Rather early the next morning, Mitch got up feeling much better than the night before. He took a shower and got dressed in comfortable clothes before he stepped outside into the open kitchen and living room space to make himself a cup of coffee. Since he had gotten to bed rather early the night before he didn't expect anyone to be awake already.
The brunette got comfortable on the terrace with his coffee and his phone and scrolled through social media, texted his parents and a few friends that he had arrived safely and then he just enjoyed the warm morning sun on his skin.
Once he had finished his coffee, he heard someone come down the stairs.
"Good morning, Mitch. How are you?" Avi stepped outside and smiled at the smaller man.
"Good morning. Better. Much better" Mitch replied. "Ready to finally start the vacation with a fun beach day. How was the walk last night?"
Avi sighed. "It was really nice. Wonderful sunset. But then... Scott started to think about Nick and I offered to listen so we sat down on the balcony and talked. We talked about Nick and what he did and he realised that Nick was effectively trying to keep him from his friends. He realised a lot and it really was hard on him" he explained.
"Oh," Mitch said. "I mean I expected something like this to happen during this vacation but so early?" He got up and looked at Avi. "Are you okay?"
Avi shrugged his shoulders. "I think so. I just want him to get better. To get over Nick and maybe to be mine as well, but this is very far in the future."
Mitch nodded. "I envy you for your patience, Avi."
"Well, there really is nothing else I can do right now. I can't tell him about my feelings when he is still thinking about his relationship that ended basically yesterday" the bearded man explained. "Anyway. I haven't heard from him, yet and we're meeting up for breakfast in 30. Shall we wake him up or let him sleep?"
"Definitely wake him up. I'll do it, I have my ways" Mitch said. "But thank you for being there for him yesterday."
"You know that I would do a lot for him" Avi replied with a small smile on his face.
Mitch just smiled and passed Avi on his way into the house. He walked upstairs and went up to the one door which was closed. He knocked softly but wasn't surprised when he didn't get a reply. Therefore he just went inside and immediately saw his best friend lying in bed, still fast asleep.
Mitch slipped off his slippers and laid down in bed, facing the blonde. He raised his hand and softly raked his fingers through his hair, knowing that this would wake him up slowly.
And he was right. Scott stirred and finally opened his eyes. "Mmmh" he hummed when he saw his best friend. "Mitchy..."
"Good morning, Scott," the brunette said softly. "How are you?"
"Mmhm... better," Scott said.
Mitch smiled slightly. "That's good news. I just wanted to ask you if you wanted to come to breakfast with us? Avi mentioned something about a late-night talk, so if you want to sleep some more..."
Scott shook his head. "No. Wanna spend time with you. If I stay here I think and mope around for the whole day. What I need is a fun beach day!"
"That's the spirit," Mitch said. "And we have another twenty minutes before we're meeting up for breakfast."
"Mmhm good, because I don't feel like getting up right now," Scott said. He turned onto his back and stretched out his arms and sighed softly. "I realised what you meant way back when we fought in the dressing room in Europe."
"Hmm?" Mitch hummed.
"Yeah, you said that he wanted to get me away from my friends and you were right. Avi helped me realised it and it was and still is very hard to think about it" Scott said. "And then I lay awake. I was drained, but still, there was so much going on in my head. I realised that he just used me. He never planned on coming to Mykonos and he never wanted me to come either. He hid my phone so I wouldn't be able to contact you and I also realised that he used my love for sex. I can recall more than one time he used sex to make me reconsider going out whether it was because I couldn't move afterwards or because he really took his time. It all seemed natural and fun, but now that I am thinking about it, I feel so used."
"I get that you're feeling this way. But with everything that happened, just know that it was not your fault. It's okay to like sex, but it's not okay that he used it to manipulate you, Scott. It was his fault. He is the villain in the story, you're" Mitch stopped there, because he didn't know if he should say it. "You're the victim, Scott."
Much to the brunette's surprise, Scott just nodded. "Yeah. I think I'm getting it" he said. "It's just so much. But I guess I'm feeling better now that I talked to Avi and you. Still, I don't know how I never noticed all this."
"You didn't notice because he didn't want you to notice" Mitch returned. "Maybe you should see a therapist once we're back home. I mean I am always ready to listen, but I cannot give you much advice. A professional will be able to help you work through the issues you might be having."
"I thought about that as well" Scott agreed. "Well not at first, at first I just thought that this was just a break-up I have to get over somehow, but this is so complex."
Mitch smile. "I can help you find someone once we're back home. My therapist has a network of specialists, there will be someone for you as well."
Scott nodded. "Yeah, thank you," he said. "Now. No more talking about my ex. I want to enjoy this vacation, starting with breakfast and a beach day." Scott almost jumped out of the bed and stretched his arms, before he pulled out a few clothes from his suitcase and walked into the bathroom.
Five minutes later he emerged and walked downstairs where everyone, including Ben and Kirstie were already waiting for him. "Good morning," he said cheerfully. "Did you enjoy the sunset yesterday?"
Kirstie chuckled softly. "We did. Sorry, but we were carried away."
Scott shook his head. "I don't mind. I had a rough night thinking about Nick, but I'm better and ready to enjoy the day."
"That's good," Kirstie said. "I'm glad that you're better, Scott. But even if you aren't, we're all ready to sit down with you and listen to you."
Scott nodded. "I know, Kirstie. I have the most wonderful friends and that's what matters." He looked at Avi and smiled.
Avi smiled back at him. He was glad that he had been able to help him and he knew he would continue to be there for him. Because he wanted him to get better, but also because he wanted to eventually make a move, once Scott was ready for something new.
~~~~
