After walking for long (I no longer saw anything that looked even closer to a hut) and realizing I am not the one to travel the world with just my bare feet, I walked back to the resort to see an addition in the known faces list.

I went ahead and met a few of them and they introduced me to some other people they knew. Half an hour and twenty new people added to my mental phone book I heard the familiar screeching voices of my two friends.

"Where have you been?"

"Where did you go?"

Sasha looked angry and Vivi looked confused.

"I just walked along the beach and got back a little while go."

"Hey Vivi, hey Sasha." Mira, a friend from school, chirped from behind me. The two of them joined the conversation and Vivi gave me a look which meant this is not over.

*****************

"And there I was in all my glory, dressed like a Barbie, doing a really bad version of chicken dance at center stage when everyone else in the Uni were looking at me. Now, Sammy boy, you call embarrassing."

People from all around me were laughing. We were talking about the most embarrassing experiences we had to encounter in the days we have been away. Just as I was done with mine Vivi yelled

"Come on, it wasn't that bad."

Truth is, it wasn't. But I have this uncanny ability to make my life instances so dramatic that most of the time the person on the hearing side ends up laughing. Sometimes I do it on purpose and the rest of the time? It just is naturally funny.

"Well once a clown, always a clown. I can see that nothing has really changed. A few days ago, when I saw a picture of you in the news, for a second I was like ooo she hit a lottery with that golden boy but pfft how stupid of me?" came a voice I never wanted to hear.

Meet Meg. I hate her and that is all you need to know about her.

"Once a bitch always a b*tch, ha? I can see that nothing has really changed" I looked at Vivi glaring daggers at Meg, it looked like she wanted to say something else but stopped short when I shook my head at her.

This female dog didn't deserve anything, specially our time.

"I would love to sit here all night and listen to you talk about my life from your pathetic mouth but sorry. Over the years I lost my ability to take bullshit from others." I turned away not wanting to dampen my mood because of some she-dog, but it looked like even after all these years she just didn't learn when to shut up.

"Running off to find a restroom and cry yourself to sleep, Riya? Personally, I think that is where you belong. I even suggested that you don't get a room of your own to James, he just didn't listen."

"Actually, I am going to go and search for your brain cells that you lost, every time you came to this very beach with a different guy each time and did a lot of head jerking."

"At least I had some guy" she said with a huff "unlike someone who got ditched by the first guy she thought she was dating." I saw Ash tense at the words and Sasha looking at the beautiful sand under her feet. Vivi was looking back and forth between Meg and me and the rest of the group have long given up on paying any attention to us the minute Meg walked in.

I wanted to fire back with something, but I couldn't.

What was I supposed to say to something like that? 'You are right, but that was a low blow?' I don't think so. I was busy thinking of ways to burn Meg with my mere stare when I saw a figure I recognized appeared out of nowhere from behind Meg and enveloped me in a hug.

The number of people I hugged can be counted, because I was or am not really a touchy-feely person. But this hug was different. It felt different not because it made me feel better or protected or happy. No, his hug was different. It felt like being wrapped in a nice cozy comforter on a winter day, by the fire while reading your favorite book. It felt like some place I would involuntarily go to when I was sad or upset or needed space or wanted to think. It felt nice and that was when the red siren should have gone off, but it didn't. Even the part that activated the siren felt too lost to do its job.

I don't know how else to explain the way he was hugging me and subtly kissing my forehead while saying "Sorry I am late. It will never happen again."

Nick moved away from me but still had his left hand on my right shoulder. He came to stand beside me and was having a huge shit eating grin on his face. He pulled me close to him and greeted everyone else,

"Hi Sasha," she ginned back. "Ashwanth" the men nodded at each other, he then looked at Vivi and smiled a little more "You must be Viviana, feels good to finally meet you."

It looked like Vivi was in a daze because she simply extended her hand and nodded her head with her eye brows far above her hairline.

He then looked down at me and said "Aren't you cold? It is chilly here, let's get you inside."

I heard him alright, I just couldn't comprehend what was being said. My brain was in an overdrive being too aware of his hand on my shoulder.

