Reign’s POV
I woke up with a throbbing pain in my head. I held my head between my hands as if that was going to do anything.
“Wake up, sleepyhead. We’ve got a beautiful beach to swim to,” Jasmine said with a tone full of energy.
I opened my eyes to study where we are. We’re inside a nipa hut so everything is a bit open and the air just swiftly enters. If I still feel the weather, I would feel really chilly right now.
“You were a good drinker last night.”
“How did one drink end up being more than that?”
“You drank twenty cups of Pohorisa.”
“Poho-what?”
“It’s a strong type of alcoholic drink local here.”
“Ugh,” I groaned in pain. “I’m too dizzy, Jasmine. I feel like someone is repeatedly hitting my head with a hammer.”
She forced me up. “Here, a gumamela.” She placed a bright pink flower on my ear. “Look at you. You look like a pretty lady.”
I groaned at her.
"Happy birthday, kiddo."
"Kiddo?" I removed the pink flower from my ear and stared at it.
"Put it back!" She took the flower from my hand so she could stick it back in my ear. "You look pretty in pink. Really."
I rolled my eyes at her. "If this is how you will greet me on my birthday, don't even bother."
“Kidding. Anyway, to the beach!” She pulled me out of the hut and towards the beach. We stopped by the shore and waited for the water to hit our feet.
Which made me realize that I am no longer wearing boots and socks. Where did it go?
"The water is chilly," Jasmine pretended to feel the cold water.
I stared at the moving water on my sheen. This feels like the rain. I lowered my hand to the water to feel it.
Belle.
I remember her face when we were playing in the rain five years ago. I remember telling her that the rain is important to me because it was the only thing that makes me feel human again. Things have changed since then. The rain doesn't give me the same warmth anymore. Instead, it's making me feel the loneliness that I have been pushing on the back of my head.
My warmth is Belle.
The stolen moment I had with her the other week made me feel all the warmth I have been missing for the past five years. I want to return to that.
Suddenly, I was reminded of what I was supposed to do. I should be looking for my soul instead of doing this. I turned to Jasmine to tell her that I needed to leave but the thought left my mind as soon as I saw her with a wide smile plastered on her face.
"Enjoying the beach, Reign?" She turned to me, keeping a warm smile on her face. For a moment, I thought I saw the sun behind her giving her a bright halo around her.
I changed my mind. "Erm, yeah. Actually, don't you think it's more fun if Dennis and Louis are with us?"
Jasmine's eyes widened, "Right Let's celebrate your birthday with them!" She snapped her fingers in the air and immediately, two figures appeared beside us.
Dennis seemed to have been preparing for bed–it’s probably already night on the other side of the world, as he was brushing his teeth while Louis sadly face-planted on the sandy beach. He was probably leaning on the reception desk.
Dennis turned to us with a toothbrush still stuck in his mouth, "what. The. Fuck?"
"Hey," I waved at them. Somehow, I felt sorry for them but I really want to make Jasmine happy.
"Good morning!" Jasmine greeted happily.
Louis pushed himself up from the sandy ground, "M-miss Jasmine, where are we?"
"My birthplace," Jasmine removed the toothbrush from Dennis's mouth and threw it away.
"I thought we're not allowed to litter?" I watched as the poor toothbrush got swept by the ocean.
"Eh, whatever. Anyway, I brought you all here so we could celebrate Reign's birthday!"
"Oh right!" Dennis smiled widely. "Happy birthday!"
"Thanks." I don't really celebrate my birthday but I guess I will have to celebrate it now for Jasmine's sake.
"Happy birthday!" Louis grinned enthusiastically.
"Yeah." I hope Jasmine won't shout out loud that today is my birthday. I don't like to have a lengthy and awkward birthday song to be sung at me while I wait to blow my cake. Oh, no cakes either. I don't know what it will taste like anyway.
