I didn't want to waste much time on sleep today. So, after waking up around nine, I stepped out onto the cabin porch, took a deep breath of the fresh morning air, and headed inside to brew some coffee. But, alas, it wasn't meant to be...
It turned out we didn't have a single clean mug, spoon, or plate. Every bit of silverware and china was dirty and piled in a heap. Chloe was supposed to have washed them yesterday, but as usual, she was too lazy. I knew perfectly well that if I waited for my friend to wake up, find the strength, and get into the "dish-washing spirit," I'd lose my craving for coffee entirely. So, I decided to let her sleep. I grabbed a few mugs and the stovetop percolator and trudged toward the communal outdoor sink. Suddenly, I tripped over a rock. The dishes went flying in every direction.
"For crying out loud!" I snapped, the anger rising. "With a roommate like her, who needs enemies... try getting a cup of coffee around here."
I was seething. It was Chloe's turn, she hadn't done them, and now, because of her, I'd nearly face-planted by the sinks, smashed the mugs, and ruined my mood. Leaning down, I started picking up the shards. Suddenly, I heard a man's voice behind me:
"Rough morning?"
I looked up and saw a guy—tall, with bright eyes, light brown hair, and a charming smile. He looked thoroughly pleased with life. He probably doesn't have to wash a mountain of dishes for someone else, I thought, and answered gloomily:
"You have no idea..."
"Let me help," he offered, and before I could say a word, he knelt beside me and started gathering the glass. A minute later, the mess was cleared.
"The day just started off on the wrong foot," I said as we walked back toward the cabin with the lone surviving mug. "But I still really want that coffee."
"Well, maybe it makes more sense to just hit the resort cafe?" my new acquaintance suggested. "They make a decent brew and some really great pastries."
"Wait, there's a cafe here?" I asked, surprised.
"Of course!" he laughed. "It's for the particularly lazy or those of us who can't cook."
"Perfect!" I was thrilled at the chance to finally get what I wanted. Five minutes later, we were sitting on the terrace, enjoying strong coffee, fresh danishes, and easy conversation. The talk flowed effortlessly, as if we'd known each other for years...
"If I'd known I could treat myself to stuff like this here, I never would have bothered with those dishes! My day would have started totally differently," I said, smiling.
"And if the day had started differently, we might never have met," he said, his voice trailing off with a hint of mystery.
"I guess so..."
"By the way, we still haven't introduced ourselves."
"Right! We've been sitting here chatting for half an hour and we don't even know each other's names. We're ridiculous!"
"Well, then, allow me to introduce myself. Rhett Butler, at your service!" he said with a mock-serious expression.
"Scarlett O'Hara!" I shot back instantly, playing along with the joke.
"I love that movie!" he exclaimed.
"Me too! How could anyone not love it? It's a total classic."
For the next fifteen minutes, we discussed the film, reminiscing and quoting our favorite parts.
"Anyway, my real name is Peter. Good to meet you!"
"Nice to meet you," I replied with a modest smile. "And I'm Anna."
The morning coffee turned into a long stay; we talked for over an hour. Peter insisted on picking up the check and then offered to walk me back to my cabin. I didn't object. As we approached, my friends—Chloe and Sarah—were already sitting on the porch.
"See you later, Anna!" my suitor said, saying his goodbye.
"Bye! Thanks again for the coffee and for turning my mood around!"
My friends were staring in disbelief.
"What was that?!" they asked the second he disappeared behind the cabin.
"My new friend!" I replied playfully. I really wanted to tease the girls a bit, especially Chloe. Though...
If she had washed the dishes, I never would have met a guy like that.
"Come on, spill! Where did you find a hottie like that?" they pressed.
"Where? Right by the sinks!" I answered, smiling. "I met him when I went to wash the mugs because someone didn't do them. That's where I saw Peter—or rather, he noticed me first."
"Oh, if I'd known guys like that were hanging around the utility area," Chloe said, "I'd wash dishes five times a day..."
