ayrton cove.

Solange was settled in the moving bed of her friend's pick up truck, it was retro and a rather faded shade of red, the blinding rays of the sun fell over the moving truck, showing the world the scrapes and small dings that decorated the old vehichle, but the way it sounded—the motor purred like it was all loved up. Solange had her brown cargo covered legs laid out with one foot crossed over the other as she held the marbled, maroon and brown colored electric guitar in her hands, her long fingers strumming the neck and the broad belly of it, making sure to avoid the small mic she had clipped to it. The headphones on her head hugged her ears to the tunes she was making with the guitar, her long cinnamon colored braids were loosely tied into low pigtails thrown behind her back, but the flurry of loose strands of curly ends from her braids fluttered in the wind like flags, but Solange didn't mind one bit. She lived for how the sun toasted her toffee skin, the lotion she lathered on earlier leaving a trail of golden glitter that made whatever places the white and green, striped tube top she wore glow from afar, and to those passing by. Solange's eyes were closed as she played, but the almost invisible twitch of her pink lips going upwards made it aware she soaked up the attention.

Solange's friend, Josie, sat in front of her, with sunglasses protecting her eyes and her hands keeping the tripod steady as her camera recorded Solange, every now and then Josie had to look around to make sure she wasn't knocking over the small guitar amp. In the front was Josie's girlfriend, Yara, she couldn't drive for crap but she was the only one who was willing—and too excited to drive for the video. It was a plus since she had nothing to do, and it was for Solange's music channel, The Lange. They were on their way to the cove to hang out some more until the truck started to slow itself down. Symbols of different colors started to flicker on the old dashboard, and the engine cried out with loud sputters as Yara parked on the side of the empty road. "No ing way." Josie said to Solange as they looked at each other with matching wide brown eyes to go with the shock they were feeling. Josie hit the "save" button on her camera before she started to pack everything up, and Solange untangled herself from the cords covering her and hopped over the side of the long bed. As soon as her sandals touched the pavement, she jogged to the front of the car with Yara who was staring at the hood of the old truck with her hand on her hip and her teeth biting down on the nail of her thumb, a nervous tick. Josie joined them both seconds later and turned to them, "Are you both okay?" she asked, as serious as the dead as Yara and Solange shared a look with each other before all three girls fell into a sudden fit of loud laughter.

"Why would you ask that?"
"Girl, we're in the middle of nowhere with a camera, a guitar, and corn chips. We're not making it out here!" Solange exclaimed with Yara between laughs. Despite the humor behind Solange's words, the situation came back to the three of them. They were on a ramp, on a hill that was a backside road Yara knew about that overlooked the sea, no one else seemed to be driving their way, and the town plaza was a twenty minute walk away and they were not familiar with the area. They were good as dead! "Y'all, I don't get anxiety but I'm feeling it." Solange started to speak again. ", I don't have insurance on this car." Josie said scratching her blonde head. Yara and Solange looked at the girl again, Yara more ready to scream at her girlfriend but she kept covered with her hand. "Look, just see if there's a tow truck company around us." Josie threw out to get the attention off of her as she pulled out her phone. Solange reached for her phone inside her pocket, but the glass screen of her iPhone showed a five percent warning notification. "My phone is almost dead." She sighed, putting it away just as quick as she brought it out. "I always end up being the most responsible one out of the two you." Yara said with a shrug as she tapped on the screen of her phone, the statement made Josie and Solange smack their gums at her, murmuring to themselves and shaking their heads. "Here." Josie gave Solange her phone, "Me and Yara can walk to the plaza and you can keep the car safe." Solange's jaw fell but there was no moment to protest as the couple their heels and started to walk off.

@⟢ tee akkharamethi Ayrton was a contrasting mirror to her birthplace. But it has been years since she’s lived in New York City, and the city that never sleeps has become nothing more than a distant dream—faded and discolored—as gray as the skies she remembered that hung over Times Square. Neon lights painted the streets, rows of digital ads with catchy slogans and phrases that more often than not evaded her sleep.

No wonder that city never slept. Perhaps it is why, when she left, she didn’t look back—because all there was was the horrid honks of taxis, the ceaseless chatter of pedestrians, and a restless energy that never truly allowed her to breathe.

But here, the sea stretched for miles, and upon the horizon, the sky and water bled into one. She had only been here for a few weeks, still adjusting to the slower pace and debating whether or not she liked how the salty air clung to her hair at the end of the day. Yet, the sound of waves was better than the sound of traffic, and the color blue was better than gray. Here, the trees had their own voices and spoke their own language with the rustle of wind, and Allison took solace in the momentary lull before work would whisk her back into the torrent of social media and online surveys.

She parked her bike along the winded path, where the cement ends and the sand begins. She had stopped at a small cove, one of the many tucked away along the shoreline, and took a deep breath. The water shimmered beneath the sun as she kicked off her sneakers and tucked in her socks as she left them by the turquoise bicycle.

Allison stepped onto the coast, where her toes sank into the warm sand. The waves of the sea drew her closer to the water, and she followed, leaving behind the empty streets for a moment of calm at the cove. In moments like these, she could let go of the weight on her shoulders; she could allow her mind to wander freely without restraint, untethered to the demands of life.

The sea lapped around her toes as the waves crashed on the shore. With a deep breath, she took in the view. Crystal water sparkled like jewels where the sunray bounced off the surface, and the songs of seabirds told haunting stories of sailors and ships. She could almost taste the salt of the sea, the air filling her lungs. It was different from the city air she had grown up with—cleaner and undeniably alive. She closed her eyes, letting the sun seep into her skin and the wet sand mold to the shape of her feet.

