The waves rolled on and crept into the shore, only to retreat to the seas when it has gone a far distance up. A few seconds later, they tried again, only to give up again. Caitlin watched the waves perform this continuous cycle, reclining on her chair. Combine rolling waves with a bright sun and you'd get a wonderful day at the beach. She and her family had secured a nice suite at a hotel near the Velvet Strand long before they arrived on July 22, and it was a good thing they did. The coast was already getting packed. Caitlin stood up and reached for her sling bag.

   "I'll be out for a walk," she said.
   "Okay. Don't go too far and be back in two hours," said her mother.
   "And be careful!" her father hollered from the other side of the room.
   "I will!" Caitlin shouted back.

   She planted a daughterly kiss on each of her parents' cheeks before leaving the hotel. The weather wasn't at its best, but still quite sunny. What she liked about the beach was that it wasn't filled with noisy tourists (unlike many beaches) but visited by calm and friendly locals. She calmly strolled down the path and observed the world around her: people walking their dogs; children were buying ice cream; a group of teenagers on their bicycles; couples and families having picnics; a few were leisurely riding horses; and a small crowd of teenage girls were busy making noise at one side of the beach. Wait... a noisy group of teenage girls? What could that be all about? Caitlin followed the horde as they enthusiastically followed whatever (or whomever) they were following. Caitlin jumped up and saw whom they were following: Niall Horan! So that was what all the ruckus was about! Caitlin quickly rushed past the fans and tried to reach him, but the bodyguards were blocking her way. Before she could even call out his name, he and his entourage were hurried into their cars and drove away. Some fans bothered to chase them down the road, while others gave up and left. Caitlin stayed.

   "It's been so long since we've last met," she sighed, "but now I can't even say 'hi' to you."

   She then walked back. Nostalgia followed her as she ambled to the hotel. Sweet memories flashed before her eyes like a near-transparent screen: meeting Niall for the first time at someone's birthday party, their exciting get-together at the house of a mutual friend, and the unforgettable day when he played a few songs on guitar while singing to her. They've been friends since they were eleven, and last met when they were fifteen. When she saw him again, for the first time in years, they were already in their early twenties. Neither of them had a chance to say anything to the other person. Times had changed, but maybe he didn't. She hoped that he didn't. Caitlin arrived at the hotel and met her parents at the lobby. They told her,

   "We're going out for snacks. If you need to get your stuff, we'll wait right here."
   "Nah, it's okay. I'm all set," she replied.

   And they were off. They had their snacks at a family restaurant near the beach. They found a big table with a great view of the coast. Usually, after ordering their meals at an eatery, Caitlin would initiate some small talk. But she was silent this time. She could only think of her encounter with him that late morning, if it were still considered an 'encounter' and not a 'sight.'

   "Caitlin?"
   "Yes?"
   "Why are you so quiet?" her mother asked. Caitlin rested her elbows on the table's edge.
   "Do you remember Niall?"
   "You mean your friend that got famous? Yeah, I remember," her father answered her.
   "Well, I saw him today," she said.
   "Ooh, that's nice!" said her mom. "What did you guys talk about?"
   "We didn't get to talk."
   "He was surrounded by fangirls and bodyguards, wasn't he?" asked her father. Caitlin nodded.
   "Don't fret. I heard rumors that he's staying at our place," said her mother.
   "Wait," said Caitlin, "he's at the Portmarnock Hotel?"
   "Yes."
   "Great! I can visit him!"
   "Don't get too excited, Caitlin. It's still a rumor, not a fact," her father reminded her.
   "But there's still a chance that it's true," said Caitlin.
   "We can find out after lunch," said her mother.

   Their food was served. They ate rather relaxedly as they viewed the coast from their table. By the time the clock struck three o'clock they had finished their meals, paid the bill and were on their way back. As soon as she stepped into the hotel's compound, Caitlin rushed towards the front desk. The lady attending to her was a middle-aged woman, making herself busy by arranging her tools.

   "Excuse me?" Caitlin asked. The lady looked up at her.
   "Yes, how can I help you?"
   "I've heard that Niall Horan is staying here. Is it true?"
   "I'm sorry, but that news is false."
   "Oh, okay. Thank you."

   Caitlin turned away and slowly walked back, head hung low. She and her parents returned to their hotel room. As soon as she got in, she kicked off her sandals and laid recumbent on the sofa. Her cellphone buzzed. She fumbled it from her bag. Her emerald green eyes read the two notifications.

niallhoran liked your photo.
niallhoran started following you.

   A smile formed on her small, pinkish lips. She swiped right on the notification and unlocked her phone. The Instagram app opened immediately. The photo that he liked was a pretty old one that she had many years before, but posted only recently. It was taken at a friend's birthday party when she was still eleven years old. The birthday celebrant and his parents were in the center, standing next to a large chocolate cake, and surrounding them were their friends. At the far right was a young Niall Horan, his hair still brown before he dyed it, standing next to a girl. Her golden brown hair was braided; her green eyes were bright and lively; small freckles stained her pale face; her open, thin mouth flashed a beautiful smile, showcasing her milky white teeth; and her slender arm was wrapped around Niall's. That green-eyed brunette was Caitlin. Her looks didn't change at all, except that she no longer had freckles and that her hair was now straighter.

