Could you fall in love with someone you never met, saw or spoke to? Sounds unlikely?
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Ella is an overworked college student whose only plan is to complete her degree swiftly & proficiently. Sounds simple en...
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CHAPTER 22: Regrets & Promises
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The soft weathered grains of sand under her bare feet, the constant sound of crashing waves, the chill from the ocean, the briny humid air, the seemingly endless horizon all of it worked together to make her realise she was at the beach after a very long time, but somehow she couldn't appreciate it like she usually would.
The night was young and Ella was with her friends and also with quite a few dozens of people, essentially strangers and some of them she saw in passing at the college campus, they hung around talking, playing games and dancing to a tune that sounded old but upbeat while a huge bonfire crackled and flared creating a festive atmosphere. It was the night of Halloween and some people had taken the liberty to dress up while most college-goers showed up just to drink and have fun.
She subtly distanced herself from the crowd and sat neither too far, nor too close to the warmth of the fire, staring into the sparks against the backdrop of the deep dark sea as the flames reflected in her dark eyes. She didn't bother dressing up either, but despite her reluctance, she wasn't left behind like she wanted to be.
Nora, Jay and Daniel had urged her to join them and socialise, play games and 'have fun' in the most cliched form, but after her constant denial, they eventually gave up and left her to her devices. They drove forty-five minutes to get to this party and they were keen to take full advantage of the night, Ella didn't fault that.
They were at someone's beach property, and a very typical college party scene surrounded her. It was wild, the background music of waves was competing with the songs that played on the music system. Loud laughter and chatter of too many people talking at once, some yelling could be heard over it all and was still drowned out by nature every time a new wave crashed.
She doesn't normally revert to such retreats, her usual refuge was the silence and the comforting smell of books at the library, but she couldn't go there, not when she was trying to run from it. It's been five days now, and there was still no reply.
She was angry at first, when she didn't find an answer, her own mind produced it for her. Maybe he knew her all along and lied about it. Later her thoughts changed trajectory and she worried if he had decided not to write back at all.
She found herself overthinking about it a little too much and so she allowed her friends to drag her here. She needed an escape, even if escape came in cheap glass bottles labelled with brewery stickers.
Apparently, she wasn't the only pensive one at the party, Daniel joined her and drank from his own bottle and together the pair sat there despondently.
"What's wrong?" Ella asked, turning to her friend.
Daniel wallowed, staring at the base of his bottle as he relegated his mental weight with her, "All the cute guys at this party are straight."
