"Between friends, unspoken feelings can feel like a fragile thread pulled taut; one denies its existence while the other hides behind its delicate weave, both yearning for the courage to unravel what lies beneath."
Ian and Julian, long-time best fri...
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When we finally reached the villa, surrounded by the lush greenery, it was instantly an inviting sight.
Gardens full of fruits and vegetables stretched out around the property—apples, oranges, and more.
The first time we arrived in Cassandra years back— Rory had filled us in on how her parents loved growing their own produce and used the villa as a sort of retreat from their exotic life. And how they planned to retire here eventually, but their busy schedules had kept them from visiting lately and quite often.
Even though they weren't around, the villa's veggies were still well taken care of and sent to them regularly. She mentioned how the place operated like a small business, with several workers maintaining the grounds and supplying produce to the town a few miles away. Only a select few had access to the property, which stretched over a vast area.
We pulled up in front of the villa—looks like we were the first ones to arrive, and the others showed up just a few minutes later. The sky was a blend of gray clouds, with streaks of white and orange. We followed Rory inside, and she led us to our rooms—apparently there were more than five! The boys took three of the guest rooms, while the girls claimed two, one of which was the massive master bedroom that Rory, Unity, and Anna decided to share. Ashley paired up with Paul, though Paul initially sulked about being left out of the girls' master room—he got over it quickly enough after some playful grumbling and a gentle shove aside.
Julian and I were slated to share a room while the others—Drew, Nate, and Axel—sorted out their own arrangements. Ashley and Paul ended up together, which was amusing in its own way. As we were getting settled, it was just the two of us. Julian wasted no time flopping onto the bed like he'd been through the world's longest journey, letting out a rather deep, satisfied breath. The kind of breath that says, "Yes, finally!" It was so typical of him to make himself right at home within seconds.
"It's so different from how I remember it. Has it really been that long?"
"Yeah, about three years now..."
"I should definitely make this a regular thing. I'll have to convince her to bring us back more often,"
I wandered over to the window, already knowing what I'd find, but still marveling at it all the same.
The view beyond the villa was nothing short of breathtaking. The hills stretched out in gentle waves, blanketed in neat rows of vineyards, while those ever-present, graceful cypress trees stood like sentinels across the landscape. The mild sunset was putting on quite the show, casting everything in a golden glow that felt like it could melt away any worries. The whole scene seemed to hum with a quiet beauty.
The entire building was wrapped up in a lush, green blanket of ivy, as if Mother Nature herself decided to cozy up to it. The ivy playfully danced around the windows and archways, making the villa look like it had magically sprouted from the earth. The terracotta roof, sun-kissed and charmingly weathered, added it's warm, rustic touch that fit right in with the gentle greens and golds of the countryside.
