Sand scratched between my toes as I made my way along the beach of Praia da Apúlia. Leo walked alongside me. His breath rushed through his nostrils when he smelled the ocean air, and I also took in the briny scent. There came a deep rumble somewhere in the pitch-black daytime sky, far off from the shore. If store clouds were drifting our way, the black Cloud made them impossible to see.
But we could see where we walked thanks to light lit along the boardwalk not far to our left. Some hours had passed since we awoke in terror.
Leo's previously eyeball-full arm had blinked and flashed in the dark of the attic we were staying in for a time. Somehow I managed to draw the evil out of his limb into my body, where it seemed to disappear. I hadn't noticed anything peculiar about how I felt since that shocking incident. Still, Leo's prolonged silence hinted at a level of mental scarring that had ceased to reflect on the surface of his dark brown skin.
"Look at all those yachts," I said in our shared French language, gesturing out at the occupied water. I smiled at him, hoping to distract him from the terror and pain a few hours ago.
Leo glanced at the lined-up yachts, some of which glowed with flaming orange tiki torches. Intrigue sparked in his dark eyes. Looking down at me, a faint smile crossed his lips, and optimism sweetened his voice. "It must be fantastic to own one of those. If I had a yacht or a ship, I would live there year-round and maybe fish for a living."
"Me too, although I would rather cook the fish than kill them myself."
"That works out, then. You and I should break into a yacht and live there instead of on the land."
I laughed at his joke. Then again, I wondered if that was a joke at all. Since running from the scene of our mysteriously murdered friend Noelle, we had done little to live legally outside France. We spent so much time hopping from house to house, hiding in strangers' attics or basements or backyards if the weather allowed, that the only far-fetched aspect of us stealing a yacht was that we were both against robbery.
"Maybe we can rent one out with cash?" I suggested.
Leo nodded, but he sighed upon pulling out his wallet and opening its mouth. "First, Samira, let's make a euro or two."
We continued down the dock toward a large mechanic ship that had landed. Men went to and from the vessel's rolled-down metal bridge, shoes clattering on the somewhat flexible ramp. One tall, fat man came out with a few equally tall, muscular fellows holding his handcuffed hands behind his back.
"Nadine might be in this crowd," I mentioned, recalling the short Indian girl's statement about her father running a mechanic ship off the coast of Portugal.
"Are you thinking about finding her?" Leo asked, his eyes widening with concern. He placed a careful hand on my shoulder, but I shrugged it off and crossed my arms.
"I don't want to miss this opportunity to meet another marked person," I said. I kept my hands tucked in my armpits to avoid making any obnoxious gestures at my face, which looked tattooed with eyes that connected like a constellation of stars in the black night sky.
He nodded, seeming to understand my desire. "Whatever you want, Samira. I'm here for you."
A warm feeling spread over my chest and cheeks. I tilted forward, shyly casting my eyes at the sand beneath our feet. "Thank you, Leo. You know, I feel like we are best friends. Don't you?"
Again, he nodded. This time, his soft, thick lips spread into a wide, toothy smile. I adored the admiration in his twinkling gaze, which made me feel like I could trust no one more and hate no one less.
"Sami, we are best friends. Not because of what happened with Noelle, although that brought us together." He made a small gesture for my hands, and I gladly placed mine in his, loving the warmth he provided. "I admire your instincts, your mind, and you're the most beautiful woman I have ever met." Leo's sweet, brown face came closer to me. I had to tilt my head back to get the full view of his head. My heart fluttered when he kept his eyes on mine and gently squeezed my hands.
"Leo," I laughed, "you're talking so romantically. Are you planning to propose?"
A cute, fragile gasp came from his lips.
"Honestly," he replied while suppressing a deep chuckle, "I was looking forward to walking this beach because I felt like it would be a great place to ask you to marry me."
I froze, my heart racing as if I were running a marathon. My hands became clammy, and I almost let go of him. "Le—Leo," I started, fighting through my surprise, "are you serious?"
For a moment, he gave me a questioning look. If he had taken his words back at that moment, I could have bid him farewell; What man suggests marriage as a joke while using such a serious tone?
But my nervous doubt that he may be messing with me subsided, and the torchlight in his dark eyes lit a flame in my chest. This man was sincere, making me the happiest I had been in years.
"Samira," he said, lowering himself onto one knee in the sand.
I nearly followed him down, but I stopped myself when I remembered the woman stays standing. He didn't pull out a ring, yet that didn't bother me since I expected no diamonds to appear before us when the Cloud hovered overhead as it did. All he had to offer me was his heart. That, I felt, was enough.
"Will you marry me?"
"Yes," I answered, nearly surprised at my lack of hesitation. Usually, I thought I acted with a level of thought and often found myself second-guessing or holding back. To be reserved was the same as being safe, in my opinion. Reserve would keep most people friends. Reserve would make fewer peers see you as a threat or nuisance.
In this instance, I didn't need to act reserved. I stood on a beautiful beach, albeit with the Cloud above us, and my best friend was asking me to marry him. Nothing could be more perfect. That is, without the world being completely different.
Maybe if we had money and family too, we would feel more comfortable living-wise, and we wouldn't worry as much about food, and we could even spend on an extravagant wedding, and I could wear a beautiful dress.
But in either scenario, love dominated our emotions, and worldly concerns threatened us less when we could rely on each other.
He hugged me, and even though we knew we should probably wait until after marriage, we kissed.
And that kiss melted my heart. It invigorated my soul and brought back the sun, if only in my mind.