alone?", a voice broke her reverie.
Nina turned her gaze toward the voice. The darkness wouldn't let her see the face of the intruder. She can only see the silhouette of broad shoulders and a tall, lean and perfectly sculpted body.
"As you can see, I am.", she replied.
"Mind if I join you here?". the man asked again.
"As you please, sir." Nina retorted.
The man sat a few paces away, both of them facing the open sea. The man picked a few pebbles and threw each one in the water. As the small pebbles hit the water one by one, she could hear the soft splash and swish. The early evening dark that wrapped her whole being may have sharpened her sense of hearing, she thought to herself. In her mind, she imagined the small circles and ripples that followed after the pebbles fell.
Oh well, so much like how life always went, Nina mentally argued. Nothing happens in life that doesn't create any impact on any other thing. It seems that everything is so intertwined. When something touches another, that certain touch leads on to another until the domino effect has spread so far out.....
Couldn't it be possible that what one does at a single instance be isolated from everything else? Couldn't it be possible that one person can be isolated from the rest of the world? Couldn't it be possible that.....
Unconsciously, Nina drew a deep breath.
The moon has now slowly crept up the sky. Moonlight washed away the darkness of the night and replaced it with a soft glow. The cottages more than a hundred meters away are now awash with light. But in this little sanctuary she found, she is totally engulfed in the breathtaking beauty of this moonlight-washed beach.
She drew a deep breath again.
"Are you even aware that there's a ghost right beside you?", a voice broke her reverie.
"Oh, you're still there?", was her surprised reply. She wasn't really paying attention to the man beside her. Completely lost in her thoughts, she didn't even think she had company.
"I'm sorry. You might think I am a bit inhuman." Nina stated in a jest.
"Hmmm, I was sort of indignant," the man retorted in the same manner, "that a woman could ignore my presence like I was just a phantom."
Nina softly chuckled at the statement. It was true. She wasn't aware of the phantom beside her.
"Do you happen to be a visitor on vacation, or are you a local?" asked the man.
"Visitor ... gone from here in a week.", was Nina's reply.
"Oh, coincidence ... I will also be gone from here in a week." the man said. The tone gave the hint that her intruder was finding the situation funny. Well, she found it funny as well.
"Do you happen to have a name?" , asked the man again.
She laughed at the question. She found the situation funny. They have been sitting here for hours and they didn't know each other's names, for God's sake!
Laughingly, she said," Of course, I do! As I am sure you have, too."
"Matt... short for Matthew."
"Nina ... well, just Nina. My parents were a bit stingy with letters, aren't they? I am just glad they didn't stop at Ni."
At that statement, Matt laughed out loud. "You've got sense of humor, do you know that?"
"Sense of horror, more so," Nina laughingly replied. "When I open my mouth to speak, people break into laughter and it leaves me thinking what's funny --- my statement or my face."
Matt laughed out loud again. This time, harder.
"I haven't laughed this loud in a long time, you know"
"Oh?" Nina couldn't believe it.
"Long story ... I'd probably bore you to death if I told you.", said Matt.
"Try me. You risk making me bored, but I as hell am sure you wouldn't leave me dead with your life story. Unless of course you do the story-telling while strangling me." , again, this statement made Matt laugh.
"You're an incredible woman, you know that?"
"Really? Just because I make you laugh?" Nina looked Matt's way in an unbelieving manner. "You don't have to flatter me, 'y know. No on'e called me incredible before."
"Then, now you know that you are.", Matt softly said.
"Oh, my mother told me never to believe the moonlight when it speaks... I never thought that the moonlight does speak until tonight.", Nina stated, at the brink of laughing out loud.
"You think I am flattering you?", asked Matt.
"Aye, aye sir!"
A roar of hearty laughter was Matt's reply. "You certainly know how to tickle my funny bone, Nina!"
"I do?", Nina retorted, feigning innocence. The mischievous glint in her eyes gave her away, however. Before she could stop herself, she broke into a peal of laughter herself.
The deserted moonlit beach came alive with their joined laughter. Their carefree banter made them feel at ease with each other's company. It's incredible for people who met for the first time to feel like they have known each other all their lives.
