The Week That Bounds Us

Heaven's Glimpse

"Let's go with red for tonight," Rachel said, her voice a mix of excitement and determination as she disorganized her suitcase, pouring its contents onto the bed in a flurry of color and fabric.

"Nah, red is too bright for my skin tone. How about we go with pink tonight, huh?" Kira replied, her tone kind but firm, disapproving Rachel's request with a gentle shake of her head.

They were still at it, having argued for over twenty minutes about how to dress for tonight's dinner. First, it was the style; now, it was the color. Their voices rose and fell, an animated symphony of opinions, each one trying to outshine the other. They had completely forgotten that we were supposed to go out touring with Ms. Clarke by 9, which was about an hour and thirty minutes away.

"How about we go with black sequin? We all have black sequin dresses that we bought a few days ago," I suggested, trying to put an end to their endless debate. My voice cut through the air like a knife, silencing their bickering.

"Wow, that's a great idea," Kira replied, her face lighting up with agreement.

"True, we all look good in black, and the sequins will look amazing under the reflection of the ocean," Rachel added, her eyes sparkling with satisfaction. I only said that because I was tired of their arguments. I didn't even know I was suggesting a good idea or anything.

"I didn't know you had a knack for fashion, or is it because of someone?" Kira teased, her tone playful and conspiratorial.

"Someone tall, handsome, and kind," Rachel added, winking at me. We ended up laughing, the tension melting away. Just then, room service arrived with our breakfast tray. It was more tantalizing than yesterday's, the aroma of freshly cooked food filling the room.

After breakfast, we prepared for our tour. We decided to dress up in sky-blue floral-patterned summerwear. Kira, naturally being a girly girl, wore a backless minidress. Kira wore a sleeveless crop top and a matching skirt, while I wore a short-sleeved knee-length dress.

We opted for a natural look, leaving our hair unstyled. Kira worked her magic on our hair and makeup, her fingers moving deftly. We added beaded and shell jewelry to complete our look—delicate bracelets, necklaces, and earrings that caught the light. For the finishing touches, we wore sandals to match our outfits and spritzed on floral-scented perfumes to add to our glamour. I wasn't a fan of makeup or dresses but loved perfumes, fragrances, and colognes. We also added woven bags and hats along with sunglasses to our look. When we were done, we looked at ourselves in the mirror with satisfaction. We looked radiant yet simple.

"How about some photos, girls?" Rachel suggested, her voice bubbling with excitement. We took lots of selfies and photos of the beach from our bungalow, capturing the sun-kissed scenery and our joyous faces while killing time, waiting for Ms. Clarke for our tour. After a couple of minutes, the doorbell rang. It was Ms. Clarke. She looked more comfortable today, usually dressed in corporate wear, but now she looked relaxed in a t-shirt, jean shorts, and a pair of sandals. She smiled and complimented us, saying we looked gorgeous, which was unexpected because she had seemed cold the few times we met her.

"Today, we will board a seaplane and fly across the Maldives to view the entire island," Ms. Clarke announced, her voice filled with enthusiasm.

"Yah!" we screamed in unison, our excitement palpable as we walked to the seaport to board the seaplane. We couldn't hide our excitement, our hearts racing with anticipation. When we reached the seaport, we boarded the seaplane, the view of the Maldives taking our breath away. Ms. Clarke pointed out each island we saw, naming each of them as we passed by, her voice a soothing guide.

Amongst us were other passengers, mostly locals. Only we and a couple on their honeymoon seemed to be the only foreigners. Ms. Clarke, on the other hand, could be called a local due to her ten years working in the Maldives' tourist center.

The ride in the seaplane was wonderful, the only downside being the constant stops at different islands to drop off and pick up other passengers. It was a long tour, lasting about four hours, but the mesmerizing views made it worthwhile.

We were completely exhausted and famished. Ms. Clarke noticed this and politely asked the pilot if he could wait for about fifteen minutes so she could get us lunch. He was an elderly and kind man and agreed. He stopped at a local island, and she quickly left and returned with some local drinks and dishes for us. We thanked her for her concern. She also got some food for the pilot. We then headed back to Rangali, our tour for the day over.

We returned to our bungalow completely exhausted. We decided to rest for a little while, then get up by 4:30 PM to get ready for dinner. Despite all the touring and sightseeing, I wasn't for one moment distracted from my dinner with Daniel. I kept thinking about what to say and do when I saw him. The entire tour was an attempt to suppress my anxiety. I set my alarm for 4:30 and laid down for a little rest.

Only Kira and Rachel managed to nap. I stayed awake, my anxiety a relentless companion. Before I realized it, the alarm went off. Kira and Rachel got up. We showered and got dressed in our black sequin dresses. Kira wore a long-sleeved cut-out bodycon minidress with silver-strapped heels, a matching bag, a silver choker, a pair of drop earrings and some silver rings. Rachel wore an off-shoulder minidress with a side slit, paired with gold block-heeled sandals, a matching bag and a pair of gold hoop earrings and thin gold bangle. I wore a long-sleeved v-neck crossover dress with black and silver cone heels, a matching bag, a thin silver pendant, a pair of silver stud and a silver ring.

Kira then did her magic on our wigs. She styled hers into a low ponytail, which perfectly complemented her dress. Rachel opted for a sleek high ponytail, which made her shoulders more visible and added an elegant touch. I chose a sleek back long straight hair, giving me a sophisticated look. We looked radiant and stunning. We wore perfume, each scent carefully chosen to match our personalities. I wore my favorite perfume, a blend of lavender and vanilla. It was 5:45 PM, and we left our bungalow, heading to Ithaa Undersea Restaurant.

I was filled with both excitement and anxiety. As we walked, we seemed to attract a lot of attention. Many people stared at us, their gazes lingering. I felt a bit shy and awkward due to this, but my anxiety was taking over. We arrived at Ithaa Undersea Restaurant and checked our reservation.

To our greatest surprise, the entire restaurant was empty. I could only spot a man at a table set for eight people, which was unusual since the restaurant was designed for tables of two or four.