The Blossom of Rose

11 • Friendly

The turquoise sea slashes through the golden sand of the secluded beach. The mild air is filled with a salty musk as it drifts away into the distance. Oakley was stunned when I told him I was hungry and he made me repeat it three times because he couldn't believe what I just said. Hence, we got food, which I scarfed like a pig, and are both laying on the sand.

"I'm surprised you're not dead yet," Oak scoffs from beside me, slurping his drink. I explained to him everything that happened a few days ago after he realised I'd been avoiding Luca like a plague.

"Exactly," I exasperate. "Why do I get myself into these situations?" I whine as I cover my face with my hands.

"Trust me, I've been wondering what goes on in that head of yours for the past 11 years," he mumbles and I hit him on his shoulder. "Do you not remember when you pole danced at Sebastian's club after you broke up with Samuel?"

I sit up and cringe harshly, "that was an accident. I was drunk."

"Oh, I wasn't saying that to make fun of you. That was a bad bitch move." He breaks out into a grin and then doubles over in laughter, "I'll never forget that look on his face."

My gaze is fixed on the golden dust of the sand and I run my fingers over my dress. "I saw him."

"When?" Oakley's whole demeanour shifts and he too sits up, tilting his head.

"About three weeks ago. Right before I," I bite my bottom lip and trail my gaze towards the cabin. When I don't elaborate, it takes him a while to understand what I mean and his eyes bulge out of their sockets.

"You slept with him again?!" He whispers loudly.

I nod my head then my features scrunch, "hold up. Again? How did you know about the first?"

"The night of his New Year's party. I said I'd call you to see if you got home safely so I did but you didn't answer. I got worried and checked the CCTV and saw you go into his room. It was like 2 am when I checked so I put two and two together." He explains. Stalker.

"Are you gonna eat that?" I point to his box of fries, lying untouched on his flannel shirt spread across the sand. He shakes his head passing them to me. "How did you know I wasn't dead?" I ask, taking a bite of one.

He laughs and I sense there's a hidden meaning behind it but he settles for, "the fact he never kicked you out of his room the second you walked in, said something."

"Fair enough," I shrug, emptying the box into my mouth. There was only a few left, it's not like it was full.

"Okay, back up. You saw Samuel three weeks ago and you're telling me now!" He flails his arms around in the air.

"Well, we haven't really had the chance to catch up," I deadpan, side glancing at him. He does an action that tells me to elaborate on our meeting and I turn fully to him, sitting cross-legged. I place the now-empty box of fries down.

"He apologised, told me-no actually promised he had changed, he said he wants to be better for me and wants to get back together. And that-" I clear my throat digging my fingers into the sand to stop them clawing at my wrist, "he said that he still loves me."

Oakley's eyes harden and he moves to sit on his knees, leaning forward to me. "Do you still love him?" I've been asking myself that question ever since I saw him. Confidently, I shake my head and he sighs in relief.

"What did you say back?" I know he's desperate for my answer.

He never did like Samuel, ever. I remember when we started dating, Oakley told me his concerns then but I brushed it aside. Then, he stopped because I told him I was happy and that was the only thing he cared about. But, he could see the happiness painfully dying in my eyes, his words not mine. And he used the analogy of a moth drawn to a flame. I was so infatuated by the light that when I reached out to it, it stung me, over and over again. Oakley said that if I kept doing it, it would eventually kill me. So I left the flame.