Beneath the surface

My phone buzzed — multiple messages popped up, flooding the screen. They were from our group chat. "Pack your bags, we're leaving tomorrow " Danica suddenly texted. "Busy" zyril, mediately respond Of course his busy! Busy causing trouble. "I'm in!" Phoebe responded with an exciting emoji "Can't go, you know why" I replied "We're going, and no excuses, Danica had planned everything, and no worries Pearl I'll talk to your parents" Cyrus replied to my text, I could literally hear his words and the arrogant tone of his. “perfect! It’s a surprise, but trust me — it’ll be unforgettable.” Danica responded. The chat kept buzzing, each message layering over the last. “Count me in,” Rafael finally replied, his words laced with that careless charm he always carried. “Same here,” Gabriel added, short and simple, but I could almost hear the calm steadiness in his tone. Faith chimed in with a heart emoji. Of course she’d go. She always did. I typed one last message: “Fine. I’ll be there.” The chat exploded with emojis, cheers, and Cyrus’s smug “Knew you’d cave.” Another message followed, this time with a location pin: the dock near the old marina. The group was complete. The next day, I arrived at the dock near the old marina. The air smelled of salt and rust, waves slapping against the wooden posts. I spotted Faith and Danica already waiting, bags slung over their backs. At least these two valued punctuality. Faith waved, her smile warm and genuine. “You made it!” she said Danica, on the other hand, stood a little apart, her gaze fixed on the horizon. “The island is perfect,” she murmured, almost to herself. "Where are we even going, Dani?” I asked. “To my moms’ old place , and it’s been a while since I last visited. I thought it would be the perfect place for us to reconnect, since it’s secluded And private .” she explained. Moments later, Phoebe arrived, her laughter echoing across the dock. “Finally! A trip for us guys!” She bounced toward us, her cheerfulness infectious, though I noticed her eyes lingered on Rafael a moment too long. Cyrus strolled in next, arrogance practically dripping from his stride. “Well, at least you all managed to show up. I was beginning to think punctuality was extinct.” His smirk made me roll my eyes. Gabriel followed quietly, leaning against the railing with a calm presence. He gave me a small nod. Then came Zyril, loud and restless, clapping Rafael on the back. “Let’s make this trip unforgettable!” Rafael grinned, careless as always, his charm masking the recklessness that had always defined him. "Alright let's go now, the boat is waiting for us" Danica said already walking towards the boat The boat engine roared to life. As the mainland shrank behind us, they were start chatting the whole ride, it takes 4hours before we finally arrived at the Island. It was mesmerizing, the sand was white, the sea was clear as crystal. “This place is amazing!” Phoebe’s excitement was palpable while Faith started to take photos at the surrounding. She spun in a slow circle, arms wide, like she was trying to hug the whole shoreline. “Pearl, look— the water’s literally glass. We have to swim before sunset.” I dropped my bag in the sand. It was heavier than it should’ve been. “Where’s the house, Dani?” Danica pointed past the tree line, where a narrow path cut through palms. “Five-minute walk.” She said Cyrus was already walking towards the tree line. “Finally, somewhere without cell towers. My ears can rest from all of you.” “You mean from yourself,” Gabriel muttered. He hoisted both his bag and Faith’s without asking. “Lead the way, Dani.” The path was damp and smelled like wet leaves and salt. Phoebe bounced ahead, still taking photos, narrating every step. “Look at this root — it’s like a monster hand! Gabriel, pose here!” “Pass.” Rafael caught up to her, grinning. “I’ll pose.” He threw an arm around her shoulders and mugged for the camera. Phoebe smiled, brighter. “Perfect. You’re my best model.” Zyril crashed through behind us, loud even on sand. “Tell me there’s beer in this ‘simple’ house, Dani, or I’m swimming back.” “There’s a storeroom,” Danica said without turning. “Help yourself." The house showed itself all at once — stilted, wood gone silver from sun, windows like dark eyes. A woman stood on the steps. Late fifties, thin, hair pulled back tight. She didn’t wave. muttering under her breath. We exchanged uneasy