Days turned into weeks, and Celix's life, though still shadowed by the grief of his mother's passing, slowly slipped back into routine. A month had passed since that surreal night—the night he nearly drowned, the night he had been saved by something, or someone, he still couldn't fully understand. It had all felt like a fever dream, a blurry memory half-forgotten in the haze of alcohol and the darkness of the ocean.
He had returned to his normal life, but something had changed. There was an unease that clung to him, a quiet yearning for something he couldn't name. Though his father continued to insist that he return home to the family estate, Celix had flat out refused. The villa by the sea, the one his mother had gifted him, was the only place where he felt any semblance of peace.
His father had finally given up trying to bring him back, their arguments settling into a cold silence. Celix didn't mind. He preferred the solitude, the quiet spaces where he could sink into his thoughts and remember his mother's gentle smile. But even in those moments of solitude, his mind would wander back to the sea—to that night and the creature who had saved him. The creature with the emerald eyes.
Despite his lingering grief and confusion, Celix had realized one thing: he couldn't continue down the path of isolation. His mother wouldn't want that for him. He had to move forward, if not for himself, then for her.
One evening, he decided to call his friends. Xander and Ren had been hounding him to hang out more often, to pull himself out of the dark cloud he had been living under. Tonight, Celix wanted to take their advice. Maybe spending time with them would help shake off the melancholy that had clung to him since his mother's death.
When Xander and Ren arrived at the villa, they were surprised. Celix had been the one to suggest they hang out, a rare occurrence in the past few months.
"Glad to see you finally want to do something, man," Ren teased, throwing an arm around Celix's shoulders. "I was starting to think we'd lost you to that gloomy house of yours forever."
Celix smirked, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'm trying. Can't stay like this forever."
Xander nodded approvingly. "Good. But let's avoid the clubs tonight, yeah? I need some fresh air. Why don't we head to the beach?"
The suggestion wasn't met with much protest. The beach had always been a place of solace for Celix, and his villa sat on a private stretch of it. It was peaceful there, far from the crowds and the noise of the city. They decided to head to a quieter part of the beach, far enough to enjoy the calm but close enough to the lively town center.
They drove in silence, the setting sun casting long shadows across the sand as they arrived. The air was cool, the waves gentle as they crashed against the shore. Celix found himself relaxing almost immediately, the sound of the ocean bringing a rare sense of calm.
The boys made their way to a small bar by the beach, ordering drinks and finding a table that faced the water. The beach was alive with people enjoying the evening—children playing in the sand, couples walking hand in hand, and groups of friends gathered around bonfires.
The conversation drifted to their upcoming graduation, the plans they had for the future, and the uncertainty of what was to come. Celix listened, but his mind was elsewhere, his eyes occasionally drifting toward the horizon, where the sea met the sky.
It wasn't until he glanced back toward the crowd that something or rather, someone caught his attention.
Celix froze, his breath catching in his throat. Amidst the crowd of people, a girl stood out . Her beauty was surreal , almost otherworldly, but it wasn't her looks that left him speechless. It was her eyes. Emerald green, shimmering like the depths of the ocean, just like the ones he had seen that night.
His heart raced, his mind scrambling to make sense of what he was seeing. It couldn't be her. It couldn't be real. He blinked, his gaze narrowing in on the girl as she moved slowly through the crowd. She walked with an odd, halting gait, as though unfamiliar with the motion, as though she had never walked on two legs before.
Her hair was a striking greyish-blue, cascading down her back in waves that shimmered in the fading sunlight. It was long, impossibly long, reaching past her waist and flowing with every step she took. She wore a simple dress, white with delicate flowers embroidered along the hem, and around her neck was a necklace—a small pendant in the shape of a mermaid.
Celix chest tightened as he watched her. The way she moved, the way she looked around with wide, curious eyes—it was as if she had never seen this world before. There was an innocence to her, a wonder that made her stand out even more amidst the ordinary beachgoers.
"She's... stunning," Ren muttered beside him, his usual playful tone replaced with genuine awe. "I've never seen anyone like her."
Xander, too, was staring, though his expression was more thoughtful. "There's something... off about her, though. Don't you think?"
Celix didn't answer. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the girl. The more he watched, the more convinced he became. It was her. The creature from that night. But how? How could it be?
Without thinking, he stood up, his drink forgotten on the table.
"Celix? Where are you going?" Xander called after him, but Celix barely heard him. His feet moved on their own, carrying him toward the girl who had captivated his every thought since that night.
As he approached, he noticed more details. The way she looked at everything—people, the sand, the sky—with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. It was as if she were seeing it all for the first time. Her gaze darted from one person to the next, taking in the world around her with wide, expressive eyes.
When she turned slightly, her emerald eyes met his. For a brief moment, the world seemed to stop. Celix felt his breath leave him in a rush, his heart pounding in his chest. It was her. Those eyes—he would never forget them.
The girl blinked, her expression unreadable as she looked at him. There was a flicker of recognition in her gaze, but it was fleeting. She turned away quickly, her movements more hurried now, as if she had been caught doing something she wasn't supposed to.
Celix's heart sank. He had to talk to her, had to know who she was and why she felt so familiar. He quickened his pace, but before he could get too close, she disappeared into the crowd, her figure lost among the throngs of people.
"Celix!" Xander's voice broke through the haze. He turned to see his friends catching up to him, their expressions a mix of confusion and concern.
"Who are you chasing after?" Ren asked, glancing around as if trying to spot the girl.
"I... I thought I saw someone," Celix muttered, his mind still reeling. He scanned the crowd again, but she was gone. The strange girl with the mermaid necklace had vanished as quickly as she had appeared.
Xander gave him a questioning look but didn't press further. "Let's head back. It's getting late."
Celix nodded, though his thoughts were elsewhere. He followed his friends back to the bar, but the image of the girl—her emerald eyes, her hesitant steps, her otherworldly beauty—was burned into his mind.
As the night wore on, Celix couldn't shake the feeling that something profound had just happened. The girl had been real, he was sure of it. But who was she? And why did she remind him so much of the creature that had saved him?