Introduction

With praises and gratitude to the presence of Allah

SWT. for His abundant blessings, I have completed a

novel titled "Ocean & You." This novel is inspired by

the song "Oceans & Engines" by NIKI, which conveys

the meaning of a heartbroken girl after breaking up

with her lover. However, I have created this novel

with a reverse storyline of falling in love.

The novel tells the story of a woman named Caitlyn

who has no interest in relationships, but she meets a

1
skilled basketball player named Mark. Eventually,

they fall in love with each other.

I would like to express my thanks to everyone who

has assisted in the creation of this novel. I also

apologize for any mistakes present in the novel, both

in terms of grammar and writing techniques.

I hope this novel can be beneficial or even just

provide entertainment for the readers.

2
 Chapter 1 “Monday”

Caitlyn looked at the orange evening sky while

sitting on the chair in front of the house. Many

thoughts crossed at that time, suddenly

remembered people's words that adolescence is the

most beautiful period. But she has not felt the

beautiful thing, she asked the question "how does it

feel?".

Caitlyn, a beautiful woman who lives with her

aunt. Hers parents are far away from her, they are

too busy with work so they don't have much time for

3
their children. Caitlyn was used to it, although at

first she was annoyed with her parents.

Brown hair, sparkling eyes, and thin lips, this

beautiful girl has many fans at school. Who wouldn't

love this girl? Friendly, smile at everyone, helpful, I

think everyone will like her. more than that, this girl

is also smart. She always gets top 5 in the class.

Monday, a day that is not bad according to

Caitlyn. why do people always hate mondays? even

though Monday isn't that bad, or maybe because

they haven't done their homework? Ah never mind.

4
T he highway, the trees beside the road, the

various houses, the people going to school, the

weather in the morning that Caitlyn liked very much.

She goes to school with his regular motorcycle taxi.

When he arrived at school, his friend named Karina

greeted her at the school gate. "Caitlyn!" Karina

said, Caitlyn turned her head "Yea? Morning girl" he

greeted as he waved his hand to his friend.

Caitlyn and Karina are classmates, from the

beginning of school until they go to the next class

they are always together.

5
 They sat in the second row from the front,

and soon the bell arrived. The English teacher

entered the class with a greeting, the students

replied. the lesson lasted for two hours, they both

listened to the teacher who was explaining the

lesson well.

"Cait, can I ask you?" asked Karina, "uhm,

what's wrong?", replied Caitlyn. Karina asked about

exercise number 3, because she didn’t understand

the question. Caitlyn also explained carefully to her

friend.

6
 The bell rang, all the students were happy to

be there. Caitlyn packed her books then stood up and

approached Karina who was in front of the classroom

door waiting for her friend to tidy up the books.

They walked to the canteen. "Karina, what do you

want to eat? I'm confused" Caitlyn asked. "I also

don't know what to eat, but it looks like peanut

butter wheat bread is delicious," said Karina. Karina

loves peanuts, Caitlyn sometimes wonders why her

friends like peanuts so much. They decided to eat on

the side of the field, because it was empty and

there were seats.

7
 Karina told Caitlyn, “Cait, did you see that

person? That!". Caitlyn confused, who?. "That's a

basketball boy, he's very handsome. You’re not

interested with him? As long as I'm friends with

you, it's the first time I've seen you dating.

Caitlyn snorted softly, "Huh... I told you, I'm not

interested in a relationship, Karina."

It's true, Caitlyn is the type of girl who doesn't

really think about dating, because for her dating

isn't that important.

8
 "WATCH OUT!!" shouted a guy, a ball hit

Caitlyn's head. She felt dizzy because the ball hit

her hard enough, a guy came over to her. "Are you

ok?" asked the guy squatting in front of her.

Caitlyn just silently held her forehead

because she kept feeling dizzy. Caitlyn only gave a

signal to the boy and Karina.

The guy then apologized to Caitlyn, "I really

apologize to you, I'll be right back" then the guy

came back with full cream milk. very coincidentally,

Caitlyn really likes full cream milk.

9
 "CAITLYN!" said Karina. "You know who that

guy was? THAT'S MARK!! He's the one I said

handsome." Caitlyn’s response was only a face with a

confused expression, she didn't know what to do.

