η γλυκιά ζωή
[ the sweet life ]
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"So this the Chora!" Penelope announced. "Welcome to Skopelos Town!"
Avery looked around in awe—it was exactly like everybody described it to be. Old off-white houses with large solar panels around the roof and multicolored house curtains. All the buildings cramped together as potted plants of flowers and succulents lined the alleyways and the wooden balconies.
"Beautiful, right?" Penelope asked, gazing at Avery for a small second.
"Very," Avery nodded enthusiastically as he took a step forward, lifting his camera. He took a quick shot of the scenery—forgetting the details, such as if the picture was blurry or not focused.
A few elderly couples chatting in Greek passed by them, holding hands lovingly.
Penelope then pointed down the sloped hill that contained the houses, emphasizing a bit of the ocean. "There's a port down there, since it's a bit crowded we could go ride a ferry back to the market or near the port next to Kastani beach."
Avery nodded, noticing the piling crowds. "I suppose you are right. It's getting a bit crowded."
"It's August, and the weather is incredible—elderly couples love to travel here. It's calming and not as much tourists," Penelope explained, grabbing onto his hand, interlacing each other's fingers and leading him down a few small flights of stairs and maneuvering each other through a few alleyways and down to the port.
Surprised by her gesture, Avery looked down at their intertwined hands and to him it felt...right. Her small hand fit perfectly with his and he could feel shockwaves coming up his arms as they jogged to the port. For not one second did he take his eyes off of Penelope.
"Look," Penelope pointed at the arriving ferry, "it just came—we're right on time." Her eyes then trailed to Avery who nodded hastily at her comment.
"Alright," his tone as a croak—to Penelope it sounded mildly that he was nervous. But she dismissed the thought, he could never be nervous around her, that was a stupid idea.
Right?
"Are you hungry or something?" Penelope asked, looking at him cautiously.
Avery cleared his throat. "Yeah, very. Haven't eaten all morning."
"Didn't Martha make a feast for breakfast?"
"Yeah," Avery replied, but squinted his eyes suspiciously. "How did you know? You weren't even there."
Penelope laughed. "I think you tend to forget that she's been working with my family since before I was born. I know how she gets—especially when a guest arrives,"—Penelope huffed—"Zuez save us."
"Here," Penelope opened the small satchel by her side and grabbed a paper bag from the inside, smirking. "Do Lemon Lady's appetize you?"
Avery quickly took the bag, opening it and inhaling the citrusy goodness. "It does, very, very, much."
"I'm glad," Penelope smiled while pointing at the ferry that just arrived at the port. "Follow me, let's go."
Speedily, they both made their way to the ferry, waiting patiently for the passengers to leave the boat before entering. With Avery's help, Penelope climbed in, quickly finding a few seats.
"It's always good to be early on a ferry," Penelope commented, removing the satchel and placing it on her lap, settling comfortably on the wooden seat.
"Why?" Avery followed her actions, looking at her.
"If you arrive late, the ferry's are usually full. More at this time. So it's better to get early and get a comfortable seat," Penelope explained.
And true to her words, after they were seated other people started filing into the ferry; women, children, men, elders. All of them were hurrying to find a seat before the challenges began. In a minute the ferry took off, the water lapping behind them as they began taking off of shore.
The salty aroma of the sea pricked Avery's taste buds as he looked around, from the heat of the blazing sun it seemed that being close to the water really did bring a small chill of cool around him and Penelope.
"So, you rode one of these everyday for school," Avery asked, recalling what she had told him a few days prior.
Penelope nodded. "Sometimes. Papa has a boat, so he would take me to Main Greece there too. But that was only on special occasions when he wasn't using it to go to another island like Santorini for his photography."
"You have a boat?"
Penelope hummed in response. "Yeah, Papa taught me how to sail it too." Penelope got close to his ear, whispering. "There's a waterfall near Kastani. We would ride the large boat there and then paddle on a smaller one and go through the waterfall too. Actually, we could do that! Papa isn't using the boat for a while, we could do something like that."
Avery felt a leap to surge through his stomach. "S-Sure. What about the lemon orchard—you were going to introduce me to Khai."
"Oh, right," Penelope sang. "Maybe we'll go another day, but the waterfall is good for photography. But so is the lemon orchard."
"Alright, so that's the plan, what time tomorrow? Eight?" Avery asked.
Penelope's eyes widened, looking frantic. "I'm b-busy at that t-time so n-no."
Avery shrugged. "Maybe I can accompany you, help you with your work."
"NO!" Penelope yelled, quickly clearing her throat, lowering her tone. "I mean...no, no. It's a very private "So this the Chora!" Penelope announced. "Welcome to Skopelos Town!"
Avery looked around in awe—it was exactly like everybody described it to be. Old off-white houses with large solar panels around the roof and multicolored house curtains. All the buildings cramped together as potted plants of flowers and succulents lined the alleyways and the wooden balconies.
"Beautiful, right?" Penelope asked, gazing at Avery for a small second.
