Three
I was shaken awake about a second after I had just let my eyes rest for a second. Opening my eyes, I found Rod next to me. Or should I say that I was leaning against him. I must have fallen asleep on him.
“You should see this.”
He jutted his chin out over the bow of the ship. I followed and my breathe caught seeing all the little flames of tiki-torches that lined the dock we were heading for. They swayed with the wind that was coming off the water. Each one sending light out to the dock and the water beside the dock giving the area a soft golden glow. They gave the place a mystical feel.
The yacht slowed as I walked over to the railing with my brother where Franklin was already standing. Franklin smiled. “See what we’re being greeted with?”
I nodded. “It’s beautiful.”
Both of them put an arm around me as we watched as the captain docked the yacht. My mind going to what could be waiting for us when we arrived. I knew the surprises weren’t over yet. Marek, and especially his father, loved to surprise people when they started doing things for them.
Dan guided us over to the landing to disembark from the yacht. He’s the one to tell us that that was what it was called. I hadn’t known that till he kindly told us. He just smiled as he helped me across the metal plank off the ship. I think I gripped his arm the whole way. It was the dark that made me a little afraid of slipping off the plank and into the water. I knew I shouldn’t have been, but some fears just creep up on you out of no where, though I had a feeling where mine came from.
Cedric. When he made his move in my first year at Starr, he instilled a little fear of the dark in me. I knew he was still out there somewhere and was bidding his time till he had a chance to do what he wants. Get back at me as Melerick has said that Cedric had a thing for revenge. But Headmistress Alexi has told me not to worry about him as the council is working on tracking Cedric wherever he ended up.
“This is the tricky part.” Dan took my hands and set them on the railing before he did a skip off the plank. He turned to me as I looked at the dock floor. The plank was moving back and forth lightly against the dock’s boards. “There’s nothing to it. Just take a deep breathe and reach other for my hands. I gently pull you off the plank when the time is right and onto the deck.”
I took one last look at the dock before I looked at him. Taking a deep deep breathe and letting it out, I put my hands in him. It felt like I barely moved as he tugged me off the plank and onto the dock. He guided me a little down the dock before he went back to the others. The dock felt like it was moving a little. Guess I need land legs again after half an hour on the yacht.
A hand came to my elbow and I looked up to see Joe smile down at me. “It’ll wear off before you know it.”
I giggled. “Did I look like I was swaying?”
He chuckled. “Only a little.” He started guiding me down the dock and onto the lightest sand I’ve seen even at night. Virginia Beach has nothing on a Hawaiian island’s sand. I even giggled as I took my shoes off with Joe’s help to keep me upright.
I closed my eyes as I dug my toes into the sand a little. A pleasing sigh slipped out between my lips as it still felt warm from the daylight sun. Joe was smiling the whole time as we waited for the others to join us on the beach.
Franklin made all of us laugh as he dove for the beach and kissed the ground. “This is why I preferred earth and don’t do water. Solid, secure, and strong. That’s earth for you.”
I laughed as I went over to him and helped him up. “You just don’t have the skill to understand water.” Dusting the sand off of him and his face.
He stuck his tongue out at me. “But I surf.”
Shaking my head, I ruffled his hair. “Only because it gets you back to the shore to solid ground.” The others laughed and Franklin joined in wrapping his arm around my shoulder as we followed Dan and Joe up to the villa. He ruffled my hair a little as I wrapped my arms around his waist.
My eyelids started to droop the longer we walked. Franklin looked down at me and frowned. “Guys... hold a second.” Joe and Dan looked back at us. Franklin shifted so his back was to me. “Piggy back ride?”
I gave him a tired smile nodding. He squatted down and I climbed onto his back. He rose and easily started walking with everyone again. Joe walked beside us. “You don’t look as tired as she does.”
Franklin shrugged with my arms around his neck. “I don’t need much sleep to begin with.” He chuckled deeply inside his chest. “Helps that Nathan loved playing till the early hours of the morning.” I gave a tired giggled before I was fully drifting off to sleep.
Franklin’s Point of View
Hope sagged just enough on my back to tell me she fell asleep. I knew she wouldn’t last that long once we got here. She slept the whole hour it took us to get to the island. She was strong, yet still dealing with the near death experience.
I felt part of my gut twist when I looked at her sometimes. When she doesn’t think anyone sees, I see how sad she was now. Breaking up with Marek and what happened has affected her deeply.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t want them back together. Hope was always a strong girl with or without Marek. She held on for months with him making out with someone else before her soul shattered. I think she does need this time to understand who she was just as herself.
I hopped a little to readjust Hope on my back as I followed Dan through the thick brush along a well defined path lit by more tiki-torches. A stone slab path with soft grass between the slabs was what we were walking along now. I wish I didn’t have my shoes on like Hope so I could feel the grass and stone against my feet.
The trees moved away and I smiled up at the house before us. It was a two story place with tons of glass windows on the first floor. Each room on the second floor looked to have a balcony each. The glow of the lights that were on casted a breathe taking glow across the pool that stood before us leading up to the patio that looked ready to entertain a full party.
“This villa is one of four. This island contains six different groups of villas. That means there are six different plots of land that have their own style of villas. This set has a more modern style with hints of Hawaii stylishly done. Each plot also has it’s own dock so there are only six docks to this island and every one of them are private. No tourists here like on the bigger islands.” Dan smiled as he informed us while we made our way around the pool and into the main floor of the villa.
Dan stopped and turned around. “Your suitcases have around been taken up to your rooms.” He turned to my mother and father. “We have given you the master suite which is located at the end of the hall on the right.” He smiled looking at Hope. “Her room is the first door on the right and yours is the last door on the left.”
“So that means I’m the first door on the left.”