Karina took Caitlyn to the School Medical

Room and made her some hot tea. "Ugh, my head feel

so hurts," said Caitlyn. "Just sleep, it's better

later," Karina replied.

After asking permission from the teacher,

Karina took Caitlyn to rest at home. They went home

using an online taxi that Karina ordered. When she

got home, Karina told everything to Caitlyn's mother.

10
Coincidentally, at that time Cait's mother was off

work for a week. So she decided to go home,

accompany her daughter. Cait's mother laughed a

little, having not heard the story of her daughter's

youth in a long time.

Knock .. Knock .. knock on the door rang, "come

in" Caitlyn replied. Her mother came in with warm

milk and green bean porridge.

“Uuu my sweetheart, it still hurts huh? the head?”

mocked Mother.

"Yea of course, mom. it still hurts” Caitlyn replied.

11
"Did you see the guy earlier?" mother asked

curiously.

“See, but it's not very clear. Why? Karina, after all

this story for sure!” replied Caitlyn.

"Hahaha, yes, Karina told the story," said mother.

"Indeed he is handsome, but my head still hurts"

Caitlyn replied as her mother stroked her head.

The next morning, Caitlyn woke up from her

sleep. Her head doesn't hurt anymore.She sat on her

bed, took out her cellphone which was on the

nightstand beside her bed. See chat from Karina

12
“Cait, I'll be at your house this afternoon”

“Ok, I'll be waiting”

Caitlyn put down her cellphone, then went

downstairs to find food in the kitchen. She

remembered that the milk the guy gave her was still

in the refrigerator, then Cait opened the

refrigerator and took the milk. Behind the milk,

there is a note.

“Helloo, @onyour___mark”

"what is this? Instagram username maybe?” Caitlyn

thought. Then she ignored it, and picked up the

13
cereal on the kitchen food rack. poured the cereal

into a clean white bowl with a shiny spoon, poured

the milk slowly, sat down, and ate his breakfast that

morning.

After she had breakfast, Cait washed the

white bowl with her spoon. Put things neatly in their

place. She rushed to her room which was upstairs,

took her cellphone and a mint green towel. Set a

playlist of his favorite music, yes confused. I don't

know who upset her, even though Caitlyn didn't have

an ex in the last month.

14
 Knock.. Knock… “Cait??” Cait’s mother knocked

on the bathroom door, "Don't take long to take a

bath" Cait’s mother said again.

Not long after, Caitlyn came out of the bathroom

and changed her clothes in her room.

Caitlyn chose an outfit, then decided to wear

pink pajamas. Today there is no activity for her,

because today is free. Caitlyn isn’t allowed to go to

school because she is still not feeling well, and her

head still hurts. Maybe she'll just do her geography

assignment, then relax, putting on a playlist of her

favorite songs.

15
The curtains of the bedroom window were opened,

showing the blue sky in the morning along with the

sun that always shone on Caitlyn's room in the

morning and evening.

At 09:25 in the morning she did her geography

assignment, Cait took it easy.

Suddenly her mind flashed a man who yesterday

approached her when hit by a ball. "Aish, why am i

thinking of him?!" Caitlyn thought.

16
 At afternoon, Caitlyn decided to go to the

beach which was not far from her house. She drives

a public bus, because she is lazy to bring her own

vehicle. In addition to being lazy, to reduce air

pollution as well.

Cait took off her sandals, put on her hat,

walked on the sand on the beach, enjoying the fresh

air, gazing at the pleasant sea air, the sun shining on

the beach.

Caitlyn's hat flying, drifted away from her.

Cait ran after her hat is flying away. She squatted

down, wanting to pick up her hat. With the man's

17
hand, holding the hat in the same way. Caitlyn was

facing up, leaking brown eyes sparkling, Cait

immediately grabbed her arm, both were just as

shocked, unsure of what to do.

The man returned Caitlyn's hat, Cait took it

slowly "Thank you" Caitlyn said. The man smiled

sitting next to Caitlyn, the two of them looking at

the beautiful beach that afternoon.

18
 Chapter 2 “Mint”

The night was getting late when Mark and

Caitlyn arrived in front of his house. Even though

they had just met, they felt a special bond between

them. Mark pulled over to the bike and stopped the

engine gently.

