Summer Long (gxg)

July 2 - Three days with a stranger (6)

There were a lot of unspoken words  between me and Joe as he closed the door of our room this morning.
Too many words that I didn't say.
Again... I am too weak.

As I walked down the stairs I reflected on the fact that from that moment on I had to spend three days with a stranger, which I knew nothing about.
And that... makes me feel nervous.

I didn't have a lot of friends, I had two, and I was totally fine with that.
I don't make friends quickly as Joe does,
I was more that person who stood in the corner and watched.
I trust very few people and sometimes I didn't even trust myself.

Bella texted me to meet in front of the pool, but I didn't see her, so I sit on a deck chair.
I sighed nervously.

"Ehy." I heard her talking,  maybe after three minutes.
When I opened one eye; her face entirely covered the sun of that hot morning.
I got up from the chair.
Bella stood right in front of me with crossed arms.
She was wearing the same light blue dress as this morning and but she seemed to have reapplied that dark red lipstick again.

She sighed:
"He didn't say anything to you before today, didn't he?"
I shook my head at her.
"Leo didn't tell me either." She confessed, a little upset too.

My face must have been pretty annoyed at that point.
Bella twisted her lips, giving me a confused nod:
"Look, I'm not thrilled about all of this either..."
I raised an eyebrow.
She stared at me, and I stared at her because she definitively was about to say something else.
"However we find ourselves in this situation and we're supposed to deal with it, somehow." She said dryly.
"Yes, indeed." I simply replied.
Although rushed and blunt, her assumptions were correct.

"Okey." She said with a particularly playful manner.
I think she wanted to tease me.
"Okey." I replied, particularly annoyed.

"So... where is this boat?" I asked embarrassed.
"At the dock. It's the 1-6-6." She said reading the ticket.
So we walked out of the resort and within a few meters we reached our destination.
It was a not so small motor boat, looked brand new, very shiny white and appeared very comfortable.
The captain, Vincent, who could have been in his 30s, gave us a little tour: the cockpit, a small space with a table, sofas, and an area to sunbathe.

He explained that it was possible to go around the island and that near here... that was a so-called "oasis of paradise" that was a little island, visitable only by boat.
I took that news as a godsend and without him adding anything else to convince us, we agreed very easily to go there.

Bella was chatting pleasantly with the captain, but I didn't feel like talking so I chose to lie down to sunbathe.
I spread out my towel but didn't take off my dress.
I wanted to read a book but I wasn't focused at all, so I closed my eyes again.
The sun was high and fiery and I almost fell asleep, lulled by the sound of the waves of the sea.
My favorite sound.
The boat and its gentle swaying were calming me down.

After... I don't know how long... I slowly opened my eyes, turning my gaze and saw that Bella was near me, reading a book.
Her dress and hair in the wind.
I lowered my sunglasses to read the title: <<Jane Eyre>>
I stared at that title on the cover of her book for perhaps too long.

"Did you read it?" She asked me.
I turned my gaze to look at the sky above me, sighing.
"A while ago..."
There was silence and she went back to her book.
"I haven't been so captivated and involved with a book in a while." She explained.
"It's supposed to have this effect." I whispered awkwardly and added nothing more.
I think she glared at me with confusion.

The rest of the trip was particularly silent.
She probably understood that I didn't really want to talk so she didn't bother me.
The situation could not have been more awkward.

~

When the boat docked, the emptiness in my head and the knot in my throat grew heavier and heavier.
That beautiful beach seemed far too beautiful for me and that water so crystal blue looked fake to my eyes.
I just felt alone and helplessly.

Our paths parted, Bella decided to take a walk, or something like that, while I sat on the beach.
I stood there, all alone, for I don't know how long but I didn't really care, I looked at the sea and began to feel more relieved.

Then I heard someone make room to sit down, next to me, but still at a safe distance.
"Look..." Bella sighed after a few seconds.
I turned my face and her red hair was in the wind, illuminated by the sun.
Judging by her facial expression, I think she was frustrated.

"I don't know you and you don't know me..." She began to talk.
"And most likely we don't like each other either..."
This was probably true...

Bella stopped.
"But I'm really struggling right now, because the only person I can interact with is you, but you don't seem to make a difference..."

I felt guilty but I was also too stunned.
"How can you be so direct?" I asked her.
She shrugged, minimizing: "Because I simply don't care about other people's judgment. If I have something to say, I just say it... that's it."

I made a painful grin:
"Well, good for you. I wish I was like that too." I whispered, lowering my head.
I heard a sigh: "Then, what's stopping you?" She asked.
I pondered it, but I didn't speak.

Bella turned to me and nodded gently like she understood something.
"We can be our own worst enemy sometimes. I know that." She said in a low voice.
I widened my eyes, hoping she wouldn't notice it too much.
My heart was beating fast.
Her words were true. Cruelly true and sincere.

I turned around and Bella was staring calmly out to sea.
There was silence, but that silence was less awkward than I expected.

"My stomach is growling..." She announced, seriously.
I almost laughed.
"I saw a restaurant while I was walking..." She continued.
She shouldn't have to asked twice.
I nodded and I got up, ready to follow her to that restaurant.