Dan smiled at Rod. “That’s right. As you all have arrive late, I took the liberty of scheduling a late breakfast and I’ll be here at noon to discuss everything that Hawaii has to offer. I have connections throughout all the islands so I can help you experience everything.” He bowed his head. “Once again Aloha and I’ll see you all tomorrow.”
After Dan left with Joe, I turned to my parents. “I’m going to get Hope up and in her bed.”
“We’ll be up in a little after we have a glass of champaign.” My mom grinned as dad lifted the bottle out of the ice bucket it was chilling in.
I shook my head at my parents as they were going to drink the whole bottle before they turned in for the night. I hope I’m knocked out by then and the walls are sound proof because they tend to get frisky with champaign. My eyes going to the heavens as I asked the powers above to make sure they make it to their room before they go at it.
Hope’s Point of View
My forehead scrunched up as I felt a big confused when I first woke up. I don’t remember where I was. The feeling below me was so soft and silky. There was something just as soft laying over top of me. All of me. I don’t sleep with anything over my head usually. But the most odd thing was, I was so damn comfortable.
Lifting my head a little, I realized that I was in a huge bed. Just me in a bed that when I stretched out, nothing was hanging off an edge. How big was this thing? And it seemed like I was in the dead center under a down comforter. The soft glow of light light where the stitching was in the down comforter.
My head wiped around to the sound of footsteps. A deep chuckle sounded as they leaned over and pulled at the comforter. Franklin smiled as he pulled the comforter off my head. I blew at my hair that fell in front of my face and then pushed it away only to have it spring back at me full of static.
He laughed as he ran his hands over my face and through my hair. The static going away as he grounded me. “Glad to see you finally awake.”
I yawned and stretched as I fell back against the pillows. “What time is it?”
He shrugged laying down next to me. “Only about ten in the morning.” He looked at me. “Feel refreshed?”
Another yawn. “Almost.” I looked at him before I pushed him off my bed. I go the satisfying thud I wanted and I giggled looking over the side of the bed at him. “I’ll be all the way when I shower and change out of my travel clothes.”
He smiled as he threaded his fingers together and placed them behind his head where he laid on the floor. “I think I’ll stay right here while you do that.”
I grabbed a soft down pillow and whacked him with it. “You will do no such thing. I’ll call for your dad to pull you out of here.”
Franklin groaned as he flipped into a standing position. “You’re no fun.” He smiled and winked before he left saying he really wasn’t hurt.
My eyes went around the room only to land on the object resting delicately on the low dresser. All of the sudden I didn’t feel like getting ready. My heart tightened and my eyes burned. Breathing became just that much harder to take in as if he was standing right there looking down to the floor nerves about how I was feeling at the moment.
I don’t know how long I sat there just trying not to cry again. But I got the clue when there was a knock on my door and my brother came in. He didn’t say a word as he came right over to me and hugged me. “It’s okay Hope. You don’t have to get ready just yet.” He held me as the tears started cascading down my face again. My resolve not to cry having broke when he came over and held me.
After a while my tears stopped, but my brother still held me. We were laying down in my bed with me curled up to his chest. “He really broke your heart, didn’t he?”
I sighed. “It’s complicated, but in all honesty, I broke my own heart.”
He lifted my face to look at him. “I know you told my you broke up with him, but you had to have a reason to. The way I see it, he broke your heart first.”
“I know.” I laid back so now I was laying next to my brother instead of against him. “It just hurts.”
He nodded staring up at the ceiling with me. “He was your first boyfriend. It’s gong to hurt for a little breaking up with him.” He took my hand still looking up at the ceiling. “But you want to know what I think?” He looked at me with a sad smile. “You’ll find someone better.”
I bumped his shoulder as I feel my mood lightening up. “You hoping I find a summer fling so you don’t have to worry about me while you find your own.”
He laughed. “Like any of the hot girls that I’ll bump into here would want me. Just look at me.”
I sat up and looked down at him. “I am looking at you and I see nothing wrong with my big brother. Your smart, caring, and handsome. Any girl that glances at you would fall for you. How can they not? You’re hot bog bro. You’re fire.”
He laughed as he pulled me on top of him tickling me for a second before he just hugged me. “You’re just saying all that because you’re Hope. You can’t help making others feel better and good about themselves. I know that now. You’re pure good where we’re so dark and flawed.”
I hugged him back. “You’re not dark and flawed anymore. You opened your eyes to the light and kindness within you. Mom and Derek keep themselves blind to what you’re now seeing.”
He looked down at me. “Why were you never like us?”
I shrugged. “Guess it wasn’t in my nature.”
Rod nodded as he squeezed me again. “I’m starting to see that.” He tilted his head at me. “You feeling better?” I nodded. “Good. What made you sad anyways?”
I sat up and looked over at the surf board. “Marek’s dad bought me that board last summer.” Looking down, I felt my eyes burn again. “I was surfing when Marek had showed up half way through the summer.”
My brother sat up and turned me to him. I looked up at him. “Just breathe.” I took a ragged breathe. “You’re going to go take a shower and I’ll move the surfboard so you don’t have to see it.”
He started to move away, but I grabbed his arm. Rod looked back at me. “You can leave it. I’m starting to feel better after talking to you.”
Rod smiled at me and gave my arm a soft squeeze. “I’m going to drag you to the beach one day this summer and make you teach me to surf.” His smile grew. “I had watched you last summer and you were awesome.”
I smiled a little. “Give me a little before you do.”
“Sure.” He hopped out of my bed with a mischievous grin. “There’s still tons of things to do and mark off before I’ll drag you to the beach with your board.” He walked over to my door before looking over his shoulder at me. “Now get showered and dressed as Dan will be here shortly to discuss our summer.”