Elijah Mendez had bought a postcard of his temporary home at the train station. It had a long, sweeping view of the beach: beautiful sun glinting off the waves, shining on the sand, and casting short shadows under palm trees. These palms grew taller than the ones back home, much more suited to this climate. Elijah had packed a light wardrobe, but he already felt the sweat sticking to his neck. He zoned out, gazing through the window, the end of his pen in his mouth. He'd arrived the previous day and gotten a decent sleep before this train ride, thankfully, so he'd be ready to meet his new roommate. If everything went well, he'd stay for the next year, finishing his high school diploma. Maybe, in a place like this, he wouldn't feel like such a failure.

Realizing he was biting the pen, he took it out of his mouth and wrote a shaky address on the back of the postcard. It would be easier to write somewhere that wasn't moving under him, but he didn't want to wait.

Ezzy -
You wouldn't believe how big the trees get. The ocean smells different. I miss you. I'll send a letter later.

Due to the shaking, each letter took up much more space than it was supposed to. He barely had room to sign his own name. It didn't matter, though. He had cell service.

-

Basically_a_toad Today at 3:14 PM
Ezzy
you wouldnt believe it
its beautiful

StormChild664 Today at 3:18 PM
I'm glad. It sounded lovely from the description.

Basically_a_toad Today at 3:18 PM
im meeting my roommate in a bit
im nervous
what if he doesnt like me

StormChild664 Today at 3:19 PM
Don't be ridiculous. Everyone likes you.

Basically_a_toad Today at 3:20 PM
yeah
you and newt
thats not everyone

StormChild664 Today at 3:21 PM
I understand why you're anxious, but I'm sure you'll make a fine first impression.
Actually, now that I think about it, have you decided what your book will be about?

Basically_a_toad Today at 3:21 PM
okay i actually have been trying not to think about that
i know im supposed to do this at my own pace but
i still feel like im under so much pressure

StormChild664 Today at 3:22 PM
Well, try to take it easy. You have a whole year, after all.
I get why you're so nervous.

-

(Ezra clearly didn't get it.)

-

StormChild664 Today at 3:22 PM
Call if you need anything, all right? I have to go. Newt is coming over.

Basically_a_toad Today at 3:22 PM
oh!!! im so glad. tell newt to write to me

StormChild664 Today at 3:23 PM
I will. Don't worry, Eli. Just give your roommate one of those big smiles and I'm sure it'll be fine.

Basically_a_toad Today at 3:23 PM
i will

-

Eli loved his best friend, but he got the feeling that Ezra really didn't get what he was dealing with sometimes. It didn't matter, though. The train was pulling into the station. Eli slid the postcard into the outside pocket of his suitcase, grabbed his things, and got ready to greet the bright sun with the biggest smile he could manage.