Suddenly, a mobile phone rang. Both of them reached into their pockets.
It was her sister, Geneva, calling.
"Hey, Nina!", her sister's voice spoke through the phone's loudspeaker.
"Oh, hi Jenny! Why the call?" Nina asked her sister.
"Nothing, really.", her sister said. "Just wanted to ask if the place was great. Of all the luxurious destinations in the travel catalog, I couldn't imagine why you had chosen to wind-up at Buli Island."
"I love it here, dear sister." Nina retorted in defense. " I love the fact that isn't jam-packed with half-naked tourists lying on the beaches or worse, making out on the sand. It's just what I imagined a relaxing vacation island would be."
"And I love the fact that there's an enigmatic man beside me who has the potential to make my week-long vacation even more exciting and enjoyable." she silently added, half afraid she spoke the words out loud.
"Okey, take care, Nina. Enjoy your Buli Island stay. Will call you again from time to time. Take a lot of pictures... and take a man back with you. You're hardly a wide-eyed teen anymore, in case you have forgotten", her sister jokingly said before ending the call.
She almost choked at what her sister said. Of all the things Geneva could have mentioned when she called, why did it have to be at a time when this phantom of a man was sitting just a few feet away and heard everything her sister said?
She then slipped the phone back into her pocket. She glanced at where Matt was sitting and felt a bit uneasy to find him looking at her. She didn't usually cringe at the thought of a man looking at her. It's just that being a busy working girl hadn't given her enough time to practice her flirting skills... if there ever was such.
She self-consciously pretended to untangle her hair because she couldn't think of a word to say to break the uneasy silence. If Geneva were right beside her, she would very much love to put a tape on her mouth.
"So, have you found a man to take back home?", Matt's voice broke the uneasy silence, tone giving a hint that he is teasing her.
"Haven't had the time to do so... good thing you asked.", she replied in the same teasing manner, the determination in her eyes. " Now that we're at it, maybe you could be of help, mister Matt."
Both of them laughed at the silliness of the thought.
"Hey, woman, it's getting late... or haven't you noticed the chill?"
"Oh, I haven't taken notice time has slipped so fast. I enjoyed teasing you.", Nina said.
Matt's reply was a roar of laughter.
"Come on, Nina. Let's get going."
Matt helped her to her feet and they walked together to the resort. They passed by a few couples and small groups of vacationists on their way back to Nina's cottage.
"So, you're staying at Lagkaw Resort." Matt told her. "You made the perfect choice."
"Why, Matt?" Nina asked.
"Because it's not far from where I'm staying."
"Is that so?" Nina said disbelievingly, thinking everything too coincidental to be true.
"Yeah." was all Matt said, smiling at her.
She smiled back at her newly found acquaintance. He looks good. Not outrageously handsome, but he's certainly looking good. There's something enigmatic about him.
"Shall I be seeing you again, Nina?", asked Matt. "Before the week ends?"
"Couldn't tell... time will tell." Nina said with a smile. "I'd been here for less than a day and much has happened. A week takes much longer, doesn't it? With you staying somewhere near, the two of us meeting again in the coming days is not impossible, don't you think so?"
"You've got a point, lady." Matt's eyes twinkled as he talked. "Can I have your number?"
"You mean, 1-2-3?" Nina responded nonchalantly.
Matt frowned and was about to say something.
"Of course, I know what you mean, but not this time, Matt. If we meet again in the coming days, I'll tell you..." she smiled sweetly and walked to her cottage. She looked back at the door to see Matt looking at her, apparently up for the challenge. The look in his eyes told Nina she hasn't seen the last of Matt.
Nina opened the door of her cottage. The spacious living area of the bamboo and nipa cottage decorated with bamboo seats and decors was inviting. It radiated a welcoming ambiance. It invited her to place herself among the throw pillows scattered on the buri rug laid on the bamboo floor. The night breeze mixed with the unmistakable relaxing scent of the sea. She put on her earphones and chose her favorite song from her playlist. She closed her eyes as she allowed the music to take her to another time....