I was being lead inside the resort but all I could imagine was his hand burning holes on my dress, my dress being set on fire and my skin being churned by his hand. A burnt mark in the shape of his hand on my waist. I was also making a mental check list of things I needed to check once I got into the safe confines of my room. Like check if my dress was still intact, check for any burn marks on my skin and pinching myself, just to make sure I was not dreaming. Because there was no way in hell a man, not just any man Nick, hugging me and acting like a knight.

As if sensing my burning sensation, he started to rub his palm on my hand, an action that looked very much like he was trying to put off the fire.

Once the black clouds cleared in my head, I pulled myself away from Nick's hold and glared at him "What was that all about?" I barked, pointing the wrong directing.

He better not be a smart ass and point that out.

"It is nice to see you too," he hasn't lost that grin yet.

"Why do you look so happy?"

"Because happy."

"Why?"

"You'll know."

"When?"

"Soon" and he was still smiling.

"Hey! Hey! Woah dude back off. Who are you and why are you touching my Riya inappropriately?" my true knight is here.

"He is hot" she whispered into my ear coming to stand beside me.

"But we need to go. There is a LOT I need to know about," Vivi started dragging me away.

I removed my hand out of her grip and held one finger signaling one moment and turned back to look at Nick still smiling at us.

"Touch me one more time and I will pull out your fingers one by one fry them and feed them to the dogs, right in front of your eyes."

It was a threat and felt like one until he said "totally worth it." Before I did some permanent damage to his face, Vivi got hold of my waist and pulled me away saying "the more you watch Game of Thornes the more you act like Ramsay. Did you binge watch it before driving here?"

"Of course, I did. I was going to see James, Meg and Nichole. I needed that kind of therapy."

"You know, I never really got why you hated them so much."

"I don't hate them. I just don't like the fact that God makes mistakes too."

"Speaking of mistakes, what was Meg going on about dumping boyfriend?"

"How are those two even related?"

"Just answer my question."

"It's nothing." We reached the bar and Vivi made herself very comfortable on one of the stools. I had no choice but to follow suit.

We ordered two drinks one for each of us. Actually, she ordered, and I had no idea what I was about to taste. I took a sip and realized it was a mixture of chocolate, vodka and something tasty. Vivi looked at the bartender and rotated her hand in the clockwise direction and then turned her attention back to me and said in a very curious tone,

"Who is the hottie?"

"Funny choice of words my friend, considering, he will be marrying your best friend in a few months." I gulped down my drink, as did she.

"WHAT? You are getting married?"

"You wish. He is Nick. Sasha's fiancé."

"Why is he here? Now how will Sasha justify her PDA with Ash?"

"The question is, why? Why is she even being all touchy feely with Ash?"

"I'm not sure either, she told me something about Metch snooping on them when they were in a very heated discussion."

They must have been having their infamous fight again. And FYI Metch is short for Meg-bitch.

"She will come up with something. She always does." I did not mean to say the last part out loud, but it slipped. I blame it on the little alcohol in my system. Wait that's not little, I have already lost count of the number of glasses I have downed so far.

"I am not stupid you know? And this isn't high school, I am not naïve. Are you trying to get me drunk, to get all the answers?" I asked looking at Vivi in horror.

"Maybe" she smirked.

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything," her cheeky grin slipped once she saw the look on my face. "Fine I want to know why you are avoiding Ash, why are you always walking away from all of us when we are together, why Sasha and you share some awkward moments, why you have avoided my calls for 2 months four years ago, why was it the exact same time Sasha always ended our calls with a sob, I want to know why you don't laugh the same way you used to. I want to know what you are hiding from me. Most importantly I want to know what happened to the girl that believed in fairy tales because she now only believes in Ramsays."

"That girl grew up and now she knows exactly what doesn't exists." I have been expecting this ever since we met. Vivi was always the observing type. Nothing got out of her sight.

"Riya, what happened that day?"

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"Really? Tell me what happened after you told me you were finally going to tell Ash how you felt."

That was one day I didn't want to even think about. I lost the two most important people of my life that day. Something broke that day and it will never be the same again. And there was something else that I lost that day forever, trust.

~*~*~*~*~*

Until next time, stay happy.

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