Mom always told me that summer is a time of discovery, where your newfound freedom sweeps you up like the current and takes you places you never would have imagined. Dunno if I believe all that though. She was always the dreamer of the family, a trailblazer always looking for a new adventure. Me? Gimme a rod and find me a lake to fish in and I'll be happy forever.

I've always loved fishing- the time spent reflecting as you wait for a bite, the adrenaline of reeling in a real fighter of a fish, and the pride and love you feel sharing the coming meal you caught with those you care about. The fisherman's life was always for me- guess I take after pops in that way. Though he's supportive, he wants better for me than to spend my whole life fishing like he does, but what does he know? He made enough money to rent a beach house for a whole summer vacation with the money he gets running fishing contests- and he's gonna tell me not to follow in his footsteps? Lame.

Pops taught me everything there was to know about life growing up- mostly fishing- but that's part of life too! I still remember those warm summer nights spent on the dock just talking about nothing with our bobbers lazily drifting on the lake. Holding on to those memories lets my woodsy soul survive the late night study sessions, endless morning lectures, and mounting anxiety of being an average college student.

When I graduated high school, my parents let me stay with them as I went to college. At first I was embarrassed as I watched all my friends fly their coops, but what can I say? I wasn't ready to abandon Mom's hugs or Dad's cooking just yet.

My classes went well. Most of my grades were B's, sometimes a B- or even an A, which my parents saw as good enough. I finished slightly above average, which was a real confidence boost after a tough first year. All of my classes were just generals, since I'm not ready to pick a major yet. Mom says I might like marine biology. I said I told her I'd think about it, but that I may have to resist throwing out a line when I'm examining specimens, testing water levels or… whatever it is marine biologists do.

Summer vacation came just in time, taking away all of my stress and allowing me to deflate into my bed like a balloon and spend the next three months staying up late and eating junk. That was the plan anyway, until Mom and Dad invited me to do all of those things with them, but instead of doing it at home, we'd be at a beach house right next to the ocean (my second favorite place to fish aside from the mountains). Obviously, I said yes.

Pops told me that the island we're headed to, Ambersap Bay, is a quaint little place not all that used to tourists. They have a boardwalk, woody trails for hiking, family owned restaurants, plenty of camping spots, and even a movie theater. He promised me I would enjoy myself, though something told me that I would regardless of what I found.

He was lucky to be able to secure the rental because of a recommendation of an old friend of his- a frequent of his fishing contests. Tom Nook, the owner of the property, was close friends with my pop's friend. Pops pulled a few strings, his friend talked to Tom Nook, and next thing we knew the deal was made. Talk about a lucky break!

A hop, skip, jump, and a plane ride over 500 miles of ocean (I asked our pilot, a blue dodo named Wilbur) and we had landed. I stepped off the aircraft, feeling the sea-scented breeze tickle my fur and the chestnut orange dock creaking a little under my feet.

"Well, what'd I tell ya, fish bait? This'll be the perfect fisherman's recluse." Pops gave my back a hard pat, nearly knocking the luggage out of my arms.

I scowl, but my mouth curls into a smile anyway. He's called me fish bait ever since I was a baby and he used to joke about hitching me on a line and casting me out to sea. I was never scared, but Mom sure was. Good times.

Mom hitched up her capris and put her hand up to shield her eyes from the sun. "Now don't you boys go running off to fish before we're unloaded. I'm not gonna-"

"Of course not, dear." Dad planted a kiss on her cheek and took her tote bag onto his shoulder. "I already have a plan to make sure everything gets put away quick as a whip. Then we can all enjoy our first night here with no unpacking left to do."

Dad used to be a bit of a bum when I was younger, leaving Mom to do a lot of the preparation for trips like these and any other house work. Ever since I graduated he seemed determined to do better, and judging by my mom's pleasantly surprised expression, I would say he was doing a pretty good job. Seeing them be all lovey-dovey made me fake gag, though Mom only laughed and stuck her tongue out at me.

Wilbur hopped out of the plane and swung around to help. Pop's dad instincts kicked in when Wilbur offered to help him carry the luggage, and he made it abundantly clear he would be carrying his heavy load all by himself. Me, still having a few years (and a few kids) to go before falling prey to that instinct, willingly handed over a few suitcases and a lawn chair.

Pops wasn't kidding when he said we would get it done fast. He even enlisted Wilbur to help- not that he had any protest. As soon as we stepped in the door and were hit with the sweet, 68 degree AC, Pops shuffled past me and off to the hallway to the right of the doorway. From the floor plans he showed me, it led to the master bedroom.

The mudroom was separated from the kitchen to the left by a half-wall up to my waist. The kitchen was fully stocked, with granite counters, warm lights perched above the center island, and a wide window view of the beach. The cabinets are glass and show decorative wines and glasses inside (the former of which my parents won't let me near. Not that I mind. Wine tastes like old grape juice)

The kitchen pales in comparison to the living room. The house is a two-story, and the living room reaches all the way to the ceiling of the second, with the second floor having a wooden rail that opens up towards the window. The far wall is covered almost entirely by a giant, triangular window that perfectly framed the beach and green, wooded mountains on the far end of the island The furniture is blue and made of plush cushions on a framework of dark wicker wood. Everything is themed around the ocean, sailing, or fishing, and the whole room is washed in pale blues and turquoises that give you the feeling of being underwater.

Past the kitchen and the living room to the left of the entrance is another hallway leading into the other bedroom that I'll be staying in (along with a private bathroom), the laundry room, and a back entrance to a patio facing directly towards the sea. I'll have to bug Mom to go sit out there with me and soak up some rays later.

My room is spacious, with a plush cream carpet and walls the color of the deep ocean waters. A queen sized bed sits in the middle, the headboard against the wall. Opposite to it is a TV mounted on the wall, and as surprised as I was myself, I might not find myself using it all that much given that I'll have the ocean and my fishing rod to keep me busy. In less than an hour, I've shoved all of my clothes into my white, sailor-themed dresser and I'm lounging in the living room, just enjoying the atmosphere.

"Thank you so much for your help, Wilbur," Pop says, pulling the dodo into a hug with a pat on the back.

"Happy to help! I live on the floor above the airport, so feel free to stop by if my services are needed again… or if you just wanna say hi." He said the last part quietly, embarrassed. Guess they really don't get all that many visitors here.

Mom squeezed Wilbur in a hug so tight I'm almost sure he squeaked like a dog toy. "Oh of course! Once we're all settled in, we'll be sure to stop by. We can have you and the neighbors over for dinner- have a real housewarming party."

Wilbur waved goodbye and let the screen door shut behind him. Mom may be going a bit overboard for a vacation home, but that's just how she is. Wherever she goes, she's gonna make it feel like home. I call it the Mom instinct.

