Ocean Eyes || Freminet

6

The next day, I found it. A message in a bottle, washed up on the shore. It was from Freminet. His handwriting was rushed, the words barely legible. But the message was clear.

Y/n, 

I wish I could have said goodbye properly. I wish I could have told you everything that I'm writing now. But time is a luxury I don't have.

I have to leave. Father has requested for me and my siblings to go on a mission at the Fortress. It's something we can't refuse. It's something I can't refuse. No one refuses Father. I don't even know when we will be back.

I know it's selfish, but I want you to continue to go into the ocean. Visit our favorite spot. 

I don't want you to be afraid anymore. And I don't want you to be sad. You're a starfish, Y/n, and the ocean loves you. So do I.

I don't know if this will make any sense to you. I'm not good with words. But I want you to know, wherever I am, whatever I'm doing, I'm thinking of you. You're the brightest star in the sky, and I will always be looking up.

Always.

Yours,

Freminet

My eyes welled up with tears as I reread the letter, the paper crinkled and faded. It had been a while since I'd seen Freminet's handwriting, and seeing it now brought back a rush of emotions.

I gazed out at the ocean, our ocean, and it seemed to look back at me. It was as if it knew, as if it understood the pain that was welling up inside me. The ocean had been a harsh mistress, first claiming my parents, and then taking Freminet away from me.

I surveyed the endless expanse of water before me, the sun emerging from the horizon, painting the sky with hues of purple and orange.

I knew what I had to do.

I rose to my feet, my eyes locked on the water, the sand shifting beneath my feet.

And without hesitation, I stepped forward.

I waded into the water, letting the waves lap at my ankles, the sea breeze gently tousling my hair.

The water was cold against my skin, but I didn't mind.

I could feel the currents pulling at me, trying to drag me under, but I held on, refusing to give in.

With each step, I ventured deeper into the water, the waves lapping against my waist, then my chest. The chill of the water seeped into my bones, but it was a welcome sensation, a reminder that I was alive.

The ocean roared in my ears, a symphony of crashing waves and whistling wind. But amidst the chaos, I found a strange sense of peace. 

I was no longer afraid.

I was no longer afraid of the ocean.

As the sun rose higher, casting long shadows on the water's surface, I took one last look at the shore. This was where my old life ended, and my new life began.

With a deep breath, I dove into the waves, surrendering myself to the ocean. The world around me became a blur of blue and white, but I wasn't afraid. I was home.

And so, I swam. I swam with all the strength I had, pushing against the currents, fighting my way through the waves.

I could almost hear Freminet's voice in the wind, whispering words of encouragement, his ocean-blue eyes urging me to keep going. 

So, as the summer days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, I found myself not just tolerating the ocean, but loving it. I fell in love with its vastness, its mystery, its beauty. I fell in love with the feeling of the water against my skin, the sound of the waves in my ears, the taste of salt on my lips.

And most importantly, I fell in love with the boy with the ocean-blue eyes, the boy who taught me to face my fears, to embrace the unknown, to find beauty in the most unexpected places. 

I could never bring myself to hate the ocean again. After all, it had given me so much. It had given me a sense of adventure, a love for the unknown, and a boy who taught me how to swim.

And maybe, just maybe, if I looked hard enough, I'd find him again.

In its endless expanse, I still see the reflection of his ocean eyes.