Chapter 15

We were officially going on a vacation trip to the Bahamas. It's been my dream all along, and Dad has made it a reality. We would be leaving the house at dawn, and even though it's late and past my bedtime, I still needed to make sure I've got everything covered. My clothes and bikinis were already packed in my luggage. I didn't bother picking up sunscreen because my mother has got it covered. I really hate summer. The weather is scorching hot. My passport was with my parents, likewise my brothers'. Once I was sure everything was in place, I took a short nap. I set an alarm before sleeping because I didn't want to be late, lest I be left behind.

I shouldn't have slept because my eyes are literally swollen. I look like a ghost. I took a needed shower and wore my summer jumpsuit with my sandals. I might as well wear shades because I look terrible. For the first time in ages, I wore my hair down in waves. After grabbing my luggage, I walked downstairs. They must have been waiting for me. It's written all over their faces. I felt sorry for keeping them waiting.

My dad's friend was there to pick us up for the airport. Once we got seated, I took a nap. It takes an hour to reach the airport from my house, so I need to catch up on the sleep I was deprived of. The constant nudging of my shoulder woke me up in an instant. Chad offered an apologetic smile for waking me up. I got out while my brothers took care of getting the luggage out of the car.

After we got checked in, that's when I saw my worst nightmare live and in color: Cody and his family in matching outfits. “Guys, I forgot to let you in on this; it's a double vacation," my mom's face was beaming with smiles. What the heck? This better be good. I would have bailed out if I knew he would be going with us. I don't like where this is going. First, it was the Thanksgiving dinner, and now a vacation together. This sounds crazy.

I just couldn't believe my eyes. What was Cody actually doing here? I ignored his presence and offered a fake smile to Principal Geraldine. As we boarded the plane, I realized that none of the seat numbers of my family matched mine. My mother got to share the same seat with my father, likewise Miles and Chad were sharing the seat. I shook my head, very excited that I get to sit by the window. It wasn't until the seat beside me was taken that I turned to look at who I was sharing the seat with. I was shocked to see Cody with a smirk plastered on his face.

“What are you even doing here in the first place? Aren't you supposed to sit with your family or something?" He chuckled and put on his seatbelt. Did he just ignore me? Or am I so invisible? I tapped his shoulder, but he wouldn't budge. “I'm talking to you, Cody. Why are you the one sitting next to me?" He shook his head.

“Why do you hate me so much? Just treat me as if I'm non-existent. To get it clear, I'm not interested in you one bit. You are not my type." I frowned after he spoke. What did he mean by I'm not his type? I felt hurt because I liked him, but he didn't need to know what I feel. Boys like him take advantage of girls like us, so I needed to be careful.

After that awkward tension between us, we kept silent for the rest of the ride. I dozed off for a few hours. It was when the pilot announced that we would land soon that I woke up in a haste. As the plane landed, we disembarked and waited for the luggage. We took two separate Ubers to the resort our parents had booked. My family was in one car, and Cody's was in another.

I wheeled my luggage and reluctantly followed behind my family. We had booked a suite with three rooms: my parents would share one, Miles and Chad would share another, and I got a room to myself. I unpacked my clothes into the closet and then laid down on my bed. I was very tired from the flight. The next suite was reserved for Cody's family. My mother told us to rest for the day since we had a lot of fun activities planned.

The next day came by really quickly. We were served a breakfast spread on bread. It was bliss, and the view from my room was amazing. The sound of the sea waves was the first thing that greeted me when I opened the windows. After breakfast, I informed Alicia, and she was surprised to hear that Cody was on this trip as well.

The rest of the family went swimming in the ocean while I basked in the sun. “Won't you join in the fun?" Chad asked, and I shook my head. “I'm perfectly fine lying down," I sipped my juice and watched my family play in the water. Cody had decided to stay away from me, which was just fine with me.

