The week flew by and today would be there last day on vacation. They would spent one last night here and then fly home in the morning.
It was decided that the last day would be couple's day, even though Joe and Dalen had pretty much done that for the entire vacation. Only two of the days had been spent doing group activities. Seth and Emma weren't technically a couple, but they agreed to hang out together and let the couples have their day.
Adonia had left just like she said she would and they hadn't heard anything from her since then. She didn't even come over to say her goodbyes and had simply disappeared into the night. Since the beach house was filled with new guests, they figured she must have turned in her keys and everything was alright.
Sitting around the island, Dalen had made their final breakfast. There was food left in the fridge and cabinets, but they couldn't bring it home with them on the plane. It was decided that they would try to eat as much as possible tonight and leave the rest for the cleaning crew to deal with.
With plates in front of them of sausage, toast with butter and jam, as well as an assortment of fruits, the group ate their breakfast in relative silence.
"What does everyone have planned today?" Emma asked trying to fill the void.
Julian looked somewhat excited, "It's a surprise." He told her with a grin on his lips and his eyes went over to Riane, who rolled her own. "She'll tell you all about it when we get back."
"Alright, what about you, Joe?" Emma had been trying all week to get Joe to have a normal conversation with her, but it unlike their breakfast had been fruitless.
Joe looked up annoyed from her plate, "What does it matter? It's couple's day. We don't need to discuss plans."
Dalen hurried to answer, before Emma could say anything in return. "We are going to spend the day here. We did a lot of activities this week together, and we just want a day that we spend on the beach since everyone else will be gone."
"What about you, Emma?" Riane asked.
She shrugged, "Seth and I want to go around and check out a bunch of the restaurants that we didn't get to try during the week."
"Don't get too filled up. We have lunch together here at noon." Dalen playfully warned them. "I hate being wasteful with all that food."
She grinned, "We will try our best to just sample as much as we can. Most of them are just treat stands we heard about."
"I am sorry you two have to end up together." Riane told them. "Though, it doesn't seem like it is much of a punishment anyway. You two have been hanging out all week."
They both looked bashful for a moment and then continued to eat their meal. Neither one really wanted the others to know their private business until it was official.
Of course, Emma disliked they were showing favoritism towards each other and finally responded. "It's not like we had much of a choice. You and Julian ran off a lot, and Dalen and Joe disappeared for most of the vacation. We had to stick together or be alone in paradise."
"What are you implying?" Joe hissed.
"I am not implying anything. I am just stating a fact." Emma told her with her brows furrowed and tried to swallow down her annoyance.
"Yeah, sorry about that." Riane tried to put an end to any conversation between the two which were begin to grate on her nerves.
There had been tension since they arrived and everyone was very aware of it. It had actually been more fun when Dalen took Joe away then having her around. She made their time spent with her a chore and Riane decided she would have a talk with her once they got home.
She had not only invited Joe to come to Hawaii with her and had her spend most of the time with Dalen, but she was rude to her other guest. This was not like her friend at all and she wanted to know what was going on.
Was she jealous of Emma? If that were true wouldn't she want to spend more time with Riane and not less?
She couldn't figure it out, but she also didn't want to be bothered by Joe at the moment. She spent most of her time away with Dalen and she decided that it was good enough to just not deal with her. In fact, she had asked Dalen to take her somewhere when she was being too much of an ass to Emma and her friend was nearing tears.
"I am done." Joe announced and put her plate in the sink. "Leave your dishes and head out. Dalen and I will take care of them."
"Thanks." Seth said and everyone nodded in agreement.
She wasn't really doing it to be kind, she just wanted everyone to leave so she could start her time with Dalen.
Standing up from his bench, Julian looked at Riane's plate. "Come on, eat faster. I don't want to be late."
"It's only seven in the morning." Riane told him with a mouthful of food. "I won't eat until noon, so I am going to fill up on as much as I can now."
"Yes, please." Dalen jumped into the conversation with a hint of excitement in his voice. "Eat as much as you want."
Julian frowned and whined like a little boy begging his mother. "The appointment is at eight. I don't want to be late."
Riane rolled her eyes in annoyance, "Just wait a second."
"One one hundred. That's one second, let's go." He bounced a little.
Seth and Dalen looked between each other as they both thought about who the hell their friend was right now. He was being such a reversal of himself it was hard to believe this was the same man from a couple weeks ago. The same one who bullied the woman he was now begging to spend time alone with.
"Let her eat, Julian." Joe stood up for her friend. "She's skinny enough as it is without eating too little for breakfast."
Emma smirked, "Yeah, people with fast metabolisms need to eat a lot to get through their day. Let her finish."
Joe didn't like that Emma had helped her, but she decided not to poke at her this time. Though she did offer her a dirty look.
Julian could see the girls ganging up on him and sighed, "Fine, I'll go get everything packed. You hurry up and eat." He ordered before heading down the stairs.
"Man, what is with him?" Seth asked the rhetorical question.
Looking up from her food, Riane shook her head. "He has been excited about this since last night. He kept texting me all night long to see if I was awake and tell me how thrilled he is to be doing this."
"Any idea what you are doing?" Emma asked.
She shook her head, "I have no idea. Whatever it is better be worth losing sleep over for both him and me. Otherwise, I'll kill him."
The group laughed.
"I would have killed him a while ago. He had been a little intense all week." Emma told her with laughter in her voice.
"It's not that bad. He is just happy I agreed to be his girlfriend and I think he is trying to prove himself to me. It'll die down once we get home, I am sure of it." Riane could hear him coming up the stairs and shushed everyone.
"Ready?" Julian asked as he skipped over the last stair.
Julian had been excited the entire cab ride to the facilities and when they finally arrived, Riane understood why. He had planned for them to swim with dolphins which was something she had mentioned she was interested in doing.
Changing into their swimsuits, which he had packed for her, and then into their wet suits. Getting on the boat, they were taught how to use their snorkels as the boat looked for the mammals. Once they were found, they swam next to the boat until they were given instructions on how to climb into the water.
It had been a magical time for Riane as the spinner dolphins were used to swimming with humans. There had been a great deal of smiles, glances, and accidental or perhaps not so accidental hand touches between Riane and Julian.
Returning to shore after a few hours, they changed back into their clothes and met outside in the parking lot. Julian stepped out and found Riane standing with a huge smile on her lips. She looks just as excited as he had been that morning. It made the change in plans completely worth it.
He had planned a more romantic time with her that morning, however he had put himself on a list a couple days ago to see if the place had any cancellations. When he awoke that morning from a phone call asking if he could come in at eight, he had been thrilled.
"Fun, right?" Julian asked seeking her approval once more and he reached out to take her hand in his own as they walked down the hallway.
Riane nodded while she continued to smile, "I called earlier in the week, but they were all booked up. How did you get one?"
"They have a cancellation list. Most places do. We just got lucky." He swung their hands back and forth between them.
"Very lucky." Riane told him as they walked together for a bit before they were going to call a cab. They were already late for lunch, but it didn't really matter as they were both coming down from their high.
There had been other guests, but they were completely ignored. It felt like it was just the two of them together.
