Ocean Kisses

Heart of the Sea

keralis pov

After that unforgettable night, we packed up the campsite, rolling up sleeping bags and stowing away the last of the gear. The early morning mist hung in the air, making everything feel quieter, almost surreal. I couldn't help but reflect on how strange it all was—how calm things had become, despite the chaos that sometimes surrounded us.

But as we were busy loading everything back onto the boat, I noticed something... or rather, someone, was missing.

XB had vanished. One moment, he was there, chatting with Beef and joking around with us by the fire, and the next—poof—gone. I figured he just wanted some space, but still, it was odd.

As I was hoisting the last of the heavy bags into the boat, I felt a sudden presence behind me. Before I could even process what was happening, something soft and warm was tied around my neck with a gentle but firm tug. My heart leapt into my throat, and a yelp escaped me before I could stop it.

I whipped around, half expecting to be face-to-face with some sea monster, but instead, I found XB standing there, looking perfectly unbothered as usual. His expression was a mix of amusement and subtle embarrassment, though he tried to hide it.

I may have screamed, okay? I really don’t know. My brain couldn’t catch up with my reflexes, and when I saw the way Xisuma and Beef were snickering, I was pretty sure they heard it too. Maybe it wasn’t a full-on scream, but it felt like one in the moment.

“What the hell, XB?” I gasped, clutching my chest as I tried to catch my breath. “You scared me half to death!”

He only raised an eyebrow, glancing at the object he’d tied around my neck—a simple but beautiful necklace with a small charm, shimmering faintly. It was... not what I expected, to say the least.

“I thought you might like it,” he said, his voice soft but steady. “A little token to remember our time here.” His hands dropped to his sides, and I could see the faintest flush creeping up his neck. He was trying to act cool, but the way he avoided eye contact gave him away.

Xisuma and Beef were still trying—and failing—not to laugh.

“You know,” I said, attempting to regain some of my composure and break the awkward silence, “you could have at least warned me before tying something around my neck. I almost lost a year off my life!”

Beef, ever the instigator, leaned over and smirked. “We should’ve gotten it on video. That scream was legendary.”

XB’s gaze flickered over to him briefly, a small flash of annoyance crossing his face. “It wasn’t that bad,” he muttered, though I could tell he was fighting a grin.

“Honestly, though,” I said, regaining my composure, “I appreciate it. It’s really thoughtful. You’re not so bad for a mysterious water guy.”

He rolled his eyes but the corners of his mouth tugged up just a little, and for a brief moment, I could tell that he was happy I didn’t completely freak out. “You’re welcome. Don’t lose it, though,” he added, his tone now more serious. “It’s important.”

I nodded, inspecting the charm again. The subtle glow still lingered, and I couldn’t help but wonder if there was something more to it than just a simple gift.

As we finished up the last of the packing, I caught XB’s eye one more time, and for a brief second, he looked... almost wistful. Like there was something he wanted to say but couldn’t.

Before I could ask, he was already walking back toward the water, the faint hum of the ocean following him like a shadow.

“So, when do we get to see you again?” I called after him, but he didn’t answer, slipping into the water with the grace of someone who truly belonged there.

And just like that, he was gone.

As we made our way back to the mainland, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. The boat hummed steadily beneath us, the rhythmic sound of the engine creating a comforting backdrop to the otherwise quiet ride. But my mind kept drifting back to that strange moment before we left the island—the unexpected gift from XB.

I had been absently fiddling with the necklace as I sat on the boat, the smooth blue gem glinting in the sunlight. It was odd. I had no idea what it was made from, but the warmth of the gem seemed to grow the longer I held it, like it had some kind of life of its own. The seashells that held it together looked fragile at first glance, but they were surprisingly sturdy, almost as though they were woven by an expert hand—yet there was no sign of knots or rope. It was a strange craftsmanship that I couldn’t quite place, and I couldn't help but feel like there was some kind of meaning behind it.

The others were talking among themselves, laughing about the oddities of the trip, but I couldn’t help but feel distant. Every so often, I would glance over the side of the boat, and there he was—XB, swimming in the distance. He kept a careful distance from the propellers, clearly aware of the danger, but his movements were so fluid and effortless, like he was one with the water. No one else seemed to notice him, though. It was like he was only visible to me.

The way he glided through the water, his form shifting effortlessly between a humanoid shape and something closer to his natural fish-like state, only added to the mystery. What the hell are you, XB? I thought to myself again, my fingers still tracing the outline of the blue gem. It felt strange, like it had some purpose I couldn’t quite grasp.

I glanced up at the horizon, the distant shoreline slowly coming into view as we neared the mainland. The sun was beginning to dip lower in the sky, casting everything in a warm golden light. My thoughts wandered, but that nagging feeling about XB—who he was and why he had given me the necklace—refused to let me go.

The strangest part was that I felt like I should already know the answer, but something kept blocking it. Why did he save me back there in the water? Why was he so... interested? There had to be a reason. Maybe he wasn’t as aloof as he seemed, or maybe it was just my imagination running wild. But I couldn’t shake the sensation that there was more to him than just the mysterious swimmer who happened to save me.

“Hey, you good?” Xisuma's voice cut through my thoughts. I looked up to find him giving me a questioning look, his brow furrowed as if he was concerned.

“Yeah,” I replied, though it was half-hearted. “Just... thinking.”

“You’re not still freaked out about the whole scream thing, are you?” he teased lightly, though I could see a glimmer of genuine concern in his eyes. “You’re really jumpy for someone who’s usually so calm.”

I chuckled, though it didn’t quite reach my eyes. “No, I’m fine. Just... tired, I guess.”

He raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced, but let it slide. “Well, just make sure you’re all set for when we dock. I’ve got a feeling the moment we hit the shore, things are going to get busy again.”

I nodded absently, trying to focus on his words, but my mind kept drifting back to XB. He hadn’t surfaced since that brief moment when I caught him swimming alongside us, but I couldn’t shake the thought that he was still out there, watching. What did he want from me? Was he just being kind, or was there something more?

As the boat neared the dock, I could see the familiar stretch of land taking shape before us. The mainland, our return to normalcy. But even as we made our way closer, part of me couldn’t help but feel like this wasn’t over. Whatever connection I had with XB, whatever this necklace meant, I felt like it was only the beginning of something much bigger than I realized.