If Ever | Damiano David Story

Chapter 5 | Bad habits

22 May 2021

I am lost on my thoughts. I am almost not watching the show. There is a woman singing a somewhat of a ballad, but I don't pay much attention. I am looking at the TV, but my mind is travelling to Donousa. How much I'd like to go back there. To be honest when I said I wanted summer maybe I wanted specifically that one.

"Those shiny leggings though." She makes a disgusted face.

"What?" I say not really trying to get out of my thoughts.

Marsia throws me a pillow hitting me on my shoulder. "Are you making me watch that thing and you're not even paying attention?"

"Sorry. I zoned out a little." I lift the pillow from the ground. "Shoot me."

"I should." She glares at me. It is almost like she can read my mind. Marsia keeps telling me, but I keep refusing it and say that she is talking crazy. "Leda, just do something about it."

"Geez" I grab my glass from the table. "I zone out once and you are acting like I do it all the time."

"That's not what I'm talking about." She has taken her serious tone.

"Then I don't know what you're talking about."

But I know very well what she is talking about.

18 August 2020

I got out of the car and fixed my skirt. I was wearing a red wrap skirt, but it seemed to get crumbly very easy. I paired it with a red bandeau and my favorite sandals. My hair was loose and of course not styled. Obviously, when you are free camping there are not any hair products or tools, so I let my natural wavy hair as it is, which I do most of the time anyway. Of course, I wasn't wearing any make up either. I hadn't even brought any make up products with me, only a lip balm so that my lips wouldn't crack from the sea salt. I grabbed my bag from the car and closed the door.

The island is small, so there were only two bars around. Stefanos, who had visited the island before, recommended one of them so we decided to go there, but first we decided to go and grab a bite. Around 12 o' clock, we left from the place where we ate and went to the bar. The bar was right next to the beach, almost on it. There were some tables, but all of them were taken. The lighting was low, mostly coming from the candles on the tables and from some low lightbulbs around the actual bar. It was pretty windy that night but that's the usual on Greek islands, especially for Cyclades. There's nothing more summery to me, if that's even a word, than being at a bar with good company, listening to nice music with a drink in my hand at an island, with wind blowing my hair away from my face, smelling the sea. It's calm and it's like the time is stopping for a while. I'm probably at my happiest moments when I'm like this.

Also, the more time we spent with the others, the more I liked them. Our groups were fitting well, and they were very interesting people. Orestes had already bonded with Thomas over many things and argued with Damiano for soccer. Victoria was super nice and super cool and very social with everyone. Ethan was quitter, he seemed to get a little overwhelmed sometimes, but still seemed like a very nice guy and Damiano, except the obvious, was very interesting too. And I must say he was looking good that night too. He was wearing black cropped pants with a black sleeveless graphic tee that he had probably caught by himself. With every word he said I felt even more attracted to him. As I said, time on islands flies different.

We spent the first hour talking in smaller groups due to loud music. The atmosphere wasn't engaging you to dance, just bounce your head and feet to the music. It was calmer, but I did not have a problem with that, I liked talking to everyone.

"I'm going to the bar." I took the last sip of my drink. "Does anyone want something?"

"I'll come with you." Victoria picked her glass and walked towards me.