The Gap Year

Chapter 18

Walking passed the grey breeze blocks of another semi complete and now abandoned villa, I reached the end of the chalky dirt track. Thank gosh for this place, the very essence of unspoilt Corfu and my secret beach, a spot that no one else knows of, especially no one employed by or vacationing with Select Holidays. It's fantastic, and hard to believe that despite forty years of tourism there are still places like this, untouched wonders without an inflatable reptile or other generic floating item in sight.

I lay my towel on the beach and slumped down. With its mixture of dark yellow sand and pebbles, plus a scattering of seaweed and small pieces of driftwood, it might not be the finest beach in the world but there's plenty of shade and the water, clear and still, is just as pure as ever.

I'd planned on studying but my obstetrics text book suddenly seemed like a fine place to rest my head despite its shiny hard-backed surface, for my head still pounds, a hangover of sunshine and disgust, at the thought of yesterday. Ugh, yesterday, yet another day representative of my failings as a representative, the continued humiliation now only underlined by the presence of perfect Rebecca and her perfect life, someone who everybody loves instantly whilst I still squander under the wrath of Dave the Head Rep no matter how hard I try to make it work. Oh to listen to the sound of the wind and rain battering against the windows of the library come November of the new term, a time and place where I am bound to fit in. If only I could fast forward this summer and then press erase.

'Emma, are you asleep?' An firm warm hand stroked my hair, causing me to startle from my doze. Who could possibly have found me and how do they know my name? Dave the Head Rep better not have tracked me down chasing this week's overdue commission sheets; a kidnapper would be preferable.

'It's alright, I'm not going to murder you? Harry laughed.

'What are you doing here?' I instantly put on my finest display of nonchalance, flicking my hair to the side, indicating that I found his presence barely tolerable.

'Sunbathing and swimming. Isn't that what most people do at the beach?'

'Where's Rebecca?' I snapped, my bitterness too obvious.

'How should I know? Visiting one of her hotels maybe?'

'Of all the places on this island, why do you have to choose my beach?' I pretended to ignore that I had just mentioned Rebecca, desperately hoping that he wouldn't confirm my suspicions that she is his girlfriend and that as such it was highly inappropriate that I kiss him as and when I fancy.

'You own a beach now? Wow, you really are quite the posh Princess.'

'Ha, well I wish I owned the entire island, that way I could have you removed.' Second after to Dave the Head Rep, but I'm not about to admit that to Mr Cocktail.

'Well don't worry your precious little self, I'm not going to bother you. Although it's a good thing that I'm here; you really shouldn't be hanging about a deserted beach like this on your own, you never know Adonis might just be lurking in the bushes.' I surveyed the wall of cypress trees which surrounded the beach, the hidden cicadas rasping but there was nothing else, just the eerie flatness of the extreme midday heat. Damn him for ruining my one spot of isolation.

'Well if you don't mind I'd like to bathe peacefully.' I rose to my feet, uncharacteristically keen to go for a swim.

Even though it was the Ionian sea, warmed by three months of near unbroken sunshine, I still flinched upon entering the water. As it reached my waste I rose to my tip toes lifting my arms to delay the inevitable. Why can't I just abandon myself and jump straight in like Rebecca did from the boat?

'Just do it!' I could see him laughing as he sat on the beach, picking at a piece of driftwood, 'The quicker you do it, the quicker the pain is over with. It's easy, look...' Oh no, he was running towards the sea. His yellow shorts rising up his thighs as he ran, exposing a gentle patch of whiteness where the sun had failed to reach.