Chapter XII
1407 Words
Zelene walked alone to the convenience store inside the resort to buy a Coke. As she passed by one of the rooms, she saw two people coming out. Her eyes widened when she realized it was Rowan and the girl from the college of business. She stopped, her heart sinking at the sight, thinking that Rowan might be sharing a room with this girl.
But then she noticed they seemed to be arguing.
“Please, Rowan,” the girl pleaded.
“No, Nisha,” Rowan replied firmly. “It’s still a no. Go back to your friends or wherever you want to go.”
Nisha’s voice rose in frustration. “Is it because of that girl in your class? She’s not even as beautiful as I am. You know we’re perfect for each other. Our parents know it too.”
Zelene’s heart raced as she tried to process what she was hearing. Was Nisha talking about her? Did she think Zelene wasn’t right for Rowan because of her simple life?
Before Zelene could turn away, Rowan’s eyes met hers. He spoke her name softly, “Zelene.”
Nisha turned and glared at Zelene with disdain. “Is she the girl you want? A low-class, cheap girl? She can’t even reach my standards.”
Rowan’s face contorted with annoyance. “Shut up, Nisha. Go back to your friends.”
But Nisha refused to leave. “No, I’m not going anywhere. This girl needs to know her place.”
Zelene couldn’t bear to stay there any longer, hearing those hurtful words and seeing the contempt in Nisha’s eyes. She turned her back to head to the convenience store, her heart heavy. As she walked away, she heard Nisha’s voice trailing behind her.
“Run away, b***h! Know your place.”
Zelene’s eyes filled with tears, but she held them back. She reached the convenience store, grabbed a Coke, and stood by the cooler for a moment to compose herself. She felt a mixture of anger, hurt, and confusion.
Zelene and her friends laughed and complimented each other as they changed into their swimsuits inside their room. Zelene slipped into her pink two-piece swimsuit, adding a pair of black net cover-up pants. Her fair skin glowed, and she styled her hair into a messy bun.
"You look amazing, Zelene!" Tasha exclaimed.
"Yeah, totally rocking that look," Unity added with a grin.
As they stepped outside, they found many of their classmates already dressed in their beach attire. The boys were wearing swim shorts, and some girls had on various types of swimsuits.
Samuel spoke up, "Should I take off my shirt already?" He winked, making everyone laugh. "I'll show my abs later."
Rowan was standing nearby, still in his white shirt and khaki shorts, his eyes fixed on Zelene. She felt shy under his intense gaze and avoided looking directly at him. Just then, Benedict, one of Rowan's friends, approached her.
"Hi, Zelene," he said with a friendly smile.
"Hello," she replied, smiling back.
"You look like an angel. Really beautiful," Benedict complimented her, causing Zelene to blush.
Suddenly, they heard Rowan mutter, "f**k," loudly. Everyone turned to look at him.
Rowan frowned and snapped, "What are you all looking at?"
Nina quickly intervened, "Come on, let's go to the beach shore and take some pictures or do whatever you want!"
Nigel held up a volleyball. "We're going to play! Who's in?"
The class cheered as they made their way to the shore. Benedict walked beside Zelene, continuing their conversation.
"Are you going to play volleyball?" he asked.
Zelene laughed. "I usually run away from the ball."
Benedict laughed with her. "I can teach you if you want."
"Thanks, but I'm really more into writing," she replied, shaking her head and smiling.
As they reached the shore, Tasha called out to Zelene, "Come on, let's take some pictures!"
Zelene waved goodbye to Benedict and ran to join her friends. They took numerous pictures: selfies, group shots, and candid moments with their classmates.
Rowan watched from a distance, his jaw clenched as he observed Zelene laughing and enjoying herself. Meanwhile, Benedict joined the volleyball game with the rest of the boys.
After taking pictures, Zelene found a quiet spot under a tree and began scrolling through the photos on her phone. Suddenly, she heard a voice behind her.
"What kind of clothes are you wearing?" It was Rowan.
Zelene looked up, slightly annoyed. "It's called a swimsuit, Rowan. We're at the beach."
"It's too revealing," Rowan said, his voice laced with irritation. "And why were you talking with Benedict?"
Zelene stood up, facing him. "It's my life, Rowan. I decide what to wear and who to talk to."
Rowan's annoyance was evident. Zelene decided to push him a little further. She ran her fingers from her neck down to her chest and said, "It's hot. Maybe I should take off my cover-up and play volleyball with the others. Benedict did offer to teach me."
Rowan's eyes darkened, and without warning, he pulled her close, his hands firm around her waist. He whispered into her ear, "If you take off your cover-up and let anyone touch you, I'll carry you away and lock us both in a room. And then, I'll be the one to take off every single piece of clothing you're wearing."
Zelene shivered at his words, feeling his breath on her ear. Rowan pulled back slightly, looking into her eyes. "Think smart," he said before walking away to join his friends.
Zelene stood there, her heart racing and her mind swirling with emotions. She watched as Rowan seamlessly integrated into the volleyball game, leaving her to ponder the intensity of his words and actions.
After the intense interaction with Rowan, Zelene joined her friends on the shore. Nina was already splashing around in the water and beckoned them to join her. "Come on, Zelene! Swim with us!"
Zelene hesitated, glancing at her black net cover-up. She remembered Rowan's threat and felt a mix of defiance and nervousness. Unity noticed her hesitation and called out, "Zelene, just take off the cover-up and come join us! You look amazing!"
Zelene smiled, feeling a surge of confidence from her friends' encouragement. She reached for the waistband of her net pants, ready to pull them off. Just then, she heard Rowan shout from the volleyball court, "You try!"
Startled, she looked in his direction. He was playing with the other boys but had paused to glare at her, his eyes burning with intensity. Zelene took a deep breath, deciding not to let his words control her. She smiled, a challenging glint in her eye, and slowly removed her cover-up.
Her friends cheered loudly, admiring her figure. "You look so sexy, Zelene!" Tasha exclaimed.
Even the other boys around the beach couldn't help but stare at her. Rowan's voice cut through the air, "f**k!" He threw the volleyball forcefully at the other team. "Keep your eyes on the ball, not on others," he snapped, his fury evident.
Ignoring Rowan, Zelene laughed and ran into the water with her friends. The cool waves splashed around her as she joined Nina, Unity, and Tasha. They swam and played, enjoying the freedom and fun of the moment.
Nina swam up to her. "You look incredible, Zelene! I'm glad you decided to join us."
"Thanks, Nina," Zelene replied, feeling genuinely happy.
Chase and Nigel joined them in the water, splashing and joking around. Chase looked at Zelene and smiled warmly. "It's good to see you enjoying yourself, Zelene. Don't let anyone ruin your fun."
"Yeah, thanks, Chase," Zelene said, appreciating his support.
As they played in the water, Rowan watched from the volleyball court, his mood visibly darkening. Benedict approached him, laughing. "Hey, Rowan, you're taking this game way too seriously, man."
Rowan forced a smile, his eyes briefly flicking to where Zelene was swimming. "Yeah, just trying to stay focused."
Meanwhile, Zelene felt a sense of liberation as she swam with her friends. She was determined to enjoy herself despite the complicated feelings surrounding Rowan. The water felt refreshing, washing away some of the tension and confusion that had been building up inside her.
After a while, they all gathered on the shore to rest. Zelene lay on a towel, soaking up the sun. Unity nudged her. "You handled that really well. Don't let anyone intimidate you."
"Thanks, Unity. I won't," Zelene replied, her determination growing stronger.
- Writer
