Paradise 69

12

DAY TWO

WHEN I WAKE UP, I notice Vittoria is still next to me in her bed. I look at the clock: 10:45 A.M. I realize that she took forever to fall asleep last night. She kept messing with her phone. I could tell by the soft glow on the wall. I bury my face in the pillow for the last time before deciding to get up. I need water. My throat was terribly dry. Perhaps due to all that smoke from the private room.

Vittoria wakes up shortly after.

"What time is it?"

Then, without waiting, she turns and grabs her iPhone and stands staring at it.

"It's almost mid-day!" She keeps squinting in the strong light.

"Yea! It's almost mid-day!"

"Gi, and Adrianna are still sleeping?"

"I suppose." I grab my phone and open up my social media.

"Have you thought about what we're going to do today?"

"I am wondering if we could go Downtown."

"I'm going to look for a souvenir. Just a simple magnet that says we were in Tahiti. Once we get back to Italy, I'll add it to the door of my refrigerator."

Vittoria gets out of bed while wearing only a bra, and panties. No socks. No P-jays.

"I want to look for a super sexy dress for tonight, and maybe even an intimate outfit."

"You're going out with the same guy from last night?"

"Of course! I kept swapping texts with him all night!" She clears her throat. "Although, my throat is a bit sore right now."

She glances at Sam Mijan's business card on top of the coffee table.

"What are you going to do with mysterious Mijan?"

"I have no idea."

"If you don't care going out with him, then why did you keep his business card?"

"I forgot to throw it away."

She raises her eyebrows.

"Right. You forgot."

Her expression tells me she doesn't believe anything that I am saying.

"Deep down, you know you want to at least see him again."

She turns to look for something in her suitcase. She pulls out a hair dryer.

"So...am I right?"

She plugs the hair dryer in a socket.

"I just don't want him to have any weird ideas about me."

"Trust me. He's probably thinking about you right now. Weird ideas he is going to have about you will be if...if you don't call him back! Men like him can have any woman by their side. You don't have to sleep with him. Just accept going out with him. Let yourself be courted, and maybe get some gifts. In a couple of days, you're probably never going to see him again anyways!"

"I know that! This is exactly my point. I don't want to lose my virginity to a one-night-stand-type of situation."

"If I were you...I would head out to flirt with him. Just for tips."

"I don't want to take advantage of his money."

"You really don't know what you're missing, Scarlett. Are you on birth control?"

"No."

"Then how are you going to prevent from getting pregnant?"

"Uh! He's definitely going to have to wear a condom!"

"Or just don't let him cum inside of you."

I tilt my head. Really?

"Do what you want." She shrugs. "It's your body. Just remember that having sexual autonomy is incredibly therapeutic!"

She grabs Sam Mijan business card.

"Go ahead. Give him a call. If he doesn't answer, then we will move on!"

I snatch the card from her fingers.

"Perhaps I should send a message. I don't like the sound of my voice when I speak on the phone. Especially first thing in the morning."

I sit on my bed, thinking about the best way to begin the conversation: "Hi! Sorry if I disturb you. This is Scarlett. The girl from last night. If the invitation is still valid, I'd like to go on a second date." (I added a winking emoji.)

I read the message over and over again before sending it. I turn and raise my phone to let Vittoria read it.

She nods in satisfaction. Then begins rummaging in her makeup bag. She pulls out a box, but I couldn't see what it was from a distance. She turns and throws something on the bed at me.

"Here. Just in case. You never know."

I widen my eyes. It's a condom. Vittoria walks into the bathroom and closes the door. I hear the sound of water coming from the shower head. I decide to take this time and call my mother. We had a one-way type of phone-line relationship! Why do I have to be the only one to call her? Why can't she call me sometimes?

I never leave voicemails. I tend to hang up if the person doesn't answer my call. I'm about to disconnect the call when she answers on the eighth ring.

"Scarlett, honey. How is everything over there?"

"Mom, everything fine. The weather is great!"

"Have you guys been going out alone?"

"No, mom. We're doing everything together." Oh, only if you knew. They all ended up having sex yesterday. Now there is this mysterious and powerful man I've met yesterday, and he wants me...

"Hello. Are you still there?" My mom whines into the phone.

I come back to reality.

"Yes. Here I am."

"I just wanted to tell you that your dad and I...we are really proud of you. I know you have heard me say this so many times, but... congratulations on your graduation! You've always made us so proud. In everything you've accomplished. We will always be proud of you. Regardless of what you decide to do with your life."

"Mom! I don't understand why are you telling me these things right now? Is everything ok?"

"Yes! Everything is fine. I'm just telling you this because we miss you already! You're the first person I think about in the morning, and the last person I think about when I go to sleep at night."

I close my eyes. Her precious words give me a warm glow inside.

"I just ask you to be very careful where you go. Now a days it's not difficult to take advantage of an eighteen-year-old girl."

"I will not catch a feeling for anyone over here mom. We are literally across the World right now! I'll soon leave this place behind and everything in it."

Leave...

...Sam Mijan behind...

My heart rate spikes instantly, and I hear the blood pumping in my ears. I hear Vittoria turning off the water of her shower.

"I got to go for now mom. I love you."

"I love you too honey. Take care."

"Thank you. Bye."

Vittoria walks out of a steaming hot shower. There is a white towel wrapped over her hair, and another around her torso. She smiles when she catches me on the phone.

"That was my mom, you pervert."