Altogether unusual

Vacation

'In one aspect, yes, I believe in ghosts, but we create them. We haunt ourselves.'

Laurie Halse Anderson

Here we are, the three of us, spending a few peaceful days in Ireland. It was Eve's idea, to travel a little for rest and recreation purposes, after the exams ended. We had pulled through. Despite everything, we had pulled through.

Of course, I remember that for two whole minutes, a month ago, I had found this outcome to be totally impossible. Eve and I, face to face, in Jonathan's kitchen. I remember her accusing me of stealing Jonathan. I had been embarrassed at first, for being found in that particularly indecent state. Then, I had wished to kick Jonathan for not telling me she's in the house. The boiling point had come faster than you'd expect. The accusation had been like a bucket of cold water being thrown at you in the middle of the night, while asleep in your own bed. It's strange how, when put in a tense or stressful situation, the speed of one's thoughts increases. It's like storm. All these questions would run crazily through my head: What is going on? Why would she say that? Why didn't we tell her from the start? Is this going to ruin our friendship? Or is she my friend, if she assumes such things? How will my relationship with Jonathan be affected by this?

Luckily, before I could say something stupid, Eve had started grinning at me like a total loon. "Dude, chill, I was just kidding!" she said.

"What? I... " I blabbered, becoming redder and redder.

"Clarisse, it was a joke. A very poor one, I admit it. Jonathan had told me last night, before he came to get you."

"Oh, you knew. Oh my God! Don't ever do that again, please!" I said, and then I smiled shyly. She still hadn't told me what she thinks about it.

"Look, darling, you are perfect for each other." She replied as if hearing my thoughts. "I am actually kind of amazed it took so long for you two fools to get that you like each other." I raised my eyebrows at her, unable to speak. "How did I know that you are into each other? Seriously? It wasn't that hard actually." Eve continued, touching her forehead with a perfectly manicured hand, expressing her own admiration for her sharp deduction. "That idiot upstairs couldn't take his eyes off you. And you, you must have fallen for him the first time you saw him. Or am I wrong?"

"Not right at the beginning. He had been a jackass at first." I said, my eyes suddenly very interested in my feet. "You've never said a word."

"That was your thing to figure out, my dear. And by the way, between us two, he's always a jackass."

"Did you call for me?" Jonathan asked in his just-woken-up deep voice, startling us both.

"Good morning, sunshine!" Eve greeted him, swatting his shoulder playfully. "Didn't you know it's rude to listen to other people's conversation?"

"Good morning, ladies!" He said, ignoring Eve. And me. Much to my dismay. I would have thought that he would be more affectionate with me now, giving that he has told Eve. My eyes followed his figure as he went to the fridge, took a bottle of orange juice and drank. Right there, with the fridge door opened. I watched his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, head bent backwards. Such a simple thing, you'd say, but it turned my mouth dry in an instant. He was wearing these dark-blue shorts, his broad chest bare, hair all ruffled. How could he be so damn hot? And how am I not accustomed with his general... sexiness yet? I think I've been caught staring at him because Eve had this all knowing smile all over her face. I shook my head from right to left a couple of times, in an attempt to get to my senses, and turned my back on them. Concentrating on cooking was going to help me ignore a lot of things. From the mental sting his attitude induced, to the way I was so drawn to him.