Chapter 11
"Why?"
"Close your eyes and listen," he told her, while she looked at him, wondering why she should do that.
What was she supposed to hear?
She finally faced the ocean and closed her eyes, waiting for whatever it was, but this time… the world didn't just soften... it opened.
The ocean, which she had heard earlier as nothing more than a crash, suddenly became layered. They were stretching and curling with a rhythm that felt almost alive as it kissed the sand.
There was the slow drag sound of gritty retreating water, carrying shells and tiny stones back into the sea, with the night breeze she had noticed before carrying some kind of texture now as it grazed her skin
Then she heard the flutter of small wings from a night bird, taking off in a nearby palm.
It was like the whole night had been waiting for her to be still enough, to hear its beautiful music.
Her nerves softened and the migraine became less sharper. It wasn't gone but it was easier to bear.
Fabiola suddenly felt a cold substance on the back of her neck which made her jolt in shock and her eyes fluttered open. She turned her head to see it was Braxton who placed a pack of ice in the back of her neck.
She must have been so engrossed in the ethereal night that she didn't know when he stood up to get it.
Their eyes were staring at each other in million seconds. She missed those green eyes. Braxton's made her feel she was in a safe forest whenever she looked at it.
He helped her with ice for her migraine. Does that mean he wasn't angry about the past anymore? She saw that as an opening "Braxton, about 3 yea…."
"You remember that cartoon, Miles road?" He suddenly cut her off and he let go of the ice.
She took it, placing it on her forehead to reduce the pain before she fully realized his question. Miles road? That was her brother's favorite cartoon in the whole world.
She remembered watching the last episode that aired with Braxton and her brother though, and they had to console the poor lad because the cartoon wasn't going to be shown in all networks anymore. Why did Braxton suddenly bring that up?
"What about it?"
"I just remembered because you look like Elle who was sniffing out the sea. I'm sure most people cried when it finished airing. I wonder how they must be coping now because I really liked it" he replied with a straight face.
It took a moment for her to realize he was talking about her brother indirectly. A smile spread across her face after the realization and she looked up to see Braxton was now watching the ocean with his hands in his shorts.
"Well, I'm sure they are fine," she answered, and looked at the ocean too.
She didn't see Braxton but he smiled at her a little and walked away. That's the last thing she heard of him— his footsteps, and then, she watched his figure slowly disappearing into the night, with his blue shirt being winded in all directions.
She couldn't help but wonder. Was it really his favorite show, or did he just say it? Because she vividly remembered her brother being the one forcing them to watch it with him.
****
Fabiola woke up the next morning in her room, not remembering how she walked back after Braxton's interaction. Maybe, she sleepwalked back.
She sat up on her bed and scanned the room. Raya whose bed was beside hers was still sleeping, it was a bit weird because she was an early bird.
Jasmine and Zabrina were sitting in front of the mirror, quietly having a makeover. She could swear they haven't spoken a word to each other after Jasmine asked where the kitchen was the first day.
Even their makeup had no similarities. Jasmine's was pretty and soft while Zabrina's was elegant and more like a vixen. She somehow wondered if Zabrina doesn't know she isn't in a fashion show.
She didn't need to watch an episode of Zabrina in paradise for her to figure out she was a model because even her clothes look quite expensive and she had a distinctive walk of a peacock.
"Good morning Fab" she heard, and she turned to see Natalia whose bed was beside Jasmine's reading a book, she seems to be all dressed up but she was under her bed covers.
"Good morning Fabiola. How was your night? I wanted to wake you up but I saw a pack of ice on your head so I figured you had a migraine and I removed it afterwards" Jasmine said, looking at her from the mirror, when she noticed she was up.
"Yes, yes. I'm fine, thank you. Good morning everyone" she was grateful Jasmine didn't wake her, as she hated that. That's why she learnt to wake up herself.
She sighed realizing the migraine was gone, that was a good one. She left the tent to go brush her teeth and didn't miss seeing Harry going towards the girl's tents, he was probably going to talk with Jasmine or Raya, who was still sleeping.
Breakfast was smoked salmon, chicken slices with carbs, fruits and freshly squished juice all waiting for them at the table.
Sean was the first to come to the kitchen that morning so he had the honour of going back to inform everyone of the deluxe breakfast.
"Wow, what's happening?" Mason asked when they got there as they started to sit around the food.
"At this point, I don't really care, I'm starving for some chicken" Sean said taking a chicken thigh and they all laughed.
Fabiola was so happy the food actually got better.
"This is delicious. It's not like we haven't had this on any of our dates but it's truly different to eat it with you guys together" Natalia noted and they all agreed.
Jasmine noticed Harry picking at his food absent-mindedly as she was sitting opposite him. "Are you okay?"
She might not have noticed but Garrick's and Sean's eyes were now fixed on her.
Harry was surprised she asked about his welfare. For a moment, he thought he was non-existent because of Sean and Garrick "I'm fine. Just a little homesick" he said and Garrick snorted, with everyone looking at him.
Garrick picked up a glass of water, drank it and cleared his throat.
"I'm sorry, but it's just that, you aren't a baby anymore to be missing your sisters" he rolled his eyes to the west "People like you can't go on military service"
"How does missing one's family equals being a baby, though?" Braxton asked him, while Fabiola was staring intentively.
He hadn't looked at her since they came for breakfast, it's like yesterday was non-existent, it's safe to say she read lots of meaning behind it.
"I don't even have sisters, it's just my mum, and for you information, I have actually been to military service" Harry spoked up and there was a silence.
"I don't know about you Garrick but I also do miss my family. It's normal bro" Mason said and shrugged while Garrick rolled his eyes for the umpteenth time "it seems gay"
There was a roll of laughter after that.
Fabiola didn't know if Garrick really thought everyone took his lame jokes. It was annoying for her to watch.
So far, even if some crushes and jealousy was brewing, she hadn't seen any relationship to crush.
Harry, Garrick and Sean like Jasmine and she likes three guys back. Mason likes her. Natalia likes Braxton but she hasn't materialized it yet and then Raya seemed like she was into Harry and Garrick.
But then… just as her eyes darted to the ends of the table again in Braxton's direction... Zabrina was spoon feeding him!
Fabiola almost choked on her food.
Was Braxton actually allowing this? She didn't even get why Braxton liked or was attracted to Zabrina.
Yes, she was actually beautiful but she was so annoying and treated everyone like trash. Was he blind to that?
She stood up with a sigh, moving towards them.
The most beautiful thing about being an implant, is actually to see herself destroy this brewing relationship. Ordinaryly, she will just have to suck it up but now, she had a reason not to.
When she got to the end of the table, Braxton looked up at her, she could see he was wondering what she was standing there for.
She offered him a half hearted smile, bent towards his meal and took a quantity of food towards his mouth as he stared at her a surprised face.
Zabrina's movement had gracefully come to a stop "What do you think you are doing?"
Fabiola could feel the rest of the table was now looking at them as well.
"What do you think you are doing?" Braxton whispered her.