“Who do you like, Leon?”

“That um…”

“Wow, hold on there. Leon, you have someone you like? I thought you said you didn’t?”

“Yeah. How many girls have you rejected with that excuse?”

“Come on—I’m sorry I broke their heart, but it wasn’t intentional.”

“Yo!! I dare you say that again!”

“You should apologise to all the virgins out there!”

I was looking at my phone as the three seniors chatted.

‘Are you coming to the drinks lounge?’

Was the first message I sent at 6pm a few minutes after passing Elliot ♀ her items.

‘You okay?’

And then when she didn’t respond, I sent another message at 8pm.

She hasn’t replied.

“Who is this? Aria?”

Oliver tilted his head over to peek.

I turned off my screen.

“Nope. It’s ‘me’.”

“You?”

“SAY THAT AGAIN!? YOU SAID YOU LIKE WHA??”

There was a shout. Then one of the seniors crawled up to me and asked.

“You’re Elliot right?”

“Uh… yes. I’m Elliot.”

“Leon, I didn’t know you were gay.”

“I meant the other Elliot!”

“Wow!”

“That hotie… oh wait, I forgot that there’s Elliot’s double here.”

“Shit!”

“Sorry, sorry! No bad intentions okay? Kay?”

These monkeys were like those boys I know in class, but on steroids.

“That’s surprising. To think the track team ace finally admits that he likes you.”

Oliver said with a grin.

“Yeah, right.”

I said unconvincingly.

“Huh? Wait, if you and Elliot are essentially the same, doesn’t that mean you know if she likes Leon?”

“Elliot, I swear I don’t mean anything bad to her. I like her but I think you probably already know that… she doesn’t like me back.”

Leon looked so apologetic… and heartbroken trying to own up to me for some reason.

“Leon, why don’t you try and tell her your feelings?”

“Huh?”

Why did I ask him to confess to her when I’m one hundred percent sure she’ll deny his advances?

“For your benefit, and her’s. I’m not forcing you if you don’t want to. I just think it would be much more beneficial for you to get it off your chest.”

“What’s the point when she doesn’t like me?”

“She probably already knows you have a crush on her. So at least let her know about it, or should I do it in your stead?”

“I would be alright if you just told her…”

“Sissy! The man is giving you an opportunity here. You’ve rejected so many girls, isn’t it about time you experienced their pain?”

“Yeah! Yeah!”

“Fucking assholes!”

“GAhh!!”

Leon’s two friends suffocated to his arm bar.

“Seriously bro? You’re telling someone to confess to you?”

Oliver was bewildered at my response.

“I think Elliot would benefit from it too.”

I ignored the mild joke implied and answered as appropriate. I think it’s important to let her know of the fact that she’s not unwanted.

“Of course, it might not solve the root issue.”

I added.

“What root issue?”

Oliver tilted his head.

“Don’t bother asking if you can’t tell.”

It’s not really a secret. Even Willow had caught the tail. Most people just didn’t care enough to notice.

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Her gender identity crisis.

“The hell? You sound pissed.”

Sorry, Oliver. I may just be a tad agitated.

“Speaking of which, Elliot, do you have a crush?”

Leon asked.

“Me? I did.”

“Hold up, don’t lie to him now. He’s asking if you have a crush, not had.”

Damn you Oliver.

“So you have a crush now? Who is it?”

“I prefer not to…”

“It’s the red hair girl in class by the name Aria.”

“Oliver I’ll fucking kill you!!”

I wasn’t as strong as Leon, so the best I could do was strangle him by the neck.

“Oxygen..! Help! Help!”

“You know, that’s really surprising. You and Elliot ♀ get along, I almost thought that you had a crush on yourself, to think that you have someone else in your heart.”

My strength loosened at Leon’s words.

“A crush on myself? No way, ew.”

I just had to say it. Who the hell would think of being in a romantic relationship with yourself?

“Yeah, yeah. You looked so sad when Elliot didn’t reply back to your good night message.”

“Oliver, I swear I’ll fucking cut your tongue out one day.”

“Didn’t reply? What happened?”

“…Well, she’s mad.”

“Mad?”

“At the fact that I’m with Aria.”

“What? It smells like jealousy.”

“I’m pretty sure it is.”

Leon’s expression hardened.

“Have you… asked her about how she feels about this…?”

“She wouldn’t tell me even if I did.”

I shook my head.

“…”

“I know because I’m her.”

But what can I do?

“I know exactly how she feels.”

I also feel like shit.

──•~❉᯽❉~•──

Morning light. A beachside party.

The Caribbean Boulevard was a resort built beside a beach that spanned several kilometres. Much of the place had been booked out by the school, so the majority of people enjoying their time here were the students.

When we arrived at the sand, there were already crowds of people swimming in the sea.

“You’re not going to dip?”

Ellis asked Aria.

“Ah, no. I didn’t bring my swimwear.”

“Did you not bring, or did you not want to bring?”

To that, Aria only showed a mysterious smile.

“And you too?”

Ellis directed the continuing question to me.

“No. I’m not swimming.”

Me too. I had no intention of touching the salty sea.

“And you also?”

Then Ellis turned to Elliot ♀.

“I’m on my period. Do you seriously think I’m going?”

“Why I’m I the only one going?!”

“Why not join Willow and Oliver. They seem to be having a good time over there.”

Ellis may seem extroverted, but she had always been much of a loner. Her close friends were us. But if not for Elliot ♀, she would’ve only been closer only to Aria.

“Fine, fine. You three enjoy your time in the hot sun. I’ll cool off in the sea.”

Ellis sulked, then ran off towards Willow’s direction.

I turned to Elliot ♀.

She looked like a freaking ghost with too much sunscreen.

