After another morning of sleeping in late, Salantina woke up to her phone buzzing with an incoming text.

'Hey! Was thinking do you want to hang out later, maybe we could go for a walk or you could show me around the village if you're free?' Her heart skipped a beat when she read it, her hands tremble while she typed her response. Despite talking every day now, this was the first time Fynn had asked to meet up since that day they met at the beach.

'Hey! Yes, I'm free. If you want to come to Ballycreev Village. I could show you around here. It's the same bus you took to the beach, just get off at the second last stop.' After hitting send she read back over the message and thought she sounded really condescending; of course, he knows how to get here while feeling herself cringe. Hoping he wasn't offended, she began to type again with an explanation when her phone beeped again.

'Cool, I'll catch the bus around twelve. I could meet you then beside the bus stop?' His reply was casual. She deleted her apology and started again after taking a deep breath.

'Okay, I'll meet you at 12.15.' It was just after ten, but her nerves wouldn't let her rest. She got up and went through some of her clothes, wanting to pick something nice. Most of her clothes were swimming gear. Anything that wasn't was buried at the back of her wardrobe.

After digging through she found a nice black top that had cuts where the shoulders were and fitted dark blue faded jeans. Before getting dressed, she took a shower drying her long blonde hair straight, and even applied a small amount of makeup. Uncertain about her outfit she changed her clothes to a black dress with tights before changing back into her original outfit and going downstairs. 

Her mouth hit the floor when she stepped inside the kitchen.

'James! Oh wow, I didn't know you were coming home!' Her arms wrapped around her brother with tears streaming down her face. He was tanned with highlights running through his usual brown hair.

'Surprise! You look great. Are you getting dressed up for someone?' James laughed after she had finished smothering him. She got the impression Peppa had been in his ear.

'No. I'm meeting with the girls today, just thought I'd make an effort.' She was trying to sound casual, but her face felt warm and she knew James had seen straight through her lie.

'Well, as long as these friends of yours are making you happy that's all I care about.' James smiled. All of Salantina's friends used to like him when they were growing up. He was tall, with mousy brown hair, and hazel eyes. 

'They do.' Salantina felt her face go even warmer. She was tomato red at this stage. 'Anyways, enough about me what about your life in Sweden? And how is Beth? All your photos online looked so amazing.' Now wasn't the time to bring up Ruby although she was certain something was going on with them. 

They talked for another hour, and just as twelve was approaching she had to tell her brother she needed to leave. If she had known he was back today she wouldn't have made plans with Fynn.

Hugging her brother goodbye, Salantina made her way out the door and felt her stomach do a summer salt. Don't be awkward, don't be awkward...

After a quick five-minute walk, Salantina could hear someone calling her name. At the bus stop, Fynn was already waiting for her. He was wearing a dark blue shirt with black jeans. There was a warm feeling in her stomach as she walked towards him.

'Hey, sorry. I hope you weren't waiting long. My brother came home from Sweden today. I hadn't seen him in a couple of months so we got caught up talking!' Salantina explained, talking over her words in a rush.

'Don't worry, I just arrived,' Fynn replied and hugged her. It was like all the nerves left her body and were replaced by a warm tingling feeling. 'I'm glad you saw your brother. You must have missed him. If you wanted to spend time with him, we could have rearranged.'

'No, it's ok. I'll see him again tonight.' She couldn't stop smiling when she looked at him.  'Anyways, what's on the agenda? What would you like me to show you?

Fynn looked deep in thought for a couple of seconds. 'Salantina I must confess to you that prior to moving to this town I did very little research on places to visit and things to do other than surf. Therefore, I am a blank canvas so show me the most exciting parts,' Fynn said excitedly. Don't look at his lips, don't look at his lips...

'Your wish is my command. We shall engage in a venture through the village. Followed by a visit to our local heritage center so you can learn about the history here,' Salantina matched his tone before laughing. Making a mental map from here, she could show him the old school, the football pitch, and the blue rock and then catch the bus to the museum.

'We can go to the old school first! It's only a short walk this way.' Salantina pointed still smiling. They walked close together and talked like two old friends. The school visit was a short trip with not really much to see before they moved onto the pitch. When they were walking Fynns hand brushed against hers and it felt like electricity ran through her body.

An hour had passed before they knew it. Googling the bus times to get to the museum, the next one was soon to the heritage center. 

'We won't have time to go to blue rock today if we want to go to the heritage center.' Salantina said.

'Let's go to the heritage center and we can do blue rock another day.' Fynn suggested. Does he want to do this again? Her heart rate picked up a beat. Play it cool...

'Sure. Let's catch the bus.'

Arriving at the bus stop there was an older couple and another young girl waiting. 

Not even noticing the other people, they talked as if they were inside their own little bubble. When they boarded the bus, Salantina remembered going to the beach that day and couldn't believe that she thought she and Fynn would never talk again, and here they were like two friends who had known each other all their lives. The bus stopped at the beginning of the driveway leading into the museum.

