I was getting my business administration degree online. My university didn't have a Lanai campus, and I wasn't prepared to move to be able to attend in person. Online classes were a cheaper, better option for me that still let me work and support myself while getting an education.
"When are you graduating?"
"Next year or the one after that; it depends. You thinking about starting?"
"No," she sighed. "You can do the college thing. I'm good right here," she said smiling.
She had been making her own money for a long time. The option to go back to school was always there if she wanted it, but she didn't right now. It was something we didn't have in common, but it wasn't a big deal. She was working, had her own place, and a life she enjoyed, so school wouldn't give her anything she didn't have already.
Well, unless you were talking about her physically attending somewhere, putting her around a lot of other people her age, which she hadn't really had for a while since she had been working so long already.
A lot of men around her age, specifically. She was gorgeous, and there was no lack of male attention wherever we went together, but she turned down every last one of them, as much as she teased me for having never been with anyone.
After Keno, she sort of closed shop, which was a tragedy for the men of the island. And for her, even though she didn't want to admit it. Keno was a nice guy. I liked them together. I never really felt like a third wheel with them.
It had taken her a while to finally tell me what had happened between them, but it was just one of those things where they hadn't wanted the same thing so instead of staying, she'd left. I hoped she'd open herself up to a relationship again soon. She was good at hiding it, but she had been lonely. I would have been, too, if I had been with someone for over a year.
"Are we going to lose you after you get your fancy degree?" she asked.
"No," I scoffed. "I'm not going anywhere." They could try to get rid of me, but it wouldn't work. I'd dug in roots here. This was home.
Leaving after I had earned my degree had crossed my mind a couple times. I had thought about leaving a lot since I had landed here, but the thoughts had come to me less and less as the years had passed.
When I'd arrived here, I had been a traumatized kid, freshly eighteen. Even though I had had nothing to go back to in Texas, I had still wanted to go back. The move, especially after the trial and the circus that had followed, had been too much for me. I had been upset. Even though it had been for my own good at the time, I had still had trouble adjusting.
Now, I couldn't imagine not living on Lanai. My life here was all mine. I'd built it for myself, by myself. I'd found myself a family, a home, and it was here that I saw in my future and not anywhere else.
"Uh-oh, incoming," Makani said.
"Where?"
"Your right." I glanced over my shoulder and saw who she was talking about. Two guys. I didn't recognize them as guests at the Four Seasons, but they were clearly tourists. They were in swim trunks and sunglasses and were walking right up to us. I rolled my eyes.
"Should I do it, or will you?" she asked.
One of the guys had bleached hair, and the other had a crew cut. They looked close to our age, which was better than the guys we got hitting on us a lot of the time. They were actually pretty cute, I realized as they stopped in front of us.
"Morning, ladies," the blond one said brightly. Australians, I thought.
"Hi," Makani said, rolling onto her back, "You guys looking for something?"
"We're on the island for a few days, and we were wondering whether you knew any good places we could hang out. You're locals, right?" crew cut asked.
"If you want to know where you can score some weed, you're on the wrong beach," I told them. Makani giggled. The guys laughed, too.
"Oh no, that's the first thing we looked for when we got here," the blond said. I'd let him think he was funny. I smiled sarcastically.
"Looks like you’re set for a good time, then,” I said.
“Almost. You guys live around here?”
“We do. If you guys are looking for dates, you’re on the wrong beach for that, too,” I said. They laughed a little, looking uncomfortable.
“That’s too bad. We thought we’d have a little fun, since this is supposed to be Hawai’i’s most enticing island,” the blond said. “Where can we find you later?”
“Not here. We’re not interested,” I said with a sweet smile.
“What about you?” he asked Makani.