Julian looked at his smiling Riane. Her hair still wet and flat on her head. She had been growing it out and it would be a while before it could be put into a ponytail. She had put some make-up on that morning, but it was now completely gone. She was fresh faced just like when he first met her and it brought warmth to his heart to see her as she really was.
"The others are going to be pissed." She told him as she looked at the clock on her phone and then placed it back into her shorts.
"They will get over it after we tell them what we were doing." Julian looked down at his phone and quickly made a call to get a cab to them.
Once he hung up, he looked over at Riane. She was leaning against a railing, looking at the blue sky so her chin was lifted up.
"You look peaceful here." Julian told her.
Her eyes turned towards him. "Something about knowing everything is so far away kind of removes it from my mind. I am going to be sad to return home."
"I'll bring you back. Next time, it'll be just the two of us." He told her as he brushed some hair stuck to her forehead away.
She grinned, "I'll hold you to that."
His heart felt elated she agreed to such far ahead future plans with him. The last few days here, she seemed willing to set aside her hesitation and actually be in a relationship with him. They had been some of the best days of his life. She never brought up being afraid of not feeling the same for him again after that night, but he could see it sometimes. It was in the small things like touching her hand unexpectedly and having her pull it away. Other times, it was in something he said which caused a repulsed expression briefly.
In that very moment though, she had agreed to be with him for much longer than just this vacation. It was something he had feared. Would she end it when they got home? Was she only agreeing to it to not hurt the vacation for others?
He second guessed every word he said to her and ever touch he offered. He worried she would see what he knew... he was not good enough for her. A rage induced child who went off whenever he was even slightly annoyed was all he had been. Riane looked through it all. She barked back at him and never backed down. She was a fear filled person, but she wasn't afraid of him.
Climbing into the back of the cab, Julian gave the directions so Riane wouldn't have to speak to the stranger and they rode in silence.
As they pulled up, Julian paid the driver and they stepped out onto the sidewalk, but before Riane could run up the stairs, he grabbed her hand.
She turned to face him with a look of confusion in her eyes. "Something the matter?"
"As soon as we go in there, chaos will ensue. Joe will be a bitch. Dalen won't stop her and in return be her bitch. Emma will pretend that Joe isn't being a bitch as will Seth. I just want a couple moments of peace before having to deal with all that." He explained.
She stepped down from the first step to stand in front of him. "I really loved swimming with the dolphins, Julian. Thanks for making it happen for me."
He grinned, "My pleasure."
"I know swimming in the ocean is a big issue for you, and I am surprised you got in at all. I am really proud of you." She patted his shoulder. "Hell, you didn't even get in the water when we were on the beach. The fact that you did far out... I am amazed."
"Yeah, I am trying desperately to not think about it, so if you could just stop talking about it, I would appreciate it." He swallowed as he tried to keep his mouth moist.
"Oh, sorry. Duh." She put her hand gently over her mouth.
He could see she was worried about poking at his fear and decided to try to lighten the mood a little bit. "Besides, once I was in, I was more interested in the dolphins then the sharks."
She giggled, "Either way. It was a great surprise. I am happy."
"Then it was worth it." He looked up towards the house then back to her and decided to ask the question he feared most. "Riane?"
"Yes?" She spoke with a certain sweetness in her voice. If she ever spoke to him like that when he was angry there would be no way he could remain in that anger.
"Um, about what you said about not feeling the same as me?" He watched her face contort to worry. "If you want, we can just say this whole thing was a vacation romance, and go back to friends when we get back. I mean, I'll still try to convince you to date me, but the way it was before. What do you say?"
"I say no." She responded quickly. "I really don't think you chasing me around would work at all for me."
That was a no he didn't know if he feared or not, but there was a darkness in his soul. "Oh, so what do you want to do then?"
Riane shrugged, "We have come this far. Let's keep going, alright?"
"You mean stay together. Stay boyfriend and girlfriend?" He feared her saying no even though she had been very clear in her previous statement, but he worried he misunderstood her.
She could see the uncertainty in his eyes and let out a subtle chuckle, "Yes, stay boyfriend and girlfriend. Is that so hard to believe?"
"Does that mean your feelings have changed?" He knew he was pushing to hard for a positive outcome with that question.
She pressed her lips together, "No, I am still figuring it out. If that is alright with you?"
"Take all the time you need." A grin appeared on his lips as he spoke.
Due to the fact that they had a lunch date with their friends, Seth and Emma's activity had been rained on quite a bit. While Seth was willing to buy whatever they wanted and just throw away the remains of the food, Emma couldn't bare to see so much go to waste over a couple bites. This was meant to be a day to try new things before they went home, but instead it turned into decisions and compromise.
Emma would, at least, try to find someone who wanted to rest of the meal. Though it was difficult, but many of the times they tried to see if the cook would make them a smaller portion to just taste. Some of them were accommodating especially when Seth offered to pay the same price for less food.
Sometimes, however there was no compromise. They either had to order the large plate of something to toss away or they had to not order the item at all. They would often order an appetizer instead if Emma insisted.
Though it sounded like a tedious morning, in fact it had been a fun time for them both. Neither would get angry at the other and they would both discuss their reasons and feelings behind each item.
Seth appreciated that Emma was a woman that didn't want to see money nor food go to waste, even though he was more than happy to buy whatever she wanted and toss out the rest after a short taste test.
She kept blaming their lunch date for the rash eating habits and the lost food, but this would have been the way the day went anyway. There was no way possible they could have tried everything she wanted in a day and been able to eat every bite.
Their last stop was a shaved ice stand which sounded both cooling and light on Seth's stomach. After they picked their flavors, they found a picnic bench nearby and under some palm trees before enjoying their dessert.
They both sat facing away from the table on the bench and looked towards the ocean in the distance. There was quite some space away from it and where they were, but the view was still lovely even with all the other people in the way.
The greenness was a sharp contrast to their snow filled home and now was one of the last times they would see that color for a few months. They had to soak it in before they returned to the planes and to their former lives.
"I am going to miss being here." Emma spoke more to herself than the man sitting beside her, before sucking some of the pink syrup out of her ice.
He slowly nodded his head, "One almost forgets all the responsibilities we left behind. Soon, classes will start again."
"Maybe by then I will let you call me your girlfriend." She looked at him with a cheeky grin and gave him a wink.
"Maybe?" He asked with humor in his voice.
She shrugged her shoulders playfully, before briefly taking a taste of her dessert. "I still have to give you the audition."
"What has this entire vacation been then?" Seth was partly offended though he could tell she was speaking in a jesting manner and tried to make it sound like he was only flirting with her back. The day had been nice and he didn't want to start any issues on their last day.
"A prelude." She told him with a gentle smile that was followed by a slight giggle. "I don't remember any kissing, hand holding, et cetera."
"Et cetera?" Seth could feel a slight blush coming on and tried his best to contain it. "I mean... what?" She was being somewhat bold which caught him off guard.
His attempts to hold back a blush were futile, and Emma chuckled as she watched his face turn different shades of red. "Have you ever had a girlfriend that you didn't do any of this things with before you labeled her as such?"
The logic slowly made his blush fade, and he began to think clearly once more as he now understood her meaning. "No, I suppose not."