(Chapter 1 over)
"All alone?", a voice broke her reverie.
Nina turned her gaze toward the voice. The darkness wouldn't let her see the face of the intruder. She can only see the silhouette of broad shoulders and a tall, lean and perfectly sculpted body.
"As you can see, I am.", she replied.
"Mind if I join you here?". the man asked again.
"As you please, sir." Nina retorted.
The man sat a few paces away, both of them facing the open sea. The man picked a few pebbles and threw each one in the water. As the small pebbles hit the water one by one, she could hear the soft splash and swish. The early evening dark that wrapped her whole being may have sharpened her sense of hearing, she thought to herself. In her mind, she imagined the small circles and ripples that followed after the pebbles fell.
Oh well, so much like how life always went, Nina mentally argued. Nothing happens in life that doesn't create any impact on any other thing. It seems that everything is so intertwined. When something touches another, that certain touch leads on to another until the domino effect has spread so far out.....
Couldn't it be possible that what one does at a single instance be isolated from everything else? Couldn't it be possible that one person can be isolated from the rest of the world? Couldn't it be possible that.....
Unconsciously, Nina drew a deep breath.
The moon has now slowly crept up the sky. Moonlight washed away the darkness of the night and replaced it with a soft glow. The cottages more than a hundred meters away are now awash with light. But in this little sanctuary she found, she is totally engulfed in the breathtaking beauty of this moonlight-washed beach.
She drew a deep breath again.
"Are you even aware that there's a ghost right beside you?", a voice broke her reverie.
"Oh, you're still there?", was her surprised reply. She wasn't really paying attention to the man beside her. Completely lost in her thoughts, she didn't even think she had company.
"I'm sorry. You might think I am a bit inhuman." Nina stated in a jest.
"Hmmm, I was sort of indignant," the man retorted in the same manner, "that a woman could ignore my presence like I was just a phantom."
Nina softly chuckled at the statement. It was true. She wasn't aware of the phantom beside her.
"Do you happen to be a visitor on vacation, or are you a local?" asked the man.
"Visitor ... gone from here in a week.", was Nina's reply.
"Oh, coincidence ... I will also be gone from here in a week." the man said. The tone gave the hint that her intruder was finding the situation funny. Well, she found it funny as well.
"Do you happen to have a name?" , asked the man again.
She laughed at the question. She found the situation funny. They have been sitting here for hours and they didn't know each other's names, for God's sake!
Laughingly, she said," Of course, I do! As I am sure you have, too."
"Matt... short for Matthew."
"Nina ... well, just Nina. My parents were a bit stingy with letters, aren't they? I am just glad they didn't stop at Ni."
At that statement, Matt laughed out loud. "You've got sense of humor, do you know that?"
"Sense of horror, more so," Nina laughingly replied. "When I open my mouth to speak, people break into laughter and it leaves me thinking what's funny --- my statement or my face."
Matt laughed out loud again. This time, harder.
"I haven't laughed this loud in a long time, you know"
"Oh?" Nina couldn't believe it.
"Long story ... I'd probably bore you to death if I told you.", said Matt.
"Try me. You risk making me bored, but I as hell am sure you wouldn't leave me dead with your life story. Unless of course you do the story-telling while strangling me." , again, this statement made Matt laugh.
"You're an incredible woman, you know that?"
"Really? Just because I make you laugh?" Nina looked Matt's way in an unbelieving manner. "You don't have to flatter me, 'y know. No on'e called me incredible before."
"Then, now you know that you are.", Matt softly said.
"Oh, my mother told me never to believe the moonlight when it speaks... I never thought that the moonlight does speak until tonight.", Nina stated, at the brink of laughing out loud.
"You think I am flattering you?", asked Matt.
"Aye, aye sir!"
A roar of hearty laughter was Matt's reply. "You certainly know how to tickle my funny bone, Nina!"
"I do?", Nina retorted, feigning innocence. The mischievous glint in her eyes gave her away, however. Before she could stop herself, she broke into a peal of laughter herself.
The deserted moonlit beach came alive with their joined laughter. Their carefree banter made them feel at ease with each other's company. It's incredible for people who met for the first time to feel like they have known each other all their lives.