"Very," Avery nodded enthusiastically as he took a step forward, lifting his camera. He took a quick shot of the scenery—forgetting the details, such as if the picture was blurry or not focused.
A few elderly couples chatting in Greek passed by them, holding hands lovingly.
Penelope then pointed down the sloped hill that contained the houses, emphasizing a bit of the ocean. "There's a port down there, since it's a bit crowded we could go ride a ferry back to the market or near the port next to Kastani beach."
Avery nodded, noticing the piling crowds. "I suppose you are right. It's getting a bit crowded."
"It's August, and the weather is incredible—elderly couples love to travel here. It's calming and not as much tourists," Penelope explained, grabbing onto his hand, interlacing each other's fingers and leading him down a few small flights of stairs and maneuvering each other through a few alleyways and down to the port.
Surprised by her gesture, Avery looked down at their intertwined hands and to him it felt...right. Her small hand fit perfectly with his and he could feel shockwaves coming up his arms as they jogged to the port. For not one second did he take his eyes off of Penelope.
"Look," Penelope pointed at the arriving ferry, "it just came—we're right on time." Her eyes then trailed to Avery who nodded hastily at her comment.
"Alright," his tone as a croak—to Penelope it sounded mildly that he was nervous. But she dismissed the thought, he could never be nervous around her, that was a stupid idea.
Right?
"Are you hungry or something?" Penelope asked, looking at him cautiously.
Avery cleared his throat. "Yeah, very. Haven't eaten all morning."
"Didn't Martha make a feast for breakfast?"
"Yeah," Avery replied, but squinted his eyes suspiciously. "How did you know? You weren't even there."
Penelope laughed. "I think you tend to forget that she's been working with my family since before I was born. I know how she gets—especially when a guest arrives,"—Penelope huffed—"Zuez save us."
"Here," Penelope opened the small satchel by her side and grabbed a paper bag from the inside, smirking. "Do Lemon Lady's appetize you?"
Avery quickly took the bag, opening it and inhaling the citrusy goodness. "It does, very, very, much."
"I'm glad," Penelope smiled while pointing at the ferry that just arrived at the port. "Follow me, let's go."
Speedily, they both made their way to the ferry, waiting patiently for the passengers to leave the boat before entering. With Avery's help, Penelope climbed in, quickly finding a few seats.
"It's always good to be early on a ferry," Penelope commented, removing the satchel and placing it on her lap, settling comfortably on the wooden seat.
"Why?" Avery followed her actions, looking at her.
"If you arrive late, the ferry's are usually full. More at this time. So it's better to get early and get a comfortable seat," Penelope explained.
And true to her words, after they were seated other people started filing into the ferry; women, children, men, elders. All of them were hurrying to find a seat before the challenges began. In a minute the ferry took off, the water lapping behind them as they began taking off of shore.
The salty aroma of the sea pricked Avery's taste buds as he looked around, from the heat of the blazing sun it seemed that being close to the water really did bring a small chill of cool around him and Penelope.
"So, you rode one of these everyday for school," Avery asked, recalling what she had told him a few days prior.
Penelope nodded. "Sometimes. Papa has a boat, so he would take me to Main Greece there too. But that was only on special occasions when he wasn't using it to go to another island like Santorini for his photography."
"You have a boat?"
Penelope hummed in response. "Yeah, Papa taught me how to sail it too." Penelope got close to his ear, whispering. "There's a waterfall near Kastani. We would ride the large boat there and then paddle on a smaller one and go through the waterfall too. Actually, we could do that! Papa isn't using the boat for a while, we could do something like that."
Avery felt a leap to surge through his stomach. "S-Sure. What about the lemon orchard—you were going to introduce me to Khai."
"Oh, right," Penelope sang. "Maybe we'll go another day, but the waterfall is good for photography. But so is the lemon orchard."
"Alright, so that's the plan, what time tomorrow? Eight?" Avery asked.
Penelope's eyes widened, looking frantic. "I'm b-busy at that t-time so n-no."
Avery shrugged. "Maybe I can accompany you, help you with your work."
"NO!" Penelope yelled, quickly clearing her throat, lowering her tone. "I mean...no, no. It's a very private situation. It's best to not tangle you in that...mess."
"Oh, okay."
Avery's eyebrows furrowed, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. Something to him smelled fishy—and he knew for a fact that it wasn't the fish that the men seated next to him carried. It seemed like a secret. A secret Avery was determined to find out about. It's best to not tangle you in that...mess."
"Oh, okay."
Avery's eyebrows furrowed, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. Something to him smelled fishy—and he knew for a fact that it wasn't the fish that the men seated next to him carried. It seemed like a secret. A secret Avery was determined to find out about.
author's note
i sensed tension...i came as fast as i could!
how is everybody? if anybody is interested, in my bio there's links to my pinterest and spotify accounts, i have a soundtrack and aesthetic board especially for this novel.
make sure to comment...those really make my day!
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