Secrets Beneath The Waves
The next morning, the sun rose slowly over the sleepy town, painting the fishing boats in gold and silver hues. Oriana woke to the familiar sounds of seagulls cawing and waves crashing softly against the shore. She rubbed her eyes, the memory of yesterday's encounter with Tavian still lingering like a warm whisper.
"Oriana! Breakfast is ready!" Grandma Gina called from the kitchen, her voice sharp but affectionate. "Eat something before the tide carries away your strength!"
Oriana smiled faintly, tying her hair into a loose braid as she hurried inside. The humble kitchen smelled of garlic, freshly baked bread, and the salty tang of the sea. She kissed her grandmother on the cheek. "I'm coming, grandmother."
As she ate, she couldn't stop thinking about Tavian. Who was he really? What had brought him to this small corner of the world? And why did she feel like she had known him forever, even though she had only just met him?
"Oriana," Grandma Gina said suddenly, her tone more serious. "Remember what I told you. Not everyone who smiles is kind. Not every hand that reaches out to you is safe. Keep your heart protected, child. Especially from people like the Lockridge family."
Oriana froze, her fork halfway to her mouth. "What do you mean?" she asked, curiosity and a tinge of fear mixing in her chest.
Grandma Gina sighed, brushing back a strand of silver hair. "The Lockridge family is powerful. Rich. They have everything, and yet they do not know how to love. They take, they manipulate, they destroy. Remember that, Oriana. You are small, fragile in their world. Do not let yourself be used."
Oriana nodded slowly, her mind torn. She wanted to trust Tavian. She had felt a connection, something real and unpolished. But her grandmother's words echoed in her ears, a warning she couldn't ignore.
Later that day, Oriana returned to the beach. The waves were higher now, crashing more fiercely, as if reflecting the turmoil inside her. She noticed a figure waiting near the pier there was Tavian. His eyes brightened when he saw her, and for a moment, the world seemed to shrink until it was just the two of them.
"Oriana!" he called, waving her over. "I was hoping I'd see you today."
Oriana hesitated, the warning of her grandmother battling with the thrill of his presence. "Tavian, you shouldn't, you don't belong here."
Tavian shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "I belong wherever I want to. And right now I want to be here, with you. You feel different from everyone else I know. Real. Honest. Alive."
Oriana felt her heart skip a beat. His words were dangerous like fire, tempting and warm, but she couldn't resist. "Tavian I don't know if I can trust"
Before she could finish, he gently placed his hand over hers. "Then let me earn it, Oriana. One day at a time. No promises of wealth, no gifts, no grand illusions. Just me, as I am, and you, as you are."
Oriana's chest tightened. She wanted to believe him, but the world had not been kind to her. "I… I want to trust you," she whispered. "I really do"
Tavian's smile softened into something tender, almost vulnerable. "Then let's start with today. Walk with me."
They wandered along the shoreline, talking about dreams and fears, the past and the future. Oriana told him about her childhood, her parents, the sea that had always been her solace. Tavian shared stories of his life in the city, the suffocating expectations, and the loneliness that wealth had brought him.
As they strolled, the sky slowly shifted into streaks of orange and rose-gold. The tide rolled in with gentle persistence, washing over their feet. Tavian stopped suddenly.
"Oriana," he said softly, his voice nearly swallowed by the waves. "There's something I need to tell you."
She turned to him, her eyes wide, curious, and a little afraid. "What is it?"
He hesitated just for a heartbeat. Then, with a tenderness that surprised even him, he reached up and tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered, warm against her cheek.
"You make me feel free," he said. "Like I can breathe again."
Oriana's breath caught. Her heart thudded against her ribs like it wanted to escape. She looked into his eyes deep, earnest, unguarded and something inside her shifted, as natural as the tide.
"Tavian…" she whispered, unsure of the words forming on her tongue.
But she didn't need words.
Tavian took a half-step closer, giving her time to pull away. She didn't. Her lashes fluttered, her lips parting just slightly as the sea breeze lifted the ends of her braid.
"Oriana," he murmured again, his forehead brushing hers.
That gentle touch broke the rest of the distance between them.
Slowly and softly, Tavian kissed her.
It wasn't rushed. It wasn't demanding. It was warm, hesitant at first, like a question then deeper as Oriana's fingers curled lightly into the fabric of his shirt. The world melted the waves, the sky, the warnings all dissolving into the taste of salt and hope.
When they finally pulled apart, Oriana was breathless. Her cheeks glowed like the sunset behind them.
Tavian smiled, brushing his thumb over her hand. "I've wanted to do that since the moment I saw you."
She looked down, smiling shyly, her heart fluttering like a trapped bird. "I.. I didn't think someone like you would want to."
"I want you, Oriana. Just you."
As the sun dipped lower, painting the sky in fiery streaks, Oriana felt a sense of hope she had never known. For the first time, someone looked at her and saw not the poor, simple girl from the beach, but the person she truly was very fragile, stubborn, strong, and yearning for love.
Yet, in the shadows of the pier, a figure watched them with a calculating smile. Vionna, Tavian's arranged fiancée, had noticed the way he lingered on Oriana. She tightened her grip on the railing, her mind already weaving the threads of jealousy and revenge. "So, this is the little beach girl everyone is talking about," she murmured. "Interesting, very interesting indeed."
Oriana and Tavian laughed as the waves licked their feet, unaware of the storm brewing beyond the horizon. The sea had brought them together, but it would also carry secrets, betrayals, and heartbreak that would test every ounce of their courage.
For now, though, the moment was theirs. The sun kissed the sea, and for a fleeting time, the world felt beautiful and infinite.