My Lustful Journey to Europe

"That Sinking Feeling"

"That Sinking Feeling"
Chapter 21

Sabrina had a rough night and was now laying in bed, her eyes wide open, staring at her bedroom ceiling and thinking about last night's events. Despite all that she had been taught by her parents, mostly her dad she realized now, she had approached Angeline's friend the second she spotted him at the terrace of that cafe opposite their campus. She knew better than to stick her nose in other people's business, but Angeline had appeared so clearly upset by his showing up unannounced, that she was not going to let him get away with it.

"Hey you." She said aggressively the moment she was close enough to his table.

Derek looked up, not used to being called up like that. It had taken him a few seconds, but he recognized the beauty standing in front of him. She was the daughter of Angeline's host family. Derek stood up and extended his arm, offering his hand.

"Hello Sabrina. A pleasure to see you again." He said.

After an hesitation, Sabrina accepted the hand and shook it lightly. The boy smiled and she felt her defense system weaken instantly. All animosity towards him disappeared and she accepted the seat he offered her next to him. He gestured towards the waiter and sat down only after she was seated.

"Listen..." Sabrina started, quickly realizing she couldn't remember his name.

"Derek." He offered.

"Right. Listen, Derek." Sabrina continued. "I know it's not my place to tell you that, but you showing up to my house the other day was not the smartest move in the world."

Derek didn't really need her to tell him that as he had had time to think it over and acknowledge the fact that he probably should have taken a different route. But what was done was done.

"What did Angeline say about it?" He asked.

Sabrina didn't remember Angeline telling her much about how she felt about it, but she could tell that she wasn't happy, that his presence had added more stress than joy to her life.

"Nothing much, really." She said in all honestly. "But as a girl myself, and even though I can appreciate the move you made, there's nothing worse than trying to force a triangle into a square, if you see what I mean."

Again, Derek totally understood and knew the girl was right.

"We've been together for years." He tried to explain. "And I think she left the country on a wrong impression of me. It's been incredibly hard to contact her and explain myself ever since she settled into your house."

Sabrina couldn't decide whether he said the latter with any innuendo so she let it fly.

The two spent the next half hour talking like college students do, exchanging ideas about the state of the world and their dreams and goals. Derek appeared genuinely interested about the Foreign Exchange Student Program Angeline had enrolled in and Sabrina thought she wouldn't be surprised if he, too, enrolled in it at some point.

"I'd better get going." He finally said. "I booked a flight for in the morning and I need to pack up the little I brought with me."

They both stood up, but Derek looked at Sabrina nervously.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Can I ask you one more favor?" He said after appearing unsure whether he should ask or not.

"Sure..." Sabrina replied, on the defensive.

"Could you give me a ride back to the hotel?" He asked. "There's something in my room I brought along for Angeline, maybe you can give it to her for me?" He added, trying to prove Sabrina wrong and force his triangle into a square.

The warning signs were all there, but the second Derek smiled, Sabrina accepted.

The ride to his hotel was quiet and uneventful, and Sabrina got a sick feeling as she followed him across the fancy reception hallway. She imagined people looking at them and making the wrong assumption about her, as if the rich boy had picked up a local slut for a good time in his room. She increased the pace and was glad to see the elevator open the second he called it.

She made sure to stand away from him inside the elevator and waited patiently for the doors to close. They reached his floor and she followed him into his room.

"You can have a seat here." He told her, pointing at the couch in the living room section of his suite. "I'll be right back." He added as he disappeared into the bedroom.

Sabrina sat down and couldn't help but wonder how this guy could afford to get a suite like this for a few days. Her parents were not in the need, far from it, but she would never book such a fancy room if she ever travelled alone for a few days.

"Can't find it." Derek said with an annoyed tone as he walked back in the living room.

"well... that settles it then." Sabrina said, standing up and wanting no part in his plans. She wasn't as dumb as he probably thought, and could clearly see that he only wanted to drag her to his room, maybe not wanting to leave Spain empty-handed.

"Hold on." He said while picking up the phone receiver next to the couch. "Reception, please?" He asked angrily.

Sabrina thought this guy was either a really good actor, or he had indeed misplaced whatever present he had brought with him for Angeline. She couldn't just leave while he was on the phone, so she waited a little longer. She listened to him asking if anyone had entered his suite, and witnessed him slamming the phone back after receiving the answer.

He held his head in his hands for a few seconds, clearly concerned, and looked at her before letting himself fall on the couch. For a moment, Sabrina felt sorry for him. She slowly walked back into the main room.

