ISOLATED

c h a p t e r 2 6*

Chapter 26

Turning a blind eye to Genesis means that she also wouldn't talk about it. Whenever James or Jackson would pop the subject about last night, she'd come up with an excuse and leave. Gael noticed it and he wished he could tell her that he came back earlier, but for some reason, the words just wouldn't come out.

"You know what we should do?" Natalia grabs the girl's wrist and pulls her back to the group after her second attempt at leaving. "What?" Genesis asks, pretending she never wanted to leave in the first place. "Go cliff jumping," she says, "There's this spot and I know that the adrenaline will help us."

"Help us with what?" Mattias plays dumb and he looks at the group. Natalia doesn't respond to his question, but she does glare at him to stop him from talking. "I know a place," Hannah suggests and she looks at Gael, remembering the conversation she had with him the night before. His coming back early was such a green flag to her, but she didn't want to tell Genesis. That was his thing to tell her.

They plan the time to think and Genesis goes to the bedroom she shares with Gael and she picks out a turquoise bikini. "I came back early last night," Gael says the second he enters the room and he shuts the door behind him. "I was probably already asleep," she says, "But it's okay, you had a guys night, you don't have to talk about it."

Gael's not entirely sure if she's saying that because she cares about him or because she doesn't want to hear it. He decides to stay quiet instead, dropping the subject immediately. Genesis disappears into the bathroom with her bikini to get changed.

The way things feel between the two of them right now confirms for Gael that what he wanted to keep at a distance, even with deals and rules, it still grew between them. And it feels unnatural right now.

Genesis walks out in her bikini, avoiding him and she walks to the closet. Then she picks a pink, floral sundress and she puts it on, turning around to look at him. "Are you ready like this?" she asks, looking at him. "Yeah," Gael breathes out and he looks at her, but Genesis already disappears out of the bedroom.

If he couldn't even say goodbye to her the night before, Genesis isn't sure what she's supposed to be talking about to him.

She joins the rest of the group, suddenly feeling out of place considering Natalia and Hannah seemed fine with them going to strip clubs the night before. The guys compliment Genesis on the way her hair falls down her shoulders, the way her dress wraps around her body, and the way the color compliments her skin.

"I sure am lucky," Gael says and Genesis can feel his hands hold her waist and he pulls her to him, her body tight against his. Genesis doesn't want to embarrass him by cringing and twirling out of his hands so she just allows him to do it.

He presses his lips against her cheek, relieved that she's finally allowing him to show this type of affection.

Jackson calls two taxis to take them to the other side of one of the popular beaches where they can safely cliff jump as well. Hannah, Genesis, and Natalia hold all the bags while the boys hold the coolers with the drinks and snacks.

"Are you okay?" Hannah asks, her voice low enough so the guys won't hear. "Yeah, fine," Genesis lies and she walks with them. "So you talked to Gael?" She smiles hopefully, but the smile fades when Ginny shakes her head. Maybe she is childish for avoiding the conversation, but she's scared that she'll say something that will damage anything they had built until now. "Eventually, you will have to talk to him," Hannah says and she walks away to stop Genesis from arguing with her.

They find a spot for them to sit and they put out blankets and pillows. The guys put the coolers down. "Let's go jump," James suggests, earning a few laughs from the boys. Gael looks at Genesis and he smirks. "I'll be right back," Gael says and he plants a soft kiss on her lips before he joins Jackson, Seb, Mattias, and James towards the cliffs.