Chapter 19: Chapter 19

Chapter eighteen.

Zack's POV.

The drive doesn't last long, infact it doesn't take us up to ten minutes to get to the parking space. Outside, I allow the sun to shine upon my skin, letting the warm contexture press against my body. The breeze enters my nostrils, a pungent scent of salt, and crisp following behind. The feeling is pure, and clean.

When James joins me on the outside, after he's finally parked well, we both walk in sync. The ground is soft against the boot, letting me sink in with each steps.

There are wooden-made tent at the start of the beach, and at one of them, James point to. As my eyes trail after his index finger, I see Rebecca already waving to us. She's an easy figure to catch.

Approaching the tent, I notice that she's not the only one there. James mentioned that he'll be meeting their team. I recall the one other face apart from Rebecca's. Adam is sitting by the opposite side to Rebecca. He has a juice cup he's holding. The content is whitish. I don't think it's achol, neither do I think it's wine. Whatever it is, I'm not so sure.

There's two other figure, a guy and a girl sitting at the end of the chairs — there are four soft sofas here that looks bouncy from eyes, joined together so it forms a circular shape. Those two other figures cuddle with each other, as they talk as though no one else is around them.

"Zack, you made it!" Rebecca shouts, and jumps at me, pulling me into a tight hug.

"But please, don't tell me you wanted me to come, so you can kill me with tight hugs." I complain, and she makes a recomposing sound, before she then soften her firmness around me.

"Sorry. I just didn't know you would come."

"I would." I look over to James, who's not paying attention to us. He is chatting with Adam, and they are both laughing at something. Adam hits the couple, disturbing them, then he tells the other guy something making him chuckle too.

"We'll have to think guys. We are sure not doing that again." The guy says, his accent isn't pure American. I think he is Indian. It shows in his face, apart from that though, in his features, the country's look reflects. Just my best guess though, don't mind me if I'm wrong.

"What is that?"

"You don't want to know, Rebecca." The guy says.

She scoff, and rolls her eyes. "whatever, irs your issue. Anyway, guys, this is Zack—the both of you," she reference to the last two people I don't know from their group, "this is Jason and Ariana, Zack. This is Zack, Jason, Ariana." She is quick to introduce us.

I smile and wave at them, and they do so back. They look welcoming, and their smile is their leading stance. "How're doing, Zack?" Jason ask me, his hands on Ariana's thighs.

"Fine, thanks."

"Welcome to the group. Heard a bit already about you from Rebecca. She's quite the loquacious kind, keep hidden stuff hidden, away from her." As he finishes, Ariana hit him on the shoulder, making him groan.

"Take high-five, girl." Rebecca says to Ariana, and they hit palms together, giggling at Jason's playful cry. "Oh, don't act like a child, Jason." Rebecca is being sarcastic. It evolves in her tone.

"And lastly, please stay on the guy's side, this girls are our opponent." He finishes, making everyone laugh, including myself.

I take a seat beside Rebecca since she's the only one sitting at her side. The other are sitting opposite from her.

"Would you like coconut water drink?" She ask me, already wanting to pour me a cup. Oh, so that was what Adam was drinking, cool.

I nod, "yeah, thanks."

"No qualms." She says, and passes me my cup. I join the group.

The silence doesn't last long.

"Guys, won't we play any games?" Adam says, his tone complaining. Since he is sitting in the middle, between Jason by his left, and James by his right, he dart his eyes towards them both.

"What are you thinking?" James ask, having no idea too, I guess.

"Maybe cards?"

"Definitely, no." That was Jason. He seems serious.

"Okay. Um, what about something...um, something more mature." James' eyes is focused on the ocean. "let's go skiing."

"What? That's deadly!" Exclaims Adam, the horror is plain in his eyes. I find myself laughing out. I understand him, I do hate water skiing as well.

It requires so much effort, and firmness of the muscles, people like James and Jason can do it. Jason is built too, his black shirt revealing those underneath pecs. His hair is jet black, and his skin is sandy, and tanned. He is alluring as well. Ariana is too, she has lanky body, fitting with the kind of body Jason has. They are lovely couples, and I just met them. She has blonde hair, and at the tip to the end, she has it dyed crimson red.

"Babe, I don't support it as well." I hear her say to Jason. He whispers something to her ears that made her laugh, and finally consent.

As James stand, he ask Adam, "hey, come along."

Adam shakes his head, gesturing a very firm no. "I will not."

"At least, come watch the game." Jason chimes in, making Adam groan. He murmurs something under his breath, but it was inaudible to my ears.

"He'll be the one to drive the boat." James says, following. Surprisingly, Adam does not complain.

James and Jason lead the way with Adam behind them, still holding his cup of coconut water drink. The way he even gaits behind them, anyone would see that he is being extremely reluctant.

"I should go join them." Says Ariana, all of the sudden, and prop up. She trails behind them.

Before getting to the bank of the ocean, there are as much skiing equipment as one would need. On the seat, it remains Rebecca and I.

"You will not go?" Her question, coming in an unexpected way, baffles me.

"No. You?"

"We are on the same page." The way she said it sounds singsong-ly.

By the time I faced where the others are, James and Jason are already wearing their suit, the engine of the boat has been kicked to life, and they are beginning to glide over the water.

