We ambled along the pier, Mitch walking in front of me, checking his watch frequently, whilst I moved slowly. I gazed around at the other boats, watching people working on them. Some were shouting orders to each other, clearly preparing the ships for the day, whilst others just lounged on the decks.

The sizes of the boats were not what I expected. Some were huge. I expected them to be just small fishing boats, little more than speed boats, but they were so much more. They were yachts, I think. Big hulking things made of a white shiny material.

I’d never been around boats before and it was almost overwhelming. There was just so much to look at and to see. There was movement everywhere and voices constantly overlapping.

“Ah, that one is ours!” Mitch cried, waving goofily at someone in the distance.

I tried to keep my expression neutral and unimpressed as I stared at the boat where two men were standing at the back and waving at us.

It wasn’t the biggest there but it wasn’t far off.

“Doesn’t it look great, Alice? Just like the one we rented in St Lucia that time!” Mitch continued excitedly, speeding up as he neared it.

I forced myself to keep walking slowly, despite wanting to rush as well.

His enthusiasm, even if it were fake, was contagious. It made me want to run along the pier and jump onto the small platform on the back of the boat which also held a jet ski.

A boy, about my age, caught my eye as I passed the boat he and his family were on. His lips curled up into a smile and I wanted to look away and hurry towards Mitch but I forced myself to return the smile. It felt unnatural, wrong almost, but I liked how his gaze lingered on me as I passed.

Finally, I reached the boat.

One of the men was waiting on the small mock-wooden platform at the back for me. As I neared, he reached out, offering me his hand so that I could climb aboard without slipping.

I did so uncertainly. I’d expected the boat to rock more or to feel unsteady but it wasn’t actually too bad. It bobbed ever so softly as the waves lapped against the side but, other than that, it was fine.

I climbed the short set of stairs, gripping the burning metal railing tightly, just in case a wave suddenly hit the boat, and looked around the interior of the boat.

There was a big open space filled with low sofas, half of them covered by a canopy. Mitch’s bag lay on the cushions in the shade, the dark duffle a contrast against the white cushions. I paused, staring at them in confusion for a moment. How did they manage to keep the cushions so spotless?

Surely, they must get stained or marked or something but they looked flawless. It was a little intimidating. I almost didn’t want to sit on them, just in case I did ruin them somehow. However, I forced myself to sink onto the nearest seat and squinted up at the bright sun. I’d need to move before long. I didn’t want to get burnt before tonight.

I could hear Mitch and the person who owned the boat conversing from behind the wheel nearby but I ignored them, just like Alice would have. I tossed my hair over my shoulder and reclined back on the sofa, enjoying the glorious experience.

The sun warmed my skin gently, lulling me into a calm and sleepy state as the boat rocked ever so slightly. It felt wonderful. It was so relaxing that I was genuinely concerned that I would fall asleep in the car with my mom.

I wondered distractedly how she would react. Would she let me sleep or would she be worried about me?

Neither, I somehow knew. It would make her suspicious. If I fell asleep at, I blinked back into reality to check the time on the dashboard, ten thirty in the morning, she would immediately assume that I had been up to no good the night before and that I hadn’t slept.

I really didn’t want her to think that again. The last time she had, she’d searched my room and roof outside my window. Thankfully, she hadn’t realised that I could edge around the side and get to the back of the house from there where I could hide under the hallway window and not be seen.

I went out there quite a lot. It was quiet there, peaceful too. I could stay there for hours and my mom always gave up looking for me before long. I generally brought a book or my phone, because somehow the internet there was wonderful, and just relaxed for a while.

“All ready to cast off, Alice?” Mitch said.

I hadn’t been asleep but it was close enough.

“Sure,” I mumbled, starting to get up before realising that he had called me Alice and that meant I needed to be bratty. “Can you not do it yourself?”

“I could but it’s always more fun when we do it together. Do you remember how much fun we had last time we rented a boat?”

“No.”

Mitch’s face drooped so sadly that even the people who owned the boat, who had been climbing down the steps, paused and looked back. I fell back into the seat, pointedly looking away from Mitch whilst also watching them out of the corner of my eye.

