The Sun is baking and blazing hot. I wish the star could duck behind a cloud, but no clouds anywhere. I’m sitting with my legs dangling above the water and watching the colorful fish swimming below. Thank God my T-shirt has long sleeves, otherwise I would turn into a barbecue. The place would be completely deserted if it were not for a few people snorkeling in the distance.

Am I bi or lesbian now? Could I tell anyone about it or I have to hide my sexual orientation forever? I can tell Dasha and Danya... No, I’ll just tell Danya... I used to share my bed with Dasha; she might think that I did it on purpose to seduce her. All the more reason not to tell Danya. I have no idea how they will take it. Besides, we are not on the best terms now. I distinctly remember one girl in high school (Where is she now?). She was in my year, but in a different class. I don’t know if she was a lesbian: her hair was very short and light, and she loved boyish clothes. Dasha would laugh at her behind her back; she called her Haruka, "Look, Haruka is walking with her friend Bomb! Jeeez, let's better go back to class. I don’t want her to flirt with us... Hahaha!" With a cheerful laugh she would take me by the arm, and I would (Like a fool!) agree with Dasha, but in fact I didn't hate the girl or feel anything bad about her to run away. If Dasha only knew whom she had befriended: one more Haruka.

I was so inattentive: and now I have no idea what my friends think about LGBT community. And what about my parents? Ohhhh... No, no, no, no! I'm never telling anyone anything literally ever!

I clutch my head unable to cope with new emotions, experiences, and the unexpected realization that my dear ones and society will see me as someone who needs to be avoided or fixed...

"Sorry to disturb you." My first thought it’s Hebe who came to yell at me for running away. I shyly tuck my head, but then I understand that it’s not the witch, but a pretty girl. She has beautiful, long, ebony hair, slanting brown eyes, and dark skin. She is wearing a short top and a long, light skirt that is fluttering back and forth, twisting around her legs, then slightly ballooning like a sail; her long hair is echoing the movements of the fabric.

I’m so stupid: she is not speaking to me in Russian!

"Of course not! Have a seat!" I hastily wipe an uninvited tear from my cheek.

"I'm Marilag."

"Velia."

"Nice to meet you. Are you a tourist?"

I nod.

"I'm supposed to meet someone here." She turns to me with a smile and sits down beside me. The girl speaks good English with a sprinkle of an adorable local accent.

"I will leave you to it."

I am about to get up, but she stops me.

"Please, don’t leave me. I love a good company: it will make my wait more pleasant. You look sad. What’s bothering you?"

"I‘m sure you won’t be interested, and I really don’t know where to start. I have so much going on right now that doesn’t fit in my head."

"Be brave! You have only one life... do what you can to be happy even though it can be dangerous. Better a second in the arms of the one you love than your whole life in doubts and loneliness."

How did she know? I guess I can't argue with that. But how difficult it is to overpower my coward "I" and all the rubbish that was hammered into us from an early age!

"I..." she continues, "... could not wait any longer and asked my best friend to escape with me today. I know that everyone will disown us when they find out that we are together, but I don't care," she smiles sadly, gazing into the distance. Her smile reminds me of Hebe's one. I also look in the same direction, but I don’t see any approaching boats or motorboats.

"You’ll be happy together: you and your friend!" I say enthusiastically. I want to cheer her up. "I am sure that your family will not be against your union!"

"You are very kind," she says quietly. "I will ask the spirits to look after you."

I nod uncertainly, and we both fall silent for a while, each lost in her own thoughts. Then the girl gets up, looking into the distance again:

"She didn’t come again," the girl says with a sad smile, takes a step forward and throws herself into the water from a high pier.

"M-Marilag... Marilag!!!"

In despair I fall to my knees and bend over the water, but I can’t see her. The water is clear and nothing but fish and corals. Where's she?! Did she swim under the pier? But why didn't I hear the splash?! Is this some kind of a bad prank for naive foreigners?

"Marilag!" I scream desperately and bend over the water, losing my balance.

"What the devil are you doing!?" I hear Hebe’s rabid voice; she grabs me by the collar and pulls me to her chest. "Have you lost your mind, stupid human girl?! Did you want to go for a swim? You could have smashed your empty head on the reefs or broke your legs on the corals!"

"But Marilag! What about Marilag!? She jumped into the water and disappeared!" I whine.

"What, Hecate have mercy on you, Marilag? When I was watching you from the shore, you were alone all this time."