Love Island

Chapter 16 - Waves and Water Bottles

That night, I was the first to go upstairs to get ready for bed. Without the pressure of time, I spent as long as I could in the shower, letting the hot water ripple down my scalp and shimmy across my skin, then drip down my legs. Lazy arms swept body wash across my limbs and torso, working the liquid into a foamy purple lather that filled the bathroom with a subtle hint of lavender. This was my first shower at the villa that wasn't rushed by a line of waiting girls, so I enjoyed every extra second that my skin was gently massaged by the stream of water plummeting from the showerhead.

With my hair deep-conditioned and skin smooth and soft, I stepped out of the shower and wrapped myself in a light pink towel. Steam fogged up the nearby mirror, and I walked to the vanity and rubbed a circle in the condensation. I pulled out my toiletries from my drawer, scrubbed my face clean, and then replenished the skin with a lightweight moisturizer.

No one had come up to get ready for bed until after I'd put on my pajamas and combed out my damp hair. Peach, Giselle, and Polly walked into the dressing room, slowing down when they saw me at my vanity.

"There you are!" Peach said, walking to her vanity across from mine. She grabbed her chapstick and uncapped the tube.

"I'm almost done," I said.

Peach scrunched her face as she rubbed her lips together. "Aren't you gonna blowdry your hair?" She observed my damp hair with skepticism.

"I'm gonna go airdry it." I stood from my vanity and pulled my shorts down slightly. "I'll see you guys in a minute."

I dismissed myself and exited the dressing room. Downstairs, the kitchen and bedroom were both vacant. I slipped through the bedroom and walked out to the grass, surveying the mostly empty garden; a cameraman hid in the shadowy corners, his location only given away by the red recording light. Unbothered, I walked past the pool, down to the treeline, and along the path before arriving at the beach. The moon was on the other side of the villa but still managed to highlight the peaks of the shorebound waves. I took a seat in the sand, digging my toes into the soft earth and pulling my knees to my chest. The proximity to the sea made the stress and anxiety of Love Island worth it. If I closed my eyes, I could pretend I was back in Hawaii with my family.

"Hey," a voice approached from behind me. I turned to see Charlie exit the tree-lined path down to the beach. A cameraman followed closely behind. "Mind if I sit?"

"Yeah, sure." I couldn't hide the surprise in my tone.

Charlie sat a few feet away from me, facing the black rippling waves reaching foamy fingers toward us but falling short by several yards. "I saw you walk out into the garden; I figured this is where you went."

I turned slightly to face him. "I didn't see anyone downstairs."

"I just left my interview at the beach hut down the hallway. I figured you didn't see me," Charlie said. He kept his legs relaxed, his feet dipping into the sand. "I'm really sorry about what happened earlier today. I know if some guy came in and took someone away from me, and I couldn't do anything about it, I would feel pretty helpless."

I nodded, turning my head to face the sand. "Thanks. You've got Peach's wisdom."

Charlie let out a small laugh. "Yeah, we're good together like that. And we both care about you. I mean, you're Peach's best friend. And she talks about you so much, it feels like we're best friends sometimes."

"Well, damn. Sorry, Charlie, I know nothing about you," I laughed.

Charlie paused for a minute, letting a comfortable silence settle between us on the cool white sand. "I'm from Seattle, but I'm living across the US for my MBA. I was in a frat while getting my bachelor's degree. And I bartend. There: three facts about me."