“Did she wear sunscreen earlier?”

“No.”

“Is it important?”

“You’re not wearing sunscreen Aria?”

The red-haired girl looked at herself. She was wearing a loose T-shirt with short pants. Her sexy skin was completely exposed.

“No.”

“Here you go.”

“What?”

Elliot ♀ dug out her bag and passes me the sunscreen bottle. I was confused. Weren’t you going to give it to Aria?

“Enjoy applying it on her skin. I’ll go take a walk first.”

“Wait, hey!”

Ignoring my wails, Elliot ♀ ran away.

“Um. It’s alright, I can apply it myself.”

“R-Right…”

I wasn’t at a stage where I had the courage to do such a thing…

“Elliot doesn’t seem too happy with us together.”

Aria said apologetically.

“It seems…”

“So it’s true that she likes girls?”

“…So you could tell?”

“I just wanted to confirm the fact with you.”

“Y-Yeah…”

“I see…”

Aria looked conflicted. It was rare to see her like this.

“Um, okay. I see… that explains a lot.”

“Don’t tell her I told you…”

“Alright.”

She nodded seriously.

“Sorry but, could you help hold it for a moment?”

“Okay.”

I held the sunscreen bottle for her while she rubbed the squeezed amount along her arms and legs.

It was barely enough.

“You should apply more.”

I squeezed a generous amount along her skin.

“That much?”

“You need to coat it properly, otherwise it’s pointless.”

“It’s kind of thick.”

“Better than getting a sunburn, trust me.”

“No wonder your skin looks so white.”

“Y-Yeah…”

I look white? Then does it mean I also look like a ghost? Shit.

“And on the face too?”

“Some, I guess…”

“Can you help apply a few drops?”

“…Alright.”

She closed her eyes and tilted her chin up at me.

Gently, I used my fingers to smear the cream along her forehead and cheeks.

“It’s ticklish.”

“I think you can rub it now.”

“Thank you.”

She coated her skin with the sunscreen.

“Do I look weird?”

She showed herself.

“Nah, you look alright.”

“If you say so.”

Aria chuckled.

At herself or me?

I suddenly began rubbing my face to check for any excess sunscreen. There didn’t seem to be a thick coating though?

After settling the matter with sunburn protection, we followed along Elliot’s ♀ trail. We found her at the far end of the beach poking the sand with a long branch she found.

More specifically, she was poking the burrows of wild baby crabs. It was low tide, so towards the sandy-wet part of the sea, you could find a lot of interesting critters. If you looked closely, a few translucent baby crabs were fleeing from where Elliot ♀ stood.

“Elliot!”

“What?”

“Nothing, just asking what you’re doing.”

“Killing innocent wildlife.”

She harshly jabbed her stick into the ground, essentially plugging the entrance of one of the crab holes. Well, it won’t die from that. It can dig its way out, I know from past experience.

“So this is how the sea looks… it’s both beautiful and… rather scary.”

Aria said as she felt the waves tickle her feet.

“Did you apply sunscreen?”

Elliot ♀ asked Aria.

“Yes, I did. Thank you for that.”

“You’re welcome.”

Elliot ♀ took the sunscreen bottle from me and stored it back in her tote bag.

“Are you really that depressed?”

“Depressed, what are you talking about? Rather than worry about me, shouldn’t you worry about her? Aria is going to drown if you don’t do something.”

As if she’d drown in two inches of water.

“Aria is worried about you too.”

“Thanks, but it’s not like she can do anything about the fact either can she?”

Elliot ♀ and I looked at each other concerned.

Why were we like this? Mutually considering the other person’s feelings? Both of us kept talking until we heard Aria’s scream.

“A-WaaahH!!”

“What?!”

“S-Sorry. I got surprised! The waves are strong.”

Aria had made her way deeper. The water now reached the half-way mark between her feet and knee.

She could potentially drown now.

“Be careful, there might be poisonous snails in the water.”

“W-What?!”

“I’m joking.”

“Don’t say stuff like that!”

Aria shouted at Elliot ♀ with a puffed-up face.

She was pretty excited.

“You should go accompany her. I don’t want to venture too deep.”

Elliot ♀ said.

“And you?”

“I’ll just stay behind and watch. Not like I can do much here, can I now?”

“…Sorry.”

“What are you apologising for, go.”

Elliot ♀ pushed me from behind. I found it worrying that she was acting much more mature than usual. Did I truly deserve this…?

“Elliot! Elliot! Look, there’s something in the water!”

“Hold on!”

I left ‘her’ side.

And then Aria…

Splash!

“PFftt— Oi!”

“HAhaha! I’ve always wanted to do this.”

“Damn it, owh, owh…”

“U-Uh, I’m sorry. Did it get in your eye uh did—”

“There!”

“Ahh!?”

I kicked up the water and splashed the water back at her. Her beautiful red hair half-drenched in seawater stuck to her skin.

“Wow! The water really is salty.”

Her eyes sparkled as she licked her lips.

“It is. But don’t drink it though.”

“Of course, who do you think I am?”

“A recluse.”

“W-What! I don’t even watch anime!”

“That’s even worse…”

“Meanie!”

“Who the hell uses the word ‘meanie’ in this day and age?”

“Well, I do! What can you do about it?”

She huffed. I found it extremely cute.

“Anyways, look.”

“At what?”

“There, it’s black.”

“A sea urchin? No, it looks like a device?”

I sank my hands downwards and picked it up.

“A phone?”

“Oh, how weird.”

The phone is contained inside a protective plastic pouch. The outer surface didn’t seem like there was any growth of algae, so it was only recently lost?

“I guess we should bring this back.”

“We should.”

We turned around.

“Where’s Elliot?”

Aria’s question…

“She… probably left.”