One Time Thing [Wattys 2021 Shortlist] ✔️

Chapter 11: Opinions are like genitalia

MIA

Trees reflected off the surface of the calm lake, creating a mirror-like image on the water. Birds chirped everywhere around, adding to the peaceful setting. The sun fell just at the right angle, completing the magical scenery.

Mia took the picture.

"Can I see?" Samantha asked, her hand entering Mia's field of vision.

"Sure." Mia handed the camera to the woman. They were the same age, yet Sam seemed older. Perhaps it was because of the two-year-old she had at home. Her face was covered in worry and Mia seriously hoped it wasn't due to the kid. Because that would be depressing. Samantha smiled, her short, brown hair covering her blue eyes as she stared at the picture.

"You should sell these. They are good." She mumbled, never removing her gaze from the pictures.

"No one would buy them." Mia said.

"What!" A chirpy voice reached them. "We live in the Instagram age, everyone's obsessed with pictures, they'd buy them." Christa skipped to the small dock, her blond hair swaying in tandem. The contrast between the two woman was apparent. Where Sam was thin and tall, her figure hidden behind the brown vest, Christa was shorter, perkier and in a white bikini.

Once upon a time, they were four girls, ready to take on the world with their bare hands, full of life and adventure. But life, as always, had other plans. Now, so many years since high school, Sam had a kid, Lucy was getting married in a month, Mia began her law career and Christa was still holding the record for the highest number of vodka shots drunk while riding a mechanical bull.

The number was eleven. She fell down and broke her ankle on the twelfth.

"You can promote me on your Instagram page, then." Mia said, taking the camera back from Sam. Surely, her pictures were good, but she never thought of that as something she could actually do for a living.

"You've no idea how many customers you'd have in one day. Just take a picture of me on this dock, come on." Christa ran to the edge of the dock and posed for the camera, her breasts almost falling out when she leaned forward. Mia laughed out loud.

"Classy, Christa." Sam murmured.

"Provocative." Christa corrected and turned her ass to the camera, jiggling it while Mia took the shot.

"Chicas, the cocktails are ready!" Lucy's voice came from the small, wooden cottage, owned by Mia's father. He wanted it to be cosy, so the entire interior was covered in wood and decorated with the pictures of their family. An occasional wooden animal sculpture peaked behind the huge leather couches, created in a way to almost swallow a person. In contrast, huge, white rug covered the floor.

No one was allowed in with their shoes on.

Lucy was on the porch, serving her famous triple alcohol cocktail, designed to drown the sorrows and destroy the liver.

The porch overlooked the lake and the view was fantastic, so the girls gladly came here when they had time. Or at least Mia hoped it was for the view and not solely for the alcohol. Girls sat around the oak table, each taking the orange-red drink.

"What's in this, Luce?" Sam asked, suspiciously looking at her glass.

"Love in a bottle, my darling. Drink it up." Lucy saluted and girls mimicked her move.

"So, Mia," Christa leaned onto her elbows, a wide smile spreading over her face, "tell us about your new boyfriend!"

Mia almost choked on her drink.

"Christa!" Lucy jumped in immediately. "I told you not to say anything!"

"You already told her?" Mia asked.