Silence fell between them. Neither of them looked away.
Then Mano gave a small shrug. “Maybe that’s just how it is.”
Something inside Ody cracked. For a moment he looked like he might say something. But whatever it was died in his throat. He turned away.
After a few seconds, Mano walked out. The door closed behind him. He stood in the hallway, staring at the floor. Ody’s words echoed in his head. Then he stepped into his own room and slammed the door shut.
“You scared me,” Ranya said from the bed, watching as he headed straight for the bathroom.
He shut the door behind him and braced his arms against the sink. For a moment he just stared at his reflection. Everything they’d said replayed in his head. Over and over.
He ran a hand through his hair and turned away from the mirror, pacing the small bathroom once before stopping again at the sink. His reflection stared back at him, tense and exhausted. He didn’t recognize this feeling. That tight pressure in his chest. That dangerous urge to let someone get too close.
So he did what he had always done when things started slipping out of his control. He shoved it down. Built the wall back up.
“Mano? Are you okay?” Ranya’s voice came through the door.
He dropped his head between his hands and said nothing.
The sixth day on the island of Serifos dawned bright and cloudless. Everyone came down for breakfast, but half the group barely spoke. Anna sat stiffly beside Ody. He hardly looked upfrom his plate. Mano kept his eyes on his coffee while Ranya stared out at the sea.
The others quickly noticed something was off. “We’re doing the island tour today, right?” Christina asked.
No one answered.
Ody, Anna, Mano and Ranya stayed focused on their plates, pretending to be busy with their food.
“Uhh… yeah. Great. Guys?” Christina tried again.
Anna finally lifted her gaze.
“What now, for fuck’s sake?” Steve muttered in frustration. “Don’t get me started with this vacation.”
“Yeah,” Ody said at last. “We’re doing the island tour.”
After breakfast, they changed into their swimsuits, grabbed their things, and headed to the cars.
In one car, with Antony, Christina, Steve and Danae, the music blasted from the speakers. They sang along loudly, laughing and chatting as the warm summer wind rushed through the open windows.
In the other car, the radio played softly, the signal cutting out every now and then. The silence between them was unbearable. Mano reached over and turned the volume up. Ody lowered it. Mano glared at him and turned it back up. Ody lowered it again. The girls exchanged uneasy looks.
“Don’t set it to fifty,” Ody said. “It’s too loud.”
“I’ll set it wherever the hell I want,” Mano shot back, cranking it up once more.
“It’s my car!” Ody snapped, turning it down.
“Boys…” Ranya tried carefully.
“We’re not sitting in silence the entire way,” Mano said, reaching for the dial again. “Put the music on!”
Ody pulled over to the side of the road. The sudden stop jerked the girls sideways in their seats as he yanked up the handbrake and shut off the engine. “If you can’t stand beingaround me, you should’ve gone with the others!” he shouted, locking eyes with him.
“Great idea! Why don’t you call them?” Mano yelled back.
“Guys, what the hell is going on?” Anna asked.
“You call them!” Ody shot back. “Since you hate being around us so much.”
