PART 3
The whiteness of the sand contrasted with the crystal-clear sea. From the shore, you could see the gentle ripples of the water in motion. The area around the beach, filled with rocks, was surrounded by countless species of tropical plants, adding more color and life to the scene. The sea of the Michi Islands was considered the clearest in the world, making vacations there a luxury reserved for the wealthiest or the island’s native inhabitants.
“Where’s Andrew gone?” Oscar asked as he finished applying sunscreen.
“No idea,” Johnny replied, taking off his sunglasses.
“And Diana?” Mike asked as he emerged from the water and joined them. “Is she okay?”
“She’ll come later; she wasn’t feeling well,” Emily answered, shifting to catch more sun.
“I’ll go find her,” Mike said, starting to walk towards the hotel. But he stopped when he noticed that, just a few meters away, Diana was already approaching, accompanied by Andrew.
For some reason, seeing this made Mike feel like he’d been punched in the stomach. Annoyed, he headed back into the sea to distance himself from them.
“Look at the lovebirds!” Oscar shouted, only to receive an elbow from Johnny, who was aware of Mike’s mood.
1.jpg [https://i.postimg.cc/2jbhqHnW/1.jpg]
“I feel bad that my brother’s all alone,” Diana said to Emily as they set up their things.
“Don’t worry, it’s not every day you get to stay in a four-star hotel. Plus, your mom will enjoy it.”
“Even so, leaving him alone until my mom arrives seems a bit…”
“Nonsense, they’ll be fine. A few days without you shadowing him will do wonders.”
“Don’t talk about him like that,” Diana complained as she took off her clothes, revealing a high-waisted bikini that her friend, once again, had forced her to wear.
“What do you want me to say? You know your little brother can be a bit of a pain.”
“Are you picking on me?” Diana asked as she applied sunscreen.
“I need to tan.”
“Did you put on sunscreen?”
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“Yes, Mom.”
“Remember, your skin is sensitive.”
“Not all of us are lucky enough to have ebony skin like you.”
“I’d rather see you pale and with a red nose than tanned and looking like a slice of bacon,” Diana shouted as she walked away from Emily. “I’m going in the water.”
Carefully, she entered the sea, which, despite being cold, alleviated the heat from the sun’s rays. She approached Mike, who saw her from a distance, but when she tried to talk to him, he rudely ignored her.
“Mike, did you find that Puperita pupa shell you were so eager for?” Oscar asked, while Diana, not far away, listened to their conversation.
“No. It’s strange. This part of the world should be full of that kind of shell.”
“Maybe give it a rest; today’s not your day.”
“Seems that way…” Mike agreed, running a hand through his hair while glancing at Diana.
“Puperita pupa?” she repeated to herself.
Diana sensed that Mike’s behavior towards her might be due to how she had acted on the plane. She regretted it, because no matter how painful it was for her that Mike didn’t like her, she had no right to treat him the way she did. So, Diana decided she would surprise her friend by finding several of those Puperita shells and making him a bracelet with them.
She focused on searching for the shells, diving in and out of the water, while the gentle drops caressed her perfectly sculpted body. With her high ponytail and the shine from the oily sunscreen she had applied, every time she emerged, the guys couldn’t help but admire the sight before them.
“I don’t understand why she covers up so much,” Johnny commented, blushing, as he entered the water minutes after Mike, watching Diana with a deep gaze.
“Under those loose clothes is a fantastic body,” Oscar added with a mischievous smile.
“What are you guys whispering about?” Mike asked irritably, cracking his knuckles behind them.
“Nothing, nothing,” Johnny and Oscar replied in unison as two strangers approached Diana.
“Are you alone?” one of them asked, circling her.
“Are you from around here?” his companion added, positioning himself in front of her. “We can show you around the island.”
“I…” Diana began to speak, but Mike put his arm around her shoulders, and Andrew stepped right in front of her.
“She’s with us,” Andrew informed them.
“And no, she’s not from here. But she already has company to show her around the island,” Mike added.
“A bit too much information, but not bad,” Andrew said, patting his friend on the back.
“Sorry, we didn’t mean to bother you,” the two guys apologized as they walked away.
“Thanks for the help,” Diana said, turning to them. “But I can handle myself.”
“No worries, next time we won’t help,” Mike replied curtly as he walked away, heading back into the sea.
Diana hadn’t meant to offend Mike, but somehow, she had pushed him further away. She didn’t want him to take her comment the wrong way, let alone upset him. But everything seemed to be falling apart with him. Lost in her thoughts, an inflatable ball suddenly hit her head.
“Hey, want to play?” Emily suggested to her friend, retrieving the ball after it bounced off Diana.
For now, there was nothing she could do to fix things with Mike, and no matter how hard she tried to talk to him, he either ignored her or acted as if she didn’t exist. What she needed most at that moment was a good game of volleyball with the girls. It might not get Mike off her mind, but it would at least keep her distracted.