A firm nod was offered on her end as if it ended the conversation and she returned to eating her shaved ice.
Seth didn't know how to reply to her. He somewhat feared what his father would say after he had not too long ago asked for him to help in his relationship with Angela. There was also a fear that Angela's family would not accept such a slight, and either his father would enforce the engagement or a falling out between the two families would occur.
He didn't want to bother Emma with such details, but he knew this was a far more complicated matter than simply saying he wanted to end it. Not to mention, Emma wasn't someone he had known long term, Would his father be accepting of him destroying such a long term engagement or such a short term relationship? His gut said no.
There might be a long road ahead of him when it came to ending anything with Angela, but he didn't want to worry Emma. Not yet, at least. Perhaps worry wasn't the true reason. He didn't want to scare her off.
It was better to test the waters first before casting shadows over any plans they had made. Emma was a strong girl, which was something he liked about her, but she often panicked over small concerns. Such as fear a restaurant would run out of food or traffic being backed up. She would go on and on about them until she was proven they weren't anything, but if they were she would almost seem to be devastated for a time.
It was for this reason he feared telling her any of the gory details. He didn't know if it would be a huge problem for her which she took smoothly, or a small problem she would blow out of proportion.
He wasn't bothered in her thinking, but he was capable of understanding it, which was both a blessing and curse. A blessing in which he could think ahead for her and be patient, and a curse in which he didn't know what would justify as a large or small issue.
"There is a small hole in the wall Mexican restaurant near my house." She spoke to him once her shaved ice was finished. "Outside, there is a old man with a cart of shaved ice. It has all the fresh fruit and he squeezes it on to your ice for you. It's some of the most delicious shaved ice I have ever eaten."
"Yeah?"
She nodded, "I'll have to show you some time."
He grinned as he looked at her stare off into the distance. "I can't wait."
A small grin appeared on her lips, "One time, he misunderstood me and I ended up with tomato flavored. It was disgusting."
"How did he misunderstand?" Seth asked as he chuckled lightly. "And more importantly why is there tomato?"
"I think I asked for the red kind instead of saying a name because I was tired, and it's popular flavor apparently." She stuck out her tongue. "It was horrendous. Must be an acquired taste from childhood, you know?"
"Yeah. How is the restaurant?" He looked down at his shaved ice that was becoming more like flavored water as the moments went by.
She shrugged, "I've had worse, but it is close to my apartment and if I desperately need a burrito, it's cheap and a short walk."
"I'd like to see your apartment." He said innocently.
"I bet you would." She continue to grin but offered him a playful wink.
Seth reached out his hand and playfully shoved her head. "Get your mind out of the gutter." He told her as he stood up. "Almost lunch time, let's head back."
Laying on the beach with an umbrella over head, Joe watched as Dalen played around on the beach with the kids from one house over. He had helped them set up their volleyball net with their father, but eventually the father disappeared inside. The four children were anywhere between ten and fourteen, and for the most part Dalen was the odd man out during the matches. He would mostly play referee and stop the children from arguing.
Joe was slightly annoyed their day together was brought to a halt by Dalen suddenly becoming an unnecessary babysitter, but as time went by she enjoyed her private time on the blanket.
They had spent so much time together over the last week, doing activity after activity as they reconnected that she forgot about her own desire for private time.
Sitting there with nothing by the sun on her back and her thoughts had a calming effect, and she laid peacefully without a care in the world. That was until the children were called in. Their parents wanted them out of the sun for a bit until after lunch, so Dalen returned to the blanket with her.
He plopped down quickly which tossed sand on the blanket and disturbed her gentle nap. Slight annoyance entered her heart, but she pushed it away as she sat up.
"Did you have fun?" She asked as she reached towards the large blue bag and pulled out some sun block for him. "It's been a couple hours, you might want to reapply it."
Dalen took the bottle from her with a large smile due her concern and began to reapply it to the exposed skin. "Yeah, I normally work out during the week so it was nice to exercise a bit. You should have joined us, it would have made it three on three."
She shook her head, "I don't want to be out in the sun too much. I'd hate to get a tan and then have all my foundation not match my face anymore." She spoke as if it was a joke, but it was a serious issue for her.
"You have a bit of color already. You might need to go a shade or two darker." He tossed the sun block bottle back to her.
"Don't say that." She pouted.
With a shrug, he reached into the cooler and pulled out some icy cold bottle water. "Just because I don't say it, doesn't mean that it's not true."
She touched her cheeks and then lowered her hands into her lap. "Well, it is what it is, I suppose. I tried to wear as much sunscreen as possible, but there is only so much one can do. I hope I lighten up before it goes bad. I paid a good amount for that foundation."
"Is make-up expensive?" He asked the question right before chucking down nearly half the water bottle.
She nodded, "It can be. There are cheap alternatives and some are better than others, but I don't mess around with my foundation. I get pimples from time to time and I need good coverage." She sighed, "I just don't want to buy a darker color of that brand and then have it go to waste. I guess when I get home, I'll see about a cheaper version until I blend back down to my paleness."
He put the lid back on the bottle and tossed it on the blanket in front of him. "Last day." He spoke with exhaustion and looked out over the ocean before resting his head on his knees. "I am kind of glad to be heading home."
"Really?" There was shock in her voice.
Turning his attention back to her, he nodded. "Yeah, I miss home. I can't wait to see my house and sleep in my own bed again. In truth, I can't wait to have some private time all to myself. Vacation are so much fun, but, man, do they cut into your alone time."
"I understand that."
He inhaled deeply to expel his annoyance before speaking again. "You can barely catch a moment alone while taking a shower. I don't care how many bathrooms this place has, it's not enough for the amount of people staying here."
Joe laughed, "Yeah, I have that whole house to myself on the Swithin estate, so sometimes it can feel a little lonely. Other times though, I can crank up the music and just dance around doing whatever I want."
"I would love to see that."
She shook her head, "No, that's private time."
"Do you wear socks and slide around on the floor?" He asked in jest as he picked up his water bottle and began to drink form it.
"It's all carpeted except for the tile in the kitchen, which doesn't really allow for sliding." She joked back as she crawled over the blanket and pulled out a water for herself from the cooler. The outside of the bottle was covered in melted ice and the cool water ran down her arm, as she placed the water bottle on her forehead once she was seated again.
"So, you have tried then?" He smirked as he tossed his empty bottle towards the large blue bag so he wouldn't forget to bring it in to put in the trash.
Joe stared at him for a moment, "It doesn't work that's all you need know." She laughed as she opened the bottle and took a big sip from it.
Dalen laughed at her reply as silence fell between them. They both knew lunch time was coming upon them and they would need to get everything prepped if not cooked before the others arrived. "I have had a really great time. I am glad you came with us."
"Me too." Joe's voice had become tired over the few moments of silence. "I am glad Riane and I worked things out between us so I could come."
"As am I." He reached out and touched her hand which was resting on her knee, but Joe pulled it away. This caused an awkward moment where his hand was briefly on her knee. Clearing his throat, he was quick to apologize. "Sorry, I didn't mean to."
"I am just not there yet."