glances. Behind her, a boy - Maybe at our age - followed silently, He didn’t look at us. Just took Danica’s bag from her hand and disappeared inside. “Lourdes,” Danica called. “We made it.” “Is the generator on?” Cyrus asked, already walking past Lourdes like she was furniture. “It is,” Lourdes said. Her voice was low, scratched. “Rooms are ready. Two to a room. No going to the east side after dark.” Zyril barked a laugh. “East side? What, monsters?” Lourdes didn't respond and went inside Phoebe bumped my arm, cheerful again. “Creepy welcome, ten out of ten. Come on, let’s claim beds before Cyrus takes the one with the window.” The inside smelled like old wood and kerosene. The air was cooler, but heavier. Faith was already in the main room, lining up shells on the windowsill for photos. “We need a group pic before anyone gets sandy and gross.” “Later,” Danica said. She was staring at a framed photo on the wall — a man, a woman, and a little girl with missing front teeth. Danica’s thumb brushed the glass. I stepped closer. “Your parents?” “Yeah.” She didn’t elaborate. Outside, the sun was lower. The water was still glass. Phoebe tugged me toward the back of the house. “Come on, before the boys claim the best view.” The backyard wasn’t really a yard. Just a drop of sand and then ocean. No fences, no neighbors. Just water that went flat to the horizon and sky starting to bruise purple. Faith was already there. Of course. She’d changed out of her travel clothes into a white sundress that probably wasn’t meant for an island with no electricity. She stood at the edge of the deck, one hand on the rail, laughing at something on her phone. “Took you long enough,” she said without looking up. Then her eyes flicked to me, then past me. “Where’s Gabriel?” “Helping Danica,” I said. “Mm.” She stretched, slow, like she knew exactly how the light hit her. “He’s sweet. Quiet guys always are.” Her smile was sweet. “He better not be too sweet to have fun, though.” Phoebe looped her arm through Faith’s. “We’re all having fun. That’s the rule.” Faith’s laugh was soft. “Good. Because Zyril’s already bored and Cyrus is only nice when he wants something. Someone’s gotta keep morale up.” She winked at me. Inside, a door slammed. Zyril’s voice: “Yo! Who hid the beer?” Zyril stomped into view, shirt already off. “It’s five-fifty. Close enough.” He saw Faith and his whole posture changed. Chest out, grin wider. “Faithy. You’re gonna die in that dress. Water’s calling.” “I know,” she said. “But a girl needs an escort. Sharks and all that.” She wasn’t looking at Zyril. She was looking at Gabriel, who’d just come out with two water bottles. Gabriel stopped. Handed me one without a word. Faith’s smile thinned for half a second. Then she turned it on Rafael instead, brushing past him to “accidentally” grab his arm for balance. “Oops. Decks are slippery.” Rafael didn’t move away. Danica walked out last, wiping her hands on her shorts. She saw Faith on Rafael, then me. Her jaw tightened. “Rooms. Pick them now or you’re on the couch.” “I call window,” Cyrus said, pushing past everyone. “No you don’t,” Phoebe sang. “Ladies first. Right, Pearl?” She was still holding my arm. Her grip was light The sun touched the water. The whole sky went orange. For a second, it really was unforgettable. Then the generator hiccuped. The lights inside died. Came back. Died again. "Storm coming" Danica said, matter-of-fact the clouds are getting darker The generator caught and the lights stayed on. Faith clapped once. “Well! That was dramatic. Group pic now, before we lose light? For memories?” She held up her phone, already angling it to get Gabriel in the frame behind her. At exactly six pm the dinner was served. Dinner was rice, fish, and silence. Lourdes put the food down and left. Mico ate on the steps outside, back to us. Faith sat next to Gabriel. Obviously. She leaned in, whispering something, laughing. He nodded once, then passed the salt to me. Across the table. Over her plate. Faith’s fingers paused on her fork. “So,” Phoebe said, bright, “Gabriel, you and Lyrisse used to skip fourth period together, right? What was that about?” Gabriel didn’t look up. “Group project.” “Liar,” Zyril coughed into his hand. “You two were—” “Eating,” I said. “We’re eating.” Phoebe and Zyril look at each other with a knowing look. Under the table, something brushed my knee. I flinched. It was Cyrus hand, we look