In this fleeting moment, she was small and insignificant compared to the endless stretch of ocean and sky. Here, she didn't have to be anything else but Allison, and that was enough.

But something caught her eye—a figure in the water.

At first, it was floating just a distance away from the shore and she thought it was just the trick of the eye. But something about the way it floated, so still and unmoving, cast a sense of unease down her spine. Allison squinted, shading the sun from her eyes with her hand, slowly making out the form of what seemed to be a young man.

A sinking feeling grew in her chest. Was he okay?

“Hello?” She called out, tightening, “is everything okay? Do you need help?” She felt foolish for a moment. The cove was practically empty; there was no one else nearby to help. “Oh, god,” she cursed under her breath.

Fear was never rational, but she didn’t want to risk it. And without another thought, she jumped into the waves of the sea and swam out to the motionless figure. As she pushed through the water, reaching closer and closer to the man, Allison suddenly felt thankful that she had learned to swim in gym class from high school; something she’d have to thank the school system for mandating.

Eventually, she neared him after what felt like an eternity. Up close, he looked peaceful, too peaceful, as if he was sleeping with his eyes closed against the world. Yet, she grabbed him without hesitation, hooking an arm under his shoulders and pulling him against her as the waves of the sea cradled them both.

It was just her, him, the sea, and hopefully, the will to live another day.

@⟢ allison jung [trigger warning]

Tee despises the sea.

For Tee, the vast body of water embodies beauty and serenity—everything his mind is not. The bright blue waves remind him of his brother, who once revelled in the cold breeze caressing his cheek and the way it tingled his hair. Tee can no longer hear his brother’s laughter, which feels like a distant echo. He remembers that last trip they took together—just the two of them—because Tee was the only one who didn’t care about the competition for their family's legacy. He had no interest in the relentless pursuit of success that consumed everyone else; he just wanted to enjoy time with his brother. They shared moments of joy, like when his brother gifted him the hideous “I LOVE BEACH” T-shirt. They spent the night together, getting drunk, and his brother professed how much he loved him—words now tinged with a bittersweet sadness that lingers in Tee’s heart.

Then there’s the regret.

Tee can’t shake the regret of not reaching out to his brother when he needed him most, consumed by jealousy when Rin, their childhood friend, chose his brother over him. When she rejected him, she told him, “You do not know how to love.” Those words pierced him deeply, creating a chasm that felt impossible to bridge. Her confession—how she wished his brother were the one confessing—haunts him still. After that painful interaction, he received a text from his brother, waiting for him in Tee's room.

But what welcomed him instead was a horrifying sight: his brother's lifeless body hanging from the ceiling. Tee’s room, the one with the high ceiling he had begged his father to install, felt sinister at that moment. He had loved the wooden beams that stretched overhead, remembering their trip to Bali where he marvelled at how beautiful the wood looked against the night sky. Now, they felt like a cruel reminder of what he lost. His brother had tied a cloth to that same beam, and as Tee stepped inside, dread filled him as he spotted his brother suspended in midair—floating, like Peter Pan, but forever trapped in darkness.

With a shuddering gasp, Tee splashed the water with his foot, desperate to wash away the nightmare that had followed him into the present. He hadn’t set foot in that room for years, avoiding the space like it was tainted. Calculating the time since that day only hurt more, reminding him of how long his brother had been gone. He could still hear his father’s cold voice asking why his brother couldn't wait until the New Year to pull that “stupid stunt.” The way his siblings had turned away, relieved at being free from the pressure of living in the shadow of their talented brother, felt like a betrayal. He was left feeling like the one burdened with all that remained.

Losers.

He thought as he walked slowly into the cold water, letting the waves embrace him like a long-lost friend. The expanse of the sea felt endless. The sky above, though grey and heavy, still held hints of sunlight breaking through, casting soft beams on the surface. He floated on his back, adjusting to the gentle rhythm of the water, surrendering to the soothing yet chilling caress against his skin. With his eyes closed, he tried to forget—the insane reality of his brother’s death, Rin’s descent into illness after she heard the news, and the way he changed into someone bitter and self-centred, seeking solace in material things to distract himself from the pain.

He thought about the letter he received from Rin’s mother during her funeral—a stark reminder of how far he had drifted from the person he used to be. He wished he could be angry at them for leaving him—but anger was a luxury he couldn’t afford. Instead, he stared at the sky, pondering whether they were watching over him from somewhere above. Were they finally free from the burdens of this world? He forced a bittersweet smile as he felt the waves cradle him gently, pulling him further from the shore while still keeping him safe in their embrace.

As Tee floated there, he questioned if he could let go of everything now and join them. But the sacrifices he carried, the sins of the past, pulled him back to reality. He loved his life as much as he loathed it. It was a painful love-hate relationship, and perhaps that was what kept him alive. Surviving for the sake of dying, dying for the sake of surviving.

The cold air bit at his skin, sending shivers coursing through him as Tee wrestled with the emotions swirling within. With every crash of the waves, he felt the reminders of life’s cruelty and how fleeting happiness could be in the face of overwhelming sorrow. Inside, he felt abandoned, as if the world had turned its back on him, leaving him to navigate this torment alone. He wondered if he would ever feel whole again or if he was destined to remain a ghost hovering over the living, adrift in a sea of despair.

[post deleted by owner]