He didn't understand. They had spent more time together in the last week then they had spent broken up, and she acted as if they weren't all cuddles and kisses just the week before. This seemed to be behavior by a betrayed woman who wasn't ready to forgive, and he had done nothing of the sort. He had simply expressed his opinion and asked her to leave his home when she got too heated.
Everyday something had reminded him of her anger towards him. He had begun to wonder if this was even worth his effort. Would she just hold onto the grudge forever and pretend they were simply friends? That was not something he would be capable of, yet everyday he told himself to give her another day to figure everything out. It was never enough time.
"We need to get started on lunch." He told her as he stood up from the blanket and began to gather everything they had brought out with them.
Joe folded up the blanket and grabbed the umbrella, while Dalen took the bag and cooler up the wooden stairs to the balcony.
She had watched his mood change the moment she had pulled her hand away. She didn't even really know why she had done it. For a split second, it had been a relief for him to reach out, but her pride told her to not let him. It whispered in her ear that he didn't deserve it, despite the fact that when she pulled away she felt a lingering sense of loss.
She had wanted to hug him, to hold his hand, or even kiss him so many times this week, but a feeling of anger and dread filled her chest to the point she couldn't breathe. In her heart, she knew she had to stop this, she had to let go, but her stubborn side refused. It was hurting her far more than him. She was simply punishing herself, even if she told herself a thousand times that he deserved it for the way she had been treated.
"What do you want to make?" She asked as she followed him up the stairs while staring at the back of his head.
Dalen shrugged, "I don't know. We will figure it out when we get inside. I know I could use a cold beer though."
"Yeah, me too."
The lunch was prepared and the group of six came together for their second to last meal on the island. Soon, they would all return home to prepare for another semester at college, but this trip had changed everything for them.
Coming to the island as a beggar for her love and leaving as her boyfriend was a win for Julian. No one could deny the happiness that appeared on his face whenever anything even remotely involved with Riane was brought up.
Whether she talked about school or other plans, or when someone would randomly call them a couple or say that Riane was his girlfriend, a look of giddiness would shoot across his face. Of course, his two male friends were familiar enough with that look. It was the expression of victory; one that was long in the making.
Julian had once practiced for months to beat Seth in a chess match. Once he had won, he never played him again, but whenever chess was brought up there was that look. It was as smug as it was proud, and as childish as it was sensible.
Emma and Seth hadn't truly talked about their feelings until they arrived here. Now, there were plans in place which could possibly end in them becoming a couple.
No one talked about what was happening between the two, though Riane had hoped for a few moments alone to speak to her friend. She didn't doubt Emma's intentions, but she worried about what all this would mean.
Joe and Dalen were a different animal all together. They had spent so much time together and away from the group, but they didn't seem any different. Whether what they had been attempting wasn't working or they were just a slightly older couple who was done with long flirty glances, no one could really tell.
No one would dare to ask either. That was a bag of crazy no one else wanted to touch. It was as if it was filled with plague.
"Hey." Riane stepped out on the balcony where she found Emma; a gentle breeze blew her hair around though it still wasn't long enough to fall in her face.
She had been watching from the living room and waited patiently for Seth to step away from her. Neither had eaten much and it was obvious they felt awkward just sitting around the island counter not eating with the others. In an effort to ease their own tension, they decided to go outside for some air and left the meal to the other two couples.
Emma smirked as she held onto the wooden rail with one hand and brushed some hair from her eyes. "Hey. Have you been having a good day?"
"Wonderful." Riane walked towards the rail and leaned her elbows against it so she could look out onto the ocean. "It's hard to believe this will be our last day."
She inhaled deeply before she sighed heavily. "I know. I almost felt like this was a new life for us all, but it won't be long now before I am the charity case again." She chuckled before turning her attention to Riane. "Thank you for letting me tag along. I know we haven't been friends long and you didn't have to bring me."
"Nonsense. In truth, I didn't want to be the only girl here, and I wasn't expecting Joe to come along until the last minute. So, thank you for coming and keeping me company." Riane briefly rubbed her neck.
"My pleasure, but I feel like I spent more time with Seth than anyone else." She giggled nervously.
"Yeah, well, I didn't expect my stalker fiance to turn into an actual boyfriend, so sorry about that." Riane looked through the sliding glass windows to Julian who was sitting on the couch talking with Dalen. He looked out the window as if he could feel her stare and waved; she reciprocated the gesture.
Emma thought their interaction was adorable and simply smiled at the two little love birds. They were both so unsophisticated in their technique which warmed her heart.
"Speaking of strangers into boyfriends. What is happening between you and Seth?" Riane noticed her stare and became uncomfortable with it immediately, and for some reason her best bet was to shine the spotlight on her friend.
She would have choked on her drink if she had been drinking anything, but air would have to suffice. "Nothing to report as of yet."
"Really?" She scoffed in disbelief. "I find that hard to believe. You two have spent a lot of time together and he steals glances at you whenever he gets the chance."
Flattered as she was, Emma knew she had to explain the situation to her friend before any speculation got out of hand. "We have talked about a relationship, but I am not the type who dates attached men. When he gets home, he is going to speak to his family about his arrangement and we will go from there."
"Oh." She was silent for a moment as she tried to think of something else to say. "I hope all goes well for you then."
"What about you and Julian? I noticed you two haven't shared a room once while we have been here... or I guess not once that I have caught you." She teased.
Riane stuck out her tongue at her friend playfully, "I think we are working on figuring out who we are as a couple. Before I was adamant we wouldn't amount to anything, and I still don't know if it is true or not. My jealousy towards Adonia only proved something was there, but I still can't figure out what that means exactly."
She nodded her head, "Well, figure it out, because he seems like he could get really hurt if you don't feel the same way he does. You don't want him to get his hopes up."
"I know. We've spoken on it in detail, and his only response was he wanted me to pretend until my feelings are real. I don't know about all that, but I will try until I know the truth of how I feel." She sighed.
"Maybe I should tell him to kiss a girl in front of you. Would that get you moving faster?" Emma was only joking, but there was no humor behind the eyes which glared at her. She chuckled, "I am kidding, Riane. Besides, I doubt he would anyway."
Riane gave a grin and turned her attention back to the ocean. "We will see what is to be come of it tomorrow. Right now, I just want to enjoy the last few moments we have here. Back in Cerulean Harbor are all the problems we put on back burners."
"I'm back!" Seth said as he stepped out onto the balcony.
"Good, I was beginning to think you drowned in there." Emma joked referring to his bathroom break.
"You going to drink a little with us tonight, Riane? Last night." Seth didn't take the spot next to Emma but instead put Riane between them.
She shrugged, "Maybe, I haven't decided yet."
"I don't think your first time drinking should be the night before we have to get on the plane in the morning." Emma spoke with concern.
Seth snorted, "It's the perfect time. You'll sleep your hang over off and wake up at home refresh and recharged."
"I said I would think about it." Riane looked through the sliding glass window again to find Julian, but he had moved away from the door.
Not listening to the two bicker about whether or not she should drink that evening, Riane wondered where Julian had run off to. Did he leave the house completely? The entire back wall was a window and she couldn't see him in the living room or kitchen.
When he reappeared from downstairs after a moment, he smiled in her direction and the small amount of panic in her heart melt away. She returned the smile with a slight wave which Julian joyfully returned.
