The party had already started when Wolf and Alexis arrived. Hand-in-hand, they went around, looking for their friends. The first person they spotted was Elizabeth. She was, surprisingly, alone and was in a corner.
"Liz!" Alexis called. "What are you doing here alone?"
Alexis was wondering because Elizabeth had always been the life of the parties they had back home. But there she was, on her white and blue tube beach dress, standing alone in a corner.
"Uhm, just... waiting for you to arrive," Elizabeth answered.
"Where's Alvin?" Wolf asked. "And John and Cha? Are they here yet?"
"I haven't seen John and Ria yet," Elizabeth answered. "Alvin's... with his new friends. He said he'll get us some food and drinks."
Alexis and Wolf glanced at each other. They both sensed something was wrong. Wolf squeezed Alexis' hand and took his cue to leave to give the girls some privacy.
"I'll go find and help Alvin," Wolf said. "Don't accept any more wine or anything, okay, Alexis?"
Alexis smiled and nodded, "Yes, just water for me tonight."
Alexis watched Wolf leave and when he was out of her sight, she turned to face Elizabeth, "Okay, spill, what's wrong?"
"Huh? Why? Nothing's wrong," Elizabeth sighed.
Alexis raised an eyebrow, "You're not exactly hiding that nothing's wrong, you know. It's written all over your face. Besides, if nothing is wrong then you'd be in there, dancing or at least talking to somebody, instead of sulking in a corner."
"I'm not sulking," Elizabeth said.
"Yes, you are," Chandria, who just arrived, said. She saw her friends from afar and she saw the look on Elizabeth's face. Being best friends, she knew that something was wrong. And when she got closer, she heard the last bit of Alexis and Elizabeth's conversation.
"Oh, hey, Ria," Alexis greeted. "Where's John?"
"He went with Wolf," Chandria said. "So... what's wrong?"
"Nothing!" Elizabeth insisted.
"Do you believe her?" Chandria asked Alexis.
"Not a bit," Alexis replied. "She's obviously trying, again, to hide something."
"Like before, remember?" Chandria said. "The thing with Marco blackmailing her. She didn't even tell us. I think our bestfriend doesn't trust us, Lex."
"Yeah," Alexis sighed. "This is making me sad."
"You two are overreacting," Elizabeth said. "Fine, something is wrong."
Alexis and Chandria smiled at each other because their strategy to guilt-trip Elizabeth into telling them what was wrong worked.
"So, spill," Chandria said. "What's wrong this time?"
"It's... something petty," Elizabeth said. "Alvin and I went on a boat ride to the volcano this morning then decided to tour around Santorini after. We were in Fira, we decided to stay there until this party. We were strolling around shops when we ran into Ana and her friends. They're the girls who invited us here."
"And?" Alexis said.
"I was just... frustrated. You know I'm just realizing how much of a ladies' man Alvin really is. Ana asked to join us and Alvin didn't refuse! And he was being nice to her, even offering to carry her numerous shopping bags. I mean, is there anything more frustrating than a guy who treats all girls the same?" Elizabeth said.
"What are you talking about?" Chandria asked, confused at what Elizabeth said.
"I mean he does! He treats all girls the same, including me! How do I know I'm special to him and that I'm different from all other girls. I mean, like during the plane ride here, he was as polite to me as he was with you two," Elizabeth said, frustration think on her voice.
"Are you serious?" Alexis asked, her face amused and disbelieving at the same time.
"She is, and probably jealous of this Ana," Chandria said, who was holding her laughter in.
"I am not jealous!" Elizabeth squinted her eyes at them.
"Liz, come on! First of all, obviously you're special to Alvin. He was being polite to us but he was specially fussing over you. He was always glancing your way, looking if you might need something or if you were comfortable," Alexis said.
"But," Elizabeth started to protest.
"Second, after the whole Marco fiasco, you should have more faith in him. He didn't leave you even though you kept pushing him away," Chandria said.
"But –" Elizabeth started to say again.
"Just admit you're jealous," Alexis cut in.
"Fine! I am jealous. Who wouldn't be jealous? Just look over there," Elizabeth nodded towards the other direction and Chandria and Alexis turned to look. They saw Alvin by the refreshment table and a girl was with him, her arms wrapped around his.
"Wow... it looks like an octopus wrapping its tentacles to prey," Alexis said. "But Alvin looks like he's only being polite. He's not touching her back or anything."
"But he's not pushing her away either!" Elizabeth said.
"Alvin's being a gentleman, obviously," Chandria said. "Probably being polite since they invited us here. If it's bothering you that bad, why don't you tell him that?"
