It was 8 pm, right after dinner...

L

Among us had gained popularity during the past few months and of course, Brett and Eddy being classical musicians meant that they caught up to the trend when it was already more or less old news for the rest of the world.

Brett really looked forward to the call/online game with all their friends and felt himself getting giddy with excitement.

"You sure look full of energy", Eddy remarked while they were setting up the cameras. One in the studio for Eddy and one filming Brett at the dining table. After all, they had to split up so the other's identity wouldn't be revealed.

"You bet! How long haven't we talked to Sophie or Shaun, you reckon?", Brett asked, placing the camera on top of the tripod.

"God, yeah! Must have been one of the piano videos we did like ages ago! And Shaun... Well, when we last went to the beach before we came to Singapore, remember?"
Brett thought back. "You mean, after we did that autotune thing for Twoset?"
"Yeah! Then we went for a couple of beers at the beach."

Brett did remember, but it was something he had been trying to forget.

----------

It was July, winter in Down Under and after a very productive shooting day with Producer Shaun, they decided to go to the beach to unwind, celebrate and bid each other goodbye before Eddy and Brett would fly to Singapore.

The beach wasn't frequently visited by neither of them during the cooler months, for surfing wasn't their thing for several reasons and normally, there would have been more suitable options like a bar or, if they really felt like partying, even a club.
But covid time wasn't normal for anyone and since everything else was on lockdown, they deemed it the best place for their little farewell party. So they packed a six pack of beer for each, food and even a little grill, courtesy of Shaun's parents, and made the half hour drive to the closest sandy shore.

"Ahh, that's the stuff!", Eddy said, as soon as his bare feet dug themselves into the sand. It was a bit too cold to take anything than their shoes off though. They found themselves a nice spot and opened the first cans of beer as soon as they'd sat down.

"So, you mates gonna stay for how long?", Shaun asked.
"We're not sure yet. Depends on the situation with the whole pandemic thing, you know", Brett said and took a large gulp from the cold, refreshing beer.
"Gonna miss you guys! It's always fun hangin' out with ya."
"Same!", Eddy said.

They fired up the grill and maybe had a few brews too many. It got a bit louder and funnier, when a couple of big, mostly blond surfer guys came over and asked if they could use the grill.

"'Course mate! The more the merrier!", Shaun answered and soon, they were eating, toasting beer and laughing with all of them.

There was also a guy named Jeff, about a head taller than Brett, with long, dark blond hair and beautiful blue eyes like the sea, who had taken a seat next to Brett. They talked about everything and nothing, like the rest of the group. Brett didn't notice the not so friendly glances Eddy threw at them from time to time.
At some point, Jeff asked him to come with for a little walk by the rocks and that's when he probably should have been a tad more careful.

But Brett said "Sure! Why not?" and went with. They strolled the two hundred meters to the massive rocks where the waves crashed loudly and glazed the stones in white foam.

"So you guys live around town?", Jeff asked and kicked a stone away with his bare foot.
"Yup, we're from Brissy. How 'bout you guys?"
"We're from Sydney actually. Came here to ride some surfes, catch some waves, the usual."
"Oh, I used to work in Sydney for a bit", Brett said and sat down on a rock nearby. They had passed through some kind of rocky natural tunnel and had ended up in a half open space with sandy ground and bigger sized stones splattered all over the place.
"Really? Shame I didn't meet you there", Jeff said and was suddenly very close.