Speaking of instinct, my spoiled only child instincts tell me that it's about time I leave the rest of the work to my parents and go explore the island I'll be calling home for the summer. While my parents move to start on a late lunch, I spare a glance at the clock. About 1 in the afternoon. Plenty of time to take a walk on the beach, maybe even see the town, I decide.

"I'm gonna go out for a walk- that ok? I wanna go scope out the island!" I say it like a question so that it feels less like I'm bailing.

Mom crosses her arms, but her face bears a smile. "Well, I guess since you're done unpacking, that could be alright."

"But don't go catching all the good fish without me!" Pop chimes in as he slathers a piece of bread in peanut butter for a sandwich.

I laugh as I head out the door and promise him I won't. With one hand, I hold my rod over my shoulder and the other I use to blow a kiss to my parents.

My first thought is to head to the beach. The daylight will make it easier to scope out future spots, and at this time plenty of people will be out enjoying the sun- perfect time to meet the locals.

I circle around the house and continue down the bank, walking just at the edge of the waves to let my feet cool in the turquoise water. It's the perfect temperature for a swim, though that'll have to wait a bit. Boats, pontoons and parasails glide over the waves a few yards from shore, their occupants hooting and hollering at each other good-naturedly. It was one of those places where everyone knew each other, I guess.

Distracted, I kick a seashell into the water, and as I look up to watch it splash, I see the sandy beach end in a cove of barnacle-crusted stone. A cliff overhead stretched over the beach, making a sort of roof. There was an army of stones all lined in the water and sticking up at different angles. Though at one point they may have been jagged, the lazy lapping of the water had smoothed them over time.

The shade's definitely nice. While the stone's not fun to sit on, it's flat and cools you down after a long walk in the sun, and I can't help but lay down on my back and let it sap away the excess heat. Oh-h-h-h yeah. This was my spot. I could spend a whole summer just lying here on this rock.

Or, well, I could have if I wasn't drenched in water.

Coughing up shock along with seawater, I jolt upwards. "God damn- I shoulda known it was high tide-"

I looked forward and saw that the waves were calm as ever, the sea level still a few feet below the edge of my cove. How did I get splashed… but there's no wave?

Another, lighter splash of water this time as I see a red figure pop their head up from the edge of the cove, crossing their arms on the stone edge. My arms shoot up to block what only ends up being a light spray, and I spit out the salt.

"What the hell, man?" I grumble as I wring out my fishing hat.

The otter just stares at me for a second before pulling themself up to sit facing me. I see they're in blue denim overalls and a knit cap, which they squeeze in the same motion as me. Their demeanor and face are calm, but not uninterested- almost like they're observing me to see how I'll react next. It's kinda creepy.

I keep eye contact with them for a second before they blink and shake their head like they just realized what had happened over the past few seconds.

"Sorry man, I just wasn't expecting anyone to be here. Most people already know this is where I like to kick back and don't really bother comin' around."

Shoot- this spot was claimed. As a fisherman with honor, I must respect this otter's right to call dibs. I'm not a hooligan.

"It's all good. I'll dry off in the sun." I peel my tank top away from my chest, only for it to stick right back to my fur. "My name's CJ, by the way."

"Pascal. Welcome to the island." He must have guessed I'm not from here. Again, small town.

The next few moments are silent as I awkwardly stare out to the ocean. Guess I should probably leave, huh. This fishing spot's a bust. Before I pick my rod up to leave though, Pascal speaks up.

"You fish?" His voice is husky, though he sounds about my age. Maybe a bit older.

"Oh yeah, fishing's my life."

Pascal idly rubs his thumb on his seashell necklace. "Same here- or- sorta."

He digs into his pocket and fishes out something- it's streaked in bright blue and yellow… and it's slimy. Some sort of sea slug. I didn't run across them often, but hey, you fish enough you're bound to find things like that eventually.

"I'm a diver. See, I can hold my breath a real long time, so I go diving for sea creatures and treasures and a whole bunch of other stuff too."

I cock an eyebrow. "Treasure?"

He picks his shell necklace open with a claw, revealing a small hinge on the inside. As soon as it opens, a beam of sunlight hits the most beautiful pile of pearls I've ever seen. They reflect with so many pinks, blues, and greens that swirl together into one iridescent rainbow like the bottom of a CD.

"Woah." I stare awestruck before he gently closes it again.

"Yeah man, they're beautiful, right? I love pearls. All that iridescent color under the dark sea and inside a dingy scallop. It's like in the most unexpected places, the world shimmers, right?"

I laugh and feel a slight warmth in my cheeks. "That's beautiful, man."

He smiles and wags his tail like a puppy. "Hey, you wanna be chums?"

"You mean… like friends?"

"Yeah! Since we got so much to talk about- like fishing and diving and all that stuff."

Woah, that was quick- and surprisingly easy. "Well, when you put it like that… I don't see why not."

I wrap an arm over his shoulder and pull my cell phone out of the pocket of my soaked shorts- I've dropped it in the water enough to have already sprung for the water-proof case a long time ago- and flick over to the camera app. After a few moments of deliberating and scooching to try to catch the light just right, I pull Pascal so our faces are right next to each other and throw up a peace sign just for added appeal.

"Say Nyuk Nyuk!"

Snapsnapsnap

I take a few photos quickly just in case one of us blinked, and I tap into my photo album to see. Not to sound self centered, but Pascal and I looked pretty freaking cute. It was a perfect way to commemorate our first meeting.

"Do you want me to send it to you?" I ask, my smile still lingering on my face.

Pascal shakes his head cooly. "Nah no need. I'll keep it riiight up here." He taps a finger to his temple and I giggle. "And by the way, CJ, feel free to stop by anytime and fish if you want. I'll always appreciate the company."

I would decline the offer, since I normally only like fishing with my Pops, but something tells me Pascal isn't gonna be all that bad to chat with while I wait for a bite.

"I totally will, dude. This'll be a great spot to fish, I can tell."

"Yeah for sure- I've seen plenty of cool fish here all year round. Never really my thing, but if you were to cast out a line you could catch some gnarly stuff." He points a paw down towards the water. "Like just last week we got a huge tropical storm, and I swear down- I saw a Cella-… Co-ell-a…."

"Coelacanth?" Unlike Pascal, I pronounce it "seal-oh-canth." I know what fish he's talking about- an ancient sea beast long thought to be extinct until about 80-ish years ago, I think.

He snaps his fingers. "That's the one. Look at you though with yer big vocabulary. I just call em fossil fish, on account of the fact that they've been around as long as the dinosaurs."