"Thanks a lot, Mark," Caitlyn said with a smile. "I'm

really lucky to meet you tonight."

Mark looked at Caitlyn intently. "You're

welcome, Caitlyn. I feel lucky to be walking you home

too. Take care of yourself.

19
 Caitlyn nodded, relieved that they had made it

safely. But she didn't want this moment to end just

like that. She paused for a moment before finally

whispering, "Would you like to come in for a moment?

I can prepare a glass of warm water for you as a

thank you."

Mark thought about Caitlyn's offer for a

moment. He was attracted to the girl and felt there

was chemistry between them. "Okay, I'll be in for a

bit."

20
 They walked into the house carefully, avoiding

the noisy steps so as not to wake anyone. Caitlyn led

Mark into the warm living room, lit by the dim light

from a table lamp. She gestured for Mark to sit

down, then went into the kitchen to prepare a drink.

Caitlyn returned with two cups of warm water

in her hands. She sat beside Mark and put a dash of

mint scent on top of the hot water. While blowing on

their cups, the two of them enjoyed the serenity in

the atmosphere.

"Mmm, Cait?" said Mark. "Yea?" Caitlyn's short

answer. "I'm sorry about what happened a few days

21
ago, I really didn't mean it." "Ah, I know you didn't

do it on purpose" Caitlyn replied.

After finishing his cup of drink and sharing

stories with Caitlyn, Mark said goodbye to go home

because it was already 20:00. Mark also doesn't feel

comfortable staying at Caitlyn's house for long.

Caitlyn woke up from her sleep, the light from

the window filled her room. Caitlyn immediately

cleared her bed because according to her it was

already noon, the time was already 07:30. After he

made his bed, he sat down on the small couch that

22
was near his bedroom window. Caitlyn opened her

cellphone and opened a chat from Karina.

“Caittt”

"What are you doing today, right?"

“Let's go shopping”

Caitlyn smiled as she read the message from

Karina. He replied enthusiastically, "Sure! I really

want to go shopping with you. What time do we

meet?"

23
 Moments later, Caitlyn's phone vibrated with a

reply from Karina, "Great! I'm in front of your house

now. We can go right now if you want."

Caitlyn immediately got up from her sofa and rushed

to the door. She wears comfortable clothes, makes

sure she looks presentable, and carries a sling bag

that is large enough to go shopping.

When Caitlyn came out of her house, Karina

was waiting downstairs with a big smile. "Hi Caitlyn!

You look so beautiful today," Karina said, giving her a

warm hug.

24
Caitlyn blushed and replied, "Thank you Karina. You

look lovely as usual too."

The two then walked together to a nearby

shopping center. Inside the shopping center, Caitlyn

and Karina visited various clothing, accessories, and

cosmetics stores. They try on various outfits and

give opinions to each other.

After several hours of shopping, Caitlyn and

Karina decided to take a short break at the food

court area. They ordered snacks and fresh drinks

while telling stories about their lives.

25
"You know Karina, I'm so grateful to have a friend

like you," Caitlyn said tastefully.

Karina smiled warmly. "You're welcome, Caitlyn.

We've been friends for a long time and I feel like we

complement each other."

Caitlyn nodded in agreement. They continued their

chat while enjoying their food.

After lunch, Caitlyn and Karina continued their

shopping adventure. They found some perfect pieces

of clothing for both of them and some beautiful

accessories that added to the sparkle of their look

26
 As the sun began to set, Caitlyn and Karina

decided to end the fun day. They walked out of the

shopping center with their hands full with bags full

of their new items.

"What a great day," Karina said, delighted.

"I agree Caitlyn. Thanks for spending this time with

me," Karina said, giving her another hug.

The two friends parted ways with smiles and

promises to see each other again soon. Caitlyn

returned home filled with happiness and satisfaction

because the day had been filled with laughter,

shopping, and genuine friendship.

27
 When Caitlyn wanted to order a motorcycle

taxi online, a motorcyclist stopped in front of her.

Caitlyn looked at the person, namely Mark.

"Uh, Mark? what are you doing here?" she asked.

