chapter19: «Friend?»

At the beach, the atmosphere was filled with warmth and joy. Elsa, amazed by the beauty of the place, exclaimed, "Wow, it's so beautiful here!"

"You can go swimming if you want!"

Surprised, Elsa asked, "Can I really?"

"Go ahead!"

She nodded enthusiastically. "Alright! Wait for me here, okay?"

Elie joked in response, "It's not like I can go anywhere without my wife!" Elsa laughed at this remark and added, "You're right! My husband can't do anything without his adorable wife. I'm going to swim now!" And she ran towards the sea.

A few minutes later, as Elsa emerged from the refreshing water, two men approached her. One of them politely asked, "Excuse me, miss! Are you alone?" A bit taken aback, Elsa replied, "Uh, not at all! I'm with my husband!" She waved to Elie from afar to prove her point. The man immediately apologized: "Oh, I'm sorry!"

With a warm smile, Elsa replied, "No, it's fine!" Then, after enjoying her swim, she lay down on the sand and sighed, "Phew, that was nice!"

Intrigued, Elie asked her, "Who was that?"

"Who?" she answered innocently.

"The man from earlier!" he clarified.

"Oh! I don't know him; he just asked if I was alone."

Elie pressed on: "And what did you say?"

"I told him I was with my friend."

"Friend?" he exclaimed in surprise.

Elsa smiled as she looked him in the eyes: "That's what we are, right? We're friends."

Elie made a disapproving face and sighed. "Tsss..."

Elsa sat next to him and asked with a hint of concern, "But are you sulking?"

"Not at all! The sun is too strong, so it bothers me," he replied, slightly turning on his chair.

"But you're under an umbrella; what sun are you talking about?"

"I'm hot, okay? If you're done, then let's go home!" he said, turning his chair towards the path back.

Elsa stood up in protest: "You're exaggerating a bit for a sunburn! Wait for me! Don't you want me to help you with that sand?"

"I don't want to!" he asserted firmly but without much conviction.

Curious and a little worried, Elsa asked, "But why are you angry already?"

"Why would I be angry? I'm not angry," he defended himself.

With a mischievous look, she retorted, "But your face says otherwise!" And with a light pat on his shoulder, she teasingly added, "Let me help you!"