Amelia turned her head to the water far off, where it seemed like the bottom of the sun grazed the waves slightly. It looked like fire blazed underneath with the bright orange hue that overtook that part of the water. As she continued to stare at it, the noises around her–laughter, squeals, music, slowly turned to muffle incoherent sound until she could hear nothing but water whooshing softly back and forth.
It spilled against her ankle and pulled away only to do so again.
"Have you ever wondered what laid underneath? Perhaps if I go down there, I will see a mermaid." She chuckled and kicked wet sand, the reign of the horse in her hand as she walked beside it. "But I'm too scared. I don't have the guts to get into the water up to my waist level." She stopped walking and gazed off at the horizon, one hand over her forehead. "Would you dive in with me?" She turned to look over her shoulder at Byron. A frown settled on her face. "What are you doing?"
Byron lowered the camera, a lopsided sheepish smile overtaking his lips slowly. "Taking pictures of a supermodel while I can."
Amelia giggled, heat seeping into her cheeks. "Stop!" She scolded half-heartedly. "I don't want you posting that. I want this moment together to be just for us."
"I know babe. I'm not gonna post it." Byron pushed back his short hair and walked closer to her, firm fresh breeze with a twinge of saltiness pushed back his unbuttoned sky blue shirt. He raised the camera to his eyes. "Just for keepsake. Something more tangible than our memories. Here," he stretched out his hand.
Amelia blushed even harder as she slipped her hands into his wide palm, a smile widening at the warmth that engulfed her slender hands as he wrapped his fingers around it.
"This is me holding on to my forever."
Click!
"Byron." She squealed softly, her smile getting wider that it was starting to hurt.
"The love of my life."
Click!
She giggled, her other hand leaving the rein of the horse to push back the roaming wild strands of her hair to the back.
"Perfect." Byron whispered and lowered the camera before jerking her to him so that she collided into his chest. His arms wrapped itself around her waist to keep her in place, he swooped down to kiss her.
"I love you."
Amelia smiled against his lips. "I love you too." She kissed him back. A sweet one, short but passionate.
When they pulled back from each other, Byron traced her bottom lips with his thumb. "Can't wait to be married to you." He drawled.
"I'll gladly walk down that aisle babe. Anytime you want." She replied.
Her tongue tasted salt before she could realize it. Before she could realize the force that was threatening to crush the walls of her throat into bits. Amelia sniffed in and wiped the tears that wet her cheeks. The noise of the beach returned in full force. She felt thick paper I'm her hands and when she looked down, she was staring at a 3.4 × 4.2 inches photograph of her hands in Byron's while her other hand tried to push back the strands of hair blown about her face. At a bottom corner was a "my forever" in Byron's handwriting written in black marker.
"Stupid." Amelia scolded herself softly, her lips trembling. She didn't know when she slipped out the Polaroid picture from the back of her phone.
Why do I still have it? She wondered as she got up from her lounge chair and grabbed her lace kimono. Chantal and the party was on her left so she went right having a strong desire to be alone. Away from people.
As she walked further from them, she let herself be carried back and forth mentally by the rhythmic push and pull sounds of the tide, her mind wandering.
They were going to get married. She had dreamed it up to the point of creating a family and watching them grow. Byron had been promising, nothing could go wrong. But she had been too blind. To see that all the love he showered her came with what she could offer. And the moment that was gone, so was his so-called forever love.
I was an idiot.
Amelia will never stop blaming herself for not seeing through his display. For believing in him. For finding an excuse for the tiny slip-ups that were pointers to who Byron really was. Her sister had warned her. She had seen something but Amelia has refused to listen. Too much in love that she was afraid to tamper with it.
She remembered trying to bring up an issue in the most non-accusing way concerning his photography assistant and it had escalated into a matter of distrust that had the blame on her. The more she thought about that quarrel, the more she realized how manipulative the unfaithful traitor he was.
"Asshole!" She cussed in a harsh whisper and picked up something from the ground. It's an ivory white shell with deep pink–the colour of hibiscus tea— spot in a line around the middle. Mindlessly, she brushed off sand and continued to walk. She examined the piece like it had one of those ancient crypts scribbled on it. Anything was better than thinking about Byron.
She rubbed the pointy tip of the shell, mulling over an idea that just popped itself into her head. She could drill a hole, get one of those macrame ropes and turn into a pendant.
Nahh… it'd be too big. I don't think it's my style.
"That's beautiful."
"Ahhh!"
A horrified shriek comes out of her mouth and next thing she knows, she's trying to save the shell from falling off her hands and on to the floor. In fright, she had nearly dropped the thing.
"Don't ever do that again!" She scolds Kamari after she successfully catches the shell mid air.
"Sorry, ma'am. Didn't mean to startle you." Kamari lifted his arms apologetically. The flex in his biceps pulled Amelia's gaze to its glistening self, still damp from the dunk earlier.
God! They're as huge as I imagined.
"What are you doing out here by yourself?" Kamari looked around, scanning the area briefly. It was quite silent and the people at the other end were starting to shrink to nothing but merely moving figures. "Pretty deserted, don't you think?"
"No need to worry about me. I can take care of myself!" Amelia snapped, eyebrows pulled towards each other fiercely as she turned around and took a very careless step back the way she had come.
"Ow!" Her ankle twisted to the side dangerously, sinking her towards the ground halfway. Thankfully, Kamari caught her on time.
"Are you okay?" He breathed into her ear from behind.
Amelia's earlobes burned. Delightfully.