Yeah, right, I thought. For a cute guy, she's suddenly willing to do a little work. Amazing. Chloe's "couldn't-care-less" attitude was getting more annoying, but she didn't seem to notice or care.
"Do you want some coffee?"
"No thanks. Just had some. I think I'll go change and head down to the beach for a swim. You guys should come."
***
I was soaking up the morning sun and the cool water. An hour later, my friends joined me. Setting down their towels, they quickly stripped to their bikinis and stretched out in the sun. I looked at Chloe... she had struck a very seductive pose, lying on her right side with her hands behind her head. Her waist looked tiny, her figure toned and graceful... she looked like a model. And her swimsuit was pretty revealing, too.
Lucky her... I thought, glancing sadly at my own stomach, which no one would ever describe as flat. My curves were a bit more... rounded. But what can you do?
I dashed into the water and splashed down, cutting through the small waves. This is pure bliss, I told myself. The lake, the sun, the beach, vacation...
I had barely stepped out of the water when Peter appeared on the horizon with two friends. He was walking along, scanning the area. When he spotted me, he waved.
"Hello again!" he started cheerfully as I walked up to our lounge chairs. "Mind if we join you?" he asked with a smile.
"Yes, of course!" Chloe blurted out before I could even open my mouth. "I was just wondering who was going to help me put on some sunscreen..."
The blatant flirting made me feel a bit sick. I winced. Interestingly, she was looking right at Peter, clearly directing the request to him.
"I recommend my friend here," Peter said, gesturing to one of his buddies. "He's a professional massage therapist, so I think he can handle the task. He'll do a top-notch job."
Chloe wasn't expecting that move. She looked a bit stunned for a second... but she recovered quickly and handed the tube of lotion to the new guy with a flirtatious smile.
"Fine then. Let's see what you've got," she said sweetly, though with less enthusiasm. "We'll be the judge of your 'talent'..."
Meanwhile, Peter pulled a lounge chair over and placed it right next to mine. He spread out his towel and lay down.
"I see you just went for a swim," he said, looking at my wet hair. "How's the water today?"
"Wonderful! Refreshing. It's perfect for this heat."
"Want to go back in for another round?" he asked, taking my hand.
"I do!" Chloe suddenly shouted. "Shall we?" she said, turning to Peter.
"But you just put on sunscreen!" Sarah reminded her.
"So what? It's waterproof," our little flirt shot back instantly. She walked up to Peter, who looked slightly taken ventures by her boldness. "Come on, let's go! In case you need help, I'm certified in mouth-to-mouth."
"She is unbelievable!" Sarah whispered to me. "Just awful!"
"And insanely sexy at the same time," I added sadly, watching Chloe swim with my new friend, periodically trying to dunk him. "Sigh..."
"Yeah... and obnoxious," Sarah consoled. Sarah saw perfectly well that I really liked Peter, and she knew Chloe was mostly flirting with him out of spite, just to tease me and show off.
Generally, Chloe wasn't big on principles. When she saw the opposite sex, her brakes stopped working...
"And seductive," I continued. "Promising..."
"Promising what? A headache from all the nonsense she pulls?"
I just sighed. I knew Chloe didn't have the easiest personality, but... she was so beautiful and so reckless in relationships. She always started flings with such ease. Maybe that's exactly what Peter wanted... Watching the pair frolicking in the water, I decided not to play a game where I had no chance of winning.
***
However, my new acquaintance had other plans. He was constantly seeking out my company. In the mornings, he'd take me to the cafe for coffee and pastries, and on the beach, he always set up right next to me. He tried to ignore Chloe—sometimes quite bluntly—but she either didn't notice or pretended not to understand she was being brushed off. Still, the active way she tried to grab Peter's attention irritated me to no end. Chloe constantly found excuses to talk to him. She'd pester him with questions, try to touch his arm. I found it hard to tell if he liked the attention or not...
Maybe it flutters his ego that a girl that pretty is chasing him... He definitely likes it. What guy wouldn't? Easy prey, and so... sexual.