It's been a while since I've seen a coelacanth up close. The last time I'd seen one was on a fishing trip with Pops when I was six. We got caught in a sea storm, but Pops didn't want to turn the boat around yet, said he saw something in the water. Next thing I knew the living fossil floated up to the surface, giving me a good eyeful of its black, white-spotted body before diving back down to the deep sea. It was equal parts freaky and exciting. Pretty sure it was the sole reason I wet the bed until I was eight.

"Well hey, if I end up catching one, you'll be the first one to know, next to my Mom and Pop. Maybe I'll even name it Pascal Jr."

"Aww~ I've always wanted to be a Dad."

We both laughed, and I took the moment to roll up the front of my tank top to expose my front and squeeze out the water, leaving it damp, but no longer sopping wet. I turn to see Pascal training his eyes on my stomach, distracted, until he realizes I'm looking and turns quickly away. Weird.

"You know, beavers are pretty good at swimming and holding their breath. I'm sure if you wanted to, you could join me on one of my shallower dives." It sounds like a genuine invitation, not just a nicety.

"I'll take you up on that sometime soon here, promise." I stand up, grabbing my rod and adjusting my fishing cap. "Today I'm walking the island, getting to know the place I'll be staying. You can come with if you like- I wouldn't mind having a guide who knows the place."

Pascal briefly looks a little disappointed, but his chill expression quickly returns. "Naaaah, I saw some sea grapes earlier with my name on 'em."

He slides down the rock and slips into the water with a splash. He turns on his back, his hands behind his head and kicks off with his feet, giving me another weird warm feeling in my face I can't explain.

"Don't be a stranger, you hear, bro? Stop by anytime." Pascal smirks and throws up the same peace sign I did in our photo.

Speaking of photos, I pull out my phone and snap his picture before he notices.

"You can count on it. I'm officially your problem now for the next three months," I laugh, waving as I turn to leave, "catch you later, Pascal!"

"Smell ya later, Ceej!"

As I continue down the beach, I can't help but look through the photos I took. They give me a giddy, hopeful feeling- like the one I got when Pascal smiled at me- the kind of good feeling when something you were really dreading gets canceled. If the rest of the island is anything like Pascal, then I think I'm gonna like it here.

The rest of the beach is pretty barren, with the occasional rock formation or sand bank a few meters from shore. Multi-colored beach towers scatter over the sand, sitting under a rainbow of umbrellas, with the claimants of the beach spots off splashing about in the water or on a boat that left one of the docks. Even though there were, at most, five people I've been able to see thus far, it's more crowded than I expected.

My clothes are mostly dry between the sea breeze and the uninterrupted sunlight, definitely dry enough for me to walk around the stores in town without them throwing me out at least. I can see that I'm coming up on the island's boardwalk. Pops said that it connects right into main street, so I cut across the beach and make my way into town, finding a place under the boardwalk to stash my fishing rod first. It's not like anyone will steal it- I just don't like hauling it around when I'm not intent to fish.

Like the beach, there are only a few people walking around, despite the perfect weather. The stores have carved or painted wooden signs with designs of fabric, bags of bells, tools, or some other commodity that they advertise hanging out over the sidewalk. The buildings are well-kept and woodsy, each one reminding me of the log cabins we see back at home in the woods. Thin trees and baskets of blue, purple, and white flowers are arranged in patterns all down the street, interspersed with benches and water fountains- and at the farthest end from the beach is a large fountain at the center of a roundabout, with carvings of sharks, dolphins, and whales of all kinds spraying and trickling water down from their mouths and blowholes. For a place so lacking in tourism, they seem to make themselves pretty welcoming.

As I walk and finally feel my flip flops drying out, my nose catches the smells of freshly baked goods, fried food, popcorn, and other summery tourist food. Checking my phone, I see that it's about 2:30pm, and I'm already feeling my stomach growl. Mom and Pop were making lunch last I saw, but I've only just started to explore the town and shops- that's half of the reason I went on a walk in the first place! On one hand, my parents might not be happy to find out that I skipped lunch with them in favor of street food, on the other hand though… neither of them had sent me a text asking where I was, and it's not like either of them told me I had to be back in time for lunch.

That's settled then, I'll be snagging myself some grub while I'm here. Now, the question is where will I eat?

The bakery a few stores back smelled nice, but didn't seem like a great place for a whole lunch- the same goes for the few food carts I saw. Squinting to keep the sun out of my eyes, I look down the street and scan for any restaurants, and my eyes land on a small, hole in the wall looking place- literally- that's the name on the sign. "Hole in the wall". It's just at the end of main street where the street opens up to the roundabout.

As I approach, I see that the store has an outdoor seating area of about three tables, each covered in cool shade by big red umbrellas. The outdoor area has a rustic looking cobblestone flooring that meshes well with the cabin-y look of the place, and the big front windows open up the store wide for you to see people laughing inside at the bar and in the booths, their plates piled with delicious looking burgers, fries, pancakes, and other food I can't wait to stuff my face with.

Seeing that many people though almost kills my appetite. I never did well around crowds. If Mom were here, she'd put a hand on my shoulder and remind me to breathe and stay out of my own head, don't worry about what they might be thinking, and remember that they'll like me as I am- and I choose to take her retroactive advice. I take a deep breath and push through the glass door with my forearm.

A soft bell rings as I step into a small waiting area. Before I have time to awkwardly fiddle with my phone, a small pink octopus in a white dress shirt and mauve vest swoops in from behind the front counter.

"Hello! My name's Marina, and I'll be your server this fine afternoon. Would you like to be seated in the restaurant or the patio?" Her voice is a little quiet, but also welcoming. Like she was genuinely happy to see me.

"Name's CJ," I answer politely, "and I'll take uh- the outdoor seating… please."

I could go out of my comfort zone and take a seat inside, where all the people are, but that seems like a bit too much of an adventure for one day. I just want a burger.

"Perfect, I can get you seated right away. Come with me!"

She goes ahead and leads me out the door, seating me at the table to the right of the entrance and placing down a paper menu laminated in plastic; I know this cause as soon as I pick it up, I shake it to listen to the warble.

Luckily Marina doesn't seem to mind. "I'll be back in a bit to take your order!" She hums, turning back into the store and pulling out a small pad of paper to take other orders.

Now that I'm alone, I let out a breath I was partly holding and let my chin rest on the table, sprawling out my arms in front of me and flipping up the menu. I scan it for a few seconds before I spot the burger and fries, and that's the end of the story- I'll be ordering that as soon as Marina comes back- though now that I think about it I probably could have told her that already. Oh well.

My phone buzzes in my pocket and I sit back up, letting the menu flop onto the table. "New message from: Cherry" I read on my lock screen as I pull out my phone. A mixture of excitement and panic washes over me as I realize that I had left my best friend without an update when I had promised I would let her know when I landed.