   A new message on Instagram Direct appeared. It was from Niall. She opened it.


Hi

   She blushed. Her fingers tapped the touchscreen lightly.

Hi. Thanks for liking my pic 🙂


   He quickly typed,


You're welcome


   Another text from him appeared.


I remember you... that pic was when we first met, right?


   She responded,


Yes! I'm so glad u still recognize me. Can we hangout sometime?


   The reply came quickly.


Sure! Sorry but I gotta go now so see you 😉


   After reading his message, she held her phone close to her heart and raised her head to Heaven. He still remembered her! She leapt off the sofa and ran to her parents.

   "Mom! Dad! You gotta see this!" she beamed. She angled her cellphone and her parents squinted at the screen.
   "Oh, so the fella got to talk to you, eh?" said her dad.
   "Yeah, he did! I can't wait to go out with him," she said.
   "Can we come along?" her mother teased.
   "Sure," was Caitlin's unexpected answer.
   "Of course we won't! We want you two to have a good time," said her father.
   "So when will you two hang out?" her mom asked.
   "I don't know yet. I'll ask him later," Caitlin replied.

   Caitlin was about to send him a new message when withheld herself. He just said that he had to go, so why bother? She backspaced repeatedly until all the letters were wiped off the screen. She returned to her sofa and played games on her phone, waiting for the right time to ask Niall. After a moment of thought, she decided to ask him in the evening.

   Evening crawled from the Eastern sky to the West. Caitlin and her parents were laying down on the beach as they watched the sunset. The sun descended from its celestial throne. Following behind the sun was a beautifully dark tapestry: dyed with a nightly blue, embroidered with silken clouds, and glittery stars were scattered across the blanket that the Earth wore. Caitlin sighed; it reminded her of the time when she went stargazing with her friends, and Niall was there. She slid her hand into her pocket. When her fingertips touched her phone, she retracted her arm. No, she thought, he might be busy or asleep. He should make the first move.

   Days rushed past her. She compulsively checked her phone for any messages. There were a lot of texts, but none were from him. Should she ask him? She was shy. What if he was not available, or resting from a long day, or not in the mood, or any other reason in which she should not disturb him? Or maybe she should make the first move? She chose to wait. And so more days passed by. Next thing she knew, three weeks had passed. No texts. She couldn't prolong it any longer. She grabbed her phone, typed a brief message, and sent it.


Hi Niall! When are we going to hang out? Sorry to disturb you btw 😅

   She waited a few minutes. Her phone vibrated. She picked up her gadget and read Niall's reply.

sorry for the long wait. I can't go tomorrow, but Tuesday's fine. wbu?


   Caitlin frowned. She texted,


sorry but I have plans on Tuesday 😕


   Nothing. Caitlin placed her handphone on the table and got up to make herself a cup of coffee. Just when she was about to take her first sip, his text appeared. She took a slow sip and then read the text.


Awwww what? But I'll be outta this place by Wednesday. Guess we can't meet up 😔


   She became dejected. He'd be gone by Wednesday! If only she had asked him much earlier. Her fingers became too reluctant to message him. She laid on the couch, brooding over the many chances she had the days before.

   Her family returned to Dublin on Thursday, just a day after Niall left the beach. They left at two o'clock in afternoon and reached their home when it was almost three. At half past four o'clock, just thirty minutes after they finished unpacking, Caitlin asked her parents,

   "May I go out for a walk?"
   "Sure. Just don't go further than the candy store down the street and be back in twenty minutes," her dad answered her.

   She snatched her sling bag from the table, kissed her parents on the cheek, and went out. The summer breeze gently blew her smooth hair like a boat's sail. The breeze grew stronger and stronger. If only she wore a t-shirt and pants instead of that dress she bought recently. She laid her hands and bag on her legs, and when the wind died down she had already arrived at the park. She calmly strolled down the path until she spotted a butterfly. The butterfly was small and blue. Caitlin gazed at it for awhile, standing still and breathing deep as her mind began to rewind.


   The moving truck had driven first. Caitlin glanced out the car's window. There stood her old house, already sold to a young couple. Her friends and family were still there, continuously wishing her luck and protection. The car began to move. Caitlin lowered the window.

   "Goodbye! I'll miss you!" she bade them.
   "Goodbye!" they waved back.

   They remained visible for a moment before the car took a left turn. She couldn't see them anymore. She leaned against the back of the seat. Her hand held a few farewell cards that she received. She had read all of them except for the light purple one. She opened the unread card. A majestic blue butterfly was drawn on the left side, and on the right side was a handwritten note.

Remember the blue butterflies we used to see in the garden? I couldn't catch a real one so I drew this for you.
Have fun in Dublin, Caitlin! Hopefully we'll see each other again :)


   Caitlin snapped out of her flashback. She glanced back at the butterfly and began to follow it. At one point she misstepped and her shoulders bumped into someone else's.

