Before Me, Him

Chapter 38

     We get back to land and realized no one was there besides Dean that was laying with his stomach down on the towel.

     - Where is everyone? – Jacob asks while looking around.

     - They went to grab some ice creams. If you want some then go meet with them, I don't think they took their cell phones. – he says while rotating his face to him.

     Jacob asks what ice cream I want which I answer blueberry and, in a blink of an eye, he is gone. Dean was looking at me as I lay next to him.

     - Dean... Polly is your cousin, right? – I question him.

     - Yes. My mom is from Russia so she is a cousin from that side of the family. – he smiles softly. – Why?

     - I was just curious... - I answered. Honestly, I shouldn't be having this conversation, I don't care about Polly that much but something about her bugs me. The way she was crying today, it was as if she was a completely different person and that scared me. I need to understand her a little bit better, that will be the only way I will be able to help her if I can. "When did I started to care?" I question myself. – Did something bad happened to her in Russia?

     - Well I know of a couple of things. – He sits and flips his hair from his eyes. – I think she had a rough childhood. From what my mom told me she got bullied as a child due to having red hair, she was born like that. I also think she had a problem with a teacher that... - Dean stops talking and gives me a kind smile. – I'm sorry June, that is not my story to tell.

     I nod and thank Dean. He was right, I shouldn't be asking this to him but when I tried asking Polly she just shoves me away. I understand her, how she feels, and maybe a little bit on how she thinks, after all, we are pretty similar.

     I only realized this now. Polly pushes people away with her personality even though she gets close to them. She treats them as if they were discardable which, in her mind, they are. Maybe she was also treated this way so now she protects herself like this. Everything she told me until now was just to make me feel confused but at the same time conflicted to prevent me from getting closer. I guess she only suggested the game because of her curiosity, that is the only reason that feels logical.

     - We're back! – Emily says while waving. There were a lot of ice creams and Jacob was bringing mine. As everyone sat down eating their chosen snack a weird silence was created. I mean, Polly, Emily, and Dean were talking since they were all sitting next to each other but on the other hand, Jacob, Philip, and Luke were as quiet as the galaxy. "What's with this weird environment?" I thought to my own buttons. It is not pleasant at all.

     - I was thinking J... Are you free tomorrow? We could go watch a movie or something! – Luke smiles at me. – Anything you want is fine really!

     - I can't, tomorrow I have to finish my research so I will be busy all day. – What I said was the truth but, at the same time a small lie, since I would most likely be available at the end of the afternoon.

     - Do you want help? – says Philip while looking at me with his dark brown eyes.

     - That would be great. – I reply with a slight smile.

     - I can help too! – says Luke enthusiastic. –Can I J?

     - You don't like reading though... - I frown my eyebrows. – Are you sure? I don't mind.

     He nods repeatedly as if he was a five-year-old. I let out a sigh. Somehow I feel like I made a mistake, maybe I should have declined Philip's help but, at the same time, two minds think better than one.

     - I guess I will tag along too. – Jacob slightly looks to me since his main focus was on the sea. In his lips, there was a smile, not kind but not evil either. A smile that I couldn't decipher the meaning behind it.

     Hours passed and we ended up going home. I felt exhausted like I hadn't slept for ages. Maybe that was due to stress, I assume that was due to stress. Without noticing my eyes end up closing and I start to feel my body levitating and my mind eloping to a place far far away only to wake up the next morning by someone having a really early shower.

     I light up my phone and see that it was five am, the time where I usually wake up to meet up with Robert. "Who was up this early?" I thought to myself. After fifteen minutes I hear a door closing, whoever it was had just went to their room. "Did they had a nightmare? Maybe it was Therese." I wondered as I walked towards the bathroom.

     After getting ready I go downstairs to find Emily having her breakfast. Her blonde hair was still wet and she was wearing a pink cropped t-shirt with some high-waisted denim jeans. For a change, she was also wearing sneakers. I was extremely confused.

     - Good morning! – she tells me with a smile on her face.

     - Morning. – I go to the balcony and pick up the cereal box, mixing it with milk. – Why are you up so early Emily? Did you have a nightmare?

     - Actually, I want to go with you today. – she states with her eyes sparkling.

     I did tell her that I would talk with Robert about it and I actually did. Back then he told me it was fine, that I could bring whoever I wanted to because if they were my friends then they would be good people for sure but something is holding me back. I assume it is the fact that is socially rude to do this, appearing unannounced in someone else's house.

     Even then, Emily did wake up extremely early today, just for this. She was very curious to meet Robert and all the animals due to the several story's I had told her. In the end, I did not want to take this moment from her so she tagged along.

     As we finish our breakfast we both walk outside and, as the door opens my eyes see a truly atrocious sight: the whole group was there. Dean, Polly, Phillip, Luke, and Jacob were right there, standing in front of me with a casual messy outfit. I looked to Emily that was slowly walking away from me in shame.

     - Good morning J! – Luke says while walking towards me. Polly ends up grabbing his arm and pushing him away, as usual.

     - Emily... What's going on? – I said making my voice louder than usual.

     - Well, I mentioned that I was intending to join you today, and... - she starts playing with her fingers nervously. – They all wanted to come too.

     I let out a sigh. "Of course they wanted to. Why wouldn't they?" I thought to myself. I swear my patience with these people is starting to run out. At this point, without the sun showing signs of waking up, the whole crew was here, dressed accordingly. I couldn't just tell them to go back home, if I did they would just bug me more and more until I accepted that they would be with us no matter what.

     - I'm going to make you all work, I hope you know that. – I say while moving forward, still mad but hopeful that they would make Robert's life and routine a little bit easier.