Cherry: Cjaaaaaaay

CJ: That's not how you spell my name '-.-

Cherry: Yeah ik but there's no other way for me to stretch out the last syllable. It's a stylistic choice

Cherry: Anyway- you forgot to message me didn't you?

CJ: Pffft…. No…..

Cherry: WOW alright I see how it is

Cherry: jk, but for real how has it been so far?

Honestly? Today has actually been pretty fun- exciting even. From getting all unpacked, meeting Pascal, to exploring an island all on my own, today was full of new experiences. And I've only just arrived!

CJ: Awesome! I met this cool dude down by the beach. His name's Pascal, and he's into fish stuff like me- sorta. He's a diver, and I accidentally stumbled upon his diving spot LOL he said it's ok though and that I can fish there sometimes.

Cherry: Ah

Cherry did that a lot- just leave me with a short answer like "ah" or "I see." It always sounded sarcastic, like she knew something I didn't. Normally she would do this whenever I mentioned a guy I was friends with. It's never actually gotten me mad per say, but it can definitely be annoying. I just don't get it.

CJ: Cherry, as my best friend, you know I love you

CJ: But I can't give much of a reply to "ah"

Cherry: Just "ah" nothing more to add.

Now I know she's just pulling my leg, and I send a laughing emoji. Cherry and I had met each other when we both did band in middle school and I accidentally hit her in the face with my flute. We've been besties ever since. A lot of my friends from middle and high school were girls, and my parents used to tease me that I had crushes on a lot of them. Granted, every once in a blue moon I did get a crush on a girl, but it was never my close girl friends that were on my romantic radar.

I sent her the picture I took with Pascal and the one I took just of him, as well as the few I snapped of the beach house, and she replied with a string of keysmashes and heart emojis.

Cherry: Duuuude I wish I could have my summer vacation there

Cherry: Is that Pascal guy single?

CJ: Didn't think to ask- fish are always more important.

CJ: Plus, you have a girlfriend right?

Cherry: Yeah, I'm not asking for me dkfjghd though I will admit he's very cute.

Dunno who else she would be asking for, but whatever. Even as a straight guy, I could definitely see that Pascal was attractive. Between the voice, laid back attitude, and hints of a secret soft side with his love for pearls- I could definitely see him getting a lot of girls if he tried.

Cherry: Any girls catch your eyes so far, ladykiller?

Aside from Marina, I don't think I had met anyone else on the island yet, and while she seems nice and probably cool to hang out with, I just met her, like, five minutes ago.

Speaking of, she comes back out again and asks for my order: a burger with fries, and a coke for my drink. She writes it down briskly with a smile and lets me know my food will be done shortly.

Oh yeah, the girls I saw swimming on the beach were pretty too. Not much more than that though. I don't really know them.

CJ: Not really. I just spent the afternoon scoping out the beach for spots to fish, and Pascal was the only person I've met so far. I just got into town 10 minutes ago and am sitting down to eat actually.

Cherry: Yeah and no offense to Pascal, but he doesn't seem like a very pretty girl.

I choke on my water that I had been sipping on and laugh.

CJ: LOL. Well, you never know these days.

Cherry doesn't respond to that for a few minutes, and I feel my palms begin to sweat. My laughter from her joke quickly fades, and I start bouncing my leg as I anxiously await her response.

She's always been more experienced with LGBTQ+ stuff, and I remember a few times in the past I've tried to make jokes about gender and sexuality, and most of the time they never land. Occasionally, she's had to take me aside and explain why it was wrong of me to say- like how I made a joke freshman year of high school about "the little mermaid" being changed to "the little fishbutt" to be more "gender inclusive". I guess I heard people around me- mainly cis people I think- make those jokes, and I thought it made them ok. I know better now, but even then I still feel bad about the thought of saying something that would be bigoted and hurt someone.

CJ: Sorry, that wasn't cool of me. Idk if Pascal's a boy or a girl. They sounded like a boy to me, so I guess I just assumed. I'll ask next time I see them.

Cherry: In hindsight, what I said wasn't all that cool either- maybe Pascal is a

girl, and a pretty one at that. It's not mine to assume.

Cherry: But also aww you've started using they and them as the default :D I'm rubbing off on youuuu

I snort out a laugh, wiping away the moistness from my eyes. Cherry's sarcastic like that, and she likes to poke fun at me sometimes, but I can tell she genuinely means this.

CJ: I guess there isn't just one way for boys to sound now that I think about it LOL I got a lot to learn about this gender stuff.

Cherry: You'll learn! And yeah I've met plenty of guys who have higher voices. I knew you during middle school, remember? ;)

CJ: HAHAHA

CJ: I was such a little squeaker wasn't I?

Cherry: You were like Alvin and the chipmunks if you locked them in a room with nothing but helium to breathe for a day.

CJ: Cherry I think at that point you would die if you only had helium to breathe.

Cherry: What was that you said? Your voice is too high frequency I can't hear it.

CJ: You're a DOG you can hear higher than I can

Cherry: That says something then if even I can't hear it

By now my worry has melted away and I'm chuckling to myself alone at the table. I'm sure to anyone watching, I might look a little weird, but I don't care. Pops always said that as long as I'm minding my own business, it doesn't matter what people think.

I notice someone coming out holding my plate of food, and I put away my phone.

"Here you go!" The server says, sliding a plate with a burger and a steaming pile of fries in front of me.

They're a tanuki with brown fur that darkens around their eyes. From their voice, they sound about Pop's age, and they're wearing a light green T-shirt speckled with tiny white leaf-prints. Just as I'm about to dig into my food, the server pulls up a chair opposite me and sits down.

"Um… Hello," I say with an awkward half-wave. I have no idea why this person is sitting with me.

The server chuckles. "Oh, yes yes, I should probably introduce myself. My name's Tom Nook. I'm the man your dad rented the beach house from. He had told me he would be bringing his wife and son. That must be you then- CJ, right?"

My shoulders relax. Pops told me that the guy who rented to us was nice, so there's really nothing to worry about. "Yup, that would be me. It's nice to meet you, Mr. Nook. Thank you for renting the beach house out to us by the way."

"Aw, don't mention it." He waves his hand. "We're always happy to have new faces here on Ambersap. How have you and your family been enjoying the island so far? Or is it too early to tell?"

Immediately I perk up, thoughts of the porcelain beaches, turquoise water, and Pascal lighting up my mind. "I don't know about my parents- but I love it here. As soon as we were unpacked, I hiked along the beach to here just to get a feel for the place. The beaches are lovely, and I can't wait to fish!"

Mr. Nook smiles, his tail wagging behind him. "I'm so happy to hear that! You know, my crew and I in resident services have spent a lot of time cleaning and maintaining those beaches, so it means a lot to hear how much you like them. There used to be a bit of a pollution problem a few years ago; my, how far we've come."

