“What happened? You argued? Why aren't you hanging out?” Noah approached me one afternoon while I was sitting on one of the umbrella chairs inside the hotel.
Yesterday, his other cousins decided to stop swimming because it was a waste of the day. The others just came home from Manila so everyone got along.
In front of me is a wide pool overlooking the whole resort and the vast blue sea. It's upstairs so the view is relaxing.
I just looked at him for a moment before turning back to the setting sun in front of the two of us.
"Nothing," I replied lazily before I sipped the hot tea given to me by Cristine, one of the staff here.
"Was it about me?" he asked me seriously.
Why is it that where I am, this ‘man’ is also here? Is he stalking me?
I raised an eyebrow because of what he said. I even sarcastically laugh at him because of what he said. Sounds fucking absurd!
“Obviously. I'm sorry, Noah, but can you please not come near me for a while?” I told him sharply.
Ever since I left him in that room, I haven't slept with him until now. I've been sleeping in Ria's room since that day because I feel like we'll just scream and scream when we're together. Yeah, I guess he didn't even want to talk to me at all because he was avoiding me too. I honestly want to approach him first and apologize for what happened but my pride is screaming at me. Damn it! Suit yourself, Levi. Whenever I remember the lie he did to me, my mind and heart were unable to calm down.
I smiled bitterly again at the absence and just nailed it.
“I don’t know why I’m being like this, but what you said to me keep on ruining my mind. That woman is also distracting us,” I almost whispered to myself but I'm sure Noah heard that.
“Who? Anne? You have to get used to it because they have always been close to each other. She’s Levi’s childhood friend,” he said to me as if he’s trying to convince me that Anne has nothing to do with this.
Damn it.
Noah and I talked for a few more minutes in that area before I decided to go down. Noah followed again so I couldn't do anything at all. I also felt hungry so I didn’t flake anymore.
From the moment we went down, Noah clung to me until I got to the cottage. We arrived there with Maxim and her boyfriend, Celine and her boyfriend as well. Avery, her future husband, Levi and my daughter who are asleep again. They were all silent and Noah and I looked at each other in amazement. Silently, I sat at the very end of the long chair where Ria was and I was silently get my food. Noah didn’t know if he would follow me or what.
“Seat, Noah. Why are you still standing there?” Maxim asked him. The latter just laughed and scratched his head then stood beside me.
"Where have you been?"
I almost looked up at Levi because of his question and also because of the tone of his question. There always seems to be a threat.
When I didn't answer because I had no intention of answering his question, it was Noah who answered him.
"Just poolside upstairs," he casually replied to Levi while I was busy peeling the shrimp that was for me.
“What did you do there? Why are you here again?” Levi asked more so I was shaken.
What was the problem with Noah? Why does his anger at his friend seem to reach heaven?
"What did you do?" I heard Celine ask me so I focused my eyes on her.
“What else should a person do in the pool? Do the laundry?” I laughed back at Celine's question so she couldn't help but laugh.
"I am asking you a question," Levi firmly said again but I don't know if he was looking at me.
I was about to answer him when a guy suddenly approached us. He is with a woman in her mid 30's but there are still traces of her beauty.
"Sir Levi, aren't you going to visit the Tierra Fima's twin?" The man said to Levi smilingly and even glared at me.
I just smiled at him even at the woman with him.
"Is that okay, Philip?" Levi asked him.
Does Tierra Fima have twins?
“That has been well for a long time, Sir. You are the only ones waiting,” Philip said so I smiled.
“Can we also go?” I exclaimed.
“Alright, so we’ll use the yacht? Is there no event there today?” Levi asked so I looked at him, trying to meet his gaze but he didn't even bother to look at me so I just shrugged.
“Daddy forbids the guest to use the yacht, Lev. Haven't you been told?” Avery commented but he ignored it.
I even saw Avery smirk so I laughed.
"Uncle doesn't really tell Levi what he does on the island, especially when there is a change," Maxim spoke.
I turned to look at the two adults. We all waited for the answer of the two of them which did not take a few minutes.