“Are you sure you don’t want a crew?” one of them asked Mitch, sending a not too subtle look in my direction.

“It might be easier with a few more people here,” the other said.

“No, no. It’ll be easier once we’re out on the water. Sometimes, she just takes a while to warm up to me,” Mitch said with a cross between a grimace and a smile.

“Are you sure? It’s a big boat to helm by yourself,” the first guy said.

I looked around worriedly, fearing that they were going to insist and ruin our plans completely. I needed to do something to give Mitch an excuse to hurry them off the ship.

My eyes landed on the cooler tucked down next to the table in the shade and the champagne bucket next to it. I glanced back at Mitch who was trying to reassure the men before standing with a heavy sigh.

“Are we going?” I demanded rudely. “Or can I start on that bottle of champagne because if we’re just going to sit in the harbour all day, I’m at least going to drink?”

There was a moment of silence before Mitch turned back towards me. He shot me a subtle smile before slipping straight back into his facade.

“Of course, I’m excited to get out onto the water too!” he said, rushing past me to pick up the bottle.

I made an indignant noise as he swept past me again and pressed it into one of the guy’s hands.

I watched and the guy took it but looked at Mitch in confusion.

“We’re trying to rein in her drinking,” he muttered quietly. “It would be better not to have too much alcohol around here.”

I sighed loudly and stomped towards the wheel, as if I knew what I was doing and would steer the ship away from the pier with them on the boat if they didn’t hurry up and leave.

I wouldn’t, obviously. I didn’t even know how to turn the engine on. I assumed there would be a key or an ignition somewhere, like with a car, but I really didn’t know.

“Ah, I should deal with that,” Mitch said loudly. “We’ll make sure to get the boat back before ten thirty tonight.”

“Nine!” one of the men corrected him hastily.

“Oh, yes! Of course,” Mitch laughed easily. “We’ll be back by nine.”

“Way before nine,” I muttered as loudly as possible so that they’d hear.

Footsteps sounded down the boat before they returned. I waited silently, my arms crossed over my chest as I stared at the complex controls, for Mitch to return.

“This should be fun, huh?” he said with a smile as he lay his hand almost lovingly on the giant wheel. “They’ve already got everything sorted for us so all we need to do is take this beauty out onto the water! There’s even food for us in the fridge below deck! I didn’t need to bring any after all!”

I sighed loudly again.

“I told you so.”

I looked away from him, even though I really wanted to watch as the boat roared to life and slowly surged forwards.

I wasn’t sure what I expected. It was such a huge ship, I thought it would be more dramatic but it just bobbed forwards gently as Mitch steered the boat skilfully towards the open water.

There was something strangely soothing about being on the boat. The slight bounce of the waves as the ship cut through them felt so natural. It felt so… relaxing.

“Alice, will you set an alarm on my phone for eight tonight so that we have enough time to take the boat back to the harbour, please?” Mitch asked, fishing his phone out of his pocket and handing it to me.

He kept his eyes on the sea in front of him, barely paying any attention to me but his use of the name Alice was enough to let me know what he wanted from me.

“Sure,” I sighed heavily, accepting the phone.

I unlocked it, and it opened to the notes app where a message to me was already typed.

Kid, it started, keep acting like a brat until we get out into the water. I don't think that the Sterlings will have had a chance to bug the boat but I'm not sure. Once we are anchored out there, I will scan it for everything but until then we need to be careful. Even if there are no bugs, we still need to mostly stay in character. Because we are more isolated, it is easier for people to listen in so we will mostly communicate via text. It is safer that way. But, if you need anything, you can just ask or text me.

I scanned the message twice, feeling the hair at the back of my neck prickle and stand on end. Suddenly, I didn't feel as relaxed. I felt more vulnerable.

I was a little relieved when my mom’s voice pulled me from the daydream.

“Are you going to go for a swim straight away when we get in?” she asked.

I blinked and looked around, a little surprised that we were at the front gates of the house already.

The drive home was but a blur in my memories.

