264 Not Over Yet

Upon exiting the house, I saw that there were only the larger van that is parked in the driveway. The SUV that I rode in to get here was no where in sight, which led to me believing that Emilia must have drove out, probably to purchase something from the nearby supermarkets.

I left the house behind me as I walked down the road towards the stairway that will lead down to the beach where the white sand has now been dyed a color of range by the setting sun. A cool ocean breeze blew by, alleviating my body of the hot summer heat and moved my hair while the seagulls cried in the wind as they flew by. When that is combined with the calming ambience noise of the waves crashing against the shore, it proved to be a rather calming environment.

As I walked, I looked to my right and at the glistening ocean that reflected the setting sun. The vast and grand Oceanus Leshius seemed to stretch towards eternity with its endless span of waters, and in the distant horizon, one could even see the curvature of the world. On the ocean line, in the distance there was a cruise ship that is sailing towards a nearby port, which I believe is further down past the not so distant pier that is visible from my current location. That pier is probably only a couple minutes drive from the house.

I walked past the basketball courts and approached a sheltered lookout next to the stairs leading down to the beach. Standing while with one hand resting on the railings and gazing out at the ocean was a familiar looking girl dressed in a white dress with her long, silver-white hair danced as the ocean breeze blew by.

I looked in the direction she was looking at, and immediately, my eyes wandered over to the two figures in the water. I saw that it was Alvelyn and Erith, and by the looks of it, Erith was actually trying to teach Alvelyn how to swim. I knew that despite her behavior, she's a nice person.

"Alevian," I heard Luna's voice call my name, and looking over, I saw that she had realized my presence and had turned to face me. "Came to watch?"

"Something like that," I answered as I walked over and stood next to her at the lookout underneath a roof held up by poles. "How long has it been?"

"Been almost an hour," Luna responded, bringing a hand to her ear as a breeze blew by, moving her hair. "I didn't know that she couldn't swim. Could you?"

"Let's not talk about that," I said, leaning against the railing as I listened to the waves and enjoyed the ocean wind.

"Is that a no?" she softly chuckled.

"Take it as you will."

A moment of silence occurred between us as I watched as Erith helped Alvelyn to her feet in the water. Alvelyn's figure appeared somewhat fatigued as she stood up and shook her head. Standing in the water next to her, Erith waited patiently.

I glanced to my left and at Luna's profile, taking in that...sad smile? For some reason, the expression on her face that was slightly red due to the setting sun was one of a silent melancholy. As if a dark ocean, there seemed to be a lonely silence within her.

"Is...something bothering you?" I asked her.

She simply shook her head.

"If there is something on your mind," I said as I rose to my full height. "You can talk to me about it, if that's of any help."

"I don't think that would help," Luna whispered. "You wouldn't understand it."

I stared at her with a slight frown of confusion. I tried to study her, hoping to decipher anything that I could from this mysteriously sullen expression that seemed to paint her with a silent beauty. In the end, I was unable to find anything, unable to see what could possibly be bothering her. So maybe...maybe it's something on the more personal side, something that is so personal that...people just don't know about. Maybe it's something between her and her boyfriend.

"Alevian," she softly whispered my name as she turned and faced me. "Once college begins...the chances of you and I meeting again...will become rarer and rarer."

"Yeah," I nodded. "You'll have your classes and friends from college. It's natural."

"Yeah," Luna nodded in agreement. "One day, we will see each other for the last time; we will wave goodbye to each other and turn our backs, walking away. So...if there's anything that needs to be said, then it's better to say it earlier than later."

"..."

I stared at her, taking in that teary smile on her face. Upon seeing her countenance, I froze in place as I was perplexed as to why tears had began to form in her eyes as she stared at me with an almost begging gaze. Her expression seemed to permeate dread; yet mixed within that dread seemed to be a sliver of hope, a silent desire and a last ditch effort to preserve something before it's lost forever.

Upon seeing her begging face, I immediately knew that...this situation is different from that of before. It's a serious situation, one that must be handled with the utmost care and dedication. This...is probably a crossroad in our relationship, and for some reason, there is no road straight ahead. All that there is are roads heading to the left and right with a "one way" sign on all sides, even the one I am currently on. There is no going back, and...a decision must be made. If I don't make a choice, then...I probably won't be able to stay parked in this location forever. The road will probably fade away if so.

"Alevian," she whispered my name. "I..."

My heart palpitated in my chest as I stared at her alluring figure, taking in her beautiful face and the way her dress fitted perfectly on her. Seeing her helpless and yet courageous expression reminded me of my perception of her in the old timeline, the Luna that was sick and nearing death, the Luna that held back tears as she forced herself to believe that all things are normal. Seeing her like this...it gave me the desire to pull her into my arms and simply hug her and let her weep.

Subconsciously, my arms began rising from my sides and reaching towards her. It was something that I have no conscious control over at the moment as my mind seemed to have been pulled into a trance by her countenance. What I was holding back...maybe now is the opportunity for me to let it out. Maybe now is the time for me...

"Luna..." I whispered her name quietly in an almost inaudible voice.

Luna seemed to not have heard me, as she continued to gaze into my eyes in her teary manner with her lips slightly trembling.

"Alevian, I—"

"Luna!"

A voice called her name, snapping me out of my trance as I forced my arms back down to my sides. On Luna's face there was a look of slight sorrow, a look of bitterness that seemed to yearn to undo this unfortunate interruption and retrieve this missed opportunity. However, when she looked past my shoulders and at the owner of the voice, she let out a soft sigh of devastating defeat.

Looking over my shoulder, I saw that the voice belonged to Zevin, who was walking over in our direction with a smile on his face.

"Dinner's almost ready," Zevin said as he approached us.

"Thank you," Luna said with a smile that made it seem as if her earlier countenance was simply a distant dream. "You could've just called me."

"Well..." Zevin blushed as he rubbed the back of his head. "I...I wanted to walk back with you. So..."

He then glanced over in my direction, communicating to me his desire.

"I'll wait for Erith and Alvelyn," I said, looking away from the two of them and at the beach.

"Let's go then," Zevin smiled and said, turning around as he began walking. "Thank you," he softly muttered to me as he walked by.

My eyes followed him as he walked away from the corner of my eyes. After seeing that he had his back turned, I glanced over at Luna who had just walked past me. She kept her head low in a manner that communicated a sense of disappointment that is as if she was unable to accomplish something extremely important to her, which led to the ultimate feeling of defeat that came from her.

She kept her head low in a manner that communicated a sense of disappointment that is as if she was unable to accomplish something extremely important to her, which led to the ultimate feeling of defeat that came from her

The way she walked furthered demonstrated a dip in her mood. This led me to believe that...the few minutes of interaction between her and I that had occurred just earlier...it was genuine. Rather, right now, and maybe even before our current encounter, she was simply putting on an act, forcing herself to smile and forcing herself to act as if she's enjoying everything. Maybe...maybe that deep down, she's once again suffering from a disease, a mysterious mental disease that...only I hold the cure to? I'm not entirely sure, but...once again, I am feeling a mysterious attraction between her and myself.

This missed opportunity...it won't be the end. I won't let it be. Not before I bring myself closer to the truth...