Ayan's dream has always been to be a songwriter and singer, but he was forced to take over as the CEO of his mother's record company when she passed away. Now Ayan's dream had been reduced to singing in a bar a few times a week under the name Ray. A...
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SAND
Thua and Khan came back looking upset, hand in hand. I looked behind them but no one else was there. Boston and Nick also looked up when I asked, "where's Aye?"
"He'll be here in a bit, he just needs a few minutes alone," Khan assured me.
Nick and I looked at each other, wondering what happened but the pair wasn't saying anything. They just sat down and picked up their unfinished drinks. The only sign of turmoil is Thua's hand slightly trembling in Khan's tight grasp.
Boston sensing the new tension initiated a conversation, driving away the heavy atmosphere. Nick had joined in but I remained quiet, waiting for Aye to come back. I looked at my watch and it's been more than half an hour. Standing up, I started in the direction of the beach where the friends went before.
"Where are you going?" Nick asked curiously.
"I'm going to check on Aye. It's been over 30 mins but he's not back," I told Nick, leaving even before anyone could respond.
It was a bit dark, there's a few solar torches scattered in the area so I could still see my way around but Ayan was nowhere to be found. Where is he?
Looking around again, slowly this time, a lump on the sand caught my eye. Ayan. He is curled up in a ball in the sand. His light yellow shirt is almost invisible as the color's very close to the sands and the torch lights color. Running in fright, I picked him up and placed him in my lap.
"Aye! What's wrong? Are you alright? Are you hurt?" I asked him urgently. I should have looked for him right away when he wasn't following Khan and Thua.
Shaking his head, as violent sobs wracked his body. He wasn't able to say anything. I just held him close, trying to get off as much of the sand on his body as possible. Comforting him with my soft voice, telling him I am here and everything will be alright. More than half an hour must have passed as we stayed in that position. He had stopped sobbing loudly but tears were still falling. My shirt is now soaked completely where he had burrowed himself in my neck like he usually does and I held him tightly, trying to make him feel my warmth.
It must have been an hour later when he finally spoke, in a gravelly voice.
"Sand, I'm sorry. I ruined your shirt," he murmurs.
"It'll dry Aye. Are you feeling better?" I asked, my hand gently stroking his back.
"I am now. Thank you," he sniffles.
"Do you want to tell me what happened?" I inquired.
Shaking his head, "I'm not ready yet."
"Okay.. you can tell me anytime you are. Is this about that ex who looked like me?" I prodded gently, because I couldn't help the curiosity. There was a reason Ayan had resisted me so passionately at the beginning and this could be connected to the reason.
