A holiday in the sun sounds like the perfect plan for Poppy, who's ready to let go of her past and move on with her future. With her best friend along for the ride, Poppy ventures to Spain for a summer blowout before she departs for University.
But...
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The cocktails are as delicious as the club promises.
I lock my lips around the straw of the cocktail Alvaro just handed me, my tastebuds electric as the cool liquid tasting of peach and strawberry and lemon hits all at once. It's exhilarating.
Alvaro inches closer to me, the warmth of his bare arm brushing ever so slightly with mine. I shiver, but I don't let him sense it.
"So, Poppy," he says sweetly, his charming smile radiating through me. "What's your story?"
I can't help but laugh, albeit nervously. My story? He is brave for asking. My story is depressing and morbid and not one you'd expect of an eighteen year old girl. If I told him even half of my story, he wouldn't be sat here with me right now. Though, truthfully, I'm not even sure why he is. I'm nothing like Zara—who's now in deep conversation with Diego on the lounger closest to the sea—I'm plain and boring and don't offer any excitement except for a half-twisted past. I'm certainly not in any way a daring, wild or flirtatious girl. I've been through enough in my life to have my walls up. That much I know.
I shrug my shoulders as I take another sip of the cocktail. "Nothing special," I say with a smile. "Just your run-of-the-mill student. I passed my A-Levels and I'm going to University next month to study Psychology. I guess you could say Zara and I are out here celebrating."
"University huh?" Alvaro says, the stem of a cocktail umbrella rested between his lips. "You're a smart girl. I can tell."
I feel myself blush. "I dunno. I guess I'm not half bad." Being honest, I'm not half bad at all. I'm actually good; three A's and an A star at A-Level proves just that. But I'm not the type to boast. My dad made sure of that. "I just want a future as all," I continue. "A fresh start."
Alvaro quirks an eyebrow. His eyebrows are nice. They're dark and thick and perfectly sculpt his eyes. Coupled with his glowing, tanned skin and his neatly shaved facial hair, the way he moves them with inquisition has my heart beat racing. But I do my damned best to not let it show. "What about your family?" He asks with interest. "You must have a lot of family that are proud of you."
I shake my head almost instantly. "No. Believe me. I barely have a family. In fact, I only really have my dad and he's a waste of space." I can almost feel the venom in my mouth as I speak about my father, but I wash it away with the last of my cocktail.
"Hmm." Alvaro smiles and swigs on a bottle of beer. "Seems we both have asshole fathers then."
I turn on my lounger, my walls coming down ever so slightly. "You do too?"
Alvaro shrugs. It takes all of me not to stare at the way his muscles ripple with every small movement he makes. "He's a drug addict. Was a drug addict. Hell, I don't even know if the guy is still alive. I don't care either."
