Helsi

Helsi sat at the counter of a small beach bar, slowly sipping a cold drink. The sunset painted the sea in warm hues, and the sound of the waves nearly drowned out the low music. She rarely looked away from the horizon, only occasionally casting brief glances at the vacationers. Today, she simply wanted to spend a quiet evening, in no rush to go anywhere.

The empty seat beside her remained vacant for a long time, but after a while, it was taken. Helsi briefly shifted her gaze toward her new neighbor, calmly assessed the situation, and looked back at the ocean.

Doesn't look noisy. A good start.

The bartender approached, placed a fresh drink in front of her, and, with a smile, nodded toward the adjacent seat.

— A friend?

Helsi gave a barely perceptible shake of her head.

— No.

The bartender smiled understandingly and moved on to other customers. A few seconds passed in silence. Helsi took a small sip and, without taking her eyes off the sunset, finally spoke.

— Do you come here often... or did you just decide to spend the evening by the sea?

She said nothing more, calmly awaiting an answer. It seemed that if the conversation turned out to be interesting, she would sustain it. If not—she was perfectly content with the silence.