"As if I could! We're not in a relationship! What right do I have?" Elizabeth said.
"Oh my Gosh, Liz," Alexis said. "The solution to your problem is very simple! Just tell Alvin you love him already!"
"Yeah, as if I'm the only one with a problem. Look!" Elizabeth nodded towards the same direction and they saw Alvin introducing two other girls, wearing skimpy swim suits, to Wolf and John.
"Who are those?" Alexis asked.
"Friends of the octopus," Elizabeth answered. "Vanna and Lia, if I remember correctly. Oh look, now they're sticking close to Wolf and John too. Guess there's more wildlife here than the octopus... there are leeches too."
"Geez, Liz," Chandria said. "Alvin's just introducing them to each other. He'll probably introduce us too if we're the ones close by."
"As if those girls will give them a chance," Elizabeth said. "Look, they're closing in to each boy. Oh God, I feel like I'm watching a National Geographic documentary about predators."
"That's too harsh, Liz!" Chandria giggled. "Besides, look, even Wolf and John are being polite to the girls. They aren't exactly pushing them away too."
"You don't get it, Ria," Elizabeth said. "It's different."
"What do you mean?" Chandria asked.
"Okay, look at this," Elizabeth looked around. "Uhm... there! Lex, do you see that guy over there? The one wearing the bright orange shorts?"
"Yeah?" Alexis followed Elizabeth's line of sight.
"Bump into him," Elizabeth told her.
"What?" Alexis asked, confused.
"Bump into him. Just do it, please," Elizabeth said. "And make it look accidental."
"Oh I get it," Chandria said.
"Get what?" Alexis asked.
"This little experiment," Chandria explained. "Come on, go. Do what Liz asked please."
"Okay?" Alexis said, still not getting the point.
She walked over where the guy in orange shorts was and "accidentally" bumped into him. Elizabeth and Chandria chuckled as they watched because Alexis looked so awkward and confused, looking like the part she was pretending to be: a clumsy girl. The guy was courteous enough and held Alexis to keep her from falling. At that moment, Elizabeth and Chandria turned their heads to where Wolf was.
And sure enough, it was as if Wolf had a radar for Alexis because they saw him looking at where Alexis was, his face scowling with disapproval. He politely removed his hand from Vanna's grip and jogged to where Alexis was.
"Wow, it worked," Chandria said.
"Of course it would," Elizabeth said. "Anybody can see how... easily jealous Wolf gets."
"Yeah, you can learn a thing or two from him. 'Cause he acts on what he really feels. Like what you should be doing now?"
"Don't you think I didn't try that? Well... some guy approached me before you all came and I tried using him at first but I noticed it was no use because Alvin didn't even came to my rescue."
"You didn't even need rescuing in the first place!" Chandria said, getting frustrated. "You should just go up to him and snatch him away."
"No! He should be the one to do that! Oh, look, there. Look at John, I'm sure in, like, less than ten seconds, he'll remove that girl's hand on his arm then he'll, uhm, reject her."
"No way. He looks like he's having fun talking to her."
"Oh please, believe me, I know him. He's getting that irritated look on his face. Wait... 5, 4, 3, 2...1. Oh, see!"
Elizabeth's prediction was right because after her countdown, John removed Lia's hands on his arm then left her. He went to the refreshment table to get what he came for.
"Okay, that was... wow, like clockwork," Chandria said, frowning. "How did you know he'd do that?"
"His smile was forced," Elizabeth quickly answered. "He'd have those kind of smiles around people he didn't like. I noticed it when we were together before."
"Oh," Chandria's face fell.
"Yeah," Elizabeth said, not noticing Chandria's change of mood. "John's coming over. Anyway, I'll take a walk along the beach. I need to think up of a strategy to tell Alvin I'm jealous without actually telling him I am."
"Complicated much? Just don't go far and stay where I can see you!"
"Yeah, thanks," Elizabeth said then she left.
Chandria stayed where she was, and watched Elizabeth go.
"So... what was wrong with Liz?" John asked, standing next to her.
"Nothing," was Chandria's short reply as she looked at John. She sighed as she felt like Elizabeth passed some of her negativity to her.
|| Anyway, I know some of you may have questions like ano nangyari sa diving trip nina John and Chandria, or ano ba nangyayari kay Elizabeth, at bitin yung previous WoLexis. Basta, like I always do, I won't leave you hanging (Ok, I do sometimes pero I make up to it sa next chapters. Haha!). I try my best and have irregulaties answered naman in the coming chapters, di ba? Basta! Haha! Just wait for it. Thanks! :) || XoXo