They walked through the gates toward the museum. It was a winding road to the entrance. Along the path, they caught sight of the gray medieval castle sitting on a hill overlooking a lake. It always took her breath away. 

It was modernized and rebuilt a few years back but still held its heritage. In the old part, they preserved the old stone, it still had that cold chill when you stepped inside the door that castles have. The newer part was built with the same theme, but it was obvious where the extension started. 

'This is a random location for a massive castle!' Fynn pointed out in awe.

'I know. It's beautiful.'

The museum wasn't as busy as it once was when it opened, and Salantina had heard her mum saying before they might close it so this could be one of her last visits. Better make the most of it.

They walked to the entrance of the castle's big brown doors and went inside into a small hallway, where there was a long mirror with a leprechaun, and a pot of gold sat in front of it. Beside it, there was a sign that read 'Place a dime or a shilling, and have luck all day.'

Salantina giggled at the idea and pulled a coin from her pocket, flipping it inside. Fynn laughed.

'I would like some luck, too,' Fynn said as he tossed his coin into the pot with hope.

He opened the door, 'Ladies first.' She smiled walking into the reception. 

Off to the left was a doorway into the heritage center. Paying their fair, they walked in quickly to the museum. Salantina was excited to show Fynn around. Although it did seem a lot smaller from what she remembered a few years ago.

The first room was dedicated to old legends of Ireland. Around the walls were old paintings with descriptions detailing what connection they had.

There were also replicates of materials like old boots, musical instruments, and harps that added to the stories on the walls. Fynn and Salantina went around reading the descriptions. Mostly they were about the Banshee and leprechaun sightings around Ireland. 

'Do you know anyone that ever heard the cry?' Fynn asked fascinated.  Right now would have been a good time to have an interesting story to tell but she hadn't.

'None that I know of, sorry.' Her grandmother had told her plenty of stories when they were younger. 'They only ever cried to old Irish families of a certain name. My family is immigrants from a few generations back so we can't hear her.'  He looked surprised but didn't reply just moving on to the next history display.

In the second room was the Irish faeries room. This was one of Salantina's favourites thanks to Ruby's Grandfather who told her many stories about them. There were lots of stories and pictures for them to read and view around the room. They even had videos and tapes with scenes acted out to look at.

Picking up a headset they watched a story about the accordion that was placed on the wall. It was about a legend of a man that was given a gift by a faerie to be able to play any song on a special accordion until he passed away. He was one of the best accordion players of his time, and when he died the accordion that was always hung on the wall beside his bedside disappeared, and was never seen again. 

Witnesses in the house claim that there was a loud bang and it disappeared, leaving a large crack in the wall. There was even a painting of the crack hung from the 1800s that many onlookers came to see until it made it here.

While they walked around Fynn became quiet trailing slowly behind her, he looked a little pale.

'It's interesting, isn't it.' Salantina spoke after a few further minutes of silence.

'That's for sure.' Fynn replied after a short pause but the silence continued.

Salantina directed him into the next room. It was a little different from the rest of the theme, focusing on old stories from Ballycreev Village. There was a photo of a lone bush on the wall. A place that she never visited and would never visit. Local farmers were even afraid of it to this day. Known as a passageway for the faeries to enter our world. Fynn stopped and stared at this photo for a long time.

'Where is this?' Fynn finally spoke after a long pause.

'It's in the village. I'm not sure exactly where. I think it's between the land of two farmers.'
Salantina lied. Not going near that. 

'Why don't they cut it down?'

'It's considered bad luck.' Amongst many other things...

Fynn walked to another photo of the legendary Fionn McCool, a giant from many centuries ago. Salantina felt a shift in Fynns energy while he walked away. She didn't know exactly what it was, but something seemed off.

'Hey, let's go to the next room,' she directed. It was the reason she came here - to visit the water spirits room. She was disappointed immediately. It was a lot emptier than the other rooms.

It had a few legends about lake spirits, mermaids, and shape-shifting creatures, but nothing major. It took them a couple of minutes to go around. Although Salantina read each of the descriptions in detail carefully. Nothing about fish bites or any lands called Ophelia. They moved on but it was the last room. Salantina was grateful because she was feeling a little awkward. Fynn hadn't said a word in twenty minutes now.

They moved through swiftly and left. Once outside they were still silent while they made their way to the bus stop. They were going to be taking different buses home. Please, say something.

After walking to the stop in silence Fynn turned and faced her. He now wore a serious expression, his smile long gone from this morning. 

'I'm really sorry Salantina... but... I really don't think we should be friends anymore.' His words hit her like a punch in the face. She swallowed to avoid sounding like she was going to cry but could feel her hands shaking. 

'Why?' She asked. 

'I can't explain, but trust me... the right thing is for us to not be friends. I'm sorry.' His eyes looked glassy and sad but he turned and left leaving her alone.