The Inside Diaries

Bioluminescent

"Are we there yet?" Melanija called out, panting as she reached for yet another boulder. Good Lord. They'd been on this trek for an hour, maybe two tops, but between the sauntering swelter of midafternoon heat and the items packed upon her back, it felt like forever. The peach-apricot sunset had been witnessed by them both sometime ago, and now, there was indigo darkness in its stead.

"Almost!" Fernando responded, having strode ahead to scope out the landscape.

Tell me we're not lost.

To her relief, he stretched out an arm, waving her closer. "We're here!"

Rounding the bend, she gasped. A small semicircle spherical tent, surrounded on all sides and above with cozy, glowing tealights. And just ahead, a view of the water, a rich cobalt, plus remnants of the sunset in the furthest reaches of the horizon. "It's beautiful!"

Unpacking her items, they settled in, as Fernando proceeded to make them both dinner. Burgers, Swiss cheese, pickles, and home fries. Meat sizzled, crisping upon a hot plate's pan, the cheese stretching across its circumference, enticingly so, and the fries, creating a mouth-watering aroma. Soon enough, their meal was prepared; they munched contentedly beneath the tea lights as they gazed across at the rippling waves, a fresh breeze of plumeria and hibiscus inveigling their senses.

"Oh Fernando," the writer sighed blissfully. "You sure know how to surprise a woman—"

"Speaking of which—" he rose and she did the same, a quizzical expression upon her visage. "There's another thing you should see."

"Oh?" Melanija drew closer, her lips brushing against his. "And what's that?"

He fell away from her touch as she pouted just the faintest bit. "Follow me and find out!"

Interesting...

His direction took them upon a slow-winded descent marked by intricately cut paper lanterns, each more ornate than the next. "Fernando," she breathed, her hand drifting toward his. "Did you make those?"

"One of my many skills," he answered with a sweet smile. "Like it?"

"Love it."

And in time, they found themselves amid a rocky ledge of water, sand lapping at their feet. Melanija barely dared to move—or breathe—for fear clumsiness would overtake her, causing her to fall into the cool depths below—

"Where are we?" she couldn't help but ask as Fernando lightly chuckled.

"This," he dove a hand through the murky water, which now glowed an eerie, ethereal blue, "is Bioluminescent Bay."

"Wow—how—"

"Phytoplankton," he answered. "Isn't science trippy?"

She nodded rather than answer aloud, so transfixed was she at the now blossoming clouds of electric blue.

"Now you try," he stepped back.

"How—?"

"Put your hand in the water—like this—" he demonstrated as she peered at him warily.

"Aren't there piranhas?" the writer asked. "And what about sharks?"

"Mel. You know as well as I there aren't. Definitely not in these parts. Run by humans. Checked regularly."

Oh. Right. She blushed in the glimmers. "Just...uh...checking." Without further ado, she dipped two fingers in, creating an infinity symbol in the water, which glowed mere milliseconds later, tracing the very pattern. "Wow..." she whispered. "It's—it's—" she was momentarily lost for words.

"Amazing?"

She slipped her hand into his. "Yeah. Definitely amazing." Ensuring they were on solid ground moments later, the writer leaned over and kissed him. "Best date ever," she whispered in his ear. After twenty-odd minutes of this, they headed back to their tent, situated on higher elevation.

"Sorry," Melanija remarked after they'd made themselves at home within said tarp.

"For what?" Fernando inquired, gently brushing a tendril from her visage.

"Sorry for being a pain," clarified she. "A ton of remote writing projects, dealing with Catticus, the flooring craziness, making sure Marcella's cared for, Tory too, house-sitting, and not...well...not facing my feelings. Trying to run away from them—not knowing my limits—doing too much. And sometimes," she reflected aloud, "feeling like I don't do nearly enough. Hurting you—us—in the process—"

"Mel—breathe," he spoke gently but firmly as she felt that familiar jolt, that delicious frisson of chemistry that had always been between them but here, even more so. "I think, sometimes, you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. And you don't have to. Not with me here."

She tilted her head, eyes fixed upon his own, as she absorbed his words. "I don't?"

"What else are boyfriends for?"

"Oh," she stated, attempting to play things cool, "is that where we're at?" Boyfriend. Girlfriend.

"Only if you want to be?" This, followed a raise of his eyebrow, a hint of a smile upon his lips.

"I think..." Melanija spoke slowly, "I'd like that very much...boyfriend."

"Ok...girlfriend..." he reached for her hand, lifting it to his lips for a gentle kiss.

Here's to new beginnings.

Here's to us.