The doors close, and I shudder again. I look at the elevator then outside. I am not strong enough to get on the elevator and not go to the eleventh floor, and I do not want to go back to the beach and possibly run into those yahoos again. Instead, I opt to get a table. I need lunch and alcohol. I’ll text the girls and tell them to meet me when I’m settled.
I don’t know how this week will play out, but I know I need to avoid Dre and Axel.
Heaven
I settle into a back-corner table and pull out my phone—no missed calls or texts. I’m not surprised. The two people that call me the most are finishing up with snorkeling and my parents are probably asleep. Wait. Am I eight hours behind or ahead of Florida? Doesn’t matter. They’ll call when they want to talk. I shoot out a text letting my friends know where to meet me. I have to tell them about Axel; I cannot let them accidentally expose me as a liar. I have a feeling one, if not both of them, knows where she brought me and who is here.
I tell the server that I want something fruity, tropical, and alcohol-laden. He smiles and disappears. I take the alone time to stare out onto the beach. I’ve always wanted to come to Hawaii. It’s always looked beautiful on television. It’s still surreal that I’m here. I push Ashley and Dre out of my mind and tap into some of the excitement I felt when we landed last night. I get to see paradise. I wanted so badly to be a travel writer, but there was one major thing holding me back. I cannot swim. I know eventually, I would have to stop telling stories from others’ points of view, but I seize up with fear every time I convince myself I should learn.
To be honest, I saw Axel long before I was aware of dumb and dumber. I’d watched as he surfed. I’d also watch him sit in the middle of the ocean as he reflected. He appeared to be in deep thought and unhappy. I’d felt compelled to talk to him, comfort him, but there was an ocean between us. It was luck that he was heading back to the beach when I needed to escape.
The server arrives with my drink, and I inform him that two more people would be joining me. Keri and Latoya were fish in a former life. They’d met on the swim team freshman year of high school, and I had each of them in a different class. All three of us bonded when we ended up on the volleyball team. We have a lot of memories and ex-boyfriends between us. However, Dre is enemy number one. He is the most hated ex of ours and here we are practically on vacation with him.
I hear them before I see them. They’re laughing loud as usual about something. I smile to myself, despite the mixed emotions swirling around my belly. Latoya is the firecracker of the group. She’s always been blunt and boisterous. If we were in trouble it was probably her doing. Everything she did was to remain the center of attention. She’s kept herself in phenomenal condition, and it was of no surprise when she got up that morning and donned a bikini that barely covered her naughty bits. Her hair was cut close to her scalp and dyed the brightest red she could find that would still be considered natural. With her yellow complexion, she almost glows.
Keri is the practical one. She loves to laugh hard and have fun, but she constantly weighs the pros and cons of every situation. She has the deepest complexion and her skin is gorgeous. I call her Sister Act Lauryn Hill. Keri’s natural curls are the lushest I’ve ever seen. I often tug one to watch it bounce back. Keri is also the most modest and conservative. I just can’t figure out if Keri chose this location for practical reasons or if Latoya was trying to be petty as hell.
“Heaven, I need for you to shake your fear of water. You’re missing the fun. Our snorkel guide was a nice little slice of Samoan yummy,” Latoya cooed.
Keri rolled her eyes as they slid in across from me. “She left out the part where she smacked his ass when we finished.”
“Latoya!” I admonished, not the least bit surprised. “What if he’s committed to someone?”
Latoya rolled her big, brown eyes. “Relax, he’s committed to the wrong team entirely,” she says as she scans the crowd. “I will find some island dick. Watch.”
“Latoya!” Keri whined. “Don’t be so vulgar.”
I laugh at the two and their constant moral battle. We all have different levels of vulgarity. Latoya is the most comfortable with talking like a rapper. I am not opposed to dirty talk; I just reserve it for the guy I’m screwing or a particularly raunchy girl’s night. Keri doesn’t use certain words ever. In fact, she will blush depending on the context. As much as I love our banter, I need to get down to business.
“Which one of you bitches knew Dre and Ashley are getting married here?” I give them both my practiced evil glare.
“Da fuck!” Latoya exclaims. “That motherfucker is here?” Her head swivels around the restaurant hoping he pops out from behind a pillar. “I’ll cut him. Ole’ limp dick bastard.”
Keri stares at the table; her glossy nails pick at her fork. “Hear me out…”
Latoya clutches her chest in the most dramatic fashion imaginable.
“I’m listening,” I prompt her to continue.
“Everyone who knows you, knows you’ve been itching to come to Hawaii since you were a child. That asshole and bitch still decided to plan their wedding and honeymoon at your dream location.” She looks at me with validation shining in her eyes. “When I planned the trip, I decided that they weren’t going to take that away. I felt they owed you. So, I booked it under the wedding and got their discount.”
“Their discount?” I laugh.
Keri’s eyes sparkle with mirth. “Saved us 300 dollars each.”
“Maybe I won’t cut him,” Latoya muses, “But that bastard, nor bitch, betta not come anywhere near me!”
The server interrupts our laughter to take our order. I jump back to the subject at hand.
“I wish you would have at least told me when we arrived last night. It wasn’t cool being almost ambushed.”
“Almost ambushed?” they asked in unison.
“What did you do? Hide?” Latoya leans in waiting for the answer.
“Not exactly. I power walked to the water, grabbed the sexiest guy available, and pretended he was my boyfriend.”
“I’m sorry,” Keri laughs, “At least you spoke to someone. What did Dre and Ashely do?”
