Mon Unexpected Travel Buddies

Awkward Tension

Port Vila, Vanuatu

"Are you sure you want to do this instead of... I-I don't know... something else?" There was hesitance in Monisha's voice. Her left hand on her chest was bound to a fist, and with the other, she gripped her skirt to prevent her hand from fidgeting too much.

"Is something wrong?"

“Mon?”

"I-I've never done this before!" exclaimed the distressed Monisha. “A-and… I-I’m ticklish!”

"Everyone's a little ticklish here and there, Mon," Payton chuckled.

"I'm already extremely ticklish just at the thought of the pecking." Her face went from a peach blush to beet red. She was embarrassed at the thought of other people seeing the sensitive side of her, which she had only ever shown her ex-husband. She only ever appeared before the public with decorous behavior, and that was because of the nature of her ex-husband's job.

"I mean, I'm not going to impose anything on you. I only brought you here because you said you wanted to find the courage to do something fun and out-of-the-ordinary on this trip," was the very considerate notion of Payton, sensing she had changed her mind about their plans. "Do you want to get a massage instead?"

"No, no. I think we should go ahead with this. I'm sorry for making it seem like you're imposing. I came here at my will, but it's starting to look like you've forced me into this." She's indecisive as ever.

"Mon, come over here," Payton motioned his hand, inviting Monisha to sit next to him. "I have a tip for when we do it: shut your eyes, and you can also hold my hand. It will be a bit overwhelming at first, but then you get used to it—although it may still hurt a little.”

"Will not looking… really help?"

“If only we could turn the lights off—”

“Like that’s happening!”

"Just trust me. I was also hesitant when I first tried it and looking at a school of tiny fish pecking on my soles made it extremely challenging. It was so weird; that's how my first experience was."

The previous day, at the café, the two had decided to visit a newly opened fish spa. They learned that back then people had to hike for an hour to the waterfalls, so they could dip their feet in one of the water pools there and get a fish pedicure. How convenient is it that now all they had to do was take a 15-minute stroll along the beach to feed fish with their dead skin? Payton somehow managed to convince Monisha to go despite her telling him she thinks a trip to a regular spa would be suitable for her. He intended to go in the afternoon of that day, but Monisha needed to retire to her bed early because of a bad hangover.

"How does it feel?" a curious Payton asked. His company had been very quiet after he poked fun at her for how cute her reactions were to the fish nibbling on her toes.

"Liberating," she said with a smile of confidence.

"Huh? Liberating? What? Your feet? From calluses?" Payton jokingly responded.

"No, it's just that... I haven't done anything different since I started going on these trips. Do you remember how I told you that night about having an anxiety disorder? I haven't done anything I'm not familiar with because of that. I just feel like I'm finally letting loose, maybe?"

"You did mention it, but I didn't know it was that serious."

"I don't even know how serious it's gotten now. And to think I work in the medical field," she laughed it off despite it turning the mood in the room gloomy.

"And you're laughing about this. I don't know if you should be working where you work right now."

"Don't you watch movies?"

"Oh, I don't just watch movies, I—"

"Laughter is the best medicine."

"What?"

"I read about it, and I've watched a lot of movies where they tell their viewers that laughter is the best medicine. It never made sense to me until I had to go through the darkest days of my life. I used my laughter and of the people around me as a lamp to get through what felt like an endless tunnel of darkness."

"That's very insightful. I'll remember that for when I'm going through a rough patch."

"It's hard to remember on your own. I wouldn't have remembered about it if not for those who depended on me. You just need to know you're not alone and you'll eventually figure things out." Monisha had a big smile on her face as she watched the school of fish in the water.

Payton gazed at Monisha in awe. She was all the more congenial when she didn’t have an ounce of alcohol in her system, he thought, and he was pleased with how comfortable and easy it was to be around her. He always hated being around people, especially the ones who swooned over him without even personally knowing him. But this was different. He liked this, and he liked it even more that she's allowing him to witness the forthcoming of a character growth. But with this, he could also feel an unexplainable tension building up that makes him want to look away.

Oh, wait. Stop staring.

"I'm thankful I met you on this trip. We really click! I'm happy to make more plans with you until your departure." Monisha said as she casually grabbed both his hands and held them together.

Say something. Payton was silently panicking.

“Yeah, sure.”

Payton didn't intend to blush the same way Monisha did at the thought of fish tickling her feet. However, his cheeks were completely flushed because of the unexpected progress in their day out together. The thought of her grabbing his hands like that—why is my heart thumping? This can't be post-pandemic social anxiety? He’s used to a lot of women trying to touch his face, hold his hand, grab his arms, or anything objectifying him. But this was unlike those distasteful moments.

Though, he couldn't help but also question: How can she be this relaxed around me when I’m feeling uneasy seeing her this way?

What the hell is this awkward tension?