Elevate Me ✔

L

*Please note that I do not support the racist viewpoints shown in a certain character in this chapter. I do not condone any form of racial discrimination and neither should you. If anyone feels I have done a poor job portraying this issue, PLEASE let me know.

All I saw in my dreams that night was his face. His perfectly sculpted, smooth, tan face. Desiderio wasn't doing anything in particular, he was just there.

Of course, I was rudely awakened by my father telling me it was almost time to leave. I wasn't ready at all since I hadn't even woken up, but it was almost time for our first "family adventure" of the week. Stingray City.

The rush to get ready was a stressful one, as I cared a lot more about my appearance with the knowledge that hot guys had residence in the area. I had known that already, but seeing Desiderio in person made my stomach churn at the thought. I wanted to look my best no matter where I was going.

Soon enough, my parents and I were waiting patiently on a street corner with a couple of other families. By patiently, I mean my father was tapping his toe and glaring at his watch despite our bus coming perfectly on time. Once it arrived, we all piled into it.

The cheerful driver began talking to the riders on board about Cayman culture. I was very interested, but my mother was not. She began loudly whispering to me, clearly not giving a fuck who she was bothering. "I want you to keep that damn t-shirt on all day, you hear me Sunni?"

"Yes, mother."

"Don't want none of these mangy black people staring at your young body."

"Mom! You can't say that!" I exclaimed without thinking. My mother began to raise one of her racist eyebrows at me, just like my dad loved to do. Once again, nothing in my head other than disgust for my parents, I dug a deeper hole for myself. "They're not mangy, they're normal. Besides, most Cayman people aren't even African. We're in Central America."

"Don't talk back to your mother, young lady," My father peered down at me sternly. I shrunk back and decided to cut the argument before it got out of hand. Anger still flowed through my veins at the thought of what my mom had been saying.

After the long-awaited arrival of the boat we were cruising on, I practically leaped out of the bus. I slipped the bus driver an extra tip, making sure my uncharitable parents didn't notice. With a large smile, he drove off. I wished to be leaving my family just like the kind man was.

I was soon swept up with the small crowd of people heading toward the dock. My parents followed behind me, evaluating my every move. As another friendly guy helped me over the large gap to board the small boat, I noticed my father send him an unsettling look. While I was distracted by dad's perverse actions, I bumped into a large figure.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry," I blurted out before realizing who it was. The literal man of my dreams, Desiderio.

"Lost inside your head again?" He whispered flirtatiously, slightly touching my arm to keep me balanced on the rocking boat, which was just starting to move.

I breathed lightly, praying that my attraction wasn't too obvious. "Uh, yeah, something like that."

Desi sat down on a bench beside where we had been standing, guiding my hips to do the same. I felt myself flush brightly at his lingering touches. At the realization that my parents would probably murder me for being so close to him, I began frantically searching for them. Desi noticed my change in demeanor, asking politely, "Is there an issue, Sweetheart?"

"My parents," I muttered.

"They wandered to the front," He said, deep brown eyes looking vacantly into my baby blues, unblinking. I couldn't help but stare back, quickly moving my gaze elsewhere when it became too much. My mind was swirling into a thousand different places at once, and I couldn't manage to keep track of it all. Upon remembering my parents weren't watching, I let out a breath of withheld air.

Finally remembering that Desiderio wasn't expected to be there, I questioned, "Why are you here?"

"My dad's driving the boat," He responded quickly. It was as if he had anticipated the question. Soon, the peaceful chatter of the people on the boat was halted when the enthusiastic leader began speaking. He gave us instructions on what to do when the boat was stopped. A group of stingrays was waiting for the group to pet, take pictures with, and even kiss where we were headed.

Genuine excitement went through me as he described what was to happen. I grinned and smelled the salty air as the boat whipped through the ocean faster. When looking to my left, I came to see that Desi was still gazing at me. I gave him a suspicious look but he just smiled. He left me feeling comforted.

When we reached our destination, people began lining up at the ladder, receiving help from the leader on the way down. Upon reaching the ocean floor in the waist-deep water, their eyes would peer downward so that they wouldn't step on any passing stingrays. I watched as my parents struggled to climb down, refusing help from the leader rudely. I looked away from the scene, embarrassed by my heritage.

When it came to my turn, Desi went first and then helped me down. He gripped my hip strongly, making me go crazy inside. Once I stepped onto the soft white sand, Desiderio looked down on me with a look of admiration. I felt beautiful under his gaze.

He lifted his hand slightly, to sneak under the pink beach shirt my mother had instructed me to wear. "Why are you still wearing this? It's so hot out," He pondered.

"My mom makes me," I replied without any further context. He smiled slightly and without warning, pulled it over my head. He threw it so that it landed on the floor of the boat in a perfect lump.

"That's better," He said, seemingly innocent. I stood there in shock for a few moments, my bikini top exposed for the first time out of the comfort of my home. It seemed almost invasive of Desi to strip me without any sort of permission. He was strikingly bold and it strangely unnerved me.

A moment after, the man holding the stingray people had been focused on came to me, acknowledging that it was my turn to pet it. I was instantly distracted from the issue I had just been confronted with, stroking the rough skin of the sea creature. Slimy and adorable.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Desiderio watching me closely as I gave the stingray a peck on its forehead. But my concerns about him from moments earlier had yet to climb again.