“Oh, yeah, I think so,” I said, already slipping back into my fantasy.

It seems like the best idea. I wanted to be as alone as possible for the next… however long the trip to Spinalonga would take. I wasn’t actually sure what the plan was for once we were out on the boat.

Mitch had mentioned that we would be renting the boat for the full day and staying somewhere near the island so that we could head there when it got dark, but I wasn't sure what we would be doing all day or even what time it got dark.

How would we get the boat back before nine if we were going to be on the island?

I hesitated before typing out the question for Mitch. It would be suspicious if we were to disappear with the boat and then they found out that someone had broken into Spinalonga that same day, wouldn't it?

I hesitated and glanced down at the phone again. I wanted to ask Mitch so many more questions, more than just what was happening with the boat when we were done with it, but it didn't feel right. I was too aware that people might be listening in to what we had to say.

"Are you taking this back?” I demanded obnoxiously, holding the phone out to him.

“Oh, yes. Thank you for doing that, darling,” Mitch hurried to say. “Did you turn the alarm on?”

I hesitated, wanting to give him an excuse to look at his phone and therefore see my question.

“What do you think?” I said waspishly.

I looked at Mitch in expectation as his eyes darted towards the phone before returning to me. He played the part perfectly, clearly deliberating over whether or not he thought Alice would have done so before making up his mind. He quickly unlock the phone and I saw his eyes dart from side to side as he read my message before slipping it into his pocket.

“Urgh,” I sighed loudly. “You never trust me! This is just like in St Tropez all over again.”

“Alice,” Mitch said, weariness evident in his voice. “You stole someone’s boat.”

“And?” I snapped after half a second of panic because I hadn’t expected him to say that. “Why even teach me how to sail a boat if you don't want me to use that?”

Amusement flared to life in Mitch's eyes but his expression stayed perfectly fatigued. He sighed heavily before glancing at me.

“Why don't you sit down?” he asked gently. “You said you had some books you wanted to read, right?”

“I guess,” I said, dragging out the word before turning and storming towards the sofas at the back of the boat.

Part of me wanted to recline under the canopy, remembering Mitch's warning about sunstroke, but the idea of sitting out under the sun, the salty wind blowing in my hair as we cut through the waves, was just too good to consider the alternative.

I sunk down carefully onto the white cushions and pulled out my phone, staring at it blankly for a moment.

Cold water hit my leg and I glanced down at it in confusion. It was too cold to be spray from the sea and we were too high up surely. It took a few seconds before I realised where it was coming from.

With a blink, I was back in the real world, slowly sinking down into a freezing cold pool. My breath left me in an instant as my other foot touched the water. I stayed there, clinging to the strangely warm metal ladder and not quite finding the courage to move any further into the water.

I wasn't sure if it was always that cold and I had just forgotten or if it was especially cold that year but either way, it was glacial. I hesitated, fighting the urge to climb out of the pool and run up to my room where I’d at least be warm, before deciding to just get it over and done with. Reluctantly, I let go of the ladder and dropped into the water until I was completely covered.

I resurfaced with a gasp and pushed my hair back from my face. I was much more awake now and I started paddling before I could change my mind, already slipping back to Crete.

Barely any time passed in reality but I could tell it had in my fantasy. We were no longer just leaving the harbour, we were fully out in the bay. Spinalonga rose up in front of the boat as Mitch slowly brought it to a standstill. I stared at the textbook on my phone, not really taking anything in, as Mitch bustled around the boat.

He finally re-emerged from below deck and sunk into the seat opposite me, a contented smile on his face as he passed me an ice cold bottle of water.

“Did you find anything good to read?” he asked.

I continued watching him out of the corner of my eye as I said, “Kind of.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.”

There was an awkward silence for a moment before Mitch shrugged, pulling his phone out and seemingly giving up on the conversation. I saw him typing and I waited somewhat nervously for him to finish the message and hopefully send it to me.

After a moment, my phone buzzed and I quickly clicked on the text he had sent me.

