Lila had arrived at Bliss Resort, filled with excitement and trepidation. This must be the resort that outmatches them all, judged by reputation alone. The grandeur just overwhelmed. Next second, white marble pillars, shining chandeliers, fresh flowers exuding their fragrance in welcome, greeted her as she pushed open the large doors, leading to the grand lobby.
She then turned to Alex, handling the check-in at the reception, where he appeared troubled with such aloofness. It was so disturbing these days. Lila hoped the vacation would get back the old passions they shared.
"Alex, isn't this place grand?" Lila asked, her eyes wide.
Reacting indifferently, Alex nodded in agreement. "Yes, it's nice," he said without removing his eyes from his smartphone.
Lila's smile faltered but she worked hard at staying upbeat. "I'm so excited to see what our room looks like and more of the resort.".
She was struck by the beauty of decoration and all the small details considered, entering their suite. The room was certainly no less resplendent than the one in the lobby. The view, too, opened up to the maximum over the ocean, thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows. She turned around with a hope to see excitement in Alex's face, but he craned over his phone still.
"I'm going to freshen up," she muttered with little embarrassment over her obvious disappointment.
Rafael had come to the resort with Bianca. As they checked in, Bianca couldn't contain her excitement.
"Rafael, this place is just amazing! I cannot believe you have done all this for us," she said as she flung her arms around him.
Rafael was smiling, but his mind was obviously elsewhere. Inside, something just kept telling him that he was about to make a mistake. Bianca did not shut up all the way up to their suite about the wedding and the rest of their life, but Rafael's mind was not there.
Their suite was also plush—like Lila's, it befits their stature. Opening to a large balcony, it gave room to get a good view of the surrounding resort.
Monsignor Rafael pulled out the mobile selfie stick as he came out into the balcony to get some cold air. He was carrying in his mind many things, and he wanted to have proficient's airing to focus on the matters at hand.
Down by the beach, with Alex asleep, Lila thought of taking that walk round the resort. The sea breeze was cool, and waves dashed from the sea to the shore in their droves. Maybe it was such an atmosphere of appeasing sound that, when she realized she was walking by the shore in deep thought, she saw a tall, raving mad man who stood alone by the waters somehow very deeply in thought, just as she was.
Their eyes locked as she came nearer towards him. Rafael was slightly impressed by the serenity of the woman walking up to him. Dark locks waved in the air, and her eyes provided him with the depth of her soul: kind and wise.
"Hello," she smiled. "Beautiful day, isn't it?"
"Yes, it is," returned Rafael, in a warm tone of voice. "I'm Rafael."
"Lila," she introduced herself, extending her hand. "You here on holiday?"
"Maybe that, yes," Rafael replied with the same sarcastic intonation. "You?"
"Yeah, I won a raffle at work. Thought of taking a break," explained Lila. "And you? Come with family?"
Rafael was hesitant. "I've come with my girlfriend," he admitted, looking back toward the resort.
Lila nodded. "Me too. My boyfriend is back in the room resting."
Both were silent for a few minutes, each one absorbed in her/his own thoughts. A sort of silent, vexed kindredship—a sensation that both of them were dodging decisions and expectations too great for lives to keep up with—seemed to exist between them.
Then Rafael spoke. "Would you like to take a walk with me?"
Lila smiled. "I'd love to."
They strolled along the shore talking about anything and everything. That way, Rafael felt had he ever had been so close to any girl. He pitied her over his battleship when he was confiding in his frustration with the demands from his family to have him marry and get them an heir in that aspect. Lila listened understandingly, relating it to her Own struggles in treading between work and personal life.
"I know how it feels, being caught by the expectations hung on you all the time," her voice had gentled. "Sometimes it seems to be living for other people and not even for oneself."
Rafael nodded. "Just so. But then, meeting you—there's only something so.. nice. I don't know, with you, I feel like I can be myself."
A flush ran down her chest. "I feel it too."
Back in their rooms, both Bianca and Alex were getting a little restless. Bianca was getting ready, willing, and waiting for that perfect moment of engagement to come. Meanwhile, Alex sat pounding his phone to some other girl farther and farther from Lila than he had ever felt.
That evening a ball was thrown in the resort. Rafael, Bianca, Lila, Alex—all went to the ball, but none of them really wanted to. Bianca acted as if she was born to that kind of thing and went about chatting with all the guests, showing off in the best manner possible. Alex stood to the side; he was thinking of something else.
They drifted towards each other over time until at last they were together again. Moments stolen, the conversation was full of laughter and innuendo.
"Want to get some air?" Rafael asked her as she was getting jumpy in the crowded ballroom.
"Yes please," she said, thankful for the escape.
They tiptoed to the verandah; the cold night air was refreshing. All around them were stars, the waves were lashing the beach, and all was at peace. Rafael took Lila's hand—the kind of girl with whom he always felt well—and they stood there in comfortable silence, just being with each other.
"I wish things were different," Rafael said softly. "I wish that I could live my life on my terms."
Lila squeezed his hand. "Me too, Rafael. Me too.
The moment was cut when there was a sudden hubbub in the room. They turned to find Bianca standing at the center—right between them and the audience—with a small, crimson velvet box held out. Rafael felt his gut tumble, probably knowing what was going to happen.
"Rafael Mayer, will you marry me?" Bianca loudly announced.
It swamped him in a cold wash of panic. This was not how he had planned any of it. He flicked a glance at Li—huge eyes seemed to be holding her breath; her expression impossible to read.
Duty or desire, between those two—Rafael took his deep breath and made his choice.
"Bianca," he began, stepping forward. "I—"
But she had put it on the finger before he could finish the words; he didn't get to finish his sentence since she misconceived it as a sign of agreement. The people in the room clapped so loudly, but the dread weighed heavily on Rafael's heart.
She became distraught, turned around from him and ran away. Rafael was just victim to his life's biggest mistake.
All night long, Rafael couldn't shake off that anguished expression on Lila's face. He had to see her, explain everything, but would she listen? More than that, would she ever be able to forgive him?
Coincidence, what we'd run into each other, but I'd run smack into fate, maybe— if I hadn't finally run out of time.