It seems like he loses himself in thought for a moment, a moment in which his age becomes more apparent to me- he must have been on this island for years.

"Resident services?" I prod, urging him to continue as I take a sip of my soda.

He hums. "This island used to be completely deserted as of a few years ago. There were invasive pests running amok, pollution choking out rivers, and many of the island's healthy trees had been pillaged for lumber- my what a sight it was- I took up this island as my passion project along with a few friends of mine, and then next thing I knew, here we were! The island is doing much better, and all of us living here are too."

Before I dig too much into my plate, I pull out my phone and snap a photo of it for memory's sake. I manage to catch Nook in the background staring wistfully at the street.

"O-Oh dear me, sorry if I rambled on a bit there." Nook rubs the back of his neck in embarrassment.

Shoot- I didn't mean to look uninterested.

"You're alright! I was paying attention, I just… had to answer a text," I lied, mainly because I'm embarrassed to admit I take pictures of food like some instagram model. "We can talk more if you wanna- You were saying how much better the island's doing now, right?"

He lit right back up like a candlewick. "Yes yes! We've got a thriving ecosystem thanks to the careful care from our island representative. He's a bit of a reclusive one, but his work has brought back a lot of the fish that I'm sure you're interested in. Your father told me how much you take after his love for fishing!"

That got me excited. I could tell from the uncrowded beaches that the fishing would be good regardless, but a first-hand commendation from the island's boss? I'm sure I'll be catching at least one monster fish this summer- maybe two!

"Like the coelacanth?" I ask after I swallow a bite of burger.

Nook nods. "Yes, even the coelacanth have started showing themselves once in a blue moon, though that's normally only when it rains. Have you seen one?"

"Not since I was little, but I met someone named Pascal down at the beach who said they saw one here."

"Oh, Pascal! I know him- lovely young lad."

I took a note of Pascal's pronouns- still keeping in mind that it might be worth it to ask him myself- before moving on in the conversation.

"Yeah," I agree, "he soaked me with water this morning, but other than that I would say it was a pretty alright first meeting."

"That does sound like him," Nook laughs heartily, "he's a bit like our island representative in a way. We all know and love him, but he's never around land all that much. When you see him, would you be able to send him my way? I want to catch up with him."

"Sure thing, Mr. Nook."

"Please, call me Tom."

There's something very reassuring about Tom Nook's smile. He seems like a cool uncle that takes you out for ice cream, or like a grandpa that sneaks you a $20 bill when your parents aren't looking.

"B-Boss!" A tiny voice pipes up from behind Nook, "we need to do a cash drop again. Could you come help?"

I lean over and see a tinier Nook! (Well, ok, a tinier tanuki- but a tanuki that also looks a lot like Tom Nook) He's standing in the doorway of the restaurant and has his head hanging, embarrassed to be asking for help.

"Be right in, Timmy." Nook stands up and straightens out the front of his shirt. "Well, it was nice to meet you, CJ. I hope we get to see each other again soon, yes yes!"

"Same here! I'll stop by the resident services building sometime soon here," I answer, wiping my mouth with a napkin, "and next time I see Pascal I'll send him your way."

"Thanks much!"

And with that, Tom Nook went back into the restaurant, where I could see Timmy and one other small, identical looking tanuki follow him behind the counter like little ducklings. That's so freaking adorable oh my god.

Now that I didn't have a conversation to worry about, I pulled out my phone and shoved a couple fries into my mouth. Cherry hadn't sent me anything else, and it said she was offline. That's fine with me- I could use some quality time with Ms. Burgers and fries.

I entertain myself by peoplewatching the sparce pedestrians that pass by until my meal is done and I wash it down with the other half of my soda that I saved until now just for that purpose- That's what I call planning ahead.

A few minutes go by and Marina comes back out and leaves the check on the table with a smile. When she heads back inside, I remember what Cherry had asked- about me seeing any cute girls, and I feel my face turning red. Marina was definitely attractive, even if she wasn't exactly my type- whatever that type may be. I briefly contemplate giving her my number. That's a thing guys do, right? No, that's stupid.

Instead, I write down 30% on the line that says "tip" and write a little note at the bottom of the check.

"Great service! :p"

I try to draw a smiley face with a tongue sticking out, but it ends up looking smudged. Suddenly, I feel incredibly silly. I am awful at trying to be flirty. Oh well- Cherry would definitely laugh about this later, so I snap a photo real quick and leave the cash on the table.

Taking a look at my phone, I see that it's now 4pm, and Mom's texted me asking if I'll be home for dinner at 7. I reply to let her know that I will, and that I love her. She sends an old people meme of two dogs hugging- something about those out-of-date jokes really gets me, man.

About three hours until I need to be home, I calculate as I walk towards the roundabout. What then? I suppose I could take a stop at the boardwalk… nah- all the good stuff costs too much money, and while I'm not hurting for cash, I don't want to spend it all on my first day here.

If I were to ask Pops what's something fun, exciting, and free, his first answer would be fishing. I'm not in the mood to fish right now though, so I'll go with his second answer: hiking.

The woods around Ambersap were filled with pine and fruit trees, the forest floors blanketed with sheets of peat moss, rich soil, and pastel flowers that had taken well in the unending summer climate that the tropical island offers. Walking along the roundabout and taking the road opposite the boardwalk, I pass a few blocks before the asphalt fades into dirt roads and the tight streets turn into wide swaths of grass and woodlands. Taking in a breath, I feel the scents of the earth fill my nose. If heaven's real, it probably smells a lot like this.

A hiking trail sign points me off of the beaten path and down a stretch of winding dirt road, ending at a barely defined parking area overgrown with wild grass. There's a large wooden sign with a map painted on it that outlines the trail and all of the other trails it intersects with.

Mom's text floats into my mind, and I remember that I'm under oath to be back before 7, and getting lost in the woods would definitely not fit into my tight schedule. I pull out my phone and take a photo of the entire map so that I don't get lost.

Again I take in the sights, sounds, and smells of the woods- the rustic scent of sun-baked pine needles, the glowing blue sky, the busy chatter of birds as they flutter through the branches. A beam of sunlight hits me through the trees, and I stretch my arms out to my sides, soaking in the rays for a moment before I turn and skip into the woods.

It's not been five minutes before I remember just how much Pops always brings with him on his hikes, and how little I've brought in comparison. Aside from my phone, wallet, and the clothes on my back, I got nothin'. I could have turned back to grab my fishing rod, but that wouldn't have done be any good at all in the middle of the woods. I gulp and my throat feels incredibly dry.

Pushing through, I make it about halfway through the trail in a half hour- passing by giant stumps, mushroom patches, and other landmarks the map used to guide you down the trail. I'm approaching an arched wooden bridge over a brook when I see someone else.