Kile sat quietly on the edge of the main deck with two letters in his hand. One of them was crisp and formal, printed on clean, white paper. The other was a hand-written note hastily scribbled on a stained, crinkly piece of notebook paper. The waters lapped gently along the shoreline and made soft splashing noises against the pylons of the small deck of his island home. He stared out at the crystal blue ocean, biting his bottom lip. His watch alarm began to beep, reminding him of his appointment. He shook his head after a moment and stood up, switching the alarm off. He shuffled back into the living room of his home and left both letters on the coffee table. He continued through the living room area to the door that led out to the covered walkway to the bedrooms. He passed the first door off of the walkway and stopped at the second door to the bedroom at the end. "Better make sure this place is all set first," he murmured to himself as he unlocked the door. He pushed it open and switched the lights on.
The room was a decent size and was very comfortable with an airy feel. He wandered through the room, inspecting it for excessive dust and any insects that may have ventured in. He also checked the walls and corners to make sure there was no worrying condensation. All the lights worked. The small desk against the outer wall was neat and tidy. He smoothed down the sheets on the bed; adjusted the large, colorful rug on the floor. The bathroom was already in order. Then he stepped out and locked the door. He tucked the keys into his pocket and walked to his own bedroom. He changed into a clean set of clothes and checked his appearance.
He had just turned twenty-two, but already he had dark circles forming beneath his dark blue eyes. His naturally, lightly tanned skin was smooth and healthy. He fixed his messy black hair as best he could. "Good enough," he murmured. He adjusted his open, grass-green colored, short-sleeved button-down shirt across his shoulders and smoothed down the white T-shirt he was wearing beneath it. He checked to make sure he had his wallet, keys, and phone secured in the pockets of his khaki cargo shorts and then slid into a pair of dark brown sandals. He stepped out of his bedroom, locked the door, and made his way through the house, latching the doors as he went. He locked the front doors and walked the long walkway to the steps down to the beach.
The train station was on the other side of the island, but he had borrowed his friend's truck for the weekend. So he climbed up into the cab of the dark red vehicle and started the engine. He took a deep breath. It would be the first time in several months that anyone had come to stay with him for an extended period of time. Hopefully it's a good kid, he thought to himself. He put the vehicle in gear and drove the thirty minutes across the island to the main village.
The village was very built up and focused around the constant tourist traffic. Hotel resorts sprawled along the boardwalk along with a variety of shops and small restaurants. The train station was built up to allow for a bridge to cross the wide band of water that separated the two expanses of land.
Kile parked in the paved parking lot just at the base of the station's stairs and got out. He tugged out the large, spiral notebook he had tossed onto the passenger seat last minute and scrawled -ELIJAH MENDEZ- on one of the blank pages. He leaned against the front of the truck with the notebook held up so that those coming down the steps could see the name as they passed and waited patiently.

Ever since Eli was a child, he had kept a rock in his pocket to touch whenever he got anxious. He had picked up this one from the river close to his house, and it had bounced around in his jeans for years now since he managed not to lose this one. This time, he had both hands on his bags, and his suitcase kept knocking into him and squishing the rock into his thigh. He had one big suitcase with a hard shell and a duffel bag with his clothes inside. He knew about the climate ahead of time, but he couldn't really fathom a summer where you didn't have to wear some sort of sweater.

He was glad that he brought sunglasses. They were a last-minute addition to his bag, barely considered until he realized what he might be getting into. Ezra had suggested a packing list. How was that kid always so prepared? Eli swung the suitcase around to his other side and gazed out around the train station. He idly walked around until he sighted the red truck with his name held against the window. Eli gave a "that's me" kind of wave and headed over to the driver's side door.

"Hey. Thanks for waiting for me," he said while getting ready to heft his bags into the back. His duffel bag swung directly into the rock. Ow. He cringed and gently set his bag down. Really, he just couldn't wait to settle into his new place and maybe take a look around.

Kile raised an eyebrow and his sunglasses when said Elijah Mendez walked over. He could almost feel the excitement rolling off of the youth as he stepped to the back of the truck with his bags. The young man momentarily thought of reconsidering his offer to host for the next academic year, but then he shook his head slightly and dropped his sunglasses back down onto the bridge of his nose. Despite his current state of affairs, he was also looking forward to having a housemate again.
"Welcome to Safiya Sands," he said cheerfully. He closed the notebook and tucked it into the pocket on the driver's side door. "We're open all year round with some of the best weather you'll find in this area of the ocean. Temperatures remain toasty, the sun is bright, the rain is warm, and the water is cool. Best place to be if you want a nice, quiet retreat. Also, it's clean. Safiya Sands is rated to have the lowest level of pollution across all of the islands of the band and we like to keep it that way so mind where your trash gets put."
He checked his watch and then held out his right hand to shake. "I'm Kile Inoith. My place is about thirty minutes off to the south west from here so we should get something to eat here before we go. Have you eaten yet? The sandwich shops here opened about an hour ago, if you're hungry."

Elijah finished putting his bags into the back of the truck. His hands shook so much that he worried he would fall right off. Still, he had made it.

He couldn't believe the weather or the scenery. This wouldn't last long, when the fog came in. Actually, Eli started to wonder if the fog ever did come in, or if it stayed clear and bright forever. He would have to look for starts tonight.

"Welcome to Safiya Sands," his host said, with a long description of the area. Eli wondered if this guy had a job of welcoming tourists, or maybe he rehearsed it. Eli couldn't do that without stumbling on some word or another. "I'm Kile Inoith. My place is about thirty minutes off to the south west from here so we should get something to eat here before we go. Have you eaten yet? The sandwich shops here opened about an hour ago, if you're hungry."

