Chapter Twenty-Six
The Road Trip
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IF JULES DECIDED to forgive somebody, she would let go of all her grudges. After all, her heart had always been soft, created so malleable that it was often taken advantage of. It was easy to seek her forgiveness if the mistake was small. However, if the mistake was repeated more than her limit, or the cut was too severe to be healed, Jules would become heartless.
Apparently, Xavier was still lucky enough to salvage their budding relationship. It returned to the way it was before in practically no time at all.
In fact, they seemed to be closer than ever before.
I sat next to the driver's seat at the front, occasionally spying through the rear-view mirror at Xavier's and Jules's flirtatious exchanges. They were harmless little gestures, caresses that lasted a little too long, a look that burned intensely, or smiles that bore secrets that their voices couldn't project. It was all so painfully obvious that they were both heads over heels for each other. Yet, neither of them spoke up. Not since that time Xavier had first proclaimed his affection for Jules before school ended.
Occasionally, whenever they got a little too close, I couldn't help myself but feel a jab of green jealousy, piercing through my heart like a silver sword. It was such an ugly sensation that I hated it.
If only we could choose who we fell in love with.
Despite all that, I knew where the story would end. Even if Jules and Xavier didn't get their happily-ever-after, there was no room for me to butt in. Aiko Lee didn't belong in the equation.
Unable to take the suffocating atmosphere, I rolled down my window, desperate to let some fresh air in so that I could finally breathe again. Immediately, I was hit by a wave of salty sea air, the breeze catching the smell of the ocean and allowing it to waft through the gap I had created. The scent was accompanied by the sound of rolling waves, music created by the gentle rise and fall of the tides. Tall trees and skyscrapers slowly melded into rustic beach houses and small shrubs that merely lined the side of the road. Mountains receded and made way for miles of golden sand, each grain leading to a sea of cerulean blue that sparkled under the sun.
We had been on the road for quite some time and it seemed like we were finally nearing our destination.
Right after all was right again between Jules and Xavier, a trip was planned for us to get away from the boundaries of our little town. Xavier had suggested staying overnight the next town over, maybe do some camping. Yet, it was Harr's idea to head to the beach, much to Jules's dismay. The sun and saltwater disagreed with her but with how excited everyone looked, it seemed like Jules didn't have it in her to say 'no' in the end.
We decided to rent a beach villa to stay in for two nights in the next town over, one that was blessed with gleaming shores and sparkling waters as opposed to Riverside Creek's rolling hills and thriving forests. The rent was cheap, a decent amount that could be paid off easily with our hard-earned money from odd jobs. Paired with such prime scenery, it seemed almost too good to be true.
"We must be near," Xavier idly commented, his head resting against the glass of the window as he peered out at the beach beyond. "I think I can spot some of the beach villas from here."
By my side, Harr reached out to tap a few times at the display screen at the front, quickly glancing at the GPS system before turning back to the road. There was a relieved smile in his tired eyes, most likely more than glad that we no longer had to spend time on the road, uncomfortable and cramped.
"Five more minutes, probably. The one that we rented belongs to the next row of houses a little down from here," he announced.
True enough, it didn't even take five minutes before we were driving into the designated parking spot for our rented villa, the engine killed, and doors thrown open as each of us rushed out to stretch.
I, for one, hopped out of my seat immediately, arms raised high above my head and held there for a few seconds before relaxing them with a sigh. The drive had taken three hours at least, far too long for my preference to stay cooped up.
"Why don't you girls go in and check out the rooms first?" Harr's voice came from the back. It was only when I turned around had I realized both he and Xavier were hidden behind the raised trunk, both hulling our bags out from the back of the car. "Xavier and I will bring our stuff over in a minute. There should be four bedrooms so take your pick."
"Sounds great." Jules hummed in satisfaction, her steps light as she quickly made her way over to me. There was only a small bag in her hand, filled with her essentials that weren't packed into her luggage. "Let's go, Aiko."
I followed behind her silently after nodding, casting Harr and Xavier a quick look when we walked past them just to make sure they didn't need additional help. When I confirmed that they could handle the bags just fine, Jules and I stuffed the key into the lock, pushing open the solid wood door before passing through the threshold.
For its price point, I had certainly not expected how glamorous the building was. The beach villa we rented was a two-story house that faced the ocean, located at a more secluded side of the beach where not many visitors frequented. The external walls were painted an off-white color, accented by cream-colored paint and blue-tinted windows. While the front doors faced the ocean waters, the back was built against the side of a small hill that was filled with vegetation. In a sense, the house had the best of both worlds—vivid green from the flora and serene blue from the water.
The inside of the house was paved with a mixture of tiles and wood. While the kitchens and bathrooms had white tiles, the living spaces and bedrooms had light brown wood flooring that offered it a homey vibe.
Three of the four bedrooms were on the second-story, two of which faced the miniature forest at the back of the villa while the other two faced the beach right at its doorstep. We headed upstairs first but as soon as I climbed up the steps, my face soured. The thought of having to scale the stairs before bed after a tiring day made the rooms upstairs lose their appeal.
I cupped my hand around my lips, calling out to Jules since she had walked well ahead of me. "I'm going to take a look at the last bedroom downstairs. You'll be okay on your own?"
While I could not see her figure any longer, her familiar voice came soon after. It bounced off the walls in a slight echo. "Okay," she replied.
That was all I needed to head before heading back down again.
In the end, I settled for the only bedroom that was on the first floor, one which had the perfect view of the sapphire waters. The bedroom came with a pair of sliding doors that led right to the beach, paired with pale teal curtains that offered privacy in the night from prying eyes. It had a double bed that faced those doors, a couch placed right at the foot of the bed, draped over with satin cloth for decoration and colorful throw pillows. Paintings hung from the off-white walls while a large round rug was placed under the bed, adding much-needed color and personality with the room.
"Not bad," Jules admired from the door to the bedroom, leaning a little on the wooden frame. "It's got a nice view too."
Shrugging my bag off my shoulders, I placed it on the couch, slowly unpacking some of the smaller things I brought in it.
"Which did you choose?" I asked.
Jules waved a hand nonchalantly.
"One of the bedrooms upstairs that faced the forest. It felt a little more cooling than the room that faced the beach, for some reason."
"The plants, maybe?"
Her shoulders raised a little before dropping back down. "Who knows?"
Footsteps could be heard from the main entrance of the villa and we quickly made our way over to the boys. They entered with two large bags each, gripped tightly in their hands or thrown over their shoulders. Our luggage was heavy, that I knew first-hand, yet they didn't even have a bead of perspiration despite that. Instead, they wore matching grins as bright as the sun outside. Harr's head was nodded slightly at an angle, jutting out his chin a little when he noticed us coming over.
"Get changed, ladies." He grinned, wiggling the bags in his hands a little as he spoke. "After this, we're headed straight for the waves."
At the same time, both a whoop and a groan could be heard. While the cheer of delight originated from me, the sigh of dismay came from Jules who still despised the water. It was followed by rambunctious laughter. Xavier, whom I had tried to avoid a proper conversation with since the start of the car ride, had a radiant smile on his face that rivaled the sun of noon. Despite standing against the light that streamed in from the open front door, the light in his eyes was still gleaming aglow, filled with mirth and the sort of tranquil that I had not seen on him for a long time.
To my right, Jules's frown had slowly melted into a grin of her own. Contrastingly, mine fell. The grip on my heart tightened and I could feel it starting to bleed tears that weren't supposed to show.
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