As I look into her blue eyes and smile ~Victoria De Angelis(english translation)

Chapter 3: Cards

2 weeks have passed since that wonderful day and I still like to wake up every morning. Today, for example, especially when I notice a familiar smell. I immediately run down the stairs to where Ethan is standing at the stove. "Pancakes!" I shout happily, hugging him from behind.
In the last two weeks, I've pretty much bonded with everyone here. "Good morning to you too Sarah." He says and yawns tiredly. "Sure good morning and thanks." Immediately I try to remember where the plates were. "They are here stupida." I hear a familiar voice behind me and a few seconds later I get a slap on the back of my head. "How sweet to be greeted by you Tommy." I reply harshly and accept the plate he holds out to me. "Hey don't treat her like that." Says Vic who suddenly stands next to me, whereupon I take her in my arms and give her a kiss on the head. Thomas just shakes his head with a grin and takes one of the pancakes. Instantly, I break away from Vic and do the same as him. I sit down at the big dining table, where Damiano and Jake are already sitting. Both engrossed in their cell phones. I put my plate down and take the phones from their hands. "Buongiorno you two." Jake looks at me angrily, while Damiano looks rather confused. Before Jake can say anything back, Ethan comes into the dining room with the rest of the pancakes. "Sarah's right. At least put the phone down while we eat." "Yeah yeah mom." Damiano just replies, to which the rest of us start grinning. "So what's the plan for today?" Damiano asks instead, biting into a  pancake dripping with maple syrup. "We're finally going to the beach again today!" stipulates Vic. "Sounds good to me." We agree with her.

It's not long before we're all done and I'm standing in my room frantically, not knowing which bikini to wear. "Vic!" I call out loudly, drawing out the I in her name extra long. Within seconds she is standing in my room looking at me out of breath. "Are you okay? Did something happen?" she inquires immediately. "Yes everything is fine, but I don't know which bikini to wear. This one or that one?" "What kind of question is that? You look good in everything." She winks at me and throws herself on my bed. I don't even realize I've blushed until I look in the mirror. "Great you're not much help, I think I'll ask one of the guys. "Honestly? Then do that if you'd rather." She sits up and feigns walking. "Noooo! Stay here. You're right. But honestly now, which one do you like better?" Vic looks back and forth between the one on my bed and the one I already have on. "Mhh." "What do you mean mhh?" "Leave on the one you're already wearing, hopefully you'll stay long enough to present the others to the rest of us." "Of course I can't leave you alone." I give back and grin. A quick glance at my phone tells me that we still have about 20 minutes. I throw myself onto the bed next to Vic and lay my head on her shoulder. Together we watch some funny TikToks.

Laughing out loud, I lie in bed as we watch the video where a child very unhappily falls. Vic laughs loudly as well. "What's going on here?" asks Thomas as he bursts into the room, briefly interrupting our laughing frenzy. Vic and I don't say a word and just look at each other before we start laughing out loud again. Thomas just looks at us confused. What would have been embarrassing to me then, isn't at all now. "Come on you two . Let's go."
After we slowly regained our composure, we've made our way down where the guys are already waiting and Vic and I break down laughing out loud again.

Standing in front of us are Damiano with an exotic looking swimming shorts, a towel around his shoulders and a beach ball in his hand, Jake with a giant unicorn floatie, Thomas with goggles and a snorkel, and Ethan with an oversized old ladies sun hat. Vic first points at Thomas and then laughs even louder, at which point I can no longer take Damiano seriously. "And I thought I was still the tourist." I explain desperately through laughter. The guys just look at us without paying much attention and just walk away. I am the first of us to get back on my feet and help Vic up, who is still sitting on the floor. Giggling, we walk quickly after the boys. Since the beach is right next to the villa, we only have to walk about 100 meters before we reach the water. A few meters from the sea, I spread out my large towel directly under Ethan's parasol. Vic drops hers next to mine.