"What was it?" She asked, knowing the question would only prolong her stay.

"An angel pendant... customized." He said in a low voice.

Sabrina went to the mini-bar and poured him, and herself, a shot. Another lesson learned from her dad, when in doubt, reach for the mini-bar. He had also taught her to do everything in moderation, though she was wondering if he was true to his own words lately.

She handed him the drink and she sat on the edge of the couch, as far away from him as possible. Derek looked up at the glass and gulped half of it in one shot. He grimaced but seemed to welcome the attention.

"Did Angeline meet someone?" He asked without looking at her.

Sabrina could dance around the topic all she wanted, but in the end she knew the answer. She tried to remain as evasive as possible.

"All the boys at school want her, but she is focused on her studies." She offered. "She doesn't respond to their advances."

Derek nodded, looking down at the glass in his hands. He then darted his eyes into hers.

"And away from school? Did she fall for anyone?" Sabrina felt like he saw right through her own doubts and for a moment it pained her. She had no control over how adults behaved and how feelings evolved. She was even curious about how Angeline and her dad had become quite close lately. She shrugged her shoulders as an answer, leaving it up to him to decide what she meant.

Needing a little boost herself, she barely dipped her lips in the whiskey she was holding that he was finished with the other half, handing her the glass back for a refill.

She walked back to him with a full glass just as the phone rang. Derek jumped at the sound and tripped over Sabrina, making her land flat on him and spilling his whiskey all over his shirt.

Derek grabbed the receiver and answered it, with Sabrina still trying to free her left foot from underneath the coffee table. Derek motioned her to remain still as he focused on the call.

"I'm sorry, can you repeat that?" He asked as Sabrina managed to slowly move away from him. His body was firm, and under other circumstances, she probably would have taken much longer to get back on her feet.

She saw his face brighten up instantly as he quickly thanked the caller and hung up.

Derek stood up and hugged Sabrina, leaving a stain on her own shirt.

"You're my lucky charm!" He exclaimed. "They found the pendant in the lobby, they will bring it up. Please open the door for them, I need to wash up." He said, not allowing her to object as he disappearing in the bedroom. A minute later she could hear the shower running. Again, she considered leaving him there, but he kinda was expecting her to receive the pendant while he was changing, so she waited.

Barely a few seconds later, a soft knock on the door took her out of her daydreaming about the difficulty of relationships. She walked to the door and opened it to a busboy wearing the colors and logo of the hotel.

"Senor Derek?" The man asked.

Sabrina pointed towards the bathroom and mimicked someone showering, for some reason she felt that pretending to not be from here would raise her standings in the stranger's eyes. She held her hand open, as if aware of the reason of his visit. He placed a small envelope in her hand and left after the proper salutations.

Still standing by the door, Sabrina was tempted to open the envelope, but realized she would see its contents soon enough if the pendant was meant for Angeline. Derek finally came back, wearing nothing than a white towel around his waist.

"Did they come?" He asked.

Sabrina waived the envelope in front of him and his face lit up instantly as he rushed for it and opened it in a hurry. Derek held the pendant in between them and Sabrina couldn't suppress a wow of surprise. The thing was beautiful, the angel so peaceful, with a halo made out of diamonds. That piece must have cost him a fortune, and Sabrina couldn't help an inner smirk as she thought that lately Angeline was probably not the most deserving Angel around.

"Do you think she will like it?" He ask genuinely.

"She will love it, Derek." Sabrina replied with real appreciation, her hand still on the doorknob.

He put the pendant back in the envelope and placed it in her other hand, smiling at her once more.

"Thank you so much." He said before holding her in his arms for a farewell hug.

Sabrina hugged him back awkwardly with the one hand holding the piece of jewelry. Apparently the Whiskey had finally travelled in Derek's blood as he was making the moment last a little too long to her liking. The thin white towel would not offer much resistance and she thought she felt Mr Happy awakening against her lower hip. Once more a sinful thought travelled through her mind, but she finally willed herself to open the door, forcing the not-so-in-love Derek to let go of her as she slowly stepped out with a fake smile.

And now she was laying in bed, staring at the beautiful pendant held between her thumb and index finger. She glanced at her docking station on her nightstand and decided that 8:00am was late enough for her to knock on Angeline's door and give her what was hers. As she knocked lightly on her door, she wondered if she should tell her that he almost made a pass at her.

No answer. Sabrina knocked a little harder. Still nothing. She slowly opened the door, calling her name before looking inside the room, somehow not wanting to see something she knew she might eventually walk in on.

