Destined By The Waves

My one and only

Joy

"Hey bro, you look happy!," Ace chirps as he comes and sits across me on the make shift dinner table. It's really just a large rock with smaller ones around it, to sit on. The beach is lined up with several such dinner tables on the side and a huge canopy tent in the middle. The tent has a solar powered music system in the middle and solar lamps all around it, that create a party ambience on this otherwise dark island.

I grin back at him, and watch as Rosie sits next to him and winks at Faith, who's sitting across from her and beside me. Rosie's wink makes Faith blush like a budding rose and my heart leaps in my chest every time she blushes.

For most of the evening, I was busy with Professors, planning out tomorrow's exploration of the island. When I returned, I found Faith reading a book silently on a rock, as Ace and Rosie were having fun at some distance, along with Alice and a few other people from college. I sat at the rock across from her, and adored her silently.

The way she bit her inner cheek at some times, or turned a page way too quickly to read what's next, or even just sighed, made me wish I could just stop time and keep looking at her forever. I sat there for at least an hour, but it all felt like one long moment of pure bliss.

When the dinner announcement was made over the solar powered speakers, she finally put her book down. As if in slow motion, I watched her eyes widen in surprise when they fell on me, and then they sparkled with an indescribable emotion. Her lips quirked up into a sweet smile and my heart skipped another beat. Her cheeks develop a reddish hue, the kind that made the canvas of the sunset sky look dull and pale.

"Joy... How long have you been sitting here?," she asked bashfully.

"Not too long," I smile at her and she smiles back.

"You should have told me you're here, I was waiting for you," she says as she searches for something in my eyes, before finally adding, "I was thinking, should we talk now? I really think we should."

"No, no talking yet, let's go have some dinner first? Shall we?," I extended my hand for her, which she took with a hesitant smile.

There are no arguments or proofs that can prove I'm right and Alice is wrong, and I can't lose you over this Faith, no way! So let's put off talking for as long as we can.

As we walked towards the dinner table spot, she held on to my hand tightly, making me relax a little.

Maybe she trusts me, why else would she have still stayed by my side, holding my hand? But what if not? What if she just gave me benefit of doubt for now, and will later bombard me with questions that I can't answer? I can't take that risk. I'd rather hold onto what I have of her, than lose her altogether.

As we settled down for dinner, her hand rested on my knee, gently rubbing soothing circles over it.

"Don't worry baby, I'll wait until you're ready. Come on, cheer up now," she said with a heartwarming smile, making one appear on my face too.

"Here, have it," she said and started serving me food. Real food, not berries or watermelons or coconuts.

"We're kind of lucky that we are getting to eat real food again, all thanks to you sweetheart," I told her as I brought her free hand to my face and kissed her knuckles. She blushed all over again, but jerked her hand away from mine immediately when she saw Ace and Rosie walking over towards us.

Now, as they sit across us and continue blabbering about how beautiful and peaceful this place is, I can't help but notice Faith's eyes lingering over my face from the corner of my eyes. When I look towards her, she just smiles awkwardly and looks away towards Rosie.