'Don't you ever answer your phone?' Charlie said.
Not only does he assume I'm ignoring him, he'd had front row seats to my turn as a prize fighter. Now dripping wet and hanging my head in shame on the hot tiles I waited for the excuse, the polite 'see you round' speech but he was just staring; with a smile no less.
'Gee Amber, I didn't know you had it in you.'
'Oh, that? We were just messing around.'
'Yeah, looked like it.'
What was he even doing here? Still distracted by Hailey and the stupid fight I hadn't yet rationalised the fact that he was standing right there in front of me.
'I called to see if you wanted to do something this afternoon, like stay here by the pool or visit the beach for a few cocktails? I guess the pool's ruled out now, huh.'
'She started it,' I protested. 'She was giving me grief because I hadn't slept with half of Kavos like the rest of them.'
'I'm glad you haven't! Come on, I'll get you a headbanger or whatever else you crazy kids drink nowadays. I brought George's moped. See you at the entrance?'
As Charlie sauntered off the rest of the girls' gazes followed his behind.
'Who the hell is that and where in this hole did you find him?' Sarah announced.
'Why do you think I'm bottom of the leader board? I could have any guy here, I just choose not to put it about like a slag.' With my parting shot I flicked my hair behind me. Payback; there was nothing like it.
As I skipped back to the room to change, and there was definite skippage, I guessed this was how happy people felt; in a permanent state of euphoria. It was exhausting and exhilarating all at once. He'd not waited for me to turn up at Rambo's dolled up to the eyeballs. Rambo's? No, that still wasn't right.
The beach bar played chill-out tunes over the soft lapping of the waves. It was slow, enticing; romantic. Even with the sun high above the horizon, through my sunglasses dusk was descending.
'Tell me something about your life back home.'
My toes wriggled in the sand. Why couldn't he have asked any other question? All I wanted to do was sit by the table and stare into his eyes for the rest of the afternoon. He had little patches of freckles dotted beside his nose. I wanted to kiss every one in turn, lie on the beach for hours and play with his short bristly hair. That's all I wanted. Not too much to ask.
I toyed with the straw of my mojito for a while before staring out to the sea.
'Really, you don't say; that's quite fascinating,' Charlie said.
'Could we talk about something else perhaps, get a few more drinks in? This one's already half-gone,' I said, rattling the ice around the bottom.
'I just want to get to know you a little better. You may find it hard to believe but I like you, Amber. Why do you think I came to your hotel? George begged me to play it cool but I couldn't leave you at the mercy of the idiot guys around there; that hotel hasn't got the best reputation. Boy, was I relieved when you were fighting with a girl instead.'
'I was not fighting!'
This guy was more than different. He had money to pay for drinks, and not just at happy hour, he could string a sentence together, had a degree (in Business Management no less) and, most of all, was straight with me. No games, no playing around; though it felt like there wasn't time for all that. The week was already half over and myself and the girls would soon be heading home. This guy was still a stranger but I was ready to give it all up for him; my degree, my home; I could happily get a bar job for the summer and we could rent a little apartment by the beach. I'd been sold since the first moment we met and now that he'd turned up at my hotel only hours later, it looked like he didn't have eyes for anyone else.
'My dad's an alcoholic and my brother's currently in Strangeways prison for assault. I live in what's been classed by the government as the most deprived neighbourhood in the country. This is my first trip abroad, ever. I threw everything into my studying and have a place at Durham University, and when I get home and pack my things I'm never going back to the estate. Never.'
So now he knew. I wouldn't blame him if when he went to fetch another round, he never came back.
'I understand if you want to make your excuses and leave. I know I'm not exactly what you imagined.'
'No, you're not. Not even a little bit. But that's a good thing. I've only ever been out with nice, normal, safe girls and you Amber, are definitely not safe. I can't pretend to know anything about your life or about how you live day to day. I went to a prep school. My dad isn't a millionaire but I got a full ride; a scholarship. It means most of my friends have pool houses and trophy girlfriends they constantly cheat on, but that's not my idea of happiness.'
'I...'
'Yeah, we've only known each other five minutes but who knew I had a thing for pole-dancing, bikini-wearing, pizza-eating girls from Manchester. And I was wondering if you wanted to come on the booze cruise tomorrow.'
