Mamma Mia!

After their stay in Rome, they rode all the way to Sorrento. It was a town filled with craftsmanship by artisans. Sabine had a delight wandering and choosing some pieces to bring home. However, their final destination was to Amalfi Coast so they had to ride once more, only this time, on a boat all the way to the island.

It was such unfamiliar scenery for Sabine. The gentle breeze of the wind carried her hair while her eyes took in the vastness of the world before her. On one side was the coastline, on the other was the deep blue sea.

She could only distinguish the silhouette from a distance, but once the boat reached near them, she was able to clearly see the rock formation. Their guide told them that they arrived at the Li Galli composed of three small islands.

She couldn’t help herself and stood near the railing, admiring the sun reflecting on the surface of the water in what were seemingly some sparkles. 

“Paola! These formations are made of limestones aren’t they? They’re so beautiful,” Sabine exclaimed.

“Yes, you’re right! But before it was known for its beauty, it has been associated with the haunting stories of Greek mythology-“ Paola walked towards her side, eyes roaming the views as well- “all three of these islets are actually known as Le Sirenuse. It literally means sirens. It is said to be home of these creatures from Homer’s Odyssey. The ones who attract passing ships through their lovely melodies, which lead them to crash into the rocks, abruptly meeting their end.”

A satisfied sigh left her lips as she agreed. “Haunting indeed.”

Their guide pointed towards one of the islands. “The largest one among these three is Gallo Lungo. From above you can see that it’s reminiscent of the shape of a dolphin. It was owned by the Russian ballet dancer Nureyev, he’s the one who turned it into a private retreat. That watchtower, however, was built by the previous owner—French choreographer Massine.”

Paola had been discussing the history of the island diligently but Sabine caught Soren’s worrisome posture from her peripheral vision. Her concern had only been heightened by their photographer's sudden suggestion.

“Guys, how about taking some photos on the deck? You can do the Titanic pose or just hug each other’s waist, whatever you prefer.”

From Amanda holding the camera in her hand, she looked back at Soren. He still had his eyes closed, but it does not seem like he was sleeping- his brows were scrunched while he bit his bottom lip. 

She quickly made her way towards Soren, but he also stood up, although his hands sought help from the chair he was seated on. A few big strides and she reached him before he stumbled forward—her left hand was on his forearm, while her right was on his shoulder. 

“Are you alright?” she asked in a hushed tone. He only answered with a nod, eyes cast downward.

“Should I ask Amanda to just take the photos later?”

Soren shook his head in a comically slow manner. “No, it’s okay. Let’s proceed with the photo shoot.”

He seemed to be taking a step forward when she stopped him by gripping his arm a little tightly. Instead, she quickly got one of the water bottles beside their bags.

“Well, how about drinking some water first?”

The man heaved a sigh, but accepted her offer, nevertheless. She only observed his state, assessing if he needs to sit down instead of working. Once finished, he put down the water bottle on one of the seats before going to the deck with Sabine behind him.

Once they were in position, Amanda clapped her hands.

“Perfect! Now, if you could just position your hands where you're comfortable with.”

Soren was still looking down, blinking slowly.

“Would you mind if I put my arms around you?” Sabine asked.

“It’s fine, go ahead.”

She proceeded to clasp her hands behind his neck. Meanwhile, he only gently placed his hands at the sides of her waist. Her eyes were just trained on him, so when he looked up, their eyes finally met.

“Okay, that’s good. Let me take a few more,” Amanda announced.

His eyes were unsteady. Add to it the fact that he was breathing heavily. It prompted her to ask once more.

“How about we sit for a while and just continue later? I’m sure Amanda won’t mind.”

The waves seemed to be taunting the man as it rocked the boat and made them tumble a bit. At that point, he closed his eyes again.

“I am sorry, Sabine. Can I borrow your shoulder for a moment?”

His statement made her lips open- then close. He just called her by her name, for the first time. When she put her thoughts away from that, she said yes and let him.

The man plopped his forehead on top of her shoulder. It reminded her of the night they first encountered each other. It was very reminiscent of his drunken state, only that he is currently sober, but suffering from sea sickness. Instead of the lingering smell of alcohol, it was the salty sea water that entered her lungs. Instead of the stars, the clouds of Amalfi adorned the skies. 

Yet all the same, they were picture perfect. The curious gaze of the crowds in public, the netizens looking them up online—this photo shoot—is still dedicated for those viewers. Just so they are not able to find any faults.

She let out a chuckle, a reaction she could not help because of the amusement she found in the irony of things.

“If performative came alive.”

Her body suddenly jerked, startled at the realization that Soren could have heard her. Her breath was caught in her throat when she felt him lightly squeeze her waist.

“I know,” Soren mumbled against her shoulders.

“Who isn’t?” His thumbs slowly rubbed against her sides from where his hands were resting. “At the end of the day, we do all that for a reason. You don’t have to do that with me-“ he took his head off her shoulder- “I’m just a boy, standing in front of a girl, asking her to trust him.”

He had a smile on when his gaze found hers, that made her smile too.

“Is that a reference to Notting Hill? So our senator actually watches romantic comedies, I’ll take note of that.” A chuckle left her lips. With a teasing lilt she said, “please come to my upcoming movie premiere. I’m sure you’ll like it.”

“I will. And just to clarify, that part wasn’t a joke. I’m simply a man grateful to the kind woman who stayed by my side that night—even right at this moment.”

She could hear Amanda squeal a few feet away from them. She must have been satisfied with the photos she took because she let them get back to their seats just a few minutes later.