TWO| I'M NOT THAT KIND OF GIRL

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"DESTINY VEGA," a voice calls out from ahead.

As I push through the throng of passengers waiting to board, my brows furrow. The employees checking tickets and verifying cruise documents aren't supposed to call names. Their job is simple: hand us our boarding passes and keycards, then send us on our way. Yet, here I am, being singled out.

"Destiny Vega." The voice comes again, clearer this time.

My eyes land on a woman standing slightly apart from the check-in counters. She wears a heart-shaped golden-and-white dress with matching heels, standing out from the casually dressed crowd. A diamond bracelet glints on her wrist, and chandelier earrings dangle with every slight tilt of her head. Her champagne-blonde locks frame her face perfectly—every strand seemingly placed with precision.

Her smile widens when our gazes meet. "Destiny, there you are."

I stop a few feet away, assessing her with caution. "Not to be rude, but who are you, and why are you calling my name?"

She raises a perfectly sculpted brow. "Your dad didn't tell you?" She gestures for me to follow, already leading me away from the crowd and onto an elevator on the deck.

Confused, I step in beside her. My thoughts race—who is she? How does she know my dad? And why is she acting like we've met before?

We ride in silence until the elevator dings, opening to a lavish hallway. The beige walls are lined with paintings reminiscent of romantic Greek art, accented by gold-trimmed sconces.

"I'm here to make sure you have a fun stay," she finally says, guiding me down the hall.

My face scrunches in confusion. "I don't understand."

"Your dad and I know each other through my parents," she explains. "I decided I wanted to work for myself rather than live off their success. When your dad found out I landed a job here, he asked me to keep an eye on you." She flashes a teasing smile. "Don't worry. It'll be entertaining."

I nod slowly, trying to process everything. "Mind telling me your name? You know, since we'll be stuck together all summer."

She laughs, her bright teeth flashing. "Isabella. And my dad is one of your parents' business partners."

She stops in front of a door and swipes a keycard. The suite that unfolds before me is nothing short of extravagant. White walls contrast with soft pink floor tiles, and a plush bed with a blue headboard stands proudly in the center—"Vega" embroidered in cursive on the fabric. My dresser mirrors the same pink, blue, and white theme, adorned with an alarm clock and framed family photos. The walls are decorated with some of my senior-year portraits and drawings, making the space feel oddly personal.

"This is incredible," I breathe, my green eyes widening as I step inside. Dropping my duffle bag, I flop onto the bed, which is warm and familiar—reminding me, painfully, of home. This is my first time away from everything I know, and the reality of that suddenly weighs on me.

Shaking the thought away, I explore the room. The closet is bigger than I expected, divided into labeled sections: Formal, Casual, Swimwear, PJs. Beneath the hanging space, a neat row of shelves holds various shoes.

Talk about organized.

Even the bathroom mirrors the color scheme of my room back home, purple and blue accents decorating the space.

When I return, Isabella is chatting with a porter. As soon as he leaves, she turns to me, flashing another of her million-dollar smiles. "You're one of the few people aboard with a customized suite. Only those who bought out their rooms for the summer get them."

I nod, sitting at the edge of the bed. "I figured my dad would get the best for me, but I didn't expect this."

She chuckles and stands. "You seem pretty cool, Destiny. I'll let you get settled. Oh, and meet me for breakfast at eight tomorrow."

Before I can respond, she's gone.I don't know what to think of Isabella. She seems friendly enough. I guess we could be... friends? We'll be seeing a lot of each other, after all.

Sighing, I turn to my luggage, neatly placed by the porter.I spent hours packing under Jasmine's and my mom's watchful eyes—well, Jasmine was on FaceTime, making sure I didn't just throw in sweatpants and hoodies. Thanks to them, my bags are filled with stylish outfits.

By the time I finish unpacking, three hours have passed, and exhaustion hits hard. Skipping my nighttime routine, I collapse onto the bed and let darkness take over.

~*~

Say you can't sleep, baby, I know

That's that me espresso—

I groan, grabbing my phone. The word "WAKE UP!" glares at me in bold letters while "Espresso" by Sabrina Carpenter blasts from the speaker.Before I can hit snooze, my door slams open. 

Isabella strides in, looking entirely too energetic for this hour."You're still asleep?" she exclaims, hands on her hips.

I grunt and pull the covers over my head. 

"What am I going to do with you?" she mutters before landing a hard punch to my leg.

"Ouch!" I groan, sitting up sluggishly.

"It's ten in the morning! Breakfast ends in two hours, and I have plans for us. Meet me in thirty minutes—with a bathing suit on." She smirks before disappearing.

Reluctantly, I drag myself into the bathroom. After a long soak, I slip into a black-and-white striped one-piece, throwing on denim shorts and a white tee. I tie my hair into a ponytail, grab my phone and a towel, and head out.

As I wait for the elevator, I call my mom. After a few rings, she answers. "Destiny?"

I smile at the sound of her voice. "Hey, Mom. I know you told me not to call, but I have a question."

"Make it quick, Des. I have a meeting in twenty."

I start weaving through the crowd. "Do you know someone named Isa—?"

Before I can finish, I collide with someone—hard.

"What the hell!" a deep voice grumbles.I step back quickly, eyes widening. 

"I—I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" 

Icy blue eyes glare at me. He's tall, with dark hair that catches the light, revealing warm brown undertones. He cocks his head slightly. "Jesus Christ, watch where you're going."

I cross my arms, irritation bubbling. "Relax. I apologized. It's crowded."

His scowl softens into a smirk, cheeks tinged pink. "Yeah, you're right. Sorry for being a douche."

I pat his shoulder jokingly. "Although this convo is riveting, I have breakfast plans."

"Or," he leans in, voice low, "you could come to my room for an hour."

My brain short-circuits for a minute, and then it clicks. My expression twists in disgust. "Have you lost your mind? I'm not that kind of girl."

"But you could be," he winks.

"Ugh, as if!" I shove past him, mortified.

"Destiny, can you hear me?" my mom's voice blares through the phone.

Oh, no. She heard everything.

"Forget my question. Love you—good luck on your meeting!" I hang up, shoving my phone into my pocket. As if my morning wasn't bad enough, my stomach growls loudly.

Note to self: Eat at night!

~*~

After breakfast, Isabella drags me to the pool. The sun reflects off the clear water, shimmering in a way that almost makes me forget the heat pressing against my skin. People lounge under umbrellas, kids splash near the shallower end, and waiters weave through the crowd carrying colorful drinks.

Then I see him.

The same blue-eyed jerk appears, grinning at Isabella. "Hey, Isabella." He kisses her cheek, pulling her into a brief hug.

They chat for a moment before his gaze lands on me. His expression shifts, amusement flickering behind his striking features. "So this is who you had breakfast with?"

Isabella glances between us, her brows knitting together. "Wait—you two know each other?"

"Let's just say we had an incident," he replies, lips curling slightly as he answers for the both of us.

"Um, I should let you two finish that conversation. I'll be swimming or something." I comment, pointing awkwardly towards the pool. Isabella and that egghead obviously have something going on, and I'd hate to be a third wheeler. 

"Ugh, not her too," Isabella groans audibly while the boy next to her laughs softly. Her face begins to redden with a slight of annoyance. She studies my face, then sighs. "Destiny, meet Drew Graham—my brother."

My stomach drops. I stare between them, mind racing.

"What?"

Well, this trip just got a hell of a lot interesting.