"Want to pick you up" Mark replied.

Caitlyn's confused face made Mark laugh. "Come on,

go up" said Mark. Caitlyn finally got on Mark's

motorbike, somehow Mark could find out where she

was.

"How did you know I was here?" she asked.

28
"I’m not telling you" said Mark who did not want to

tell him.

Caitlyn hit Mark's back softly, "annoying" she said.

Arriving at Caitlyn's house, she thanked Mark.

"Do you get deja vu?" said Mark.

Caitlyn chuckled at his words.

29
 Chapter 3 “Sunset”

Ever since then, Caitlyn felt something

different with Mark. Did she love him? What if Mark

loved her too, Caitlyn wondered.

Caitlyn closed her bedroom door and played

the song "Red" by Taylor Swift. She picked up her

phone and opened her chat room with Karina.

Caitlyn: Hey Karina, there's something I want to talk

about. I feel a bit confused and need your advice.

Karina: Sure, Caitlyn! What's going on? Tell me about

it.

30
Caitlyn: So, you know Mark, right? Well, now I'm

feeling something different towards him. I think I

might... love him.

Karina: Wow, that's interesting! Are you sure it's

not just a friend feeling?

Caitlyn: I thought about that too. But after the

recent events, I feel there's something more. My

heart races whenever I'm near him.

31
Karina: That sounds like falling in love, Caitlyn. What

about Mark? Can you sense any signs that he might

feel the same way?

Caitlyn: I'm not sure, honestly. We have gotten

closer lately, and he shows special attention to me.

But I don't know if it's because he feels the same.

Karina: Maybe you should observe his behavior more

carefully. Is he more attentive to you compared to

others? Does he try to spend more time with you?

Caitlyn: Yes, actually, he's quite attentive to me. He

always seeks opportunities to chat and hang out with

me. Maybe I should express my feelings to him.

32
Karina: That's a great idea, Caitlyn! There's nothing

wrong with letting him know how you feel. Who

knows, maybe Mark feels the same way. Stay calm

and honest when you talk to him.

Caitlyn: Thank you, Karina. I'll do it. I'm so grateful

to have a friend like you who always supports me.

Karina: You know I'm always here for you, Caitlyn. I

hope everything goes well for you. Don't hesitate to

update me on the progress!

33
 After sharing with Karina, Caitlyn opened her

chat room with Mark. Just as Caitlyn was about to

send a message saying "Hey, Mark," Mark sent her a

message first, saying "Caitlyn."

Caitlyn was quite surprised by that. Mark

seemed to know that Caitlyn wanted to message him.

Caitlyn: What's up?

Mark: Nothing, just wanted to say hi 😅

Caitlyn: Seriously? You could have just said that.

Mark: Do you want to hang out?

34
Caitlyn: Sure, I enjoy hanging out. Where do you

want to go?

Mark: How about going to the beach? The weather

looks nice today.

Caitlyn: Oh, that sounds fun! I love the beach

atmosphere. We can take a walk, sit on the sand, and

maybe take some photos.

Mark: Great! I also like taking photos. I'll bring my

camera, and maybe we can share those moments on

social media later.

35
Caitlyn: Definitely! Plus, there are so many delicious

foods by the beach that we can try. I'm happy to

share these joyful moments with you. I hope we can

create beautiful memories.

Mark: Is there something you want to talk about

before we go?

Caitlyn: Hmm, actually, there's one thing I want to

say. I enjoy spending time with you. You're a great

person who always makes me smile.

Mark: Thank you, Caitlyn. You're an amazing person

to me too. I'm glad to know you and spend time with

you as well.

36
Caitlyn: Alright, let's not waste any more time. Let's

go to the beach and enjoy today together!

Mark: Alright, let's go now. Hopefully, we'll have a

great time there!

They both went to the beach with smiles on

their faces.

Upon arriving at the beach, they felt the gentle

breeze and the soothing sound of the waves

crashing. The sunset was beautiful, painting the sky

with stunning shades of orange and red.

37
 Caitlyn and Mark took off their shoes and felt

the warm sand between their toes. They walked

along the beach, savoring the beautiful scenery.