   "I'm so sorry!" she apologized.
   "It's okay," he said. That voice. She looked up and saw his face. It was Niall's! He looked back at hers and instantly hugged her.
   "Caitlin!"
   "Niall!"
   "I didn't expect to see you here," he said.
   "You don't remember when I moved to Dublin?" she reminded him. He laughed a bit.
   "I thought you're still at the beach."
   "Nah, I can't stay there for too long," she said. She checked her watch. It was time to head home.
   "Sorry, but I gotta go home," she said.
   "Aw, already?"
   "Yeah."
   "Can you give me your number first?" he asked. She pulled out her phone and he added her contact.
   "And maybe a picture?" she asked him.
   "Sure," he winked. They held out their phones and snapped a few selfies.
   "See you soon," she waved.
   "See you," he waved back.

   She ambled back to her home. Time flew by and it became 10:00 a.m. the next day. Her phone beeped. A new text appeared, but she didn't recognize the phone number. She opened it.

Meet me at Nando's by 5pm?

   Was it Niall? She texted back.

Who is this?

   The reply came a few moments later.

It's Niall!

   Then she remembered: she gave him her number the day before. But what if it was an impostor? She typed a message and sent it.

How do I know it's you?

   The person sent her a picture. It was one of the selfies that they snapped the day before, just before she went home. He then texted her,

So, see you by 5?

   She answered him,

Sure. I'll see you there 😃

   And she did. He was seated at the quietest corner of a Nando's branch near her house. He dressed simply: he wore a grey sweater, black pants, and a watch on his right wrist. Upon seeing her, Niall gestured smiled and waved. Caitlin smiled back and took her seat across him.

   "Hello," he greeted.
   "Hello," she said softly.
   "You usually don't talk this soft. What's wrong?"
   "Nothing's wrong," she said. She then asked,
   "Have you ordered?"
   "Already."
   "Let me guess: you ordered a double chicken wrap with no lettuce, spicy rice, five medium wings, Perinaise and coke," she said. He gasped at her.
   "How did you know?" he exclaimed.
   "That was what you ordered the last time we went to Nando's, remember?" she said. She grabbed the menu, flipped through the pages, and then called the waiter.
   "I'll have ten extra-hot chicken wings and a glass of orange juice."
   "Is that all?"
   "Yes. Thanks," she said, handing over the menu to the waiter. She turned to Niall and asked him,
   "And where are your bodyguards?"
   "They're over there, there, and there," Niall said, pointing to the three nearest tables.

   Caitlin straightened her posture and rested her arms at the edge of the table. She looked deeper into his ocean blue eyes... they didn't change. She was about to look away, for she felt that it was awkward to stare at someone's eyes, until she realized that he was also looking straight into hers. Their gazes were fixed and for a moment they felt a beautifully warm feeling in their hearts. His fingers crept slowly towards hers. The touch of the other's fingertips signaled their hearts to beat as one. Her hand was just moving closer to his when a sudden thump snapped them back to the real world, out of their romanticized daydream. The food had arrived.

   It was time for their evening meal. They began to eat. After a few bites they would talk a little, but, because both were devoted more to eating than talking, their conversation was brief. It was after they had finished their food that they began to talk more. They recounted their childhood, memory-by-memory, and in between sentences they would laugh.

   "Honestly, my favorite memory was when we played hide-and-seek at your house. Finding you was so easy," Caitlin giggled.
   "But it wasn't fair! You know I'm claustrophobic," Niall said.
   "And you knew I was arachnophobic when you pranked me with that toy spider," she reminded him. He burst out laughing.
   "Oh, your face! It was so hilarious. If only I had a picture of it," he chortled.

   His phone buzzed. He pulled it from his pocket and read the text. His eyebrows furrowed and his mouth frowned. He texted back. Another message appeared. He seemed more shocked to read the second text than the first. He sank into his chair and Caitlin leaned forward.

   "What's wrong?" she asked.
   "I almost forgot! My friends and I arranged to play in a friendly game of golf out of town and the thing's tomorrow, and after that I'll be out of town," he replied. He sighed heavily.
   "It's okay. We can meet again another time," she said.
   "Yeah, I guess," he agreed.

   A few minutes later, he paid the bill and they went out of the restaurant. She was about to walk away when he caught her right hand with his left. She looked back at him. Their eyes linked once more. He grasped her hand gently while using his other one to slip something into her right pocket. He held her hand up, kissed it lightly, and then let go. Slowly they walked away from each other.

   Caitlin arrived at her house when it was almost seven o'clock. She closed the front door behind her and dipped her hand into her right pocket. She felt a piece of paper. She pulled it out and unrolled it. She recognized Niall's handwriting and read it.

Dear Caitlin,

I've been thinking a lot about you lately. You know how we've been friends for a long time, but now I'm thinking of taking it a step up. Will you be my girlfriend? Even if you don't say yes, it's okay. No matter what, you'll always be my Summer Love.

Love,

Niall James Horan

P.S.
Please tell me through Instagram Direct ;)

   She grabbed her phone and texted him,

Yes!