Craft Beer & Roses

Chapter 8

Aviva couldn't sleep that night. She lay wide awake, staring up at the dark ceiling, just thinking. Suresh had been smart enough not to set foot in the bedroom, or if he did, he must've steered clear of her entirely. She hadn't talked to anyone since Alfie came to check on her, but she knew they were all talking about her.

Throughout her sleepless night, Aviva fantasized about what Love Island would be like if Suresh never walked through the garden that day. All her dirty laundry would still be tucked away; he wouldn't cross her mind because she'd be so distracted by someone new. With no hefty emotional baggage to lug around, she could finally move on like she'd wanted to. But fantasies aren't real, and she was very much still there, lying in bed alone, reeling from new revelations about her ex's infidelity...in front of the whole world.

Her smartwatch buzzed on her wrist. She raised it slightly to her face, squinting at the harsh, bright light of the LED screen. The time read 3:47 a.m. Far too early for her liking, but understanding that sleep would continue to evade her, she decided to force herself out of bed. Aviva tiptoed through the dark, hands blindly searching her bag for her sketchbook, pencils, and headphones. She snatched her hoodie off the back of her vanity chair and slipped it over her head to cover up before making her way to the roof terrace.

With the sun not yet risen, the world was awash in a pale blue hue. A thin sliver of moon hung low amongst the blanket of stars in the sky. Crickets sang quietly in the early morning, the only other creatures awake at this hour. Aviva breathed in the cool, refreshing air, letting the tension leave her body in one long exhale.

She sat down on the bench, crisscrossing her legs beneath her. Making sure her headphones were snug against her ears, she tapped through Spotify, eventually settling on her 'Mellow Marley' playlist: a collection of her favorite vibey music from Bob Marley and beyond. It reminded her of home.

She envisioned her mother banging around the kitchen on weekend mornings, singing an off-key rendition of "Is This Love" while she fried banana fritters and waited for her bread dough to rise. She could picture her dad sitting at the table with his newspaper and coffee, smiling affectionately at her mother's antics, tapping his foot to her imaginary beat. Their love story was immaculate, and Aviva thought she'd had hers written with Suresh. Now she could only dream of finding a connection as pure as theirs.

Aviva brought her hood over her head and hunched over her open sketchbook. The thought of her parents gave her a burst of much-needed euphoria and inspiration; she picked up her graphite pencil and began drawing under the dull string lights of the roof terrace.

It must have been an hour since she started, and her hand was beginning to cramp. Aviva had mapped out her family kitchen and roughly sketched her parents in their respective places. She scrutinized the lines as she massaged her drawing hand, quietly singing along to "Three Little Birds" while Marley crooned in her ears.

"...'cause every little thing...be alright...hm...hmmm...of melodies pure and true...hm...hm...hmmm...singin' don't worr – JESUS CHRIST!" Behind Aviva stood a shadowy figure, its hand resting on her shoulder. Startled by its appearance, everything flew from her lap as she rose to defend herself, fists curled and ready to strike.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Finn jumped back a step, not expecting such an aggressive reaction.

"FINN?! Oh, what – what the hell!?" Finally recognizing him, Aviva lowered her arms a smidge.

"Can you put your fists down before you take my feckin' eye out?" He bent down slowly to retrieve her art materials, cautiously holding them out to her in an offering of peace.

Aviva dropped her fists and took the materials from him into her hands. She sank down onto the bench and removed her headphones and hood while looking up at Finn. He was still in his sleepwear, though he'd tied his hair up into a messy bun again. She especially liked him when his hair was pulled back. It allowed her to appreciate the finer details of his handsome face, like his carefully trimmed beard or how if she looked close enough, she could see a light smattering of freckles across his nose and a deep dimple on his right cheek whenever he smiled.