at each other for a split second and continue eating like it was nothing. “You’re not eating, Dani,” he said. “I’m not hungry.” Faith laughed, light. “God, she’s always been like this. So mysterious. So ‘above it.’” She leaned closer to Gabriel. “You remember senior year? She never ate in the cafeteria either." Danica didn't look at her. “You remember a lot for someone who wasn’t there.” “Zyril told me,” Faith said, sweet. “He tells me everything.” Zyril, mouth full, pointed his fork at her. “True. Faithy’s my confessional.” “Gross,” Danica said from the end of the table. Rafael kicked Zyril under the table. “Dude. Manners.” After the dinner we settle into our rooms. The house had four bedrooms off one narrow hall. Each door was warped wood with a brass number nobody bothered to read. Room 1: Danica + Phoebe Danica dropped her bag and didn’t unpack. Just sat on the bed by the window, arms around her knees, staring at the dark. Phoebe bounced in, already in pajama shorts and a tank top. “Roomies! Just like camp!” She set her lamp on the nightstand and started unpacking gummies, chips, a deck of cards. “Truth or dare later?” “No,” Danica said. “Cool, cool. Truth later then.” Phoebe flopped onto the other bed, scrolling through her phone with no signal. “No bars. Ugh. How am I supposed to post?” She rolled onto her side, facing Danica. “You okay? You’ve been quiet since we got here.” “I’m fine.” “Your mom would’ve loved this place,” Phoebe said softly. Too softly. “She liked quiet, right?” Danica’s head snapped up. “Don’t.” “Sorry! Just making conversation.” Phoebe’s smile didn’t waver. She pulled a blanket up to her chin. “Sleep tight. Don’t let the bugs bite.” Room 2: Faith + Pearl Faith tossed her dress over a chair like it insulted her. “Well. This is cozy.” She walked the perimeter of the room, testing the window latch. Twice. “Relax,” I said. I hadn’t unpacked. My bag was by the door. “Can’t.” She sat on her bed, facing me. “Weird vibes. And Gabriel’s all the way down the hall.” She said it like I should care. “He can handle himself.” “Mm. Can you?” She tilted her head. “Cyrus was touching you at dinner. I saw.” I didn’t answer. Faith laid back, staring at the ceiling The generator hiccuped. The lamp dimmed, then came back. Faith smiled at the dark. I turned off my lamp. “Go to sleep, Faith.” “I am,” she said. But she didn’t close her eyes. Room 3: Cyrus + Zyril Zyril was already shirtless, rifling through Cyrus’s bag. “You bring any real booze or just that sparkling water crap?” “Get out of my stuff,” Cyrus said. He was standing at the window, hands in his pockets, looking at nothing. Zyril found a flask and whooped. “Knew it! Rich boys always—” “Touch my things again and you’ll need new fingers.” Zyril froze, then laughed. “Chill, man. It’s vacation.” He took a swig. “Though this place sucks. No wifi, no girls in my room, creepy maid…” “Faith’s two doors down,” Cyrus said. “Yeah, but she’s got a thing for Sad-Eyes Gabriel. Waste.” Zyril flopped onto his bed. “You and Pearl though. That’s weird, right? You two hate each other at home but now you’re all…” He wiggled his eyebrows. “knee-touching.” Cyrus finally turned from the window. “Zyril.” “What?” “Shut up.” Zyril saluted with the flask. “Aye aye, captain. Just saying. If you’re not calling it, I might—” The floor creaked. Outside the room. One step. Then nothing. Both of them went quiet. Cyrus walked to the door. Opened it. Hall was empty. Only the lamp light, stretching shadows. He closed it. Locked it. “Go to sleep.” Zyril was already under the covers. “Whatever, man. Just don’t snore" Room 4: Rafael + Gabriel Rafael was on his phone, even with no signal. Habit. “This is messed up. No service, no alcohol, no AC. Why’d we come here?” Gabriel was by the window, checking the lock for the third time. “Danica asked.” “Yeah, and we said yes like idiots.” Rafael tossed his phone down. The house went quiet. Then, from somewhere in the walls, a soft sound. _Tap. Tap. Tap._ Like a nail on wood. Or a fingernail. In Room 2, I sat up. Faith was already awake, staring at the ceiling. “You hear that?” I whispered. She turned her head to me, slow. “Yeah.” _Tap. Tap. Tap._ Closer now. Faith sat up too. “It’s probably rats,” she said. But her voice was thin. “No,” I said. “Rats don’t knock three times.” Down the hall, Phoebe’s door opened. Just a crack. A sliver of light. Then closed again. ~TO BE CONTINUE~