As we sat in one of the resort's fancy restaurants, I spotted Cody and his family heading toward us. Once they sat down, we placed an order for seafood for lunch. The meal was delicious, and it felt like heaven. After the meal, I headed back to the resort with my family. Both my parents and Cody's parents were spending the night on a romantic date organized by the resort.

Later in the evening, my parents had already left for their date. My mother looked gorgeous, and the look on Dad's face said it all – he was proud she was his wife. Chad and Miles had gone out to have fun. I was left alone at the resort, watching a movie, when I heard the doorbell ring. I quickly got up, thinking it was my brothers. I opened the door, and there stood Cody, looking as handsome as ever. I blushed and stared at him, momentarily zoning out. Cody had to snap his fingers in front of me to bring me back to reality.

“Urgh, sorry, I zoned out," I whispered. “Can I come in?" Cody asked with a smile. “Sure, right away," I opened the door wide for him to enter. “This suite looks a lot bigger than ours," he commented as he took a seat beside me on the sofa. “I guess so," I said, feeling a bit unsure. “Where is your kid sister?" I asked. “... She is fast asleep. She won't be waking up until morning," I mouthed an oh. “So she's a deep sleeper, huh?" He nodded, and I smiled. “Why are you here?" I asked, surprised by how low and polite my voice was. “I wanted to check up on you." I couldn't help but chuckle. “As you can see, I'm doing well, aren't I?" He chuckled, and I smiled.

“Let's play a fun game while we're at it," Cody suggested, and I nodded. We sat on the floor as he brought out an empty glass bottle. “What game do you have in mind?" I couldn't help but ask. “Truth or Dare?" he spoke with a grin. “Hell no!" I exclaimed, and he laughed. “C'mon, it's fun. Don't be a party pooper." I chuckled and nodded. “Bring it on, but I've never played a game like this before. How do we go about it?" I asked, completely confused. “Leave it to me. I'll handle the questions, alright?" I nodded in understanding.

“Are you ready?" He asked, and I nodded. He spun the bottle, and it landed on me. “Truth," I replied with uncertainty. “Do you have a crush?" He asked, and I chuckled. “Yes," I blushed in embarrassment. “My turn, truth or dare?" I asked. “Dare," he replied. “You do realize you're no fun?" He chuckled.

“What's the first dare question on your card?" I checked and rolled over in laughter. “Is it that funny?" He nodded. “It can't be that bad. Just tell me." I braced myself for the question. “I dare you to run around butt naked." Cody stood up and ran around butt naked. It was so funny. He quickly pulled up his pants and sat back down. “That was fun, wasn't it?" Actually, he was right, so I nodded.

“It's my turn. Truth or Dare?" I stuck with my first choice. “Truth," I replied, and he shook his head. “What is your biggest fear?" “…my biggest fear is ghosts. I know I sound stupid, but I get scared when someone mentions a ghost or dresses as one during Halloween." Cody laughed out loud. “Ghosts don't even exist, Millie. You're unbelievable." I giggled. “That's my turn and the final question for the night. Truth or Dare?" He sighed. I stared at him, waiting for an answer. “Dare!!" I checked my card and was shocked by the next dare question. I didn't even realize it was there. “I dare you to kiss the girl you like right now, or you need to run ten laps if she's not around." Before I could say anything, Cody was kissing me. My heart raced faster, and I blushed harder. He chuckled when he broke the kiss.

“Hey!! That's not fair. That's my first kiss," I yelled, and he laughed. “It's not funny, Cody. You just stole my first kiss without my permission." I folded my arms, a bit angry. This was not how I had planned my first kiss. “I was being sincere with what you asked." I stood up and walked toward the door of the suite. I opened it. “You've overstayed your welcome, Cody. I think it's time to leave." I spoke, and he offered a sad smile. “I'm sorry. I promise it won't happen again." He pleaded, but I wasn't going to give in. “Just go, Cody. I need to think." He reluctantly walked out, and I closed the suite door. I slid down against the door and touched my lips. It was a nice kiss, but I wasn't going to let him know.