One day, the whole group went to the cafe for lunch. Chloe hovered around Peter and, naturally, snagged the seat next to him. I sat opposite them. It would have been a normal, unremarkable lunch if I hadn't managed to drop my fork, which sent me ducking under the table to grab it. And suddenly, I saw it: Chloe's hand was resting... right on Peter's knee! I straightened up and looked at him; he just gave a helpless shrug, as if to say it wasn't his fault. I felt a wave of sadness. When we were saying our goodbyes after lunch, Peter gently pulled my hand and whispered:
"It's not my fault. She's unbearable. She's stuck to me like glue..."
"You don't have to justify yourself to me," I replied quietly, turned around, and ran to catch up with Sarah.
***
That evening, as planned, we gathered near the guys' cabin for a barbecue. The guys were busy getting the grill going, and we were tossing the salad. I kept a smile on my face, pretending I couldn't care less about what was going on with "the happy couple." Though in reality, I didn't want the food or the company. I just wanted to be alone...
Unlike me, Chloe was in high spirits. She had prepared well for the picnic: a light sundress with a plunging neckline, hair down... To be fair, I should mention that Mark, one of the other guys, didn't give her any compliments. But he did notice me.
"You look great," he whispered in my ear. "Really stunning."
"Thanks..." I replied, feeling self-conscious. An hour later, we were eating burgers, drinking beer, and having a blast telling jokes and funny stories. Chloe, of course, was putting on a show!
She had a funny story for every topic. Basically, she did everything to keep all eyes on her. When I finally couldn't take it anymore, I said I was going back to the cabin for a sweater because it was getting chilly. Truthfully, I wasn't in any hurry to get back; I didn't really want to watch my overbearing friend anymore. But I couldn't leave Sarah alone, so ten minutes later, I returned. To my surprise, Peter and Chloe were nowhere to be seen. I pretended not to notice they were gone.
"I have a feeling someone's having a very interesting night," Peter's friend commented.
"Good for them, good for them!" another chimed in.
"What happened?!" I whispered to Sarah.
"I don't know. Chloe suddenly draped herself all over Peter, and then they headed toward our cabin. Didn't you run into them?"
"No. We must have missed each other. I stopped by the restroom."
I don't know why, but I suddenly felt hurt, sad, and resentful. I knew I had no claim on this guy. I didn't have a thing with him, no real relationship, but for some reason, I felt abandoned... To keep from crying in front of everyone, I quickly made up some excuse and walked off into the dark. Passing by a small gazebo, I stepped inside, sat down, and... started to cry. At least nobody can see me, I thought, when suddenly I felt hands on my shoulders. I turned around and saw Peter.
"Anna, hey, what's wrong?"
"What are you doing here?!"
"Oh, sorry. I didn't know this was your private sanctuary where no other humans are allowed," he joked. "Do I need to buy a ticket?" And without waiting for an answer, he stepped into the gazebo, knelt in front of me, gently touched my chin, and asked, "Are you crying?"
"No."
"Come on, yes you are... Your eyes are all red. What happened? Tell me."
"I told you: nothing happened!"
"So Sarah wasn't just imagining things when she hinted you were jealous!" he stated.
"Me?! What kind of nonsense was she talking about!"
"Then explain why you ran off and are sitting here sobbing, right after Chloe threw herself at me and, pretending to be drunk, asked me to walk her home?"
"She wanted you to stay, didn't she?"
"She did."
"So why didn't you?"
"Because I wasn't planning on wasting my time on her. I was in a hurry..."
"In a hurry? To go where?"
"To find you," he said with such tenderness that I couldn't doubt his sincerity. And then he reached for me and kissed me. Very gently...
For a minute, we just looked into each other's eyes. I didn't know what to say—I couldn't have said anything anyway; my heart was pounding like crazy. I threw my arms around his neck and pulled him close. And... another kiss, but this one was hot, passionate. I couldn't believe this was happening to me... though from the very beginning, I'd known, I'd felt that spark, that something special between us. His hand stroked my neck and shoulders, gently tangling in my hair... Looks like I can forget about getting any real sleep for the rest of this vacation. Then again... it's a shame to waste so much time on it anyway...
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