Piffle

1- All Rhodes Lead to Greece

                Fleur

               The sounds of crashing waves, mixing Daiquiris and Mai-Tais, laughing guests, clinking glasses, and a loud playing of the bouzouki was a summary of my everyday life ever since I landed a job in Rhodes, Greece.  My skills never really exactly screamed "bartender" but I took any job at this point so that I could actually sustain a living.  I laughed as I cleaned another margarita glass to put in the racks before any of the guests in Sheraton Rhodes decides to have an alcoholic drink at 8 am. 

                I watched the magnificent view of the Grecian beaches as I wiped every glass clean. I see this every day yet it still gives me the same amount of happiness every time I see it. It reminded me that there's still so much to look forward to in life even when it feels like I'm all alone right now. The sea was a gentle reminder that new sand always gets washed in just like how new opportunities and dreams get washed in too. The sea was my comfort place, it was the last memory I had of my parents. 

               I know they didn't mean to leave me all alone but life was always filled with risks. Every decision we make had a risk that tagged along with it. It just so happens that my parents' decision to ride that plane back to the Philippines to see if we can finally settle down there and have a permanent home was just a decision with a large risk. I was 18 when it happened, the plane crashed into the sea, no one has found it and It's already been nine years. Since their deaths, I didn't end up pursuing college and have hopped from country to country doing odd jobs to make ends meet. 

               I once worked as a saleslady in Harrods when I was 23 but that barely even lasted a year because dealing with demanding customers who wouldn't understand that not all things are always available just was not for me. I even worked as a model. Shocker. Well, actually, they just used my hands and feet for an anti-fungal product. It's everywhere and I refuse to tell anyone that those were my hands and feet. I even tried acting, hoping I'd land a gig as an extra or even just a minor role but turns out I'm just not cut out for acting. You could say I traveled around the world but it was mostly through hitchhiking and illegal ways of getting a ride anywhere, I can't disclose much because I don't want to get arrested. Finally, here I am, in Greece working as a bartender at the beach bar for almost two years now. 

              I don't really have much. I'm even just renting a room within the resort since they gave the cheapest room to me for half the price since I'm an employee of the Sheraton Rhodes. Friends? I do have one. 

           As if on cue, Eric came bounding over to where I was quietly cleaning margarita glasses and said, "Peter Eric Zhao signing in to do his daily.........Florence Chaves Adler, if you're still single at 30 you have to marry me." I rolled my eyes and replied as I threw him a cloth so that he could help me clean, "And I'm going to tell you every day that I'll entertain the idea when I'm already 30"

             "There are only three years left, why don't we just get a headstart, I'm a nice guy, you're a nice girl, we've been friends since we both landed jobs here, and you can't deny I'm decent looking," he reasoned and I just laughed at his expressions. I gave him a friendly pat on the cheek then said, "You're a great guy Eric but I'm not in the right headspace for a relationship okay?" He pouted and dejectedly looked away which made me feel bad. I let out a long sigh and said, "Eric, look at me." He looked at me intentionally with sad puppy eyes making me smack him in the back of the head and say, "Hey! I'm trying to be serious here." He laughed and said, "Okay serious, hit me with your best sentimental shot."

          I took his pinky finger and wrapped it around mine then said, "I promise that as soon as I turn 30 and I'm still single, we'll get hitched immediately." He gave out a hearty laugh then said, "I'll hold you to that." He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and then continued to help me clean the glasses until a customer arrived. Not long after, a customer did arrive and I gave my best smile then said, "Kalimera! What can I get for you?"

Leo

             "Lena, look, I've made it very clear that yes I'm upset that I'll have to choose one of the noble ladies but that doesn't mean I want to go on a crazy bachelor trip, who knows what scandal I'm going to get reeled into even if I explicitly did not do anything," I said as I perused my closet for something to wear for another formal dinner with some stuffy nobles. My sister rolled her eyes and said, "Seriously? Out of all the times you could've not been rebellious, you decide to do it now when it makes sense for you to go against the rules. When have you ever cared about what would stain the Mlaknar family name? As soon as you were of legal age, you started going to clubs and partied like there was no tomorrow."

             I looked her dead in the eye and said, "Do you want to ascend the throne instead and take the burden? I'm acting right because I'm about to be the head of a kingdom, I don't really have a choice but to behave." I finally was able to choose something from my closet when suddenly I heard a familiar voice say, "Stop lying to your poor sister, I know what you're up to Leo."  I rolled my eyes and said, "Really, Ivan? I told you to keep your mouth shut." 

          "You know, there's a reason why he spilled this little secret of yours to Lena and me," Niko said as he appeared right beside Ivan like some ghost, "Someone needs to make sure you don't do anything too stupid and besides, aren't trips much much more enjoyable when you have your lovely friends with you."

        I smirked and said, "Alright then, I know Ivan and Niko are in but what about you Lena?" She put on a contemplative look then said, "Hmmm, I'm not really sure, this could mean a lot of trouble, and mama and tata sort of expect me to be the non-rebellious one out of the two of us." I decided to tease her by saying, "Do you really want to be stuck here and get possibly dragged into Katja's posse for her daily shopping spree."

         "Alright, alright, you have me convinced, I'm going alright, being around Katja is a nightmare, every time she opens her mouth and says something, my soul dies a little, her only personality is having money to spend," she replied making me laugh then say, "Well then, Ivan, Niko, Lena, get sunglasses, swimwear, and a lot of money because we're going to Greece!"