A tall, red chameleon leans over the railing, their elbows rested on the wood and their chin in their left hand. Their right arm is pressing a pad of paper down against the rail, and their right hand is scribbling something down with a red, black spotted pencil. They're dressed in red flannel pants, a black undershirt with a ladybug on the front, a sleeveless leather jacket, and they're adorned with many gold and silver piercings. As I approach, their eyes flick up from their paper and meet mine- they catch the light just right and shine a brilliant purple. They raise a curious eyebrow at me.

Oh- wow I've been staring for a while, huh. I should probably say something.

"Heya-" I try to greet them, but my dry throat cuts my voice off in an embarrassing squeak.

I hear them snicker and catch them smiling slightly. "Hello."

"S-Sorry about that. I forgot to bring my water bottle with me. Throat's dry."

They relax their stature a bit and reach for something inside their jacket, pulling out a flask. "Here, I brought a water bottle."

Normally I'd feel weird drinking out of a stranger's flask, but I'm too thirsty to care. I unscrew the cap and try not to drink the whole thing as I take a few swigs.

"Gee, thanks," I say as I let out a satisfied sigh.

"Don't mention it."

The chameleon trains their eyes again on their paper. They furrow their brow in focus.

A few seconds of silence that's really only awkward for me pass. I clear my throat.

"My name's CJ. It's nice to meet you. You come here often?"

They look back to me, their intense expression softening to one of indifference.

"Flick," they answer, "and I only really come here when I need some inspiration… You're new here, right? I feel like I haven't seen you here before."

"Mhm," I hum, "my family and I are vacationing here for summer break."

It's only when Flick looks slightly behind me that I realize my tail is wagging, and I look down, embarrassed. They don't say anything. Still, I can't help but feel like they're judging me.

"Nice. You in college then?"

"How'd ya guess?"

"You have that kinda frat boy vibe about you."

Flick gestures up and down at me with their pencil. I worry they're making fun of me, but they start to chuckle.

"I ask cause it's nice to have someone my age around here. I just graduated high school this year, and I still live with my mom and dad. I love 'em to death, but only having two forty year olds for company gets boring real quick."

"Oh yeah it definitely can be a little much. I'm the same- still with my mom and dad. Did you go to high school here on the island? There's gotta be some people your age."

Flick shook their head. "Nah, the population is still relatively small- not big enough for there to be a high school yet- so my parents home-schooled me. Or, I guess, I more did my own thing and they just made sure I knew manners and how to read and stuff."

"Whatcha mean?" I raise an eyebrow and bounce on my heels.

"Just that. They taught me the basics, and then I was allowed to learn whatever I wanted. It's called unschooling I think. Lucky for me, with all the woods to explore, the museum, its extensive library, and the internet- I was never lacking in something new to learn."

I've never heard of anything like that before, but the more they talk, the more I'm jealous of Flick and their eclectic life.

"Man… it was never like that for me. I guess since I lived in a bit of a bigger town my parents wanted me in public school." I get distracted by Flick's paper, as my eyes fall on a small winged and horned beetle sketched out in red and in shocking detail. "Was learning to draw part of your school stuff?"

Their cheeks darken red as they move to cover the drawing with their forearm. "Yep. I picked it up when I was really little, and I learned how to draw from the internet and stuff. I'm not great at it though…"

"Pssh- BS, dude, that looks awesome! I couldn't draw something like that if I tried. I can tell you put a lotta work into honing your skills- Er… wait, is it cool if I call you dude?"

Their eyes go wide, a look of momentary confusion spreading on their face, and I purse my lips. Oof- there I go again, asking dumb questions. I don't know, I guess I thought that's something you're supposed to do, right? Asking people their preferred terms and stuff. Maybe this wasn't the time and place for that.

"S-Sorry, not that you-… Or I guess- I mean- I'm just not sure what you'd… prefer." I chuckle awkwardly and stare into the water to try to hide my embarrassment.

I feel Flick bump my shoulder with theirs. "N-No, you're good. I'm just… not used to being asked. I appreciate it."

I look up into their eyes and I feel my face grow warm when I see their slight, mischievous smirk. At the very least, it looked like my floundering amused them. I feel my shoulders relax and I laugh.

"Phew- that's good. I'm not used to asking people. A friend of mine told me it's good to check though and not to assume."

"That friend is right." Flick relaxes too, moving their arm away from the drawing to show it to me again. They start to idly sketch away. "I'm cool with dude though- and if you need to know pronouns, he and him suit me just fine."

He and him- got it- I jot that down somewhere in my head and store it away.

"It's weird. I don't get asked that kind of stuff unless I'm on the internet. This place isn't exactly super conservative, but it's not super progressive either from what I've seen. It's refreshing to hear, honestly." Flick looks back up at me, and I realize I've been staring. Whoops. That hotness comes back to my cheeks as I look up into the trees.

Flick picks up his sketchbook in both hands and sits cross-legged with his back against the railing. He sets the pad down on his legs and draws more intently. "What about you?"

"Huh?"

"Is dude, he, and him all good for me to use for you?"

I turn my back to the railing and rest my elbows on it, leaning back leisurely. "Y-Yeah! I'm a dude all the way. Like you called me- anything you'd use to refer to a frat boy type guy works for me and then some."

There's that soothing tenor laugh again from Flick. "A yes probably would have sufficed, but that's good to know. I'll keep that in mind."

I'm left with a smile on my face as the conversation slows. Normally it would be awkward, but I feel oddly comfortable around Flick, and I'm content to just watch him draw. He finishes the first horned beetle and moves on to sketching a butterfly that landed on the bridge next to him.

"What was high school like for you? Were you popular like in the movies?" He speaks up, his voice hushed so as to not scare away his subject.

"I'd say so." I sit down a foot away from Flick and bring my knees to my chest. "I knew everyone on the football team I was on, and I was in a bunch of clubs too. I mostly just did it for fun and to make friends though. I was never a big overachiever or anything."

I think back fondly on all of the friends I made back in high school. It had been a while since I'd seen them. College had taken up most of my time since graduation, and aside from Cherry and a few others- maybe a groupchat here and there- I didn't talk to them much anymore. I make a mental note to check in with some people later when I'm back at the house.

"Yeah, you strike me that type. You've got a lot of charm too. It's no surprise you were popular."

I sputter to try to find an answer as my face turns beet red. For some reason that compliment took me down like a bullet. I just met Flick a few minutes ago, and from how he doesn't even meet my eyes when he says it, I'm not sure if he even realizes how much of a compliment it was.

"You seem like a himbo type too." Now he looks up to me, and I try to hide how flustered I am. "You know, like the lovably dumb guy you see in movies and stuff?"

"H-Hey I'm not that dumb! I got straight B's."

