“Alright, chill out,” she huffed as she pulled her clothes on, annoyed now.
A notification chimed from his phone and she turned toward him. “You got a message.”
Mano picked up his phone.Odysseus: We need to book tickets for Serifos... Should I get one for you?
He stared at the screen, jaw tightening. The message sat heavy in his chest. Then an idea formed, sharp and sudden. “Hey, Ranya.”
“Yeah?” she asked, pulling her dress over her shoulders.
“Do you have any summer plans?”
“I’m going to Crete with my friends in August. Why?”
He hesitated only for a second. “You wanna come with us to Serifos at the end of June?”
“With us?” she asked.
“Me and three other couples.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?” Her smile was teasing, playful.
“I’m asking if you want to spend a week in Serifos with me,” he clarified.
“I can afford it, and if the sex is going to be this good, then obviously, yes,” she said with a grin as she adjusted her straps.
“Alright. I’ll book your ticket.”
Mano: Book one for Ranya too. I’ll cover it
“I’m going. We’ll talk,” she said as she stepped toward the doorway.
“Leaving like that?” he asked.
She turned, smirking. “What, you want a kiss?”
“I mean without underwear, little slut.” He slapped her ass.
“If I recall correctly, someone tore them,” she said with a glare.
“Careful, don’t catch a breeze.”
“I’ll try my best,” she shot back, amused, then put on her shoes.
When Ody saw Mano’s response, something in him sank. He hadn’t replied when he asked to talk, but he answered instantly now that it was about booking a ticket for Ranya. The difference stung more than he wanted to admit.
Odysseus: Okay… we finalized for June 25
Seen
Mano… Can we talk please? I don’t know what came over me. Can we just pretend it never happened?
Seen
Ody exhaled, frustration building. He didn’t want to lose whatever existed between them, that pull he’d never been ableto name. He knew how crazy that kiss was. They were both men. None of it should have happened, yet he couldn’t stop replaying it, couldn’t stop wondering what had made him cross that line.
The next day, Anna texted him that everything had been booked, and Ody passed the update on to Mano.
Mano didn’t reply until eight hours later, asking for Ody’s bank details so he could transfer the money. Ody suggested they meet in person instead, hoping it might open a chance to talk, but Mano shut it down. He kept insisting on the bank details, cold and distant, refusing every attempt Ody made to soften the tension.
