When the Fireworks Begin

Chapter XIV

It was their third day in Boracay, they would be leaving tomorrow. Devon and James were trying to get as much sun and beach as possible.  They were eating their breakfast outside the veranda.  They haven’t seen Ivan and Shey that morning.

“Where are they?” Devon asked James.

James shrugged. “Shey left last night to party with some college friends who were also here. I think Ivan followed her.”

Devon took a bite from the fresh papaya when she heard a door opening.  Ivan and Shey came into the room.  Ivan was leading Shey and he was holding her hand. Shey meanwhile was holding her sandals, it looked like they took a walk on the beach.  Both of them did not notice Devon and James on the veranda.

Ivan turned around and pulled Shey towards him.  He dipped his head and kissed Shey deeply.  Shey raised her arm and wrapped it around Ivan’s neck. A few seconds later, Ivan pulled away from the kiss and looked at Shey and smiled.

“Ahem,” James coughed.

Shey and Ivan quickly jumped out of each other’s embrace and looked at James and Devon.  Devon raised a fork towards her lips and smiled.

“I guess, somebody’s not that confused anymore,” Devon commented.

Ivan scratched his head and took Shey’s hand.  “Let’s just say that acceptance made things easier.”

Shey smiled brightly.  Devon stood up and walked towards Shey, and hugged her. 

“I’m so happy for you,” Devon said while hugging her friend.

“Thank you,” Shey whispered to her best friend’s ear.

“C’mon, let’s eat,” James signalled the three to eat.

“Tell me everything that happened,”  Devon said pulling Shey beside her.

“Not everything,” Ivan countered.

Devon raised an eyebrow and then Shey started to blush.

****

“C’mon let’s swim,”  James coaxed Devon

“You know, I don’t swim,” Devon protested. 

Devon was sitting on the shore, playing with the short waves.  James, a champion swimmer, has been slicing through the water and waves for the past few minutes. Devon meanwhile, was contently sitting on the shore and watching her husband’s muscles ripple on the water.

James tried to pull Devon on her feet. 

“I’ll teach you how,” James argued.

“James, you have been teaching me for years,” Devon reasoned out. “We know that my case is impossible.”

“There’s nothing impossible with Instructor James,” James joked.

Devon laughed and let her husband pull her on her feet.  They walked until the water was up to James neck. Devon, being a few inches smaller than James, clung to James for dear life.

“You won’t learn when you’re hanging to me like that,”  James joked and tried to pry Devon’s fingers from his shoulder.

“Oh, no, Mr. Rocafort,”  Devon protested.  “I am not letting you go.”

“Well, Mrs. Rocafort,” James started. “Your therapist told me that swimming is a great exercise. So let’s swim.”

With one flick of his hand, James was already facing Devon. Devon was jumping on the sand floor, trying to keep her head above the water.  James caught her on her waist and told her to go under the water and swim towards him.