Flick raises an eyebrow, and I cave immediately, laughing.

"...Ok there were some C's here and there, and I did need some extra tutoring- but test scores are dumb anyway! I passed just fine." I slip my hands into my pocket and feel my phone buzz. Probably Mom or Cherry. I'll open it in a bit. "Hey uh… I know you don't get to see a lot of people your age, so I was wondering if maybe you wanted to hang out sometime soon here? I'll be here all summer, and I'd be happy to have the company. I could even introduce you to a few of my friends."

Flick looks a little shocked, and he accidentally scares away the butterfly he was drawing. It looks like his sketch was mostly complete anyway though. "Oh uh… Y-Yeah! I'd love to. Here-"

He flips to another page on his sketchpad and rips off a corner of the paper, scribbling down something and handing it to me.

"Here's my phone number. Text me if you wanna hang out or anything… or just talk."

I smirk playfully. "Just telling me would have sufficed. I could have put it in my phone, ya know." It's strange seeing Flick suddenly flustered, and I'm enjoying poking a little fun at him.

He opens his mouth to speak, but I interrupt, folding the number up thoughtfully and slipping it into my pocket. "It's ok though- now I have a memento- a reminder of our first meeting."

That was… cheesy, but Flick gives me a genuine laugh anyway, and that warm feeling that still confuses me comes back.

"Yeah, sorry, I guess I just don't get asked that all that much."

Feeling the dip in conversation, I pull out my phone. The text I got is from another one of my friends from high school, Bob. He and I never get to talk all that much, but when we do it's like we've never been apart at all. Dude is a riot.

I open the text and see a surreal meme, complete with weird, uncanny valley 3D models and the vaporwave background. The text is something about beans, and I cover my mouth as I chuckle. Mine and Bob's meme language is one that would take forever to explain to anyone else, but for us it works just fine. I send a green bean emoji followed by eyes and a knife. I'll leave him to figure out what that's supposed to mean.

I flip over to my contacts and punch in Flick's number, adding a bug emoji next to his name. I send him a gif of a cute animal, and he looks over at me as he reaches to his buzzing phone. He opens it and laughs.

"Hey Flick, I'm gonna keep going down the trail, but before I go, do you wanna take a picture with me? I'm trying to preserve as many vacation memories as I can."

"Yeah! Lemme just-…" Flick straightens his back and adjusts his jacket. He checks his piercings in his reflection in the water before turning back to me. "There we go."

I pull out my phone and wrap an arm around him, squeezing him in a side-hug- Wow he smells nice. I have to stretch my arm out to make sure that Flick's actually in the photo, since he's so tall, but I make it work. I hear the faint clicks as I snap a few pictures. Flick doesn't give much of a smile, but he looks like he's happy to be taking the photos anyway.

I stand up and stretch out my legs, which by now have gotten a bit stiff. "Well, hey, it was nice meeting you Flick. Thanks for hanging with me."

"Yeah, it was nice meeting you too," Flick replied, gathering his supplies and standing up to leave himself, "and hey- don't be a stranger, alright?"

I nod enthusiastically. "I won't be!"

With that, I wave goodbye and set off again down the trail as Flick goes the other way. In a little less than an hour, I'm almost at the end- or technically the beginning, since the trail is one big circle. I stop though just as I'm about to turn the corner back into the parking area. Something caught my eye.

A giant moth is perched on the bark of a nearby tree, its beautiful chestnut wings gently swaying up and down, the beams of orange sunset catching the little bits of dust that fall from its wing span. Without taking a breath or making any sudden movements, I pull out my phone and swipe over to the camera. I carefully inch closer, getting better and better angles and snapping more photos the closer I get. A gust of wind blows, and the moth flutters away, into the shade of the woods before I can tell what's happening.

I let out the breath I was holding and flip through the photos, settling on one that I could only describe as breathtaking, and I immediately send it to Flick.

CJ: Saw a big freaking moth and since you were drawing those bugs earlier I thought this might be something you would like :P

I don't wait for a reply, since I can see what he says later once I'm home. In the meantime- I should probably start heading home. It's 5:30, and I know Mom said that 7 was the cut off, but I don't really have much else to do until then. It'll be better for my nerves if I just started home now.

I jog back into town, taking the same path I took back to the beach. Under the boardwalk, I see my fishing rod, and I grab it before setting off towards the beach house.

By now, the sun is just touching the horizon, the sprawling ocean erupting in a fountain of gold, orange and pink. The clouds swirl lazily above in a contrasting dark blue. It's absolutely gorgeous- so gorgeous that it distracts me for a moment, and for what feels like eternity in a second, I just stand in the sand, feeling the warm ocean breeze wrap itself around me.

My phone buzzes, and I pull it out of my pocket.

Pops: Is that you starin starstruck at the sunset?

I look up and realize that I was much closer to our cabin than I thought. I can see Pops waving hi to me from the living room window. I wave back.

CJ: Nah, I'm still off causing trouble

CJ: Wait- Pops don't answer the door. It's my doppelganger, finally coming to seek revenge for all of those war crimes I committed and he got blamed for!

Pops: War crimes? :0

CJ: Well you see it makes sense cause if me and my doppelganger have the same face, then my doppelganger will be mistaken for me and arrested for my numerous acts of treason.

Pops: LOL

Pops: Well you better get inside before the doppelganger comes and takes your spot at dinner.

CJ: Nooooooo

I scuttle up to the patio entrance I took when I left this morning, and as soon as I'm inside, the air conditioning washes over me like a cool shower, and my fishing rod practically melts out of my hands as I lean it up against the wall. Dang, I'm tired.

Pops sees me walk in and wraps me up in a hug. "Evenin' fishbait! Did you have a good time meeting the locals?"

"Yeah! I met Tom Nook when I was having lunch," I say, hugging back, "and I met a few other guys my age too."

"Look at you! Only been here a day and you've already made friends." Mom interrupted, wrapping me in an even tighter hug that cracks my back. "Oh by the way- we're having burgers tonight. We were thinking of having it later, but since you're here, I guess we can start now!"

"Yup-a-doodle!" Pops quickly followed. I want to cringe at how very much dad-like that word is, but instead I crack a smile. I love my parents, dude, what can I say? Plus, he puts up with my war crime jokes, which I'm sure he doesn't understand as an older guy.

Pops grabbed the cookie sheet of patties he had prepared out of the fridge and sprinkled them generously with salt and pepper, before grabbing a metal spatula, throwing it on top of the sheet, and hauling it all outside to the back porch. Mom starts in on cutting the lettuce and tomato, and I butt in to help. I know she likes the help, but she feels bad having to ask for it, so I press past her attempts to shoo me off and start setting up the condiments on the center island.

