Behind The Scenes

109. Jo

Mexico seems to me such a cheerful and colorful place, and indeed it is. It gives me so much positivity and happiness. The streets are full of kids going to the beach and guitarists playing traditional music for tourists. People here are so different from us, I wish I had their tanned skin, instead I feel like a fish out of water among them, but I think feeling different is also a good experience — if it doesn't backfire. People are cheerful as they stroll through the market, the sound of Mexican Spanish is something that gives even more harmony to this place. I look around and I can not help but forget my thoughts and observe every little detail of this saturated, colorful city. I don't even think about the fact that Hero is next to me and we can't hold hands.

"It's beautiful here, isn't it?" he suddenly tells me, he too observes everything around us.

"Yes, it looks like another world, more beautiful," I reply absently.

I look at him for a second and just have time to notice him wiping his sweaty face with his white T-shirt. Well, short but intense, I must say.

"Do you feel hot?" I ask him, but it is the most rhetorical question I could have asked him.

"Do I feel hot? Why do you ask?" he chuckles. He runs a hand through his hair and pushes it back. "Why don't we go to the beach? We wore the swimsuit for something, didn't we?"

He is right this time.

We keep walking while we discuss it. "How do we find a beach that isn't too touristy?"

He looks around and goes to a stall that sells hand-made bags, a young lady weaves a material that I can't define precisely but that looks like straw.

I follow him and he stops there in front. "What are you doing?" I ask him in a low voice.

He looks at the handbags, which are very pretty, and then he looks at me. "What do you think? Do you want one?" he says smiling at me.

Since we haven't taken anything as a souvenir yet... "Um, yes, I'd like to have one."

In the end we choose a medium size, pink and yellow, and pay for it. The young lady, who is wearing a typical Mexican dress, thanks us. Then Hero asks her, "Excuse me, do you know a nice beach that isn't too crowded?"

She replies yes, she makes me look for the place on google maps and explains that it is a very quiet beach, where the water is crystal clear and the marine life is little disturbed by people.

Perfect.

We also end up buying two small sombreros from the same stall, to avoid sunstroke and become stupid in the heat.

"So, open google maps and we quickly find this fucking beach, because I'm dying of heat."

"Okay okay, calm down," I jokingly scold him.

At the end of the market there is a narrow tunnel, where we have to walk one after the other to get through. I am in front and Hero follows me, because between the two I have more the soul of an explorer. The way is not very long and after about five minutes of walking in that stuffy alley we came out in front of a beautiful panorama. We just have to go down some stairs and our feet will touch the white sand. There are very few people — a couple of couples and some with small children, between 3 and 7 years old. We'll be fine here. There is also a small kiosk nearby where they sell drinks, sandwiches, tacos and more.

As soon as we arrive on the sand, we settle down near the shore, spread out the two sheets we have brought and undress. I wore a bikini with a pink triangle bra and the slips are in a sort of teal green. Hero wears the usual swimming trunks.

I take a run to the shoreline where the sand doesn't burn and put my feet in the water. It's fantastic; it's fresh and clear, I can't wait to swim.

"Babe, would you put some sunscreen on my shoulders?" I find Hero by my side and he puts his arm around my waist, holding me close.

"Sure. You have lighter skin than me, you would become a pepper under this sun," I tell him jokingly and we laugh together as we go back to sit on our towels.

I take the sunscreen and pour some on my hands. I start to spread it all over his shoulders, which I have always found beautiful, giving him a light massage. He bends his neck forward and lets out a groan of relief. "You like it?" I ask him, satisfied with letting that sound come out of his lips.

"Yeah, a lot," he replies softly.

I end up spreading it all over his back, because if he gets burned then he'll have one half okay and the other shrimp-colored, which would be embarrassing.

"Thank you," she tells me turning to me and kisses me. I put another drop of sunscreen on my fingers and he, confused, starts saying, "What the hell— Jo!" I smear his nose on purpose and lets out a scream that makes me laugh out loud. "Why? Just tell me why the fuck!" he says laughing at himself as he spreads it on his nose and a little on his cheeks.

"Do you want to become a clown? The sunscreen on the nose is important, honey," I tease him.

He glares at me, his cheeks slightly white, rushes over to me and starts tickling me.

Tickle no.

"I swear I'll make you all white, pass me that thing," he says in a threatening tone as he continues to tickle me.

"No!" I can barely say for the laughs. "Stop that! Hero!" I hate, hate, hate him. "Wait— let's compromise, but stop it!"

He finally stops torturing me and when he looks at me he bursts out laughing. I'm definitely all red in the face. "So? Let's hear it."

Um, actually I just said that to make him stop and now I don't know what to make up. "Hero, there is no compromise..." I tell him smiling.

He throws an evil look at my belly. "Okay, you wanted it—"

"No no! Stop, I have it!" I'd do anything to stop him. "I'll give you the chance to... spread the tanning oil on me." I know how much he loves my body, so...

He reaches out to shake my hand. "Right, hand me the oil."