Beneath the sun and beyond the ocean

Above

Where the hell am I? I sit up startled as I look around the room in confusion.

"owww." I groan, headache hitting me like a truck. I slowly lie back down and stare at the ceiling; after a while I notice a glass of water sitting on the wooden nightstand next to me. I gulp it down like a starved animal and it eases my headache enough for me to pull myself up once again and take in my surroundings. It looks like a normal bedroom, too clean to be lived in long. Maybe it's a rented house or something; I swing my legs off of the bed and find my boots stood neatly beside the bed. Pulling them on and zipping them up, I walk slowly towards the door and push it open. The house is silent, I'm guessing it's pretty early. I tiptoe down the empty hallway into an open plan kitchen-living room. The morning sun is shining through a half-open window as the curtain blows lazily around. Rays of light illuminate Li's sleeping face as he lies across the sofa, I sneak towards the front door and try to open it. Damn, just my luck, it's locked. I desperately scan the room for any sign of a key; I find nothing. The sound of me rifling through the kitchen draws causes Aelius to stir, rolling off of the sofa onto the floor with a loud thud and a groan. I snort at the amusing scene playing in front of me and his eyes flick towards me from the floor.

"Marina?" His tired eyes squint at me, blinking away the sleep.
"Yeah, it's me." I smile down at him and ask, "What happened last night?" He pulls himself to his feet and I'm increasingly aware of his lack of a top. He wanders into the kitchen and pours himself a glass of water, gulping it down before replying.
"One minute you were singing, next some guy was chatting to you and leading you away, then you had passed out in my arms. That's everything I know. I took you back here cause I don't know where you live and I couldn't exactly leave you outside." His deep eyes look towards me and he smirks, "So it was definitely an interesting night."

"Definitely sounds like it." I reply. I barely remember any of it. Trust me to do something like that in the first week here. He offers me breakfast and pours me a bowl of shreddies; I hadn't realised how hungry I actually was and shovelled down the cereal in minutes. I drink the milk out of the bottom of the bowl before I notice him watching me from across the counter with a lazy smile plastered over his face as he munches slowly on his own food. Jesus I must look so stupid. I feel my cheeks heat up and I frown, telling him off for watching me. He grabs his beach stuff and walks me to my house so I can shower and grab my own belongings.

We spend the day as we had before, I relish in the normalcy of the hours after the insanity of the night before. I sleep off the headache under the bright sky, next to Li as he attaches shells onto a piece of thin rope. He wakes me by tying the shells around my outstretched wrist. I blink my eyes open, smiling up at him.
"Wanna go into town?" He asks quietly.
"Yeah sure, why though?" I reply, wondering what he needs.
"Craving ice cream for some reason." His drowsy eyes crinkle as he grins at me. I notice a small dimple on his left cheek as he waits for an answer.
"I could go for ice cream." I grin back at him and we pack our stuff up. 

The town is busy, filled with tourists and locals alike. He pushes his way through the crowds as I follow, holding tightly onto his familiar backpack. We eventually end up at the ice cream shop and I stare like a toddler at the brightly coloured flavours - face pressed against the cool glass. He pays for me because apparently he 'dragged me out here', I'm not complaining. I end up with bubble-gum and him with salted caramel. We sit by the beachside as we lick away the melting ice; watching the sun slowly lower. We finish our cones and I feel my head drooping. It slowly lowers, mimicking the sun, almost reaching Li's shoulder. The sun has almost met the horizon; we might finally get to see the sunset together. 

"Oh my god I forgot about Jere and Danny." Urgency laces his voice as he almost jumps to his feet. My head lifts and I follow him upwards, cursing the timing.
"Who?" I ask, confused.
"My cousins, they're spending the night, I'm supposed to be having dinner with them." His eyes are filled with regret as he turns to face me, "I'm so sorry, I have to go."