"This view is breathtaking. The beach always

gives me a sense of calmness and peace. I feel so

lucky to be here with you," Caitlyn started the

conversation.

"I feel the same way, Caitlyn. The beach is the

perfect place to unwind and just enjoy the moment.

I'm really glad to be spending this time with you,"

Mark replied.

38
 "Mark, I want you to know how much you mean

to me. You've always been by my side, supporting me,

and making me feel accepted for who I am. Thank

you for being an amazing friend," Caitlyn replied.

Mark smiled sincerely.

"Your words mean a lot to me, Caitlyn. You're a

delightful and warm person. I feel incredibly

fortunate to have met you," Mark said.

They enjoyed the beauty of the beach and the

evening sky. Suddenly, an idea crossed Caitlyn's

mind.

39
 "I have an idea. How about we write letters to

our future selves? We can record all the beautiful

moments we've shared and keep them as memories

for the years to come," Caitlyn suggested.

"That's a fantastic idea! I love that concept. The

letters will serve as a reminder of our friendship and

the significance of the moments we've shared,"

Mark enthusiastically replied.

They sat on the sand and began writing their

respective letters. They documented important

moments, laughter, dreams, and hopes they had for

40
each other. Once finished, they put the letters into

bottles and threw them into the sea.

"May our letters reach the right place in the future

and remind us of all the beautiful moments we've

experienced. May our dreams and hopes come true,"

Caitlyn said.

"I believe those letters will reach their destination,

and we'll read them with a smile in the future. I

hope we'll always be like this, even as time goes by."

They both sat on the beach, enjoying the beautiful

sunset.

41
 The sun started to disappear, and Mark

decided to go to a restaurant.

"Well, I'm starting to feel hungry after a day of

activities at the beach. How about going to the

nearest restaurant for dinner?" Mark suggested.

"Sure! I'm hungry too. Do you have any restaurant

recommendations?" Caitlyn replied.

"I heard there's a famous seafood restaurant

nearby. They serve fresh seafood dishes and have a

beautiful ocean view. What do you think about that?"

Mark answered.

42
"Sounds perfect! I love seafood, and having dinner

with a view of the sea will definitely add to the

enjoyable experience. Let's go!" Caitlyn said.

They both walked to the seafood restaurant

located on the beachfront. The twinkling lights from

the restaurant created a romantic atmosphere. They

sat at a table facing the sea, enjoying the peaceful

ambiance.

"Welcome to our restaurant. What would you like to

order?" the waiter said.

43
"What are your best recommendations for seafood

dishes?" Mark asked.

"We have a special dish today, which is grilled shrimp

with lemon butter sauce and grilled clams with

seaweed seasoning. They are very popular here," the

waiter replied.

"That sounds delicious! We'll order both of them.

And also, please prepare a fresh salad as an

appetizer," Caitlyn replied.

"Of course, we'll take care of your order right

away," the waiter said

44
 While waiting for their dishes, Mark and

Caitlyn engaged in an exciting conversation. They

shared stories and laughed together.

They continued their conversation full of

laughter and camaraderie. Their dishes arrived, and

the delightful aroma filled the table.

"Wow, these dishes look amazing!" exclaimed Mark.

"I can't wait to taste them. Let's start enjoying

these seafood dishes," Caitlyn replied.

45
 They savored the fresh seafood dishes with

the stunning ocean view before them. The relaxed

atmosphere and delicious food made their evening

even more special.

After finishing their dinner, they took a walk along

the beach, enjoying the fresh air and the beauty of

the night.

"Mark, today has been truly an extraordinary day.

I'm so grateful for the beautiful moments we've

shared," Caitlyn said.

46
"Same here, Caitlyn. Today is a day I will never

forget. I'm glad to create precious memories with

you," Mark replied.

In the moonlight and the sound of the waves,

Mark and Caitlyn decided to head home. Mark

escorted Caitlyn to her house, saying, "Sorry, I can't

come inside."

"It's okay, thank you for today," Caitlyn responded.

"Thank you too, I'm going home now," Mark replied.

Caitlyn waved her hand to Mark.

47
 Chapter 4 “Become Love”

As time went by, Caitlyn decided to share her

feelings with her closest friend, Karina. She told

Karina about her feelings for Mark. Karina listened

attentively, then offered wise advice.