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It was decided that the last day would be couple's day, even though Joe and Dalen had pretty much done that for the entire vacation. Only two of the days had been spent doing group activities. Seth and Emma weren't technically a couple, but they agreed to hang out together and let the couples have their day.
Adonia had left just like she said she would and they hadn't heard anything from her since then. She didn't even come over to say her goodbyes and had simply disappeared into the night. Since the beach house was filled with new guests, they figured she must have turned in her keys and everything was alright.
Sitting around the island, Dalen had made their final breakfast. There was food left in the fridge and cabinets, but they couldn't bring it home with them on the plane. It was decided that they would try to eat as much as possible tonight and leave the rest for the cleaning crew to deal with.
With plates in front of them of sausage, toast with butter and jam, as well as an assortment of fruits, the group ate their breakfast in relative silence.
"What does everyone have planned today?" Emma asked trying to fill the void.
Julian looked somewhat excited, "It's a surprise." He told her with a grin on his lips and his eyes went over to Riane, who rolled her own. "She'll tell you all about it when we get back."
"Alright, what about you, Joe?" Emma had been trying all week to get Joe to have a normal conversation with her, but it unlike their breakfast had been fruitless.
Joe looked up annoyed from her plate, "What does it matter? It's couple's day. We don't need to discuss plans."
Dalen hurried to answer, before Emma could say anything in return. "We are going to spend the day here. We did a lot of activities this week together, and we just want a day that we spend on the beach since everyone else will be gone."
"What about you, Emma?" Riane asked.
She shrugged, "Seth and I want to go around and check out a bunch of the restaurants that we didn't get to try during the week."
"Don't get too filled up. We have lunch together here at noon." Dalen playfully warned them. "I hate being wasteful with all that food."
She grinned, "We will try our best to just sample as much as we can. Most of them are just treat stands we heard about."
"I am sorry you two have to end up together." Riane told them. "Though, it doesn't seem like it is much of a punishment anyway. You two have been hanging out all week."
They both looked bashful for a moment and then continued to eat their meal. Neither one really wanted the others to know their private business until it was official.
Of course, Emma disliked they were showing favoritism towards each other and finally responded. "It's not like we had much of a choice. You and Julian ran off a lot, and Dalen and Joe disappeared for most of the vacation. We had to stick together or be alone in paradise."
"What are you implying?" Joe hissed.
"I am not implying anything. I am just stating a fact." Emma told her with her brows furrowed and tried to swallow down her annoyance.
"Yeah, sorry about that." Riane tried to put an end to any conversation between the two which were begin to grate on her nerves.
There had been tension since they arrived and everyone was very aware of it. It had actually been more fun when Dalen took Joe away then having her around. She made their time spent with her a chore and Riane decided she would have a talk with her once they got home.
She had not only invited Joe to come to Hawaii with her and had her spend most of the time with Dalen, but she was rude to her other guest. This was not like her friend at all and she wanted to know what was going on.
Was she jealous of Emma? If that were true wouldn't she want to spend more time with Riane and not less?
She couldn't figure it out, but she also didn't want to be bothered by Joe at the moment. She spent most of her time away with Dalen and she decided that it was good enough to just not deal with her. In fact, she had asked Dalen to take her somewhere when she was being too much of an ass to Emma and her friend was nearing tears.
"I am done." Joe announced and put her plate in the sink. "Leave your dishes and head out. Dalen and I will take care of them."
"Thanks." Seth said and everyone nodded in agreement.
She wasn't really doing it to be kind, she just wanted everyone to leave so she could start her time with Dalen.
Standing up from his bench, Julian looked at Riane's plate. "Come on, eat faster. I don't want to be late."
"It's only seven in the morning." Riane told him with a mouthful of food. "I won't eat until noon, so I am going to fill up on as much as I can now."
"Yes, please." Dalen jumped into the conversation with a hint of excitement in his voice. "Eat as much as you want."
Julian frowned and whined like a little boy begging his mother. "The appointment is at eight. I don't want to be late."
Riane rolled her eyes in annoyance, "Just wait a second."
"One one hundred. That's one second, let's go." He bounced a little.
Seth and Dalen looked between each other as they both thought about who the hell their friend was right now. He was being such a reversal of himself it was hard to believe this was the same man from a couple weeks ago. The same one who bullied the woman he was now begging to spend time alone with.
"Let her eat, Julian." Joe stood up for her friend. "She's skinny enough as it is without eating too little for breakfast."
Emma smirked, "Yeah, people with fast metabolisms need to eat a lot to get through their day. Let her finish."
Joe didn't like that Emma had helped her, but she decided not to poke at her this time. Though she did offer her a dirty look.
Julian could see the girls ganging up on him and sighed, "Fine, I'll go get everything packed. You hurry up and eat." He ordered before heading down the stairs.
"Man, what is with him?" Seth asked the rhetorical question.
Looking up from her food, Riane shook her head. "He has been excited about this since last night. He kept texting me all night long to see if I was awake and tell me how thrilled he is to be doing this."
"Any idea what you are doing?" Emma asked.
She shook her head, "I have no idea. Whatever it is better be worth losing sleep over for both him and me. Otherwise, I'll kill him."
The group laughed.
"I would have killed him a while ago. He had been a little intense all week." Emma told her with laughter in her voice.
"It's not that bad. He is just happy I agreed to be his girlfriend and I think he is trying to prove himself to me. It'll die down once we get home, I am sure of it." Riane could hear him coming up the stairs and shushed everyone.
"Ready?" Julian asked as he skipped over the last stair.
---***---
Julian had been excited the entire cab ride to the facilities and when they finally arrived, Riane understood why. He had planned for them to swim with dolphins which was something she had mentioned she was interested in doing.
Changing into their swimsuits, which he had packed for her, and then into their wet suits. Getting on the boat, they were taught how to use their snorkels as the boat looked for the mammals. Once they were found, they swam next to the boat until they were given instructions on how to climb into the water.
It had been a magical time for Riane as the spinner dolphins were used to swimming with humans. There had been a great deal of smiles, glances, and accidental or perhaps not so accidental hand touches between Riane and Julian.
Returning to shore after a few hours, they changed back into their clothes and met outside in the parking lot. Julian stepped out and found Riane standing with a huge smile on her lips. She looks just as excited as he had been that morning. It made the change in plans completely worth it.
He had planned a more romantic time with her that morning, however he had put himself on a list a couple days ago to see if the place had any cancellations. When he awoke that morning from a phone call asking if he could come in at eight, he had been thrilled.
"Fun, right?" Julian asked seeking her approval once more and he reached out to take her hand in his own as they walked down the hallway.
Riane nodded while she continued to smile, "I called earlier in the week, but they were all booked up. How did you get one?"
"They have a cancellation list. Most places do. We just got lucky." He swung their hands back and forth between them.
"Very lucky." Riane told him as they walked together for a bit before they were going to call a cab. They were already late for lunch, but it didn't really matter as they were both coming down from their high.
There had been other guests, but they were completely ignored. It felt like it was just the two of them together.
