"Pasta?" Ray asked appearing at the back door. I was laying on a small hammock he'd built by attaching its ropes to the branches of close by parallel trees. I shook my head, looking up at the sun through the leaves. The day was hot but they had provided a cool comforting shade and had made my evening a little less miserable.
"You're still upset about last night" He stated the obvious and I pretended not to hear.
"Okay" he folded his arms across his chest and mischief replaced his usually blank face. "Aleecia is going to the supermarket. I would have taken the time to be with you but you've made it pretty clear you don't want that" he mumbled, laughter hidden behind each word. I held my breath, dreading his next sentence. "So, I agreed to go with her and as you know you have to come along"
I scoffed sitting up to argue with his outrageous decision
"Five minutes Cornella" he added and before I could protest, he left. I grunted. How did he see this playing out exactly? He was taking me out with his girlfriend for God's sake. Even after all the dirty, lust ridden things he'd done to me. I took a deep breath trying to dissuade a budding heart attack. Ray was going to be the death of me.
•°•°•°•°•°
"You're not going to say anything?"
"This was a bad idea. You are officially a stupid person" I whispered, watching Aleecia's every move. She was throwing random snacks into the trolley. Ray's chuckle rang throughout the brightly lit supermarket and I elbowed him in the stomach. He winced, playfully clutching his abdomen and I shook my head dismissively.
'Here I was trying to keep quiet and he was blowing up my mental state with his loud outburst.'
We lagged back a bit and Aleecia disappeared to the other aisle, completely mesmerized with the shelves.
"About the brunch tomorrow?" He continued
"What about it? What do you want me to say? You've made it pretty clear you're going with Aleecia"
"I didn't…"
"Yea, Ray, you did. I believe your exact words were. I'm going with my girlfriend"
"Would you let me finish?" he asked a bit annoyed and I gave him the floor.
"I told you I'd have to go with Aleecia…"
"Your girlfriend…" I added grudgingly
"I would have to go with her because she's my girlfriend…"
"Yep, there it is"
"Annnd, it wouldn't look appropriate"
"I think you should shut the hell up. Your voice is disturbing my judgment" I spoke through gritted teeth grabbing a lays from its rack, forcing it open and shoving a few into my mouth.
"You're not supposed to do that" He butted, referring to the snack I'd begun eating without paying for.
"O my God" I whispered sarcastically "It seems like I keep doing things I'm not supposed to" I cried in disbelief "Arrest me" I prompted, my discontented expression returning and I shoved a finger full of lays into my mouth to demonstrate how much I cared. Almost immediately, he snatched the chips from my fingers and locked me to the shelf with his free hand.
"Maybe I should." He scoffed dunking the remaining flakes down his throat. He took his time chewing them, intentionally making loud munching sounds before exhaling through his mouth so that the cheesy potato aroma was whipped up by my nostrils. My anger cried as his hot breath sent Goosebumps scurrying to the surface of my skin.
I took a deep breath. "Get off me"
"You need to let it go. Let's just say I don't like being touched and move past this" He spoke collectively.
"Mhmm" I nodded my head, my mind in total turmoil and resistance. This was far from over and he just kept adding to the pile of things we disagreed on "Like this?" I questioned innocently, touching his groin. He scoffed in the depths of his throat, grabbing my hand and forcefully bringing it to his view. He glared at me and I matched his irritated stare. The air between us was intense and neither of us endeavored to shrink a little for the sake of the other.
"Is everything okay in aisle four?" Some lady voiced over the mic and he released my hand and stepped back, anger visibly pulsing throughout him. He walked off and I pulled up beside him not yet done with our conversation.
"You and your girlfriend can…" I began and he chuckled, catching me off-guard
"It's a little too early for you to be getting jealous of Aleecia don't you think?"
I curled my eyes as his statement dried up my last source of calm
"I could never be jealous of you and Alee…"
"So you're saying what exactly, I'm not worth your jealousy?" He stopped to face me with I look I couldn't pin. I began to stutter, not quite knowing how to answer that.
"Okay" He tapped his tongue against his mouth while eyeing me intently. He didn't say another word, he just continued scouting the corridors of the shelves in an unbreakable silence. It wasn't until we'd found Aleecia that he spoke again.
"So, how about we do that thing you suggested last night in my bedroom" Ray asked Aleecia, stressing the 'bedroom' while helping her to unload the trolley at the cashier. I rolled my eyes trying not to think about it. I mean, were they having sex. I froze. My mind attempted to dismiss the preluding thoughts without luck. I kept imagining his lips, body and touch on her. My eyes wandered up to his. He had a dirty, intentional smile etched to his lips.
"What do you say Mia, you in?" Aleecia asked and I cleared my throat
"What?"
"You don't look too good" Ray smiled in amusement
"Yeah sure, I'm in" I replied having no idea what I was accepting.
"Great. I hope you win because God help you if you don't" Ray's smile widened and I inhaled sharply wondering what I had gotten myself into. He handed me a bag full of groceries before taking three and walking off without an explanation.
"Win what?" I asked Aleecia finally, struggling with the bag. It weighed a frikin ton.
"You know that event were people bid on bachelors and bachelorettes?"
"Yes?"
"Well that's what you've agreed to. The person who gets the highest bidding at the brunch tomorrow wins"
"Wins what?" I questioned nervously
"The opportunity to ask one of us, to do anything."
I nodded understandingly, knowing exactly what I was going to ask Ray and what he'd ask me if he won. I was going to do everything humanly possible to ensure that he did not win. Anything was better than what he'd want me to do. Sadly the odds were greatly against me. It would take a miracle for him to lose. I didn't know one woman on this island who didn't have an innocent crush on Ray.
This was an unfair battle.