"I'm fine thanks." She said tartly and pushed herself off him, annoyed but as soon as she was nearly vertical, she sank again. This time, she hit the floor with the other side of her body releasing a pained "ow!" and an angry "shit!"
Balancing herself on her butt, she brushed off sand from her arms and glared at the culprit. A half-buried stone. When she looked up, Kamari was in front of her, squatting. His long fingers already wrapped around her ankle before she could protest as he examined it.
"Ow! The heck! That hurts!" Amelia jerked her foot backward and gave him an even harsher glare.
"Sorry, needed to know where the problem was." Kamari pursed his lips for a second. "Sprained ankle. Some ice and rest and you'll be fine. No heels too." He added despite the mad look on her face.
Kamari examined her ankle again, deft fingers pressing certain spots around her ankle like a doctor. "Back over there, I could massage in some balm to help with the pain if you want."
"What else can you do with those hands?"
Kamari's head snapped up fast. "Huh?"
"Huh!" Amelia stared at him wide-eyed and surprised at herself. That was meant to be a thought. She looked away, cheeks turning up several degrees hot. For snail-paced seconds, Amelia stared at the water while Kamari stared at her.
Please look away or go away. She begged Kamari in her head.
"This is you?"
His question caught her attention, she had to look. Kamari was holding the Polaroid in between his index and thumb. He shifted his gaze to her. "Forever–"
"Give me that!" She snatched it out of his fingers and crumpled it in her hands. "Can we get out of here already?"
Nothing was nice about her tone.
"Sure. Yeah sure. Why not? Sorry." Kamari grabbed one of her forearm and helped her to her feet but he wasn't planning on being her substitute leg like she thought.
"What are you doing?" Amelia stared at his bare back, leaning heavily on her good leg.
Kamari was in front of her, bending slightly.
"Hop on ma'am. It's faster this way."
An unbelievable laugh burst out of her mouth. Breathy and as incredulous as she found his proposition. "There's no way you're giving me a damn piggy back ride."
"It's better than limping."
"I prefer that." Amelia frowned at the image of her boobs squishing into his back. No way was she going to give him that luxury. She was his boss and she wasn't about to be the topic of discussion when he's out drinking with his friends.
Kamari straightened with a sigh. "Ma'am. I have a grill to attend to. I'd like to return and keep my employer for the weekend happy." Kamari forced a polite smile.
"Still…" Amelia looked away and instinctively crossed one hand over her chest.
Kamari lifted his eyebrows in amusement, understanding what the issue was. He hid his smile and walked around her. "Okay then. You leave me no other choice."
It was a fast blink-of-an-eye moment. Kamari scooped her onto his chest, bridal style.
"Oh lord!" Amelia moaned a complaimt when her cheeks pressed into his chest.
"It'd be better for both of us if you have your arms around my neck." Kamari tried his best to keep a straight face, immensely enjoying her discomfort. He could tell from the way her body tensed against his and the way she looked at everywhere but at him.
"Oh my goodness! Amelia are you okay?"
Amelia couldn't hide her relief at Chantal's voice. The torturous ride was over, thank heavens! They were back at the fun side of the beach, the noise she had hated sounded like music now and her lounge chair felt like a bunch of plushies put together as Kamari set her down.
"Sprained ankle." Kamari enlightened Chantal as soon as he straightened, hands on his waist and eyes in a squint.
"Saving lives, how talented." Chantal gave Amelia an excited one-second look and Amelia groaned internally. "Thank you uh…" she stretched out a hand.
Kamari looked at Amelia as if asking for permission and with a disgruntled sigh, Amelia did the introductions.
"Chantal, this Kamari. He works for me. Kamari this is Chantal. My friend."
"Best friend." Chantal corrected enthusiastically as Kamari shook her hand. "Nice to meet you Kamari and thank you for saving Amelia's life."
"Oh please." Amelia muttered and Kamari chuckled good-naturedly. She could hear the silent squeal from Chantal who was biting down on her bottom lip.
"Happy I could help. I'll go get the balm. Be right back." He said and jogged away.
"Mmmmmmmm!"
Amelia sighed. "Please shut up."
"He works for you!" Chantal squealed. "Didn't know you have such a hot employee!"
"It's not a big deal Chantal. He simply makes my coffee."
"He's your Personal Assistant!" Chantal's squeal went a notch higher. "OMG!" Chantal clucked her tongue. "He's hot!"
Amelia rolled her eyes and focused on making herself comfortable on her chair.
"You know what I'm thinking?" Chantal perched her bottom on the edge of Amelia's chair.
"What?" Amelia looked at her directly.
"What if he's the summer fling you need?"
"Oh no." Amelia muttered.
"I mean think about it. Just… just look at him. He's hot, he's gorgeous and he's served on a golden platter right in front of you." Chantal sang into her ear, low and suggestive.
Amelia watched Kamari talk to someone briefly, laugh at something then disappear into a shop.
"It's not gonna work." Amelia shook her head and turned to Chantal. "I'm his boss Chantal?"
"And so what!" Chantal threw her hands in the air then leaned forward. "When was the last time you had exciting romance huh? Look at you, you're turning into still art already."
Amelia glared but it was cut short as Kamari returned with a tube of balm, an ice pack and a wide handkerchief. She stiffened immediately his cool fingers touched her skin.
"Stretch out your leg a little, would you?" He said gently as he got to work. Amelia relaxed and looked to the side to catch Chantal wiggling her eyebrows at her. She sighed inwardly and gazed down at Kamari whose forehead was knotted in concentration as he worked on her leg.
Hot exciting romance huh. She found herself considering the possiblity.
Could it work?