Eli took Kile's hand and gripped it firmly. His father had always told him the importance of a good handshake. "I'm Elijah Mendez," he replied. He already knows your name, idiot. He had it on his sign. "Either Elijah or Eli is fine. A sandwich sounds great. It's been a long trip." Maybe eating something would stop his hands from shaking so much. It would also be a good time to get to know his roommate before Eli holed up in his room.

Eli went around the front of the truck and climbed into the passenger seat. It was sweltering in there. He would have to change into some shorts soon. He'd probably just look at what his roommate was wearing every day. It reminded him of his book on table manners: you can always look to see which fork your host is using.

He hoped no one would make him use multiple forks here.

"So tell me about the town! If it's not too much trouble. Since we'll be driving through it and all."

Kile stood there with his hand outstretched even after Eli had let go. "Nice... To meet you, too." He tracked the young man as he walked around the front of the truck and reappeared on the other side. When the student managed to open the door to the truck and climbed up into the passenger seat, he let his hand drop to his side. This kid is... Jittery, he thought to himself. He turned and leaned against the driver door to look in through the open window. "I've told you most of the notable stuff," he said. "This side of the island is touristy. Technically, the actual Safiya Sands is on the side that I live on. This place is what the locals call The Inlet. Shops, hotels, lounges. Most things you'll find in a normal vacation spot. First, though..." He tilted his head slightly. "Do you want to change into something lighter? The temperatures here stay relatively warm and you look... Uncomfortable."

All right. Deep breath, boyo. Eli fidgeted with his pant leg for a second. "It's fine. I'll change when I get home. I'm used to summer temperatures in the sixties. That's, uh, about fifteen celcius." He straightened to get a good view out the window. "I'll live."

He liked the touristy town. He secretly hoped that he'd get to explore it a bit, even though he didn't want to treat this as a vacation. "Have you always lived here?" he asked.

Di-ding! Eli reached into his non-rock pocket and grabbed his phone. He muted it but glanced at the screen. A text from his father. "Did you arrive safely?"

Eli quickly typed out an answer. "host came and picked me up. will call when i get home"

His father sent a sticker of a dragon holding a heart. It was pretty cute, actually.

Eli held his phone loosely just in case someone else wanted to text. "They're just asking if I made it over okay. Anyway, I'm excited to see your side of the island! It's been a long trip. I'm kind of running on fumes, actually. It'll be good to see everything once I've settled in."

