Paradise 69

29

I TAKE A QUICK look at the road leading to the beach, and I don't see any signs of Mijan's car.

How is it possible that I can't get him out of my mind?

Perhaps because I am extremely pissed at him right about now!

Giuliana greets Farouk from afar, and we join him. Shamil gives Vittoria a peek on the cheek. The beach was not as crowded. The sky is pink neon mixed with blue paint. We all sit on cushions around a bonfire. Farouk grabs an acoustic guitar and starts stringing love songs.

Some girls wearing long white dresses appear from behind us. They are carrying wooden trays with food. I could see: Homemade marinara over pasta...pancakes...omelets with green peppers.

Suddenly, Shamil connects a portable power adapter to his phone, and music starts playing from a Bluetooth sound box. Giuliana, Vittoria, and Adrianna get up to dance. I'm watching Adrianna's tropical print Tassel Sarong moving along the movements of her hips to the beat of the song.

A guy wearing a floral shirt, and a fedora hat, comes up to me. I have never seen him before. My mouth goes dry looking at him.

Just as long as he doesn't recognize me...

"How do you do?" He gives me a small smile, looking genuinely amused. "Would you like to join me?"

He holds out his hand. I smile back and take his hand. Ironically, another song starts playing. A slow, romantic song. A song I swear that I have heard in some kind of Hollywood movie.

"I'm Kyle."

I glance at his light brown eyes. They are sparkling.

"I'm Scarlett."

"Your eyes are so beautiful."

I was just thinking about yours!

I look away, towards the ocean waves, and smile shyly.

I hope he doesn't watch inappropriate stuff on the internet...

Everybody watches pornography nowadays. Everybody.

"What a pity that I'm leaving the island tomorrow."

"I would have loved to have known you sooner."

At least you're not the type to be recording sex videos and posting it on the internet.

Maybe he is the solo type of guy...

"Where are you from?"

"I'm from Georgia."

"Georgia...the Country?"

"No!" He laughs at me. "Georgia is a state in the United States."

"Oh!"

"Maybe we could stay in touch. Through social media, or we could use email. I mean, only if you want to of course. I know that giving out phone numbers is kind of personal. So, I'd respect your decision."

"I'll give you my email. Why not? I'd love to."

I pull my iPhone from my leather purse. A message instantly appears on the screen. I turn my back to Kyle. I suddenly feel a cold feeling settling in my stomach.

"Is everything all right?" He asks.

"Yes! Everything is fine." The wind blows through my hair.

It's really not.

The message is from Mijan: I don't like seeing you with other guys! I'm a jealous person. You should've been aware of that. You're my property, Scarlett.

Is this what men expect these days? What else will he expect?

My heart is thumping. I want to run.

I want to run to that ocean water and hide...

Somehow...his words echo in my head. The signs were there all along.

Will he ever give me a break? I scowl at the phone. He is suffocating me. With a deep dread uncurling in my stomach, I remove his message from the screen.

There is something about you, that I'm finding impossible to stay away.

So now you want to have it your way?

I turn several times. I look behind me, then to the right, and to my left. I'm glancing around to understand how he had done it, where he is hiding. He has to be somewhere, hiding and spying on me.

A hand on my shoulder made me jump. I flinch like when you wake up from a nightmare. It was Kyle.

"I'm sorry."

He is still standing there. Waiting for me.

"Hey! It looks like you saw a ghost. Are you alright?"

"No actually I'm not feeling well."

"Your friends are calling you."

"What? Where are they?" I squint my eyes against the weaking sunlight.

"They are over there!" He points in the direction of the building where we all had that famous first day private room party.

Vittoria, and Adrianna wave at me from the second-floor deck.

Placing one hand behind my lower back, Kyle leads me towards the building. There are no security guards when we enter. There is no one on the first floor...

Except...

Lexy!

She is wearing a long white dress.

Was she at the beach earlier?

Did she blend in with everyone else when they brought the food?

I can't remember!

She approaches us while holding three crystal clear glasses of champagne.

"We're here to celebrate your achievements."

She stretches her arm, and hands me a glass.

"What kind of achievements?" Kyle asks while grabbing his glass of champagne.

Using the back of my hand, I knock the crystal glass out of Lexy's hand, and it shatters on the ground. The liquid inside of the cup splashes on the floor.

"What the hell is your problem?"

"I know of your schemes, and how you drug people's drinks!"

Kyle spit all of his drink on the floor.

"You're safe Kyle, she does this only to young females."

He uses a handkerchief to clean his mouth, and tongue.

"You must have lost your mind!"

She stretches her other hand.

"Have my drink then? You're a lunatic! I honestly don't see what Mijan saw in you!"

"Mijan? Who's Mijan?"

"Uh. Long story."

I'm thirsty. Screw it!

I take the drink from her hand, and in one gulp, I swallow all of the liquid down my throat.

Big mistake!

I feel my forehead getting sweaty.

"I'm so thankful... that there is no music here..."

I see the blurry figure of Lexy and Kyle standing in front of me.

"What...are...you...talking...about?"

"I...have...this...sudden...pain...in...my...head..."

I begin to feel tired, and weak. The more I try to keep my eyes open, the more they close. I'm narrowing my eyes. Trying to focus, but I can't.

Kyle is saying something to her. But I can't understand. Everything around me is muffled. The last thing I remember is the cold feeling of the marble floor against my forehead.

Everything is black.