Julian looked at his smiling Riane. Her hair still wet and flat on her head. She had been growing it out and it would be a while before it could be put into a ponytail. She had put some make-up on that morning, but it was now completely gone. She was fresh faced just like when he first met her and it brought warmth to his heart to see her as she really was.
"The others are going to be pissed." She told him as she looked at the clock on her phone and then placed it back into her shorts.
"They will get over it after we tell them what we were doing." Julian looked down at his phone and quickly made a call to get a cab to them.
Once he hung up, he looked over at Riane. She was leaning against a railing, looking at the blue sky so her chin was lifted up.
"You look peaceful here." Julian told her.
Her eyes turned towards him. "Something about knowing everything is so far away kind of removes it from my mind. I am going to be sad to return home."
"I'll bring you back. Next time, it'll be just the two of us." He told her as he brushed some hair stuck to her forehead away.
She grinned, "I'll hold you to that."
His heart felt elated she agreed to such far ahead future plans with him. The last few days here, she seemed willing to set aside her hesitation and actually be in a relationship with him. They had been some of the best days of his life. She never brought up being afraid of not feeling the same for him again after that night, but he could see it sometimes. It was in the small things like touching her hand unexpectedly and having her pull it away. Other times, it was in something he said which caused a repulsed expression briefly.
In that very moment though, she had agreed to be with him for much longer than just this vacation. It was something he had feared. Would she end it when they got home? Was she only agreeing to it to not hurt the vacation for others?
He second guessed every word he said to her and ever touch he offered. He worried she would see what he knew... he was not good enough for her. A rage induced child who went off whenever he was even slightly annoyed was all he had been. Riane looked through it all. She barked back at him and never backed down. She was a fear filled person, but she wasn't afraid of him.
Climbing into the back of the cab, Julian gave the directions so Riane wouldn't have to speak to the stranger and they rode in silence.
As they pulled up, Julian paid the driver and they stepped out onto the sidewalk, but before Riane could run up the stairs, he grabbed her hand.
She turned to face him with a look of confusion in her eyes. "Something the matter?"
"As soon as we go in there, chaos will ensue. Joe will be a bitch. Dalen won't stop her and in return be her bitch. Emma will pretend that Joe isn't being a bitch as will Seth. I just want a couple moments of peace before having to deal with all that." He explained.
She stepped down from the first step to stand in front of him. "I really loved swimming with the dolphins, Julian. Thanks for making it happen for me."
He grinned, "My pleasure."
"I know swimming in the ocean is a big issue for you, and I am surprised you got in at all. I am really proud of you." She patted his shoulder. "Hell, you didn't even get in the water when we were on the beach. The fact that you did far out... I am amazed."
"Yeah, I am trying desperately to not think about it, so if you could just stop talking about it, I would appreciate it." He swallowed as he tried to keep his mouth moist.
"Oh, sorry. Duh." She put her hand gently over her mouth.
He could see she was worried about poking at his fear and decided to try to lighten the mood a little bit. "Besides, once I was in, I was more interested in the dolphins then the sharks."
She giggled, "Either way. It was a great surprise. I am happy."
"Then it was worth it." He looked up towards the house then back to her and decided to ask the question he feared most. "Riane?"
"Yes?" She spoke with a certain sweetness in her voice. If she ever spoke to him like that when he was angry there would be no way he could remain in that anger.
"Um, about what you said about not feeling the same as me?" He watched her face contort to worry. "If you want, we can just say this whole thing was a vacation romance, and go back to friends when we get back. I mean, I'll still try to convince you to date me, but the way it was before. What do you say?"
"I say no." She responded quickly. "I really don't think you chasing me around would work at all for me."
That was a no he didn't know if he feared or not, but there was a darkness in his soul. "Oh, so what do you want to do then?"
Riane shrugged, "We have come this far. Let's keep going, alright?"
"You mean stay together. Stay boyfriend and girlfriend?" He feared her saying no even though she had been very clear in her previous statement, but he worried he misunderstood her.
She could see the uncertainty in his eyes and let out a subtle chuckle, "Yes, stay boyfriend and girlfriend. Is that so hard to believe?"
"Does that mean your feelings have changed?" He knew he was pushing to hard for a positive outcome with that question.
She pressed her lips together, "No, I am still figuring it out. If that is alright with you?"
"Take all the time you need." A grin appeared on his lips as he spoke.
---***---
Due to the fact that they had a lunch date with their friends, Seth and Emma's activity had been rained on quite a bit. While Seth was willing to buy whatever they wanted and just throw away the remains of the food, Emma couldn't bare to see so much go to waste over a couple bites. This was meant to be a day to try new things before they went home, but instead it turned into decisions and compromise.
Emma would, at least, try to find someone who wanted to rest of the meal. Though it was difficult, but many of the times they tried to see if the cook would make them a smaller portion to just taste. Some of them were accommodating especially when Seth offered to pay the same price for less food.
Sometimes, however there was no compromise. They either had to order the large plate of something to toss away or they had to not order the item at all. They would often order an appetizer instead if Emma insisted.
Though it sounded like a tedious morning, in fact it had been a fun time for them both. Neither would get angry at the other and they would both discuss their reasons and feelings behind each item.
Seth appreciated that Emma was a woman that didn't want to see money nor food go to waste, even though he was more than happy to buy whatever she wanted and toss out the rest after a short taste test.
She kept blaming their lunch date for the rash eating habits and the lost food, but this would have been the way the day went anyway. There was no way possible they could have tried everything she wanted in a day and been able to eat every bite.
Their last stop was a shaved ice stand which sounded both cooling and light on Seth's stomach. After they picked their flavors, they found a picnic bench nearby and under some palm trees before enjoying their dessert.
They both sat facing away from the table on the bench and looked towards the ocean in the distance. There was quite some space away from it and where they were, but the view was still lovely even with all the other people in the way.
The greenness was a sharp contrast to their snow filled home and now was one of the last times they would see that color for a few months. They had to soak it in before they returned to the planes and to their former lives.
"I am going to miss being here." Emma spoke more to herself than the man sitting beside her, before sucking some of the pink syrup out of her ice.
He slowly nodded his head, "One almost forgets all the responsibilities we left behind. Soon, classes will start again."
"Maybe by then I will let you call me your girlfriend." She looked at him with a cheeky grin and gave him a wink.
"Maybe?" He asked with humor in his voice.
She shrugged her shoulders playfully, before briefly taking a taste of her dessert. "I still have to give you the audition."
"What has this entire vacation been then?" Seth was partly offended though he could tell she was speaking in a jesting manner and tried to make it sound like he was only flirting with her back. The day had been nice and he didn't want to start any issues on their last day.
"A prelude." She told him with a gentle smile that was followed by a slight giggle. "I don't remember any kissing, hand holding, et cetera."
"Et cetera?" Seth could feel a slight blush coming on and tried his best to contain it. "I mean... what?" She was being somewhat bold which caught him off guard.
His attempts to hold back a blush were futile, and Emma chuckled as she watched his face turn different shades of red. "Have you ever had a girlfriend that you didn't do any of this things with before you labeled her as such?"
The logic slowly made his blush fade, and he began to think clearly once more as he now understood her meaning. "No, I suppose not."
A firm nod was offered on her end as if it ended the conversation and she returned to eating her shaved ice.
