He's notorious for being silent. He himself isn't sure why, but when it comes to conversation, he's always on the defense, even when others are only trying to get to know him. He can't make the chitchat that defines this small island, so he walks the beach and dissolves in the crashing silence of the waves.
At first, he dislikes that she walks those shores, too. The mere presence of someone else invades his privacy, even though she doesn't break the silence with chatter. He becomes accustomed to her, kneeling in the sand at a distance and staring out across the ocean without words. Her hair is so long that it trails in the sand, and when she leaves the beach, the bottom of it is dusted with white. She becomes a familiar sight, and he doesn't mind her anymore.
He learns a little of her personality through their mutual silence. She smiles at him and it's as if she's speaking; for the first time in his life, he wants to know what someone else is thinking. Over time, he moves closer and closer to her, closing the distance between them unconsciously.
Finally, he's so close that he has to say something, to explain himself. He clears a rusty, unused throat and introduces himself.
"I just wanted to say hello, I guess," he mutters, watching her for a reaction. She doesn't speak, and he begins to babble. "I mean, I know who you are, but I didn't know if you knew me, and I've been noticing you, I mean, obviously, we've been sharing this beach for a long time, but —"
She stops him with a gentle smile that soothes his fraying nerves. "You don't need to talk. I like enjoying the beach together with you, too."
So they do.
AUTHOR'S NOTES
Someone mentioned this couple as not making much sense, so I tried to make my own sense of the pair of them. It's Sabrina and Vaughn, from Island of Happiness/Sunshine Islands! He's such a fan favorite that I worry poor Sabrina ends up alone most of the time…