Both of Kile's hands rose up automatically a waved up and down gently for a moment in a 'calm down' pantomime before he opened the door and climbed inside. "One major thing you should remember about folks here on the island is we're a mostly laid back bunch. I understand that you're excited, but you'll really rattle the older ones if you talk too fast. They talk a lot... Just not fast." He started the engine and backed the truck up. He pulled onto the main road and drove a little ways down the busy, colorful strip. He pointed out the different types of beach-themed shops and eateries along the strip before turning around and heading back.
He parked in front of a smaller shop with a large, carved wooden sign out front with the image of a meaty sandwich and drink bottle. There were three long benches surrounding a fire pit tucked into a fenced in area where people were sitting, drinking some form of bottled beverage, and chatting idly. One of the younger ones spotted them and walked over.
"Hey, Ino!" the similar brown-haired, lightly tanned skinned young man said as he stopped at the fence. He pressed his hands together in greeting as best he could without dropping his bottle. "How are you! What're you doing in town today?"
Kile motioned to Elijah after mimicking the greeting. "This is Eli," he answered. "He'll be staying with me for a few months. Eli, this is Klio, a good friend of mine."
Klio's bright, sea green eyes looked Elijah up and down before he smiled widely. "Welcome to The Inlet! You're the student who's gonna stay with Ino? Lucky!"
"We're going to pick up something to eat before heading back to Safiya. Are you very busy?"
Klio shook his head and motioned inside with his beverage hand. "Pop's'll always have time for you. Come on inside." He walked to the doorway on his side of the fence and went into the shop.
Kile patted Elijah's shoulder and motioned him forward. "Klio's dad, K'ali, was the first person to help me out when I got to this island and his sandwiches aren't half bad. I arrived here right after a major storm and a lot of places, including mine, needed to be patched up. He let me stay and work here until I was able to properly move out to Safiya Sands." He pushed open the screen door and walked into the small, homey sandwich shop. It had the air of a cozy café with colorful walls and light fixtures and the space was filled with mis-matched tables, cushy couches and plushy seats. It had a bar at one end with plenty of mis-matched, comfortable looking bar stools lining the front of it. Klio was already sitting on one, preparing a tray with little cocktail napkins. Kile walked over to the bar where the shop's owner was busily mixing drinks. "K'ali!" he greeted, waving slightly and then pressing his hands together politely.
K'ali looked like a taller, more muscular, and slightly more angular version of his son and sported a neatly trimmed beard and ponytail. "Ino!" the man said excitedly. "One moment, my son! Let me finish this." He quickly poured the prepared drinks and helped Klio set them on the tray. "Out to the back, table six."
"Okay." Klio carefully picked up the tray and maneuvered his way easily through the arrangement of chairs to the back deck that overlooked the lagoon.
The shop owner then turned to the two with a broad smile. "This must be your exchange student! Welcome! Welcome! I'm K'ali Sayratt! My son is Klio - the one that went that way. My wife, Nanye, is over there... Somewhere." He waved his hand idly towards another section of the shop in the back. "If you're here, you must be hungry. Come! Sit! Here are the menus! Order what you like! Tab is on me."
Kile took the menus and handed one to Elijah. "I can pay for us."
"Absolutely not!" the man insisted. He patted his chest firmly. "I take care of you!" He leaned towards Elijah with a 'this is a secret' expression and murmured: "If he came more often, it might be a different story, but I haven't seen him in months." He chuckled and straightened up. "Take your time! Sit where you want! I'll have Klio come take your orders in just a moment." He turned to his little ticker to see what his next drink order was.
Kile rolled his eyes and tilted his head towards the seating area. "Where do you want to sit?"

Ah, so he had already talked too much. "That's fine." He would just be quiet and take his cues from Kile. For now, he busied himself looking at every single shop along the drive and adjusting his pocket rock so it didn't dig into his hip.

They stopped at a nice-looking place with a bunch of people already there. Eli liked people, but he would have to rest for a while longer before he really felt like socializing. He was already thinking about what kind of sandwich and drink he would like when he saw someone approach them. "Hey, Ino! How are you? What're you doing in town today?"

After Kile introduced them, Eli also mimicked the greeting and gave Kilo a smile in return. "That's right. I'll be staying with him for the whole year," Eli answered. He followed them into the shop, listening to Kile's spiel. The major storms this place had sounded pretty scary. Back home, all they had to worry about were earthquakes and fires, and neither had messed up his town since before he was born. "Where did you live before moving here?" Eli asked. He folded his arms to avoid the temptation of touching all the furniture. He briefly worried about his suitcase left in the back of the truck, but Kile knew this area and it must be safe.

Eli already felt right at home in the weird little sandwich shop. There were places like that all over his hometown. Eli repeated the greeting to K'ali and obediently followed Kile. He was just about to offer to split the bill when K'ali offered to pay.

"If he came more often, it might be a different story, but I haven't seen him in months."

Eli gave K'ali a sage nod and turned back to Kile. "Inside or outside is fine," he said, although he preferred sitting inside. He didn't want to meekly agree to everything, but he did just arrive. "I'm still pretty tired, so we can sit wherever you want."

Once they sat down, Eli opened the menu "Do they have reuben?" he asked. More often than not, the layout of a menu just swam in front of his eyes, but he scanned it anyway. He had other things he would rather look at, like the odd assortment of chairs or the people passing by. He slid his phone out of his pocket and glimpsed at it: two more messages from his father and a whole string from Ezra. They would both have to wait. Eli placed his phone face-down on the table and continued puzzling through the menu. If they didn't have reuben, he'd just order a roast beef sandwich and a bag of potato chips. Either way, he wanted an unsweetened iced tea.