'I'm already going on it with the girls, so maybe I could see you there?'
'No, this one's staff only. It means it'll be wild, but worth it. Plus, do you really want to spend time with those so-called friends of yours?'
I'd already paid for my ticket with Emma et al, but since trying to drown Hailey I wasn't overly eager to share their company. 'Get me a ticket and you're on.'
From the pocket of his shorts he produced two white slips of paper. 'Already done.'
The booze cruise turned out to be the most fun I'd had in my whole life. Partying in a cave with the beats echoing around us was like the most surreal club I'd ever visited. My blue polka-dot bikini had not gone to waste and once back out on the sea we'd jumped hand in hand into the blue below. Charlie knew everyone. I'd never spoken to so many people and kissed as many clammy cheeks. I felt like the most popular girl on the boat and drunk on happiness and vodka, I might have even told him I loved him.
That night was spent riding around the old town on George's scooter before taking a trip up the winding coastal road. There the sea calmly lapped the shore while we watched the blinking lights of Kavos below us, the thumping music now only an echo in the darkness. It was there I truly fell in love with Charlie, in the night, in the dark; in the paradise I longed never to leave. The sun can make you do crazy things, the party atmosphere causing amnesia to your worries and problems. If you would've asked me about my life back home I'd struggle to remember the details. They weren't important out here. Here life was a dream and I was never waking up.
We did all those things, and all together. I spent the days at the hotel where I'd now retaken my place within the group, this time with more respect bestowed upon my shoulders. Even Hailey had showered me with cocktails (thankfully, not literally) to apologise and the leader board had been scrapped. I naively assumed it was abandoned in my honour before realising Hailey was having more trouble than she anticipated dragging guys back to her lair.
Every evening after Charlie finished work we carried on partying or took a walk along the beach; what we did was of no consequence. I spent every precious moment in his company whilst ignoring the advances of time. It didn't mean anything; this summer was going to last forever.
Sure, I didn't expect this to happen. It wasn't part of the uni plan I'd worked so hard for but I was nineteen; I thought I had it all worked out. This was the guy I was going to marry, this holiday romance that'd lasted all of four days. I knew in my heart we'd always be together, because we were meant to. Every other holiday romance failed because they just weren't meant to be. Those people were kidding themselves, they weren't soul mates like Charlie and I. We were destined to be together, of course we were.
That final night on the beach I could tell he was desperate to ask me something, his manner tense and ill at ease. Instead he promised he'd wave me off at the airport and gave me a thousand kisses to last me until I saw him again. How I'd longed for him to ask me to stay, but he didn't.
Although my heart was slowly tearing apart, one piece at a time, I didn't really know what it meant, what it meant for us, the future...I didn't dare think that I wouldn't be seeing him every day. Kissing him every day.
At least he was coming to wave me off; and I could make rest of the girls jealous one last time. My one and only delusional consolation.
After waiting by the airport doors for over an hour, I realised how hopelessly stupid I'd been.
'He's not coming, Amber.'
'Of course he's coming, he's just forgotten what time the flight is.'
Kelsey gave me one of her motherly stares. 'I knew this was going to happen. Look, yous need to forget about him. We're about to go through security, we'll miss the plane home. Yous have known each other for all of five minutes, you can't expect guys like that to come running to the airport like in the movies. It was a summer fling. Yous had a great time together and now it's over, so get a grip and come on.'
Staring longingly towards the entrance I will him to step over the threshold, to truly believe he's coming to say goodbye. I was so stupid. I was a stupid, lovesick teenager. My insides hurt, like they'd been ripped out and trampled on. The mature woman that'd blossomed over the last few days disappeared inside me once more, hiding in the confines of my chrysalis. I was not ready, I never will be; this pain too much to bear.
I don't remove my sunglasses until we reach Manchester. The cold of a British summer was a shock to my system and the whole country appeared to be in mourning as England once again failed to progress through Euro 2000.
The sombre mood can't have been more apt, or more welcoming. While the rest of the girls slept on the plane, I relived the memories. They played out in glorious Technicolor, forever mine to cherish; but I didn't want them anymore. They required surgically removing to never hurt me again. They were poison; for my mind and my soul.
Charlie was nothing to me, and now he was gone.