Shaylene

Prologue

SHAYLENE STEPPED OUT OF THE SUITE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PARTY searching for Ethan. He was not in the hallways leading outside. Her mind wandered to the beach.

No, he wouldn't.

She tried to convince herself that the other Suave twin would not leave the building _at least not with guests present but knowing Ethan, he most likely was in the one place he was not supposed to be at the moment.

Shaylene found her way out of the building and made her way to Praia do Rosa. Usually, the beach wasn't populated but tonight it was even more secluded.

The cliffs and rocks looked dangerous and Shaylene had to thread carefully to avoid slipping into a fall that could invariably lead to her death.

It was a place she was familiar with. She'd come numerous times with Ethan whenever they were at Ipanema but never alone.

Something was not right. She made her way to the edge of the beach where the wave crashed and water seeped beneath her feet _now bare. She had pulled off her shoes at first contact with the sand. She placed them by the side of a rock, confident that she would meet them intact when it was time to leave.

She could feel the sand between her toes. It felt damp and cold. The air grew colder, she walked by the bank and scolded herself for not picking her coat. She let her eyes search for any sign of Ethan.

Time was running out.

Recently, Ethan felt more like a stranger than a friend. His actions were different from the boy she knew and grew up with. It was sudden and Shaylene could not wrap her head around why.

He was withdrawn, and even before he received admission into Oxford she had felt it and assumed it was probably anxiety that came with waiting. She had assumed it would get better with time, instead it only got worse.

Initially, she blamed herself. Under the notion that she had probably upset him, Shaylene had reached out but he'd withdrawn even more and she had no idea what to make of it.

After a few moments of wandering around the beach _just as she was about to give up, Shaylene spotted him seated on a cobble. There he was close to the edge with an oasis surrounding him, staring out at the water. His body language told her that he was deep in thought. Everything about him was far from the present, as if he was contemplating a big decision.

She hesitated before setting out across the sand towards him, wondering if he would rather be left alone. He seemed to sense her presence, because he turned towards her direction when she was only a little distance from him. He broke their gaze and faced the sea. Shaylene stopped when they were a few feet apart, dread crept up her spine.

Something was wrong. He looked cold and unfeeling, like he could care less of her presence.

“A penny for your thoughts.” She said with a careful smile as she worked her way around the rocks before finally settling beside him.

Her outfit wasn't particularly climb friendly so it took her awhile to get a comfortable position by his side. She turned to face him, but he didn't meet her gaze.

“What are you doing here?” He asked without meeting her eyes.

Shaylene felt the tension snap and coil around her neck.
“I'm here for you, obviously.”
She paused as she calculated the aura his presence carried. It gave her the chills.

“The question is, mister, what are you doing here? You're a long distance from the party and I'm sure you remember that we've been prohibited from being here after sunset.”