Modern Cleopatra: A Summer Love Story [COMPLETE] 📔

THIS SUMMER | CHAPTER IV : He Remembered

PRESENT DAY... THIS SUMMER

The villa's intercom buzzed loudly. It was a recent installation, something Thia Maria had set up during one slow winter month on the island. Her new boyfriend was an electrician, and she had let him tinker around the house, upgrading the televisions and whatnots. Cleo couldn't help but think that the Aleksandar incident last year was the underlying cause for her aunt's preoccupation with securing the property. The intercom came with a little camera, too, so that with the simple push of a button, both camera and microphone would activate, allowing whoever was inside Villa Callas to screen potential intruders.

Cleo wandered over to the intercom unit located conveniently in the villa's kitchen, but she wasn't prepared for who was at its gates. She pushed the little red button, engaging the camera, and her heart instantly stopped.

Theo Dimitriou was standing outside Villa Callas in jeans and a white wife beater that he wore so well it made Cleo want to melt. His white Jeep was parked behind him.

Cleo's heart jumpstarted, pounding heavy and hard in her chest. She had to answer, and quick, for a little light went on by the villa gates notifying Theo that someone was on the other end.

There was nowhere to run.

"Can I help you?" Cleo asked into the intercom. It came out with even more attitude than she had intended.

"Yes. Yes, it's Theo."

Cleo paused intentionally.

"Theo who?"

Even through the tiny security camera, she could see it on his face; he knew that she knew it was him.

"Theo Dimitriou." He answered, giving her the courtesy of going along with the charade.

Cleo made sure she was silent, only the empty buzz of the intercom between them now.

"I came to talk to you."

He said it like it was a question, and that was all he said. He was awkward, and he was nervous. It was then that Cleo noticed he was holding a perfect, long-stemmed rose.

A yellow rose.

Her heart sped up exponentially.

She took her finger off the intercom and paused, considering her options. She wouldn't let him in - couldn't let him win - and so she compromised by deciding to go outside. On her way out the villa door, she threw a glance at her reflection in the living room mirror; long hair messy, tan skin rich like caramel, floral wrap sundress hugging her at the waist and hips and billowing delicately by her thighs. She looked effortlessly beautiful in a sheer, earth-goddess kind of way; no makeup, no frills, nothing fancy but that was the point. This would do, she thought to herself, and then she yanked the front door open with as much gusto as she could muster.

When she got to the gate, she pulled at it hard, sticking half her body through the opening she created and surprising Theo completely. He had wandered off towards the road and hadn't heard her coming. The warm island breeze licked at her face. Cleo figured he'd been waiting for a buzz, for the gates to open mechanically rather than organically, but she didn't care; she wanted to catch him off guard, just to throw him off any game he'd rehearsed and come over with.

Startled, Theo grabbed at his chest, inhaling sharply. He immediately hid the rose behind his back with his other hand. Cleo watched as he moved towards her, his perfect golden body animated in motion. Just seeing it up close and in three dimensions again made Cleo's cheeks flush.

"You scared me." He said gently, relaxing and taking a few steps towards her.

"Sorry." Cleo said, feigning indifference.