"Caitlyn," Karina said gently, "love is a

beautiful thing, and sometimes we have to take risks

to achieve it. If you feel something special for Mark,

try to speak to him honestly. Who knows, he might

feel the same way."

48
 Caitlyn carefully pondered Karina's words.

Although she still felt scared, she also felt a sense

of excitement and confidence that she should

express her feelings to Mark. She wanted to know

what was in Mark's heart.

One day, while they were alone in the library,

Caitlyn took a deep breath and mustered the courage

to speak.

"Mark, there's something I want to tell you," Caitlyn

said, her voice trembling slightly. "Since the second

time we met, I've been feeling different. I'm not

49
sure what it is, but I've started to realize that I

might be falling in love with you."

Mark was taken aback by Caitlyn's words. His

face displayed a mixture of surprise and joy. After a

moment of contemplation, he replied gently, "Caitlyn,

I feel the same way too. Ever since then, my heart

beats faster whenever I'm with you. I want to try to

build a relationship that goes beyond friendship with

you."

Hearing Mark's response, Caitlyn's heart

bloomed. She felt incredibly happy that her feelings

were reciprocated by the person she loved. She

50
embraced Mark. They began to form a closer bond,

spending more time together and getting to know

each other on a deeper level.

Caitlyn and Mark's love story unfolded

beautifully. They supported and helped each other at

every step of their journey. With every moment

spent together, their love grew stronger and

unshakeable.

Since then, Caitlyn and Mark have built a

relationship filled with love and trust. They have

learned from each other through the joy and

challenges they have faced together. And in the end,

51
they discovered that the love they feel for each

other is true and everlasting.

Caitlyn feels grateful that she took the step

to express her feelings to Mark. Her courage and

honesty have opened the door to a beautiful love

story in her life. They realize that loving and being

loved is one of the greatest blessings in life, and

they are committed to nurturing and building their

relationship with love and understanding.

52
 A month later, on the exact date they started

their relationship, Mark sends a message to Caitlyn.

Mark: Honey

Caitlyn: Stop calling me with that name 😡

Mark: AHAHA, sorry. Want to go to the beach?

Caitlyn: YES, I miss spending time at the beach with

you.

Since becoming a couple, Caitlyn and Mark

have faced many obstacles and tests. They have

learned to understand each other, communicate

honestly, and support each other in every

53
circumstance. No relationship is perfect, but they

promise to stay together, fight for each other, and

grow together.

They have experienced beautiful moments

together, such as romantic trips to new places,

supporting each other's dreams, and spending quality

time with family and friends. However, they have

also faced challenges and disagreements. Sometimes,

their differences in opinions and needs clash, but

they learn to listen and understand each other.

54
 Caitlyn and Mark's love story serves as an

inspiration to people around them. They are a real-

life example that sincerity, honesty, and loyalty can

bring lasting happiness in a relationship. Their

friends see how they support and respect each other

and hope to have a relationship like theirs too.

Caitlyn and Mark know that their relationship

is a rare and precious gift. They are deeply grateful

for being brought together.

They both meet each other at the beach on a

beautiful day. The gentle breeze blows, the waves

55
roll cheerfully, and the sun shines brightly in the

blue sky.

Caitlyn and Mark walk side by side on the

beach, their hands tightly intertwined. They laugh

and joke like they did when they first met. After a

while, they decide to sit under an umbrella by the

beach.

Caitlyn looks at Mark with love and says,

"Mark, I can't stop being grateful for having you in

my life. You bring me incomparable happiness. Every

day with you is a blessing."

56
 Mark smiles softly and gently holds Caitlyn's

hand. "Caitlyn, you are the most special person to me.

Every moment with you feels like being in heaven. I

can't imagine my life without you."

Their eyes meet, and in that moment, they

feel the power of love between them. They

complement each other, understand each other

without words. There is no doubt anymore that they

are a loving couple.

Mark lies down on Caitlyn's lap, and they gaze

at each other. Mark gives his sweetest smile, and

57
Caitlyn feels fondness, then she gives him a kiss on

the cheek.

"I love you," Caitlyn says.

"I love you more, Cait," Mark replies.

58