THALASSOPHILE

Maisie sat all bye herself, strumming her guitar to a random tune that she hummed along with at the Rock. The Rock was a spot that overlooked the deep bluish green hued ocean water. The cool, fresh salty air and the frothy, foaming water never failed to put her mind at ease. It calmed her jittery nerves and left her feeling tranquil. But today, her mind wandered elsewhere and that made her fucking nervous. Her compulsive nature had always compelled her to organise her thoughts and keep herself collected. Her frazzled headspace made her anxious as hell.

The bright colourful quilt underneath her fluttered in the wind, the air hit her face like ice; it was bitterly cold. She hitched her cardigan closer and tried not to look at the ocean that stretched out in front of her. Every time her eyes focused on the aquamarine water in front of her, it reminded her of dancing blue eyes. The eyes she sought solace from, the eyes that were filled with immense love for her, the eyes she trusted. But soon, she saw the water crash against the rock, it reminded her of her faith being shattered, resembling the fallen water; the blue eyes that broke her.

The cold November air nipped her in the face as she struggled in the cold atmosphere. She heard the bushes rustle ever so softly behind her. No-one knew about this spot except her and.....Oh! Her eyes widened in realisation, turning behind to see a silhouette against the apricot-shaded evening sky. As he walked closer, she recognised the familiar ace, a face whom she had known for almost fifteen years. "Maisie," a deep voice bellowed, "Everyone is looking for you. They're worried sick. What is wrong with you!"

Sebastian Williams a.k.a her childhood best friend stood in front of her. She looked at him, her eyes travelling over his different, almost unrealistic appearance. He had grown taller, his arms more muscular and his shoulders broader. His ashy-brown still covered his head in a messy mop, with a few unruly tufts of hair falling on his forehead, framing his face. What had not changed were his eyes. Maisie had always secretly loved his chocolate coloured irises. People thought that brown eyes were pretty generic, but she thought they were fucking awesome. Whenever light shined on them, little golden flecks sparkled in the deep brown shade.It was like looking into pools of golden light, warm and comforting.

She didn't realise how awkwardly she was staring at him, until he cleared his throat and reiterated," Mae, is there something wrong?" he asked in a softer tone. When she still didn't respond, he let out an exasperated sigh. Raking his hands through his dark curls, he lowered himself down next to her. She could feel the heat emanating off of him, but his proximity made her shiver; not from the cold. The intoxicating scent of his cologne infiltrated her nostrils, as she breathed in deeply into it. She exhaled, he had called her Mae after so long.

Sebastian and her had stumbled across the Rock during one of their innumerable childhood adventures and had made it their spot. After a long, exhausting day, they would come here and vent out to each other. Some nights they would set up sleeping bags and watch the night sky. They would talk under the dark, velvety blanket, dotted with shimmering white lights. They would then stay awake till the break of dawn and then watch the glowing orange sun rise. They had been inseparable; two young people against the world.

Somehow, they gradually drifted apart after high school. They lived in the same city, but never got to meet for their schedules always contradicted. Their friendship soon died out, like once in every relationship. No ship sailed smoothly, nor did theirs, ending on a bitter note. Their ever-lasting conversations morphed into non-existence ones. They struggled around their parents with strained small talk, who still believed they could rekindle their friendship. Their parents were best friends and still lived next to each other. They never failed to get together on every occasion, celebrating them with fervour and exuberence. Both Sebastian and her always tried to make an excuse and get out of the same, but this time, their parents had seen through their act it seemed. she was surprised to see that he had even turned up.