the Devil and the Sea

75| Time to be brave

I open my eyes at the annoying sound of the alarm clock and the dream immediately releases me into reality, dissolving into the rays of the bright morning sun.

As soon as I remember what day it is, my stomach knots up, my heart starts pounding inside my ricage, and a nervous tremble breaks through my limbs.

I don't understand why my body reacts this way to the planned coming day.

Behind me I hear a rustle, and the sound of the alarm clock stops.

I turn my head and see Vincent's sleepy face. He smiles and moves towards me, leaning against my back and wrapping his arms around me.

"Good morning, my devil." He bites my earlobe.

"Morning." I answer, pressing my ass against his erection.

I hear someone go through the door to the bathroom and close there. This is Phil.

"We have to leave in two hours." Vincent sighs, burying his nose in my hair. "Or do you want to stay in bed all day?"

"Tempting offer, but I want a date." I smile in his arms.

"Are you sure?"

"If this is a dream, then let everything be in it." I whisper.

"Then let's take a shower," he says.

Phil is right there."

"I'm not asking you to go naked. Put on my T-shirt."

Vincent pulls on his boxers, and I put on his T-shirt, and we go into the bathroom. Phil is in the kitchen doing something, making coffee I guess, so he doesn't notice us, or maybe he already heard us. The smell of coffee beans reaches me and I want to be in the kitchen with a mug of coffee in my hands.

Vincent turns on the shower and we step under the hot water. And I watch as the water forms streams flowing down Vincent's face, and over his perfect body. Vincent takes a washcloth, and after lathering it begins to wash my body. He rubs my back, then I turn to face him, and looking into my eyes, he gently runs the washcloth over my arms, then over my chest and stomach. He gets down and lathers my feet. Then I do the same with his body.

When we're done with the water, Vincent dries me off with a towel and slips his fresh T-shirt over me.

I leave the bathroom and go to the kitchen.

"Good morning princess. How did you sleep?" Phil wiggles his eyebrows meaningfully and smiles.

He takes eggs out of the fridge and I go over to him and take the package from him.

"Let me."

"You're doing better," Phil winks at me and walks away, pours coffee into a mug and hands it to me.

I cook scrambled eggs for breakfast and drink coffee. Phil is making toast.

Vincent appears at the kitchen door, and when I look at him, I gasp. He's wearing a shirt and jeans, his blond hair is falling down on either side of his face, and he's wearing those sexy glasses of his.

"Are you ready for your last day here?" Phil asks next to me and my heart shrinks like a crumpled paper ball.

"Yes." Vincent replies, meeting my gaze, and I turn away.

I feel like I've already crossed the point of no return: the fact that Vincent is leaving makes my chest ache, but there's nothing I can do about it.

Come with me to London.

I've replayed that phrase a thousand times in my head. But I feel like I don't fit in there. What happened between me and Vincent was just a summer fling that only happened because he hurt my ego. So right? My life belongs to Catalonia. All my friends are here. I really don't believe that Vincent really thinks that me moving to London is a good idea. I don't believe that he is serious, as far as I know, guys on a wave of wild love can say anything, but this does not mean that everything they say is necessarily doable, or that they even want to do it. Whatever it was, we'll find out soon.

"Your devil is preparing a hellish breakfast for us, join if you are not afraid to get poisoned and die." Phil jokes, and I nudge him with my elbow.

Vincent comes up behind me and puts his hands on my waist.

"Smells delicious. Thank you." He says and kisses my neck and I shiver because it tickles me.

"It's delicious, you know better than anyone that I make the most delicious toasts." Phil answers Vincent.

We all laugh. Then we have a quick breakfast. Vincent says that we will go for a walk in Barcelona before we go to the station. Phil says that he will bring Vincent's things when he goes to see him off. I change into my clothes and we leave the house. Vincent says he will pick me up in an hour and I get in Phil's car and he drives me home before leaving for work.

I take another shower. Because of the great excitement, I began to sweat again. I just stand under the jets of water and stare at the wall in front of me, forgetting about the passage of time.

I'm slowing down. I slowly lather my body, slowly wash off the foam, slowly dry myself with a towel. Slowly I put on things, I look at my reflection in the mirror for a long time.

As I am starting to put on some light makeup, my mum yells Vincent is here. I didn't expect him to come so soon.

Crap!

I didn't have time to get ready, I ask her to tell Vincent to wait a bit. My fingers begin to tremble, making the process of applying eyeliner much more difficult, but in the end, the lines turned out fine, even in twenty minutes.

I look in the mirror and try to even out my breathing, afraid of losing my composure due to my nervous state. I can't believe these are the last hours. I haven't fully realized this yet. I need time to catch my breath and recover before I go out to Vincent.

Collecting my thoughts and with difficulty putting on a mask of carelessness, I look at myself in the reflection for the last time. Everything is perfect. Clothing sits on the figure and emphasizes dignity, smooth arrows make the eyes expressive.

I feel tears readying up as I think this is the last time I see Vincent, and I push those thoughts deeper into my mind, promising myself I'll live through this after I get home.

I'm going to act like I don't care.

I only take a pack of cigarettes and a lighter with me - that's all I need to get through the day. I don't even take my phone with me. I won't need it if Vincent is next to me. Besides, I have no pockets in my clothes, and I don't feel like taking a backpack with me.

I put on black sneakers and leave the house. Five meters from me are my friends and Vincent among them.

My heart sinks at the sight of him. Vincent is talking animatedly to Lewis, looking calm and even smiling. He is wearing a gray polo shirt, denim shorts and blue sneakers. It looks simple, but still attractive. He's not wearing glasses, so he's wearing lenses. I would like to hope that he puts on lenses only because I like it that way, and not because it is more convenient.

So silly.

He's too attractive.

Is he really planning to be with me? Is he really in love with me? Does he really want me to go with him?

I don't know where to look for answers. Hell, now I even doubt the questions.

We could spend all day without getting out of bed. I might not even have followed him. I could say that I don't need it anymore. What will he lose in the end? Nothing. Having sex with him, and then refusing, I will not hurt him.

I played too much. However, after a few hours, there will be no one to play with.

I take a deep breath and walk over to Vincent only after our eyes have met.

"Well, are you ready?" He doesn't seem to care at all that he's leaving.

"Yes. Let's go."

Vincent says goodbye to everyone, and I walk forward, listening to how they wish him good luck. Vincent catches up with me, smiling from ear to ear.

I take one last look at Ricky and I break into a smile too when I see him glaring at us.