Melanie Ross, a hardworking and responsible young woman, has always been the pillar of strength for those around her. Growing up under the care of her mother's best friend after losing her parents, Melanie's life has been a constant battle between d...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
۫ ꣑ৎ Melanie
"She's not yours anymore. You're free," I reasoned with the situation, trying to lift Tristan's mood. But the conversation seems fruitless because he's not ready to move on from his ex and is sulking constantly.
"Mel is right, babe." Thankfully, Ava comes before I lose my sh*t. She slides two glasses of virgin mojitos our way and plops down on the booth across from us. "You gotta move on before I rip your head off your neck and declare you a ghost officially."
Tristan rolls his eyes but accepts the drink. "It's easier to say than done." He sighs and runs his hand through his honey-blonde locks. "Both of you have never tried a serious relationship." He pauses and turns to me with a grimace. "You never dated anyone. So how would you know the pain of breakup?" He hides his face in his palms and lets out a muffled groan.
I exchange a look with Ava and take a deep breath. Tristan keeps mumbling about his breakup and sadness, and we suffer another terrible episode. I sip my drink and zero my gaze on the window, watching the beautiful waves crashing against the shore.
The sun has dipped down the horizon in the late afternoon, leaving a gentle golden glow in its wake. The water shines under the golden illumination, creating a whimsical view for every tourist here. Bali is truly a fascinating place for a short vacation and to find inspiration for my new project.
I left the half-edited artwork and came to grab drinks with my friends. I thought a break would allow me to breathe and find some inspiration outside. But I was wrong.
"Come one, dude. You are giving me headaches now." Ava rubs her face and turns to me, waggling her brows.
I nod and turn to Tristan, plastering my most convincing smile. "We want to see you happy again. So please unwind yourself when we are here." I put my hand on his shoulder and smile when he doesn't push me away, like earlier. "Let's enjoy the trip."
He nods, sighing deeply. "I know you both care about me and I am sorry for ruining the time."
"Hey, it's okay." I smile to assure him. "You are in pain, and we are all ears to your thoughts," I say, and I mean it. No matter how tired we get, we care about our friend and will not leave his side. "So, relax, and allow yourself to enjoy your life."
"I second that." Ava huffs, but her lips curl in a grin. She leans down and lowers her voice. "I have a perfect plan for tonight." She pulls a folded piece of paper from her bag and drops it on the table. Tristan grabs it and unfolds the paper, and I peek at the colorful background. "They have a lantern event in an hour. It's a local belief that if you write down your wish on the lantern and fly it away, it will come true."
The glint in her olive eyes almost convinced me to believe it. "I am down for it." They turn to me; Ava's eyes glow even more, and Tristan only snorts. I shake my head and snatch the leaflet from his hands, reading it thoroughly. "I mean, even if we ignore the wish part, we can have a beautiful evening under a glowing sky. We shall never miss it."