As far as I can tell, there are no bugs or anything so we are semi-safe to talk freely but it would be best if we don't because there are too many ships out here for me to feel comfortable.

I quickly typed back, Okay, but he was already typing again.

Don't worry about the boat, I've already got it covered, Mitch had written. Oscar will drop it back tonight if we are not on the ship at eight. I have already let them know that it might be a different person dropping off the boat. Please don’t ask me any more questions on that one.

Confusion washed over me. I truly could not think of any reason as to why someone else would be dropping the boat back or how Mitch had managed to convince them that that was normal. Although he’d asked me not to question what he’d said, I couldn’t help it.

… what? I sent back, unsure how else to phrase it.

Mitch winced visibly and I waited a little nervously for his text to come through.

Ah… well, there’s a pretty big swinger community here at the moment, most likely because of some stuff I posted online about it to get some excuses. I will have Oscar tell them that we are on another boat that decided to stay out a little longer.

I glanced up at him just in time to see his eyes widen and he started typing frantically.

Don't worry, I requested a kid-safe boat out here, manned by people who are not going to be taking part in the… Festivities. I will have Oscar say that you are on that boat, his follow up message read.

I fought back the urge to grin and started to type.

“Ah, I thought I heard you in here,” my mom’s voice said.

I quickly fought to refocus my eyes on reality and swam to the nearest side of the pool to her.

“Yeah, pretty much just got in,” I replied with a smile.

She stayed near the door and I was glad. She was still wearing her ridiculous heels and I was genuinely quite worried that if she were to come any closer she would fall on the slick tiles.

“And you’re wearing one of the costumes I got you!”

I glanced down, truly not knowing which swimming costume I was actually wearing. I hadn't been paying any attention when I picked it out and I was suddenly very hopeful that I was wearing one of the questions she had selected and not a bikini. I really didn't want to have to deal with my mum thinking I had purposefully gone against her wishes.

“Oh yeah,” I said, feeling relief wash through me. “It fits great.”

“Oh, fantastic.”

My mum paused for a moment longer and I could tell she was trying to work out what else to say to me. I wasn't sure what I could talk to her about either. It just felt so uncomfortable and weird but we weren't the kind of people who just chatted. Eventually, the silence got too awkward for me and I ended up saying the first thing on my mind.

“Do you want to come swimming too?” I blurted out.

She smiled at me surprisingly softly but shook her head.

“No. Maybe slightly later on in the holiday I will but for now… I'll sit this one out.”

I was pretty sure she was waiting for when her parents left. I could barely remember her ever coming swimming with me when we were at the house and never when her parents were there. It made sense really. Her mum liked to pick at everything. I feel like my mum being in a swimming costume around her would give her too much ammunition.

“Ah, okay,” I said. “What are you going to do now?”

She looked away from me, shooting a glance out the window to the gardens beyond.

“I’m not sure,” she replied. “I might go for a walk around the grounds. Get some fresh air.”

She meant she was going to go chain-smoke as she walked around the gardens. She did that a lot whilst her parents were still here and I completely understood it. She had explained it to me once, when she had gotten drunk. Apparently, smoking relaxed her and made her less stressed and, seeing as being around her parents made her so stressed, it was probably a good thing that she had something to help.

Not that smoking was really ever a good thing in my opinion but I was glad that she had something to help her cope. I couldn't really judge her, I was disappearing into fantasies to avoid the stress and she couldn't exactly do that. Or at least, maybe she could?

I'd never really thought about it too much. I think she needed to be too switched on around her parents, too ready to react to what they were saying and continue the conversation because they wouldn’t. Even if she didn't need to be, I didn't think she would enjoy disappearing into daydreams. She seemed like the kind of person who would mock someone for that.

“That sounds like a good idea,” I said with a smile.

“Yeah. I’m going to go do that. I’ll have my phone if you need anything,” she told me but we both knew there was barely any signal on the grounds.

If I did need her, I would just have to text her and hope that the message went through whenever she found some signal.

“Great,” I said.

She sent me a hesitant smile before turning and leaving the pool, shutting the door behind her, but I had already returned to my fantasy.