"So… who did you meet?" Mom asks, not looking up from the tomato she's slicing.

"Aside from Mr. Nook, I met this guy down at the beach, this waitress in town, and another dude on the hiking trail," I answer, setting out three plates on the center island.

"You sure got around today didn't you? All the way to the woods already. How did you end up meeting them?"

"Well, the first guy I met in this cove down at the beach- his name's Pascal, and we met when he jumped out of the water and splashed me."

Mom snorted. "Oh dear… rough start there, huh?"

"Tell me about it. After I dried off though, we got to talkin', and he seems like a really chill guy. He likes the sea, and he dives for sea creatures and pearls and stuff- kinda like how I fish. He showed me this collection of pearls he has- you shoulda seen 'em."

My face goes warm again, and I look up to see mom giving me a weird smile, though when I meet her eyes she quickly looks back down at the food. "Well I'm sure he must have been charming to be able to recover so quickly from that first impression."

I nod slowly. "He's definitely a whole lot deeper than I thought he was. They way he talks you expect him to be kinda boring or empty-headed, but he proved me wrong for sure. I'm excited to get to talk to him again. He said I could come back to the cove anytime I wanted to fish or just to hang out. I'm gonna take him up on that soon here."

"Aww, that's so lovely, pumpkin." Mom pinches my cheek, and I give her a disgruntled look as I wipe away the tomato juice. "And the other two?"

"Oh- the girl I was telling you about- we didn't get to talk much. She was just the waitress at the place I went to lunch for, but she was nice. Her name's Marina, and I will say I give her a 5/5 stars for customer service. 9/10 for looks."

"Oh? I never thought you were so shallow, CJ," Mom teases, leaning up against the counter.

"If it helps, I'd give the same score to Pascal. I may be shallow, but I'm not a misogynist. I objectify everyone, thank you very much."

Mom guffaws, but I can see her smiling. "Pfft- Ok, now tell me about this last gentleman, and I can do without the rating this time."

"His name's Flick! I met him on a bridge I was passing over on my hike. I found out he's just graduated high school this year, and that he's also a really good artist- you should have seen what he was drawing, Ma." I realize now that I'm not doing anything useful and am instead just sitting on the counter, but I don't care and neither does mom.

"Ooh an artsy type- you know I used to be an artist back in my day, painted a lot. What was he drawing?"

"Bugs," I answer quickly, eating a chip from the bag I just opened, "he was drawing a beetle when I met him, but his whole sketchpad page was filled with all kinds of bugs- he drew a butterfly that landed right in front of him in, like, five minutes tops."

Mom nodded along. I know she and my Pops both aren't fond of bugs- don't hate them, just a bit afraid- but she listens anyway.

"He said I looked like a frat boy type, and that it was nice to have another guy his age around too. We swapped phone numbers… Wait, I don't think I'd ever given him my number- shoot!"

"You better text him and let him know it's you!" Mom laughs as she takes a plateful of sliced veggies and places it down on the center island. She seems content to let the conversation peeter off from there, and we wait for Pops to come back with the burgers.

It's about 6:30 when Pops brings the finished patties in and we load each of them up with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and copious amounts of ketchup and mustard. Pop's burgers are the best. No lie- he could start a restaurant if fishing ends up not being his thing and probably get put on the map.

After dinner, Mom and Pops put on an old rom-com VHS on the TV, and I zone out on my phone, only half paying attention to what I'm watching. Mom and Pops are snuggled up against each other, and I lean my head on Pop's shoulder.

I check my messages, and I gravitate immediately to Flick. It's then that I remember that I did, in fact, message him before, much to my relief.

Flick: NO WAY

Flick: That's an Atlas Moth! I haven't seen one of those in so long. Where did

you find it?

CJ: Oh, just on my way out of the woods. It flew off when it noticed me lol

Flipping over to my photos, I grab the ones I took of the moth flying away and send them Flick's way, who responds with a heart eyes emoji.

Flick: Oh Atlas Moth, my beloved…

CJ: Jeez get a room, you two :rolling eyes emoji:

Flick: I've been meaning to find one so I can start modeling it for my next project.

CJ: Project? :0

Flick: Yeah, for an art piece. I like to draw, but really clay modeling is my thing. I like catching insects and using them as my inspiration.

CJ: Well, next time I see one, I'll come running and get you

Flick: NO don't run you'll scare it off!

CJ: I'll very slowly tiptoe over to you then LOL

The next message I notice is from Cherry. I tap to open it.

Cherry: How was your first day on the island?

CJ: Pretty cool! I met one other person since last we talked. His name's Flick, and he likes to draw. We swapped phone numbers earlier- er- we didn't swap numbers but I texted him and he knows it's me. I think.

Cherry: GKJFDHGK CJ that is so you

CJ: :(

CJ: He also called me a himbo I thought you would like that LOL

Cherry: FINALLY someone else with some sense

Cherry: I mean himbo in the best way btw

CJ: Pfft- yeah I know. Pretty sure he did too

Cherry: Was he cute?

CJ: Hmm, by what metric?

Cherry: Yours, dummy

CJ: I do not look at guys nearly as much as you apparently think I do LMAO

CJ: If I had to say though, yeah he was pretty cute. He had a lot of piercings- kinda punk. I think you would like him.

Cherry: I already like this guy from what you've told me aslkdjslak

CJ: Smh unfaithful ass I'm telling your gf :pensive emoji:

I look up from my phone to see the movie still going, but both of my parents passed out in each other's arms. Awww~

Not sure how invested they are in the movie, I grab the remote and pause the tape before popping it out of the player, putting it in its card-stock case, and shutting off the tv.

I yawn as I take out my phone. It's 9pm, and the sky still has a faint brightness to it. Normally I would take this as an opportunity to stay up late watching TV or playing video games, but after the physically tiring day I've had, I'm more than happy to just shower off and fall into bed.

Stepping into my private bathroom, I strip and shower off the sea water and sweat from my earlier adventures. The bathroom is covered in pure white tile with teal as an accent, the same color as the towels. The shower is huge and the water is delightfully warm. Once I'm out and all dried off, I just throw on a pair of boxers and crawl into bed, snuggled up with my phone in my hands.

I send Bob a few more memes and text Cherry a goodnight before I flick over to twitter and start my nightly scrolling. Mom always told me that using my phone before bedtime would make it harder to sleep, and boy do I know, but I can't help myself. Hey, at least the brightness is down and it's in eye saver mode- that's gotta count for something right?

By the time I register that it's 10pm, my eyelids are heavy, and I can hardly keep my phone in my hand. I'm like an old lady- having to go to bed at a reasonable hour. I wonder if my parents are still on the couch or if they've gone to bed. Deciding that I'm too tired to go wake them, I close my eyes and drift off to a deep, well earned sleep.