April is holding the hangers up, waiting for my opinion as we stand in a small boutique store in Mykonos. Our lives have revolved around the pools and beaches, which warranted new swimwear. Also, we got a nice tip from an American businesswoman last night who felt sorry for us since it was a busy night and the crowd was rougher than usual.
“Yellow,” I state firmly. “Polka dots are never a good idea.”
“Wait … should I entertain a one-piece?”
A laugh expels so quickly, causing me to choke. When I finally catch my breath, I shake my head. “You, a one-piece? I don’t think so.”
“You’re right. What would I do without you?”
“Be wearing a one-piece and never get laid,” I joke.
“Speaking of getting laid, what happened last night with that tall, dark-haired beauty? Adrian, was it?”
I shrug, continuing to sort through the rack of swimsuits. “Not much, you know, we fooled around, but I wasn’t into it.”
Adrian was hot, sure. Halfway into it when he pulled a condom out, something didn’t feel right. Panic overcame me, and I politely told him I had to go. He didn’t look hurt, maybe frustrated. I shouldn’t have put myself in the position to begin with when I had no intention of sleeping with him.
April places her hands on my shoulders. Her stare is fixated on mine with concern.
“I think you’re broken. No man has made you feel that thrill since we’ve been together. I mean, Alexa, the men are throwing themselves at you, and you are stunning, my girl. I mean, how many times have you been approached by photographers to model? That’s how beautiful you are. What the hell is happening?”
“I’m not broken,” I answer defensively. “I’m just clearly not a one-night stand kind of gal. It just feels so rushed, and zero connection.”
“As long as you masturbate and still get off somehow.”
“I’m not a robot.” I chuckle. “I’m pretty self-sufficient when I need to be.”
“Good,” April says, removing her hands from my shoulders. “Okay, so let’s talk about our plans for the next month before I lose you forever to some sorority.”
April's words sink deep, causing a heaviness to form inside my chest. My shoulders slump, the reality of my father's demands drawing closer as time passes. Time is of the essence. Only three weeks left before I’m back under his rules and applying for colleges as originally agreed upon.
It already started, the subtle emails checking in on how I’m doing. At first, I fell for it and answered as if I was talking to a long-lost friend. Then, he followed with links to university programs.
For most of the part, I did my best not to dwell on the future. Since I was nineteen already, having celebrated my birthday while traveling, it wasn’t impossible to get into college, and my father made sure I knew that.
“Can we not go there?” I mumble, finding myself in a funk. “You’re killing my buzz.”
“Buzz?” April chuckles. “You’ve been in a mood all day. Periods?”
“We’re period sisters, remember? I had mine last week with you. We bought that whole tub of ice cream and watched The Notebook. We cried, then spent the night on the toilet with cramps.”
April scrunches her nose. “Never again.”
Our three weeks together flew by like it was minutes. The closer we got, the more I drank, expecting it all to go away like some miracle. I almost expected my father to call me on the day of the one year spent abroad, but he didn’t. Instead, a month passed, and nothing from him.
Mom continued to check in on me, but she mentioned nothing about me returning. It was like something out of the twilight zone, and cocky me thought I got away with it.
That was until I got an email from my father with an attachment. It was the plane ticket home. I must board his private plane from Heathrow to Los Angeles in exactly one week.
“It’s not that bad,” April says softly while sitting beside me as I stare at my suitcase blankly. “We’ll go back together.”
I shake my head. “I can’t ask you to go back.”
“What else am I going to do? Just like you, I traveled to do something greater. Turns out not as fun if you don’t have someone to enjoy it with.”
April’s family lives in Los Angeles too. She only moved there a year ago from Arizona when her mother remarried. Her mother married some rich guy five years younger than her. According to April, she married for the money since April’s mom had her at fifteen and struggled their whole lives financially.
Of the times we spoke about her family, she didn’t hate her stepfather. April said she chose to keep to herself and allow her mom to live her new life. Her stepfather was young, only thirty, so it makes the dynamics awkward. I kinda feel sorry for her, completely understanding why she chose to travel after graduation rather than stick around to watch her mom and new daddy play husband and wife.