“Sounds good. I’ll pick you up around nine.”
“Perfect, babe. I’ll be waiting.”
“Alright, see you then. Kisses.”
“Are we getting back to it?” one of the guys called, ball in hand.
“Yeah, let’s go.” They regrouped and kept playing.
Later that evening, Ody drove home, showered, and got ready. He styled his brown hair, grabbed his keys, and headed out to pick Anna up.
A few minutes later, she stepped out of her building, well-dressed for the night. She opened the passenger door, they exchanged a quick kiss, and she buckled in. They drove toward the city center, parked, and began walking hand in hand through the streets.
“It did bother me a little that you got upset when I talked about Mano like that,” she admitted.
“Baby, I wasn’t upset. I just don’t like judging people. You know that,” he said, his voice soft as they walked under the city lights.
“I was just worried about you. If he’s getting into fights, he could drag you into trouble too.”
Oh Anna... if only you knew he got into that fight because of me...
“I won’t get into any trouble. Stop worrying.” He squeezed her hand.
They entered a bar and sat at a round table, the candlelight flickering between them. Across from him, Anna tucked her hair behind her ear, her soft brown doe eyes watching him.
“Good evening, what can I get for you?” the waitress asked.
“A glass of red wine, please,” Anna said.
“And a beer for me,” Ody added, giving the brand. The waitress thanked them and walked off.
“So, how’s uni going? When do your finals start?” Anna asked.
“In two weeks.”
“When should we book for Serifos?”
“Did you talk to Christina?” Ody asked.
“She’s working until mid-June, so we can go after that.”
“Perfect.” Ody nodded. “Let’s book for late June. What about Antony?”
“They’re a package deal.” Anna smiled. “I’ll tell them to book the tickets and hotel soon, or we won’t find anything.”
“How long are we staying? About a week?”
“A week is good for me.” She shrugged. “I can’t afford longer. Let’s check with the others too.”
“You talk to Christina, let Antony know, and we’ll see.”
“Are you gonna tell the guys?” she asked.
“Chris is the last man standing, and Steve just started seeing someone after a million years,” Ody joked.
“Ody, you’re terrible,” she laughed, nudging him.
“I’ll ask them, but I can already hear Chris.” He lowered his voice, mimicking him. “Come on, dude, it’ll just be couples. What am I supposed to do there, be the third wheel?” Anna laughed. “Steve might bring Danae so they can get closer. I’ll ask and let you know.” For a moment, his thoughts drifted elsewhere.