Seth didn't know how to reply to her. He somewhat feared what his father would say after he had not too long ago asked for him to help in his relationship with Angela. There was also a fear that Angela's family would not accept such a slight, and either his father would enforce the engagement or a falling out between the two families would occur.
He didn't want to bother Emma with such details, but he knew this was a far more complicated matter than simply saying he wanted to end it. Not to mention, Emma wasn't someone he had known long term, Would his father be accepting of him destroying such a long term engagement or such a short term relationship? His gut said no.
There might be a long road ahead of him when it came to ending anything with Angela, but he didn't want to worry Emma. Not yet, at least. Perhaps worry wasn't the true reason. He didn't want to scare her off.
It was better to test the waters first before casting shadows over any plans they had made. Emma was a strong girl, which was something he liked about her, but she often panicked over small concerns. Such as fear a restaurant would run out of food or traffic being backed up. She would go on and on about them until she was proven they weren't anything, but if they were she would almost seem to be devastated for a time.
It was for this reason he feared telling her any of the gory details. He didn't know if it would be a huge problem for her which she took smoothly, or a small problem she would blow out of proportion.
He wasn't bothered in her thinking, but he was capable of understanding it, which was both a blessing and curse. A blessing in which he could think ahead for her and be patient, and a curse in which he didn't know what would justify as a large or small issue.
"There is a small hole in the wall Mexican restaurant near my house." She spoke to him once her shaved ice was finished. "Outside, there is a old man with a cart of shaved ice. It has all the fresh fruit and he squeezes it on to your ice for you. It's some of the most delicious shaved ice I have ever eaten."
"Yeah?"
She nodded, "I'll have to show you some time."
He grinned as he looked at her stare off into the distance. "I can't wait."
A small grin appeared on her lips, "One time, he misunderstood me and I ended up with tomato flavored. It was disgusting."
"How did he misunderstand?" Seth asked as he chuckled lightly. "And more importantly why is there tomato?"
"I think I asked for the red kind instead of saying a name because I was tired, and it's popular flavor apparently." She stuck out her tongue. "It was horrendous. Must be an acquired taste from childhood, you know?"
"Yeah. How is the restaurant?" He looked down at his shaved ice that was becoming more like flavored water as the moments went by.
She shrugged, "I've had worse, but it is close to my apartment and if I desperately need a burrito, it's cheap and a short walk."
"I'd like to see your apartment." He said innocently.
"I bet you would." She continue to grin but offered him a playful wink.
Seth reached out his hand and playfully shoved her head. "Get your mind out of the gutter." He told her as he stood up. "Almost lunch time, let's head back."
---***---
Laying on the beach with an umbrella over head, Joe watched as Dalen played around on the beach with the kids from one house over. He had helped them set up their volleyball net with their father, but eventually the father disappeared inside. The four children were anywhere between ten and fourteen, and for the most part Dalen was the odd man out during the matches. He would mostly play referee and stop the children from arguing.
Joe was slightly annoyed their day together was brought to a halt by Dalen suddenly becoming an unnecessary babysitter, but as time went by she enjoyed her private time on the blanket.
They had spent so much time together over the last week, doing activity after activity as they reconnected that she forgot about her own desire for private time.
Sitting there with nothing by the sun on her back and her thoughts had a calming effect, and she laid peacefully without a care in the world. That was until the children were called in. Their parents wanted them out of the sun for a bit until after lunch, so Dalen returned to the blanket with her.
He plopped down quickly which tossed sand on the blanket and disturbed her gentle nap. Slight annoyance entered her heart, but she pushed it away as she sat up.
"Did you have fun?" She asked as she reached towards the large blue bag and pulled out some sun block for him. "It's been a couple hours, you might want to reapply it."
Dalen took the bottle from her with a large smile due her concern and began to reapply it to the exposed skin. "Yeah, I normally work out during the week so it was nice to exercise a bit. You should have joined us, it would have made it three on three."
She shook her head, "I don't want to be out in the sun too much. I'd hate to get a tan and then have all my foundation not match my face anymore." She spoke as if it was a joke, but it was a serious issue for her.
"You have a bit of color already. You might need to go a shade or two darker." He tossed the sun block bottle back to her.
"Don't say that." She pouted.
With a shrug, he reached into the cooler and pulled out some icy cold bottle water. "Just because I don't say it, doesn't mean that it's not true."
She touched her cheeks and then lowered her hands into her lap. "Well, it is what it is, I suppose. I tried to wear as much sunscreen as possible, but there is only so much one can do. I hope I lighten up before it goes bad. I paid a good amount for that foundation."
"Is make-up expensive?" He asked the question right before chucking down nearly half the water bottle.
She nodded, "It can be. There are cheap alternatives and some are better than others, but I don't mess around with my foundation. I get pimples from time to time and I need good coverage." She sighed, "I just don't want to buy a darker color of that brand and then have it go to waste. I guess when I get home, I'll see about a cheaper version until I blend back down to my paleness."
He put the lid back on the bottle and tossed it on the blanket in front of him. "Last day." He spoke with exhaustion and looked out over the ocean before resting his head on his knees. "I am kind of glad to be heading home."
"Really?" There was shock in her voice.
Turning his attention back to her, he nodded. "Yeah, I miss home. I can't wait to see my house and sleep in my own bed again. In truth, I can't wait to have some private time all to myself. Vacation are so much fun, but, man, do they cut into your alone time."
"I understand that."
He inhaled deeply to expel his annoyance before speaking again. "You can barely catch a moment alone while taking a shower. I don't care how many bathrooms this place has, it's not enough for the amount of people staying here."
Joe laughed, "Yeah, I have that whole house to myself on the Swithin estate, so sometimes it can feel a little lonely. Other times though, I can crank up the music and just dance around doing whatever I want."
"I would love to see that."
She shook her head, "No, that's private time."
"Do you wear socks and slide around on the floor?" He asked in jest as he picked up his water bottle and began to drink form it.
"It's all carpeted except for the tile in the kitchen, which doesn't really allow for sliding." She joked back as she crawled over the blanket and pulled out a water for herself from the cooler. The outside of the bottle was covered in melted ice and the cool water ran down her arm, as she placed the water bottle on her forehead once she was seated again.
"So, you have tried then?" He smirked as he tossed his empty bottle towards the large blue bag so he wouldn't forget to bring it in to put in the trash.
Joe stared at him for a moment, "It doesn't work that's all you need know." She laughed as she opened the bottle and took a big sip from it.
Dalen laughed at her reply as silence fell between them. They both knew lunch time was coming upon them and they would need to get everything prepped if not cooked before the others arrived. "I have had a really great time. I am glad you came with us."
"Me too." Joe's voice had become tired over the few moments of silence. "I am glad Riane and I worked things out between us so I could come."
"As am I." He reached out and touched her hand which was resting on her knee, but Joe pulled it away. This caused an awkward moment where his hand was briefly on her knee. Clearing his throat, he was quick to apologize. "Sorry, I didn't mean to."
"I am just not there yet."
He didn't understand. They had spent more time together in the last week then they had spent broken up, and she acted as if they weren't all cuddles and kisses just the week before. This seemed to be behavior by a betrayed woman who wasn't ready to forgive, and he had done nothing of the sort. He had simply expressed his opinion and asked her to leave his home when she got too heated.
