He was restless. The night was busy. The crowds were drowning in and out. Heads and faces blotted the streets in every corner like an eager ocean waiting to engulf their little island and sink it down a deep trench.
 
But Boss was only looking at one person, and that person only. Above the hoards of people and through the noise of their chatter, it was amazing how he could spot the frantic Zebby. She was on her own and was looking for someone, eyes darting from left to right, confused with the number of visiting travelers. She had never been lucky enough to have the same situation flocking at her ice cream shop's door. It was such a shame, really. Her shop used to be the trademark dessert spot. Or at least that's what Boss heard.
He didn't grow up around the place. He was from downtown, aware of the secluded countryside of the island but never got the time to visit. It was not until the breaking point of his best friend and his daughter that he decided it wouldn't be bad to move in and start business.
He studied the piece of land properly and occupied the best spot it could offer, right by the bus stop the access for workers would be easier.
That also means that Boss was used to crowds. He maneuvered through it like the innate manager that he was, like scrambling towards a catastrophe right in the middle of his cafe without causing more trouble. It was a far cry from Rebecca, whom he called Ree, who mostly caused the trouble more than she could fix.
Boss reached out his arms and tapped Zebby's shoulder from behind. Startled, she turned around ready to strike with her right hand as she held the other close to her thrumming chest.
"Oh, my gosh. It's you!" Zebby said before she could land a hit on Boss's equally surprised face. He didn't expect she'd react the way she did. "Please don't startle me like that again. I thought I'd have a heart attack."
Both of them broke off in an awkward laugh. Between the two of them, Boss was trying two times harder to mask the embarrassment with his obnoxious and loud laughter. God, he wishes he could just stop making the dreadful sound. It seemed like he couldn't stop along with the unconscious sweating that he feared smelled awful.
He didn't just how the lady could make him this speechless. He wasn't one to get tongue-tied or even commit clumsy mistakes. He was good with talking, and with girls. While he didn't seem the one to flirt, he was sure he knew a thing or two on how to get along with them.
Aside from customers, Zebby was the only woman close his age he'd ever get to talk to. All the rest were either married or had left the town years ago. Although saying they were close in age was a bit of a stretch. He was 32 and Zebby looked like she could be in her twenties. Maybe that was one of the reasons, but then again he was only making excuses.
"Are you waiting for someone?" Boss asked.
"No," she answered him. "But I am looking for someone. I was told he ran off here."
Boss's ears twitched at the mention of a guy. He wanted to ask but he felt like it wouldn't be his place to know. Who was he even? Just a guy who shared a connection with an employee of hers. In conclusion, they were technically strangers.
The crowd surrounded them trapping the heat that made no time to waste in showing on both of their faces. They were like a couple of tomatoes lost in the middle of a sea of people, drowning in embarrassment and lost with nowhere to run.
"It'll be hard to look for them in this crowd," Boss said. "If it wouldn't be too much, maybe I can help. It wouldn't hurt to have one more pair of eyes. We might find them faster this way."
"You sure it wouldn't be a bother?"
It would be my pleasure, Boss would've said. He kept the victory hurra in secret and at bay. Besides. it's too early to celebrate when this guy could be Zebby's boyfriend.
"No. It wouldn't be a bother at all," he said instead.
Zebby smiled and Boss swears he felt butterflies flutter inside his stomach along with a warmth he couldn't quite place.
It was silly. Him, a grown man feeling like a teenager all over again. It was like a second chance to have the young love he has already made passed and wasted. Is it really possible? Maybe not, especially with this unknown-maybe-boyfriend on the loose.
"What does he look like? The one you're looking for? Is there like a prominent feature that I could use to tell him apart from everyone else here?"
Zebby chuckled a bit before answering, which made him both flustered and jealous at the same time.
"Well, he's blond, but you don't have to worry about telling him apart. That kid is quite the center of attraction if you would ask me. Besides, I believe you have already met him? You know, that kid who's working with Rebecca at my shop, Rigel."
A wave of unknown relief coming from inexplicably everywhere washed over Boss's squirming insides that he unconsciously smiled, then unconsciously cleared his throat after. He wondered if he could be more obvious at showing his feelings out in the open. It was an honest flaw that everyone used against him, especially Ree.
That girl could pick up anything suspicious as long as it didn't have anything to do with her. She was oblivious about the rest though, like the really important stuff that she should have known. Maybe that had something to do with her having been used to being kept in the dark and so that's where she stayed till she grow up. It was a flaw that Boss in turn realized with his usual conversations with her, but one he could never use to get revenge because it would be an unfair leverage.
Boss could put up with the bit of teasing. Rebecca on the other hand wouldn't be able to take it if her past were to be used against her. Though sometimes he wishes that she would tone down her childish tricks. He feels both young and aging with every single one of them and he wouldn't exactly call them fun.
"That boy really is close with Ree for some reason. I still haven't asked her where they met at all. That girl makes me worry sometimes," Boss blurts out as he remembers all that has happened recently.
"Ree?" Zebby asked.
"Oh, Rebecca. It always made her giggle every time I call her that as a kid and I made sure I kept at it as often when I visited. The name just stuck with us and I haven't called her anything else."
"Much like how she calls you Boss?" she teased. "I've always wondered why you were called that. I think I've heard one time that you hated the name George?"
Boss cringed and Zebby chuckled at the way he did.
"Should I stop calling you George then?" she added, a singsong tone in her voice. Boss couldn't help but smile even as the irking upon the name was still there.
"You can call me George just fine," Boss said, almost breathless with a withheld laugh.
"You're fine with it already? What's with the sudden change of heart?"
"Well, there's a story behind that, but I don't think that right now would be the right for that. Maybe next time?"
"Next time, huh?" Zebby smiled and went on ahead but then stopped halfway to look back at Boss's hand grasping hers and keeping both of them in place.
They were still in the middle of a massive crowd that could not care less who they were and why they were there. It was a sea that would drown them, Boss thought. Its currents would drag them along. Soon, they would get lost, right here in the middle of it. His hand reached for hers before he could think of anything else. His only reason: he would lose her and perhaps he would never find him again. Like how it was the first time.
A woman was there in the center of the stage. She had her guitar strapped around her shoulder and she was playing to the beat and rhythm of the music, swaying along with the emotions that the lyrics of the song made. She was banging her head with reservation. Smiling sheepishly as the brightness of having fun shone upon her face.
It was a wonder to him as he sat enamored amongst the audience. This lady did not share the spotlight with the flashy vocalist. She was there, hiding behind the lead guitar, blending in along with the bass player and the hidden drummer. But it felt like for him. she was at center stage, his full attention caught only at her and her peculiar red strands.
One moment she was there. the next she was gone. He could not chase after her or even ask for a name.
Now that they're here no way would he let it go.
Questions reflected themselves upon Zebby's widening eyes. She was confused. At the same time, she was nervous. What was this strange but welcoming warm gaze that she is seeing? What is with this bashful smile that could be described with a lot of words but not one would be a perfect fit to answer her question?
"Can I be assured of a next time?" Boss asked.
Fireworks erupted in the background and a ringing echoed in their ears with every blast. It would be futile to make a sound as it would only be overpowered by the noise of the explosion.
But Zebby wasn't worried about that. She was more worried about the deafening thumping of her heart that she could not hear anything else.
Her mouth was hanging open. Her lips were dry and her throat was parched. Not a sound could she make and she was left there speechless with no idea what to do.