The effect of alcohol waned and Steven felt as though he descended from an outer world to where he sits. He was able to process again. Myopic simplicity ceased and in its place a palpable hyper-awareness came about. He was able to take in everything simultaneously – the dampness of sand beneath and between his toes, the glitters on the ocean, the prevalent mood of vacation floating about the beach atmosphere, the soft feminine voice from his side. Time came back to its normal speed.

Maria remained where she were. At first, she was unaware of the change that had happened inside the man next to him and continued to speak with her ingenuous eyes. “Ahh I wish we could live here forever,” she said. “I’ve gotten so much better at surfing, and now I’m even fond of the haphazard local streets.” Steven thought he could get away with a silence. Maria continued. “Do you remember when we first came it was rainy all day and we laughed at the name of this place? Sunset beach?” she chuckled as she gently lay her head on his shoulders. Steven matched her chuckle and let out a gentle hmm in acknowledgement. He was in favor of the possibility that her question may be a rhetorical one. Steven was still exploiting his expired intoxication, hoping it could still act as an excuse for his tepidness. “Steven?”

“Yes?” Steven gently coughed and sat upright. “Yes Maria?” “Do you remember our first night, I said,” Maria repeated. “Of course I remember. We had our first satay watching out the window the pouring rain. Oh how lucky we were though.” Steven’s heart beat slightly faster. He was nonetheless still confident his aloofness, if betrayed at all, would be attributable to the whiskies. Maria stayed silent. “Although,” Steven reinitiated, “I would not change anything about this vacation, including that night.” “Why?” said Maria, without looking up. Steven hoped she would continue, and after a pause, she did. “If everything else stayed the same and we had a good sunset that evening, it would be even better, no?” “Well, the prawn satay was really, really good. And I must add that I didn’t hate going back to our room earlier that evening,” Steven said teasingly as he gently nudged Maria. He wished to check the temperature of her eyes, for then he would be sure if he is in the clear.

“Aww, you have a point there,” Maria met Steven’s calculated banter with subtle giggle. She sat upright and faced the northern end of the beach where the mountain lies. Steven could not be sure whether her stance was intended or not. He lingered on the trace of warmth still present in her voice. He gently laid his hands on her knee. It was cool from the breeze of dusk.