Two - Flint
Of course, I’d noticed Sage the second Jack dragged me along. It would be hard not to—she looked exactly like my ex, in both the worst and best kind of ways.
The long blonde hair, tiny waist, and pale-but-sunkissed complexion set her apart from anyone around her. There was a glow around her; imperceptible but impossible to deny.
Then there was the way she smiled. That carefree way we were at the start of our relationship. We were both fun and full of life. Sage was a bitter but pleasant reminder of how things could have been. The way it was before she became… whatever it was she was at the end.
It was as much my fault as hers—we’d both changed a lot, after all—but I couldn’t help resenting how clingy, moody, and miserable she was toward the end. It started with non-stop accusations of cheating. Or looking at any other woman around us. That grew old real quick.
Then came the negativity. It was one thing if she was in a bad way emotionally, but it was entirely another when she was suddenly ragging on every little thing I did, from my hobbies to my friends. I just couldn’t take it.
Was I glad I got out? The wound was still raw, but I knew I’d made the right move.
Jack had, of course, unleashed a tirade about how bad she really was and how he was glad to see the back of her before suggesting this little trip.
With nothing on and no excuses, why the hell not?
I’d never even left our sleepy hometown, let alone fly across the world.
Thousands of miles and more hours spent cooped up in a too-small flying metal box, and one of the first girls I saw reminded me of her. It’s funny how the more things change, the more they stay the same. And how running from something can have you hitting that same thing smack in the face.
She wasn’t my ex, though. Her voice wasn’t the same, nor her devilish, carefree way about her. I still hadn’t summoned the courage to talk to her, but thanks to Jack, I knew enough that she was nothing like my ex. Not only that, she was getting out of a rough patch in her love life, too.
Was that it? Was it fate? Would we be good for each other? Not in a ‘I can fix her’ way, far from it, but in a ‘let’s have crazy, meaningless sex until we both pass out from exhaustion and forget about our exes’ kind of way.
I was so lost in thought, letting my gaze shamelessly wander up her bare thighs to her very small denim shorts, that I didn’t hear her talking to me.
“Sorry, what was that?” I managed a weak smile while she shook her head. Jack shot me a look that spoke volumes about how disappointed he was in me.
“I said, do you two want to come for a quick dip? There’s a small lagoon not far from here that’s perfect.”
“Sorry, I don’t have anything to swim in.” I cleared my throat and blushed hard.
She leaned closer.
“That’s okay, neither do I….”
I glanced at Jack, unable to hide my shock as his grin widened.
“What do you say, Flint? Feeling adventurous?” He was turned away from Sage, so she couldn’t see just how wide his eyes were. It was clear what he was suggesting.
He’d always been the more adventurous of the two of us, in every sense of the word.
Never said no to anything, even when the offers came from other dudes.
As a result, he had some wild stories. Stories that, if I were being honest, I was a little bit jealous of.
I’d never had the courage to try half of what he had, even though I secretly wanted to.
That was what this trip was about, I had to remind myself. I was going to stop getting in my own way, stop living in my head, and just live a little. If that meant skinny dipping with a beautiful girl and a close friend, then so be it.
“A quick dip sounds good,” I answered as confidently as I could, whilst also dreading the possibility of being naked in front of both of them. “Lead on.”
“Perfect.” Her lips curled into a suggestive smile as she stood. It was clear that swimming might be the last thing on her mind.