Everyday something had reminded him of her anger towards him. He had begun to wonder if this was even worth his effort. Would she just hold onto the grudge forever and pretend they were simply friends? That was not something he would be capable of, yet everyday he told himself to give her another day to figure everything out. It was never enough time.
"We need to get started on lunch." He told her as he stood up from the blanket and began to gather everything they had brought out with them.
Joe folded up the blanket and grabbed the umbrella, while Dalen took the bag and cooler up the wooden stairs to the balcony.
She had watched his mood change the moment she had pulled her hand away. She didn't even really know why she had done it. For a split second, it had been a relief for him to reach out, but her pride told her to not let him. It whispered in her ear that he didn't deserve it, despite the fact that when she pulled away she felt a lingering sense of loss.
She had wanted to hug him, to hold his hand, or even kiss him so many times this week, but a feeling of anger and dread filled her chest to the point she couldn't breathe. In her heart, she knew she had to stop this, she had to let go, but her stubborn side refused. It was hurting her far more than him. She was simply punishing herself, even if she told herself a thousand times that he deserved it for the way she had been treated.
"What do you want to make?" She asked as she followed him up the stairs while staring at the back of his head.
Dalen shrugged, "I don't know. We will figure it out when we get inside. I know I could use a cold beer though."
"Yeah, me too."
---***---
The lunch was prepared and the group of six came together for their second to last meal on the island. Soon, they would all return home to prepare for another semester at college, but this trip had changed everything for them.
Coming to the island as a beggar for her love and leaving as her boyfriend was a win for Julian. No one could deny the happiness that appeared on his face whenever anything even remotely involved with Riane was brought up.
Whether she talked about school or other plans, or when someone would randomly call them a couple or say that Riane was his girlfriend, a look of giddiness would shoot across his face. Of course, his two male friends were familiar enough with that look. It was the expression of victory; one that was long in the making.
Julian had once practiced for months to beat Seth in a chess match. Once he had won, he never played him again, but whenever chess was brought up there was that look. It was as smug as it was proud, and as childish as it was sensible.
Emma and Seth hadn't truly talked about their feelings until they arrived here. Now, there were plans in place which could possibly end in them becoming a couple.
No one talked about what was happening between the two, though Riane had hoped for a few moments alone to speak to her friend. She didn't doubt Emma's intentions, but she worried about what all this would mean.
Joe and Dalen were a different animal all together. They had spent so much time together and away from the group, but they didn't seem any different. Whether what they had been attempting wasn't working or they were just a slightly older couple who was done with long flirty glances, no one could really tell.
No one would dare to ask either. That was a bag of crazy no one else wanted to touch. It was as if it was filled with plague.
"Hey." Riane stepped out on the balcony where she found Emma; a gentle breeze blew her hair around though it still wasn't long enough to fall in her face.
She had been watching from the living room and waited patiently for Seth to step away from her. Neither had eaten much and it was obvious they felt awkward just sitting around the island counter not eating with the others. In an effort to ease their own tension, they decided to go outside for some air and left the meal to the other two couples.
Emma smirked as she held onto the wooden rail with one hand and brushed some hair from her eyes. "Hey. Have you been having a good day?"
"Wonderful." Riane walked towards the rail and leaned her elbows against it so she could look out onto the ocean. "It's hard to believe this will be our last day."
She inhaled deeply before she sighed heavily. "I know. I almost felt like this was a new life for us all, but it won't be long now before I am the charity case again." She chuckled before turning her attention to Riane. "Thank you for letting me tag along. I know we haven't been friends long and you didn't have to bring me."
"Nonsense. In truth, I didn't want to be the only girl here, and I wasn't expecting Joe to come along until the last minute. So, thank you for coming and keeping me company." Riane briefly rubbed her neck.
"My pleasure, but I feel like I spent more time with Seth than anyone else." She giggled nervously.
"Yeah, well, I didn't expect my stalker fiance to turn into an actual boyfriend, so sorry about that." Riane looked through the sliding glass windows to Julian who was sitting on the couch talking with Dalen. He looked out the window as if he could feel her stare and waved; she reciprocated the gesture.
Emma thought their interaction was adorable and simply smiled at the two little love birds. They were both so unsophisticated in their technique which warmed her heart.
"Speaking of strangers into boyfriends. What is happening between you and Seth?" Riane noticed her stare and became uncomfortable with it immediately, and for some reason her best bet was to shine the spotlight on her friend.
She would have choked on her drink if she had been drinking anything, but air would have to suffice. "Nothing to report as of yet."
"Really?" She scoffed in disbelief. "I find that hard to believe. You two have spent a lot of time together and he steals glances at you whenever he gets the chance."
Flattered as she was, Emma knew she had to explain the situation to her friend before any speculation got out of hand. "We have talked about a relationship, but I am not the type who dates attached men. When he gets home, he is going to speak to his family about his arrangement and we will go from there."
"Oh." She was silent for a moment as she tried to think of something else to say. "I hope all goes well for you then."
"What about you and Julian? I noticed you two haven't shared a room once while we have been here... or I guess not once that I have caught you." She teased.
Riane stuck out her tongue at her friend playfully, "I think we are working on figuring out who we are as a couple. Before I was adamant we wouldn't amount to anything, and I still don't know if it is true or not. My jealousy towards Adonia only proved something was there, but I still can't figure out what that means exactly."
She nodded her head, "Well, figure it out, because he seems like he could get really hurt if you don't feel the same way he does. You don't want him to get his hopes up."
"I know. We've spoken on it in detail, and his only response was he wanted me to pretend until my feelings are real. I don't know about all that, but I will try until I know the truth of how I feel." She sighed.
"Maybe I should tell him to kiss a girl in front of you. Would that get you moving faster?" Emma was only joking, but there was no humor behind the eyes which glared at her. She chuckled, "I am kidding, Riane. Besides, I doubt he would anyway."
Riane gave a grin and turned her attention back to the ocean. "We will see what is to be come of it tomorrow. Right now, I just want to enjoy the last few moments we have here. Back in Cerulean Harbor are all the problems we put on back burners."
"I'm back!" Seth said as he stepped out onto the balcony.
"Good, I was beginning to think you drowned in there." Emma joked referring to his bathroom break.
"You going to drink a little with us tonight, Riane? Last night." Seth didn't take the spot next to Emma but instead put Riane between them.
She shrugged, "Maybe, I haven't decided yet."
"I don't think your first time drinking should be the night before we have to get on the plane in the morning." Emma spoke with concern.
Seth snorted, "It's the perfect time. You'll sleep your hang over off and wake up at home refresh and recharged."
"I said I would think about it." Riane looked through the sliding glass window again to find Julian, but he had moved away from the door.
Not listening to the two bicker about whether or not she should drink that evening, Riane wondered where Julian had run off to. Did he leave the house completely? The entire back wall was a window and she couldn't see him in the living room or kitchen.
When he reappeared from downstairs after a moment, he smiled in her direction and the small amount of panic in her heart melt away. She returned the smile with a slight wave which Julian joyfully returned.
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