Love Island

Chapter 31 - Pied Off

The next day was centered around our newcomer, Anthony. After our tummies had been stuffed with burritos and salad, Charlie made all the Islanders a cocktail called a banana monkey. Our group sat in a small circle in the shallow portion of the pool.

"What's in this?" Polly asked as she sipped from her metal straw. Her drink was almost half empty.

Our resident bartender was happy to oblige. "It's Kahlúa, evaporated milk, some coconut cream, and half a banana. Oh, and chocolate syrup," Charlie explained.

Giselle was almost entirely done with hers. "It's like the perfect alcoholic milkshake."

"So, Anthony, tell us about yourself," Peyton smiled kindly.

"For sure, but there's not much to tell. I'm a first-grade teacher from Atlanta like I said before. Unfortunately, I don't consider myself very interesting," Anthony said with a soft laugh.

"Well, what are your hobbies?" Giselle asked. She leaned back and placed her empty glass on the edge of the pool.

Anthony pondered this for a moment. "Oh, on Wednesdays I tutor the kids at the shelter down the road from the school. Some of them have to move schools a lot, so I like to offer whatever help I can."

Giselle's eyebrows raised in melancholy as she placed a single hand over her chest. "Oh, my heart."

"You're a saint," Polly fawned.

"Not even close," Anthony shook his head. "I'd like to do more for the kids, but hell. The U.S. doesn't exactly prioritize education, so all the classroom supplies come out of my pocket."

Gray swallowed his drink. "So if you won, the money-"

"Would go right to my classroom, yeah. But I won't think about that just yet. First, I've got to have one of you lovely ladies fall in love with me," he joked with a bright smile. Even with a straw between his teeth, he was handsome. "How'd you guys decide for Peyton to go on a date with me?"

Blake interjected without hesitation. "Yeah, why would we send a very beautiful girl in a very happy couple on a date with a new Islander?"

"Because Maddie didn't wanna go," Polly said casually before taking a sip from her drink. Anthony raised his brows and looked in my direction.

"Nothing personal, I just wasn't in the spirit. The date wouldn't have been much fun if I'd gone," I explained, trying to sound as friendly as possible.

Anthony accepted this reasoning. "Alright, that's okay. I respect that, actually. You're aware of your own feelings and don't want anyone else in your emotional bubble. I get that."

"Emotion bubble?" I asked.

"It's an exercise I do with my students. If I see a kid is displaying an extreme emotion, like really sad, or angry, I help them process it by drawing themselves with a little bubble around them, then drawing how they feel. They use different colors, shapes, sometimes words. What's in your emotional bubble, Maddie?" Anthony finished his drink and set it aside.

Taken aback by what had just happened, I shook my head. "I... I don't even know where to start."

"Let's use a color," he suggested.

"Okay... yellow." I felt uncomfortable as the group shifted their eyes between Anthony and me.

Anthony nodded at this, giving me a slight satisfaction as if I'd answered my teacher correctly. "And a shape?"

"A line... gently looped like Christmas lights," I smiled at the thought.

"So you didn't go on that date because you're questioning something," Anthony analyzed.