The Story of an Island Girl

3

At some point our families came and brought us lunch and we spent the day surfing, dancing, and eating on the beach surrounded by family and friends.

The sun has gone down and the party has moved into our house. Our house is also a kind of bed and breakfast mainly for surfers, my parents also give surf lessons. The living room is currently full of the people we care about most in this world and my room has been filled with mattresses, tonight all of my friends are going to be sleeping in there so that we can cherish even the very last moments.

The party is great, the food is yummy, and the company is the very best kind. I can barely believe that at this time tomorrow I will be in a totally different place.

3am. People have either left or fallen asleep wherever they could find, all my friends are passed out, some squished close together and others spread out as if they were starfish. I've tried to fall asleep, honestly but the thought of leaving tomorrow and the fact that I'm so close to Noa at the moment, are doing things to me. I've lost track of how long we've been looking into each other's eyes for. It's like staring into the sea and sky at the same time, I could stay like this forever.

"Kailani" he whispers

I just stare at him

He kisses my lips softly and whispers "I want to show you something"

He stands and pulls me up with him, we quietly make our way through the maze of bodies in my room and the living room and out the back door.

Hand in hand we walk along the beach as the light waves wash over our feet. We make our way to one of the secret caves you can find towards the end of the shoreline

We walk into the cave and I notice that on the spot where the sand is dry there's a big soft blanket with plushy pillows. In the middle of the blanket there is a small delicate rectangular dark blue box.

Noa walks over to the blanket sits down and pats the spot next to him. My heart is about to burst. I sit and he hands me the blue box. Neither of us have spoken yet. I open the box and my heart shatters, I'm sure you can hear it. Inside the box there's the most delicate gold necklace I've ever seen. It has one single charm on it that is in the form of a shark tooth, as I turn over the tiny charm I find three beautifully carved in words, forever and always, in Hawaiian, Noa whispers the phrase to me and my vision gets blurry.

"Hey Kailani no no, I want you to be happy and to have the time of your life while having a little piece of me with you always" he says as he takes the necklace out and reaches to put it around my neck.

For some reason I laugh as words start to roll out of my mouth,

"I know and I know how awesome an opportunity this is and how I can learn so much from this experience and that my family is so great to be doing something like this for me and that I should be excited and not feel like everyone is shipping me off to some city just to get rid of me or think that all my friends are going to forget about me and and...."

Noa turns my face towards his and smiles, coming closer he whispers,

"Kailani kona hiki e ok (it's all going to be ok) you're going to be ok"

Two simple sentences. I realize how close his lips are and I can't hold back anymore. I crash into him and as we connect, myself and all my worries just melt away. His hands are everywhere, My body is burning and shivering at the same time. I want this. We both want this.

He pulls away.

"Kailani" he breathes, "my sweet Kailani"

A stormy ocean is hidden behind his eyes. I don't let him continue.

"Yes I'm sure Noa" my voice trembles a little.

I look into his eyes as I whisper "make me yours Noa"

My words are enough to send him over the edge as he makes my wish come true.

...........................................................................

"Aloha wau iā 'oe" he whispers in my ear when he thinks I've fallen asleep, my heart skips a beat.