"I'm going to prepare the yacht for us to ride," Philip told us all with a smile so we shouted with joy at the same time. I also heard the laughter of the two adults so my heart jumped even more.
This is the real vacation.
We were all so excited especially when one by one, we headed to a big yacht. Fortunately, we were allowed to change into swim wear first in case we wanted to swim on the island we were going to, so I was able to bring a few more things; extra swimsuit, extra clothes and towel for the three of us. It's a secret that I took his towel with me because I saw he was carrying nothing, only goggles.
"Fuck!" I screamed when I almost slipped as I crossed the narrow bridge to the yacht. Fortunately, Levi immediately grabbed me by the waist and quickly lifted me across.
"Be careful next time, brat," I heard him say when he lowered me so I just turned around.
"Thanks," out of the nose I told him and walked away from him immediately.
Brat my ass! I'm not a brat, excuse me?
When I turned in the other direction, I saw Maxim looking at me so I approached him immediately.
"What's the matter with you two?" It seems like a disgusting question to me. I turned my gaze to her boyfriend who was currently talking to Philip on one side.
She just sarcastically laugh at me and stare even more. “What are you arguing about? You two look like a fool.”
I ignored her question and just nodded, “I just don’t know how to act in front of them. He gets angry when Noah approaches me but he's been with Anne as well,” I told her with a laugh and left her there.
Speaking of Noah, he didn’t come with us because he had a sudden walk. It's good then because I'm already counted on his actions.
I quietly headed to the right side of the yacht where the mountains we were passing in the distance and even the bottom of the sea were clearly visible. The seawater is really clear here. Philip said earlier before we left the resort that there were times when all of a sudden there were dolphins appearing in the middle of the resort we came from and the island where we are going now.
"If we leave a little early, you can see how beautiful the scenery is here especially when the dolphins come out."
I quickly turned to the woman next to me and saw that woman with Philip recently. I just smiled at what she said and turned back to the ocean.
“Maybe there will be another one here. Besides, sunset is more beautiful than anything, I guess, ”I uttered while looking at the sunset.
“Philip told me about you and Sir Levi. We know that guy because he lived almost here. He's not that friendly. He has a close friend but the news is that they both broke up due to a misconception,” she said kindly to me before looking at me meaningfully.
I smiled shyly at her then averted my eyes, “He didn’t mention that to me. What's your relationship with Philip?” I change the subject because maybe that's where else to go.
I don't want to know that news from her. I still want that to come from Levi.
"My husband and I have been married for two decades."
My eyes widened because of what she said. I immediately look at her again while frowning, “What? How old are you?"
She just smiled at me sweetly and patted my arm, “We have been boyfriend and girlfriend for four years. After that, we got married. During our first year as a couple, we were blessed with a son. It's only your age.”
I was dumbfounded by what she said. I could still hear her modest laugh as I calculated her age. I winced when I realized she was 40 years old but there was not even a trace of her appearance and clothing. She looks like a millennial.
"I thought you were only thirty," I told her with a grin and averted my eyes out of embarrassment.
“A lot of people have said that so I'm used to it. If it weren't for you and Sir Levi, I would have pimped my son out of you. That one, until now, no one has been courted,” she told me so I just smiled.
I suddenly missed this story that Mama and I had when she was still alive and I wasn’t that busy with my work. Time flies so fast just like how I didn't notice that the yacht we were on was docked on the island where our destination was. Aunt Beatrice told me so many stories that I lost track of it.
"You can spend the night here or go night swimming because this island is better at night. It is covered by Tierra Fima so there is no problem with your accommodation because Sir Raul used to have huts built here. That is if you want to spend the night here,” Philip explained to us when we got off the yacht. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Levi's simple glance at me.
“How many huts are there? And where is it?” Celine asked him.
"Behind those trees..." he answered immediately and pointed to the palm trees just in front of us, not far away.
“Sir Raul decided to build huts there so as not to attract too many people. Even in the main of Tierra Fima, many are already obsessed, what if they see it,” he added so we all just nodded.
I think, this place will be so damn perfect for tonight.