Suddenly, a mobile phone rang. Both of them reached into their pockets.
It was her sister, Geneva, calling.
"Hey, Nina!", her sister's voice spoke through the phone's loudspeaker.
"Oh, hi Jenny! Why the call?" Nina asked her sister.
"Nothing, really.", her sister said. "Just wanted to ask if the place was great. Of all the luxurious destinations in the travel catalog, I couldn't imagine why you had chosen to wind-up at Buli Island."
"I love it here, dear sister." Nina retorted in defense. " I love the fact that isn't jam-packed with half-naked tourists lying on the beaches or worse, making out on the sand. It's just what I imagined a relaxing vacation island would be."
"And I love the fact that there's an enigmatic man beside me who has the potential to make my week-long vacation even more exciting and enjoyable." she silently added, half afraid she spoke the words out loud.
"Okey, take care, Nina. Enjoy your Buli Island stay. Will call you again from time to time. Take a lot of pictures... and take a man back with you. You're hardly a wide-eyed teen anymore, in case you have forgotten", her sister jokingly said before ending the call.
She almost choked at what her sister said. Of all the things Geneva could have mentioned when she called, why did it have to be at a time when this phantom of a man was sitting just a few feet away and heard everything her sister said?
She then slipped the phone back into her pocket. She glanced at where Matt was sitting and felt a bit uneasy to find him looking at her. She didn't usually cringe at the thought of a man looking at her. It's just that being a busy working girl hadn't given her enough time to practice her flirting skills... if there ever was such.
She self-consciously pretended to untangle her hair because she couldn't think of a word to say to break the uneasy silence. If Geneva were right beside her, she would very much love to put a tape on her mouth.
"So, have you found a man to take back home?", Matt's voice broke the uneasy silence, tone giving a hint that he is teasing her.
"Haven't had the time to do so... good thing you asked.", she replied in the same teasing manner, the determination in her eyes. " Now that we're at it, maybe you could be of help, mister Matt."
Both of them laughed at the silliness of the thought.
"Hey, woman, it's getting late... or haven't you noticed the chill?"
"Oh, I haven't taken notice time has slipped so fast. I enjoyed teasing you.", Nina said.
Matt's reply was a roar of laughter.
"Come on, Nina. Let's get going."
Matt helped her to her feet and they walked together to the resort. They passed by a few couples and small groups of vacationists on their way back to Nina's cottage.
"So, you're staying at Lagkaw Resort." Matt told her. "You made the perfect choice."
"Why, Matt?" Nina asked.
"Because it's not far from where I'm staying."
"Is that so?" Nina said disbelievingly, thinking everything too coincidental to be true.
"Yeah." was all Matt said, smiling at her.
She smiled back at her newly found acquaintance. He looks good. Not outrageously handsome, but he's certainly looking good. There's something enigmatic about him.
"Shall I be seeing you again, Nina?", asked Matt. "Before the week ends?"
"Couldn't tell... time will tell." Nina said with a smile. "I'd been here for less than a day and much has happened. A week takes much longer, doesn't it? With you staying somewhere near, the two of us meeting again in the coming days is not impossible, don't you think so?"
"You've got a point, lady." Matt's eyes twinkled as he talked. "Can I have your number?"
"You mean, 1-2-3?" Nina responded nonchalantly.
Matt frowned and was about to say something.
"Of course, I know what you mean, but not this time, Matt. If we meet again in the coming days, I'll tell you..." she smiled sweetly and walked to her cottage. She looked back at the door to see Matt looking at her, apparently up for the challenge. The look in his eyes told Nina she hasn't seen the last of Matt.
Nina opened the door of her cottage. The spacious living area of the bamboo and nipa cottage decorated with bamboo seats and decors was inviting. It radiated a welcoming ambiance. It invited her to place herself among the throw pillows scattered on the buri rug laid on the bamboo floor. The night breeze mixed with the unmistakable relaxing scent of the sea. She put on her earphones and chose her favorite song from her playlist. She closed her eyes as she allowed the music to take her to another time....
(Chapter 1 over)
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