But the room was empty. Sabrina spotted a piece of paper on the carpet so she picked it up and read it. She felt warmth spread instantly. The note was signed by a single letter, but Sabrina knew too well that there were not many men around with a name starting with the letter C.

She was well aware that the two were feeling a strong attraction towards each other, but this note proved that there was surely more to it than simply desires. Wanting to protect both, Sabrina put the note in her pocket and exited the room. She considered following the same trail and find out what they were doing, but she knew where it led. For some reason, she felt both jealousy and excitement at the way her dad was treating Angeline. She couldn't explain it all in a rational way, but Angeline was stealing from her a part of her dad she knew she would never have no matter what.

As she walked back towards her room, Sabrina her some noise from her dad's office. She made a quick mental calculation and realized that it was possible the lovebirds were back already so she opened the door and peeked in.

Her heart dropped to her stomach.

"Mom?!" She asked, seeing her mother at her dad's desk, typing on his keyboard.

Christen jumped in the chair. She clearly thought she was alone in the house.

"What are you doing here?!" was the only thing she managed to respond as she watched her daughter slowly enter the room, unsure.

Sabrina stopped as soon as she heard the first words her mother had spoken in so many weeks. She tried to control the volcano inside her, but failed.

"What am I doing here?!" She asked back angrily. "I live here, Mom! Remember?! You used to too!" She added almost yelling.

"Don't raise your voice at me." Christen responded as calmly as she could while quickly finishing typing and logging off.

Sabrina could not believe her eyes and ears. Her mom shows up after weeks on the run, and all she can do is act as if nothing happened. Sabrina approached her mother and stared at her, trying to get answers from her look and facial expressions since her words were pure acid.

"Where have you been, Mom?" She asked with a sweeter voice.

For a second, Christen's eyes appeared to give up and welcome her daughter into her arms, but the moment vanished as quickly as it had appeared and instead Christen stood up and walked right by her daughter.

"I don't have to answer anything." She said.

Sabrina grabbed her mother's arm and held it tight, forcing her to turn around and face her daughter.

"Mom... what's going on?" She asked once more as nicely as possible.

Christen stared at her beautiful daughter and again almost welcomed her into her arms. Instead, she slowly freed herself from Sabrina's grip and walked away without another word. Sabrina was too shocked to attempt another move or ask another question, she just watched her mom walk out of the house and drive off in her car.

She ran to her room and grabbed her phone, speed-dialing her dad on the way to the balcony to take one more look at her mom's car vanishing behind the trees.

Carson's voice greeted his daughter. "I can't get to the phone right now, please leave a message." Sabrina decided not to leave any message. She hung up and dialed again, her call each time going straight to the voicemail. Her dad was surely at sea and out of range, she thought. She went to the kitchen and prepared herself something to eat, considering her options about what had just happened. Should she tell her dad, after all? Or would that only complicate everything. Her mom clearly didn't show any remorse, she was even rather defiant. And what was she doing here? She suddenly wondered.

Sabrina decided to get dressed and followed the same trail Angeline had followed at dawn. She reached the little port by the creek and saw that the family boat was missing. Christen's missing, she joked to herself.

She decided to sit on the warm sand for now. A few minutes later, she stripped down to her bikini and laid down, letting the sun lick her skin. Angeline and her Dad would have to pass by her on their way back home. She could pretend she didn't know they had gone to sea, and would act normal. She decided she'd keep her mom's presence a secret for now. They all deserved to keep on with life the way it had become since clearly her mom had no intention to move back into their lives.

As she drifted in and out of sleep, she felt at peace, until the sun disappeared behind a large cloud, shading her instantly. She opened her eyes to see if the cloud would move out of the way fast or if she'd have to find a new spot, but instead saw the shape of her dad standing in front of her.

Happiness settled instantly and she realized she loved him so much. She stood up in a hurry and gave him the most loving hug she had given him in a long time, even forgetting she was topless for a moment.

"Wow... baby! Where is that coming from?" He asked, nonetheless pleased by the attention.

"Nothing dad, I just love you so much!" She said not letting go.

"I love you too, Sabrina." Carson said letting go of her after one final strong squeeze. He grabbed her towel and wrapped her in it. Sabrina finally noticed Angeline but knew all along she was there. In fact, she was now totally accepted and almost more relevant to the trio's happiness than her mom was, or would be.

"Hey Angel!" She said with a honest happiness in her voice.

"Hi Sabrina." Angeline responded, as happy as her friend was, realizing her morning escapade with her dad didn't appear to be an issue at all.

"I have something for you." Sabrina said with a wink.