Adam is wheeling the steers, while Ariana is on the back seat, whooping for the guys, seeming to encourage the men behind their boat.

"James is a good guy." I hear Rebecca says from behind me, making me turn my head. I already have an insight of what she's trying to say, or maybe I already know, but I pretend, so I ask.

"Pardon me?" I really am faking it.

She smiles, not looking at me, but down at her cup. Her fingers painted in black drums round the hem of the cup. "James is a really good guy." Then, she raises her gaze up at me.

"I...guess I know that already. He helped me from the start, remember?" I laugh, and it hadn't came out the right way. I sound like I am forcing it.

"That's not what I mean?" Oh, no, is she wooing me for James, or should I say, on James' behalf, she is wooing me?

It's the same, really. My subconscious tells me, and I have to agree with him.

"What then?"

"I don't know since I'm neither of you guys, but base on my suspicion, I noticed that the both of you have something for each other even though you aren't going to conform to it. It's bad, actually." She breaths out. "I'm saying this because I want the best for James, and if he will deserve someone that loves him, it should be you." My eyes flare at that, making her nod her head, she she has a ghosty smile on. "I might not have known you for that long, but trust me, I think you deserve some accolade. Pardon me, hell yeah, you deserve accolades."

With she saying all this, I find myself speechless. What would I even say? I open my lips for words to come out, but it only results in me, closing then back again.

After a long drawn out moment, I have comported myself.

"Did James told you that he likes me?" I ask her.

"Yes, he did. You should have noticed." She is right. I should have noticed. And yes truthfully, I have noticed.

I look down, thinking of what next I can say, or ask. "I just can't, Rebecca." As I finish saying, I squeeze my eyes shut, my lids pushing against each other. "I will go back to my place, and I have so much goals. I have a job that I'll most likely get soon, and will be busy most of the time. I'll chase after my career, and to chase after relationship life, especially one that most people considers unhealthy isn't...I don't even know. I just have these thoughts telling me that James and I won't last long. Maybe it's right, maybe it is not. I don't want to find out."

She snickers, which is something I find very, very confusing considering the kind of situation we are in, and what are discussing.

"I thought as a writer, everything is risk. You guys risk your imaginations, your time...just for a creation that doesn't exist. Just for something fictional. Why then is this risk bothering you?" When she finishes, she looks quite bothered, and frustrated, let me just add.

I don't understand her. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you being a writer, you risk your reality for a dream, for a fictional life. When your characters are sad, you are sad. When your characters are happy, you are happy. When they are in trouble, you feel it too. Take this chance as that risk, if it doesn't work out, if it pains, know that it's just another reality. Your life, your own soul is your own reality, and as long as you still have it, you can be happy anytime."

"Did you read this from somewhere?" I want to smack myself for spoiling the inspiration time, but I just have to. She seems like she's reciting a poem... might sound offensive, but really it seems like it.

"No?" She's questioning.

"Nothing much. Just that the way you've spoken, even me as a writer don't think in that direction." I say, and she releases a gust of laughter. I find it contagious.

"Really?" She is still laughing. "Well, I just do envy you writers. It's a great skill to be one, to be categorized as one. You guys can make a new reality. I'm saying this from experience."

"Do you use, or used to have a writer as friend?" The question burns my insides.

She nods, certainly. "Yes. Used."

"Oh."

"Hm-mh. She would laugh then when are protagonist are laughing. She would cry when they are. She used to have crushes on them as well." I laugh right on that.

"She sounded sweet. I would have loved to meet her. By the way, she sounds like a good author. I do use to have crushes on my characters as well." When I confirm, that she smacks me on the shoulder, playfully, and we laugh at that.

Looking behind me, James is the only one still skiing. It seems like Jason has fallen, failed in the game. Searching, my eyes sees him at the start of the ocean, looking tired, and breathing really hard. He's lying flat, his back to the floor as he heaves.

"Yeah, you're right." Rebecca says, gaining my attention once again.

"Earlier, you mentioned that James helped you. In what way?"

She hums. "I lost my parents few years back, and had to live with my Uncle and Aunt, but they never understood me. Everytime, we would fight. I knew I needed my space, so I came here when I knew about it. I wanted silence, I wanted solace, I found it here. James helped me with my condition, and he joined me into the group."

Wow. I am rendered completely dumbfounded. "Sorry." Is all I could muster.

She nods, and take a sip from her drink. I do the same.

"It's fine. I am fine now." And i can see that in her. She is okay-looking.

"You know, this place should be named The Resolution Quebec."

"Oh, cool, this is one of the why I love writers. Always having a nice way to bringing up made names."

I flush at that. She's marvelous. "Oh, thanks."

"Hmm. Well, call this place whatever you want to, just don't insult it, or else, it will haunt you." Her tone is frightening, but I laugh anyway.

"If you should be a writer, I'm sure you'd be a horror kind."

"Really?" At least, it's a good one, righu?"

I laugh, and play with her. "Yeah, it will be good when you scare your readers."

She gasp, and punch me in the shoulder, making me laugh so hard. "Leave me." She's pouting.

I smile at her childishness when I hear chattering sound from behind us. Since I am finished with my drink, I put it down, and face my back to see Jason, and Ariana walking towards us. He has his hands hooked to my shoulders, as they laugh. To their left is Adam, then James.

When they get to their seats, we all indulge into conversations over conversations.