Tearing Paper

Discovery

I’d write of beautiful sunrises,

Of the oranges and pinks,

While I sit beside the seashore,

Where the waves can smudge my ink,

Nate couldn’t take his eyes off of the book he stumbled upon.

Was this the book?

Was this the book Dianne was always carrying in the café, where she would endlessly write and write, until the sun set and she disappeared nowhere?

He ran his hand through the pages full of pencil writings. He then smiled as he found out that some of the pages were torn or crumpled.

Yep—this was definitely hers.

He moved a few pages back, where the text written sounded… happier.

When I saw you over there,

I didn’t mean to stare,

But my mind was everywhere,

I wanna know you.

A smile formed over his lips.

It might be the only stanza throughout the book that represented happiness.

“That’s personal.”

Nate quickly put the book back on the old table as he stood face to face with Dianne, who just entered the hut with a frown on her face.

“I’m sorry.”

“What are you doing?” Dianne practically pulled the book to her, like a child whose favorite toy had just got stolen.

“I-I’m sorry! I bought few things at the village when you were asleep and when I came back, I couldn’t find you. I was actually looking for utensils I could use to make us breakfast.”

“You cook?” The anger that previously consumed Dianne’s pale beauty seemed to drift off her eyes. Slowly, they began to laugh.

“A very simple toast, actually,” Nate scratched his unitchy hair.

“I was actually planning to take you to the tourists’ favorite restaurant, but maybe we can save that for lunch,” Dianne raised her eyebrows as her eyes looked over the plate of bread Nate had semi-prepared.

“Dinner,” Nate corrected, not knowing why his voice had turned lower. Also, pretty sure he was standing too close to Dianne.

She smelled like fresh morning.

Or maybe, like the ocean on one fresh morning.

He wasn’t sure—she had too many new colors that Nate could never find in any girl he had ever met.

She did not look as sad as her poems anymore. She even seemed to forget about everything that happened on their arrival day, when she found her hut empty. She didn’t even tell him who used to live there, and he never brought it up neither.

Was he overthinking?

Or was he really the reason behind her newborn smile?