Ramirah Shiloh Capri
As I rolled my suitcase into the villa, I took a deep breath, letting the humid air of Montego Bay fill my lungs. Hello, Jamaica...I thought to myself. This trip was supposed to be a celebration of us soon-to-be graduates—me, Nina, Eli, Alice, and Nova.... Kay and Jas tagged along too. Graduation was next Friday, and what better way to celebrate than by vacationing?
But this trip came with a complication I wasn't ready to face. It had been four months since I last saw Nova, since that night. My game plan? Avoid her at all costs. Four days—that's all I had to get through. I got this, I can manage.
Jas, on the other hand, had made it pretty clear she liked me. She was bold, always stepping a little close, but not in a way that made me uncomfortable. The attention was nice, but I wasn't ready to dive into anything serious. Not yet. Jas was definitely attractive, no doubt about it. If I were fully healed, I wouldn't hesitate to have her in my bed. For now though, harmless flirting seemed like the safer route.
"So, what's the move for our first day here?" Alice asked, flopping onto the couch as we all gathered in the living room.
"I saw this place on TikTok," I started, remembering a video I'd saved. "They do rum tastings. Could be fun. And then maybe we could rent a boat?"
The group nodded in agreement.
"Cool, let's meet back here in an hour," Nina suggested, already tugging Eli towards the stairs. I smiled, happy for my bestie. She and Eli had been getting serious, and I loved seeing her so happy.
I headed to the room, which of course, I was sharing with Jas. Whoever booked this villa was definitely messy as hell. I pulled out my outfit—a twisted bandeau top with a ruched skirt that tied at the hip, showing off just the right amount of leg. I paired it with sandals and clipped my knotless boho braids into a claw clip. Light makeup and an abundance of Valentino perfume, then finally I felt ready. I took a few selfies for Instagram before noticing my bare neck.
"Jas, can you put this on for me?" I handed her my necklace, turning my back to her.
"Yeah, I got you pretty," she said, fingers brushing the back of my neck as she clasped it.
"Ramirah, can I—" Nova's voice interrupted, making me freeze. I turned to face her, locking eyes with her for the first time in months feeling my stomach do backflips.
She opened her mouth to say something but stopped, her gaze dropping when she noticed Jas' hands still on me.
"Never mind." Nova muttered something under her breath before walking away.
I rolled my eyes, sighing. Once Jas finished with my necklace, I thanked her and headed downstairs to meet the rest of the group.
"Everyone ready?" Nina called out. We all nodded, piling into the van headed for the rum tasting.
The tasting spot was beautiful, dimly lit with plants draping from every corner, giving it a tropical, intimate vibe. As the tastings began, I quickly realized I was the only one enjoying the rum. Everyone else grimaced after every shot.
"This is so nasty. How are you drinking this like it's nothing?" Kay asked, wrinkling her nose.
I laughed. "Y'all drink tequila, which is basically rubbing alcohol. Rum's way smoother."
"All liquor is gross," Alice chimed in, "but it does what it needs to do."
We laughed, and soon, Nina was up twerking on Eli while the group hyped her up. I joined in, hyping her up. Jas, who was sitting across from me caught my eye and smirked.
Jas leaned closer, her lips brushing past my ear. "You're so fucking beautiful," she whispered before placing a soft kiss on my neck.
I laughed, a little flustered but not minding the attention. The liquor had me feeling lighter, more carefree. But Nina pulled me aside.
"Nova's gonna kill her," she whispered, nodding toward the far side of the room where Nova leaned against the wall, watching everything. Her eyes were locked on me, filled with a mix of jealousy and anger.
"I don't care what Nova's gonna do," I said, flipping my braids over my shoulder. "She's not my problem anymore."
We finished the tasting and headed to the dock where the boat waited. Alice gave a playful speech, warning us not to get too wild, especially about keeping her wig dry.
"Who wants the aux?" Nina asked as we settled in.
"I got it," Jas volunteered, pulling out her phone.
"Please, no sad or sex music! I can't take it," Kay groaned, making everyone laugh.
Jas played Sunday Service by Latto, and we all rapped along, feeling the energy rise as the boat drifted out into the water.
"Shot o'clock?" Eli announced, pulling out a bottle of Don Julio.
"Nigga, no," Nova said, eyeing him skeptically.
"The ancestors said it's time," he joked, making the group laugh.
"The ancestors did not say that shit" Nova retorted rolling her eyes.
The shots went down easy, and soon, Inside by Jacquees came on. The heat of the alcohol and the rhythm of the song took over me, and before I knew it I was fully bent over, grabbing my ankles and rolling my hips to the beat.
"Go bestie!" Nina hyped me up, and I gave her a playful smirk, making sure I was on point with every move.
Jas came up behind me, her breath warm against my neck. "You're teasing me," she whispered, eyes dark with lust.
"How?" I asked, pretending to be clueless.
"You making it real hard to keep my hands off you, pretty." She leaned in, her lips grazing my ear as she buried her face in the crook of my neck.
I could feel Nova's stare burning a hole into the side of my face from across the boat, her jaw clenched, her fists tight at her sides. Her expression was cold, but I could see her temper threatening to explode.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and turned back to Jas, whispering, "We'll see."
Nova walked off without another word, her face blank. She's not my business anymore, I reminded myself, but deep down, the tension between us was suffocating me.