Jasmine seemed to enjoy her stay here more with Dennis and Louis around. I know I have other things to do but I also want to fulfill Jasmine's wishes. I know she may not speak it out loud but she truly cares for us. Sometimes, I think she treats us as her kids that she never had.
"Argh! Jasmine, stop ruining my hair!" Dennis groaned.
"I am fixing it!" Jasmine argued.
"M-miss, the Superior might get mad at me because I'm not in my station." Louis worried but his hands said otherwise. He dug his hand underneath the sands and seems to be playing.
"I'll take care of him. Don't worry. But for now, let's all enjoy!" Jasmine pulled the two of them further from the shore.
Dennis was annoyed at first but he later on finally managed to match Jasmine's energy.
Louis was the one enjoying it the most. After all, he's been stuck in that lobby for too long.
I took a few steps to get closer to them but I flinched at every rock I felt underneath my feet. Then I felt something brush across my legs so I stopped walking.
"Reign! Come closer!" Jasmine signaled at me.
I forced a smile. "Y-yeah. Hold on." What was that slimy thing that I just stepped on?
Finally, after countless times that I had to stop, I reached them. Jasmine was teaching Louis how to dive deep while Dennis peacefully floated in the water. I just simply stand in front of them because I don't want to move around. Not with those slimy things underneath my feet.
"If we weren't demons, we would have been sunburnt by now," Dennis muttered.
I agree. But I also wish that I lost my senses on my feet because I really hate the slimy feeling.
After a few hours, we returned to the Nipa Hut after an hour. Dennis had to carry me on his back just so I could get out. It was taking me longer to get out because I feel a bit uncomfortable. I am not going back to the ocean.
“It’s just seaweed, Reign. Calm down.”
“I swear it wrapped around my legs earlier! It’s not the seaweed!” I was panicking. “Get me out of here!
Dennis laughed at my pain.
Finally, we reached the hut. I immediately searched for my boots around but they really are nowhere to be found. They are important to me. It's the boots that Belle cleaned when she accidentally vomited on them.
"Don't worry, Reign. I hid them for you," Jasmine opened a case made of bamboo and took out my boots.
I sighed in relief. "I thought I lost them." I took them from her hand and cleaned them.
"It's nice here, Jasmine. Maybe we should come back here with the others next time," Dennis suggested.
“Miss Jasmine, look! I made a necklace out of the white flowers I found around!” Louis excitedly showed it to Jasmine.
“Hmm?” Jasmine held the necklace in her hands.
“I also made this flower crown,” Louis placed it on Jasmine’s head.
Jasmine smiled sweetly at him, “later, I will teach you how to create a necklace out of seashells.”
We went out for dinner. We found a place where we could get a proper view of the sunset. Honestly, I don't even know why they are worried about dinner. It's not like we could taste the food. I guess for experience?
Jasmine leaned her head on my shoulder.
I tilted my head so I could see her.
"Thank you for today, Reign." Jasmine smiled innocently at me. For a second, I thought I saw a glimpse of what she would look like if she was still her former self, Mutya. An innocent lady who didn't deserve to suffer.
"S-sure…no problem," I hid my face from her because I know she'll realize that my cheeks are turning pink. What’s up with this woman? I am not used to this version of Jasmine.
Jasmine raised her hand to a waiter, "Waiter, do you have a birthday special?"
"Jasmine," I greeted my teeth as I called her.
"It's my friend's birthday today!"
The waiter smiled and informed the other waiters.
I shook my head, "please stop, Jasmine."
Moments later, the waiters arrive with a tambourine at hand. One waiter placed a birthday hat on me and placed a mocha cake in front of me. It's just a small piece of cake and on the side written 'Happy Birthday'.
"How old are you now?" The waiter asked me as she adjust the birthday hat.
"A hundred and forty-seven," I answered nonchalantly.
The waiter must have thought that it was a joke and just laughed it off.
Louis, Dennis, and Jasmine clapped along with the waiters as they started singing the birthday song to me.
I just smiled painfully as I wait for the song to end.
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