Sunsets and storms ✓

Chapter 8

MATTHEW

Yesterday was crazy. After coming back yesterday my mind was all over the place. I arrived at this island thinking I would have a nice holiday with my best friends. Less than 24 hours later I was walking around with a girl I fell for three years ago. If this is what it's going to be like for the next three weeks, I'll be a mess by the time I get home.

Talking to her was just as easy as it was three years ago. I was surprised when she remembered so much from our conversation. I always thought I was the only one that replayed that in my mind a thousand times until it was stuck there.

It didn't even feel like I was talking to the girl I've had stuck in my mind for three years, it was almost as if I was talking to Logan or Evan. It's weird how easy a conversation can flow in reality while your mind is going completely insane about it.

After coming back, Megan went back to her room and me and the guys just hung around the house and figured out how to get to the beach and what we can do on the island. Logan and Evan have been going crazy with ideas but I wasn't really listening to everything they were suggesting. My mind was busy processing everything that had happened earlier that day.

The next morning I only see Megan for a few minutes before she's heading out to meet her friends. In a way I felt jealous that she was going to hang out with them and that I couldn't spend more time with her. I'm an idiot. We talked for maybe two hours yesterday and I act as if she owes me any more time with her.

The guys quite literally dragged me down to the beach later that morning. We stopped by a small store to grab some food and drinks before we settled ourselves on the sunny beach. There were a lot of people on the beach and in the ocean but it isn't as crowded as I expected it to be. Megan already told us that most of the hotels are on the other side of the island so that there aren't too many people crowding this area. But still, it's a small island, I would have expected more people to find the calmer places. Not that I'm complaining. Nothing worse than a sweating crowd of people.

"So, what are you going to do about Megan?"

Evan looks at me expectantly. He's the master in flirting and getting people to fall for his charms, but I don't have the same confidence as he has. And I definitely lack the charm.

"Yeah, you are going to make a move right?"

"Well... I don't know. We'll be living in the same house for three more weeks, I don't want things to get awkward. And it probably wouldn't work out anyway. You know how I am when it comes to girls and dating, not what I would call a success."

"Okay, you're officially the biggest idiot I know."

"Well, thank you my friend. Just what I want my best friend to call me."

"Hey! I thought I was your best friend!"

Great, now I have to deal with Evan and Logan going up against each other. Unfortunately for me it doesn't last long. Soon enough they bundle their powers again and team up against me.

"How many girls have you gone out with the past three years?"

"Three? I don't know."

"Let me fill you in. The first Alice, you went out for a few weeks but when she wanted to put a label on it, you flaked. The second and third you went on two dates with each and gave up."

"Thank you Evan. And why did you give up on all three, Matthew?"

"If we're just going to talk about my inability to get a girlfriend this is going to be a very depressing holiday."

"Let me help you out since I heard it all when you came home after a date. She just isn't this or she doesn't like that. Every girl you met just isn't what you're looking for."

"And let me tell you why, Matt. Because they weren't her. Do you know how many hours you spent talking about her three years ago? Let alone the amount of time you had her on your mind. You rejected every girl because you wanted her. And now you can have her. Or at least try."

"And so what if it doesn't work out? Than you at least gave it a shot, maybe had fun for three weeks in your life because god forbid you ever go out and have fun."

I let their words sink in. Normally I would be annoyed that they were talking for me instead of to me, but I know they are right. I compared every date to that conversation three years ago. I'm just afraid I'll fuck everything up and still have to face her every single day for the next three weeks.

"You know what we'll do? We'll be your wing men. I mean you have been mine more times than I can count, thanks for that. But now we'll help you out."

I look at Evan like he's crazy. How do they plan on being my wing men? It's not like we're in a pub or something.

"Ah! I know! She offered to take us around the island someday, so tomorrow we'll just ask her to do so. You get to spend time with her without it being too awkward and we can finally get to know this girl we've been hearing about for the past three years."

I mean, it isn't a bad idea. And it would be nice to see more of the island. Doesn't mean that I'm freaking out any less. Her taking us around the island means being in a small car for longer than five minutes. That means there are exceptionally large chances of either me embarrassing myself or my friends telling something embarrassing about me. Or even worse, if she likes one of them more than me. I know my friends would never do that to me but she doesn't know that I've liked her for three years.