"In order to become insane, you need to be born sane first. Everybody is born sane to become insane. It's inevitable because it's life, and life itself is insane and sane yet both try to kill you. Now that's crazy."
For a little, we didn't talk. None of us did. We were toowrap up with our own thoughts to even realize that nobody has spoken for the past fifteen minutes. But I didn't mind, I had to much on my mind to care. Vaas kept driving, keeping remarkable steadiness as he drove over the bumpy dirt road. The road back home were more better than this.
The same question kept popping back in my head. Why did my parents come to this island? Why? They said it was for vacation but I felt like there was something more behind what they were saying. A lot more, but I could barely manage to understand anything from their journals. Most were about business matters. Besides one. One had a very, detailed drawing of a dagger. I always knew my father was artistic but something about this drawing, the amount detail, the side notes, the information, it looked like he was obsessive over it. I remember the vibe that drawing gave off. It gave off a vibe of insanity and death, felt like anyone would go nuts over it.
"How do you feel about those unfit for the world?" Vaas suddenly questioned, startling me out of my thoughts. The two men behind us ignored his question, knowing it was directed to me, not them.
"How do I feel about them?" I asked. What kind of question is this?
"Yes." There was this hint of bitterness in his words I detected.
"It...depends I guess. In my eyes, everybody is fit to live. The hell were they birthed onto this earth for? To waste air? Doubt it. Everyone in this fucked up world has a place and a purpose. In the end of the day, people die. Death is the only thing that no one can escape," I answered as I turned my head and looked at him, "No one. Even those who think that they are 'untouchable' die." I gazed at him for a few seconds, before his gaze softened much more as if liking my answer. I looked forward again. "That's why people act like its their last day because death is unpredictable." He laughed causing me to smirk.
"You're one of a kind," he stated causing me to blush. I gazed at my lap and I twirled my thumps.
"T-thank you." Why does he make me so nervous? "So, um, are you natively born here?" I asked to hide my redden cheeks though I knew Vaas already seen them.
"You can say that," was his simple reply. I took it as a yes. It sounded like he didn't want to talk it. If he was, he was. If he isn't, he isn't.
"So, what's up with this guy? The one who hangs with blond that stupid huh?" The guy with the stupid blond. I knew who he was talking about. I sighed.
"The guy is Daniel, the dumb blond is his girl, Maya. They're not...really good people to be around. They're bad," I replied.
"How bad?"
"Bad," I clarified. "They make people lives hell." I shook my left ankle and felt a little pop where the bone is still healing. I bit my lip when I remembered how everyone was laughing at me until they realize i wasn't getting back up. My head hit the pavement so hard I almost black out but in the panic of attempting to catch myself from falling due to the black ice they created by purposely putting water out in front of the alternate door I use so I could avoid them and people in general, I someone manage to fall directly, full weight and everything right onto my ankle causing it snap like a branch. The pain was so excruciating that I couldn't scream out in pain. Only bite down on my lip drawing blood and close my eyes, holding back tears.
"They seem not to like you. What did you do that pissed them off hermana?" Vaas took a sharp left, causing Mitchel, Josh, and me to grasp onto the car so we don't fly out, even though we had our seat-belts on. But taking extra precaution doesn't hurt anyone.
"Nothing. I've done nothing to them yet they hate me like I've taken lottery from them," I mumbled, "They just dislike me. Especially Dainel and Maya. Why? I don't know."
"Wait, wait, wait," Josh said, leaning in between Vaas and me and draping his arms on the seats, "Why would someone as tiny, beautiful and smart like you be disliked by so many?"
"It's like what Vaas said, 'How do you feel about those unfit for the world.' I can't think like them Josh but I can only assume what they think is screwed up. The way they think, is like they think their the shit. That everybody will accept them because they have money. They have the looks and the goods if you know what I mean guys," all of them nodded, "Yet, in order to feel bigger and tougher they go looking for someone who seems unfit and isn't tough. Then they degrade them. Insult them. Embarrass them. Just to get a few laughs and a kick out of it so they can please themselves and others."
"You act like you have experience with this," commented Vaas.
"That's because I'm a victim and still am of their harassment. I'm the main target. They've done things to me that you never thought someone who's sweet and easygoing had to endure." Flashbacks of the sexual attempt assault flashed through my mind and I felt like shutting down.
"Like what?" pushed on Vaas. He wanted answers.
"Like when Daniel-," I stop mid sentence. The memories were overwhelming, "Can we drop this please? I don't want to talk about it right now." I didn't want to talk about anymore. I've been trying to forget what happened, but seeing that monster every single day made me remember that moment. I hugged arms against my chest, as I looked away from them, closing my eye tightly. Feeling that same anxiety. The same feeling of panic. The feeling of getting violated. I needed to calm down before I break down. I didn't need to cry in front of my three new friends. I need to be strong. Not weak.
Vaas and Josh watched as she tensed. Her whole body just stiffened at the mention of Daniel. They could feel the fear she had towards him. The hatred. The anger. The absolute fear. They could taste it off the top of their tongues. Usually, Vaas would feed off such emotion's from his hostages. It would entertain him, amuse him, give him a thrill putting fear, anger, and hatred into people before killing them. Hell, he was like Daniel himself. Degrading people. Telling them lies. Harassing them. Tormenting them to the point they couldn't remember who they were. But seeing this from 'his' Aria, it angered him. Seeing and hearing that someone was messing with his new property irked him. He had to deal with it. He had too.
"Hermano's," he called out in a hushed tone. Mitchell sat forward more, standing up slightly so his head was on top of the drivers seat, and Josh tilted his head towards him. Indicating that they're listening. "You know what needs to get done." Both men nodded their heads, understanding. They need to befriend her enemies in order to turn the tables on them. Hunters become hunted. Predators turn prey, because on Vaas island, they were his game. To him and his men, he saw them as deer. Deer who will run till exhaustion before the hunter gets them. "Hermana. Listen here and listen close because I'm the kind of motherfucker that doesn't like repeating himself twice," he stated and I lifted my head and gazed at him, "On this here motherfucking island. You have nothing to fear here. Understand? You have nothing to fear! That fucker Daniel isn't nothing more but a boy. Fucking around, fucking bitches left and right, and like you said, thinks he's 'the shit.' Thinks he has his finger the pussy trigger, thinks he's all the fuck way up in the sky, that nothing can touch him. No, no, no, on this island, on my island Aria," he gazed at me, our eyes locking as he managed to keep the car straight down the dirt road. I just stared in shock, almost in a way, what he was saying was: 'You have nothing to worry about while I'm here.' "He's the bitch, your the woman. He's the boy, I'm the man. Understand?"
"Yeah," I answered. His brutal honesty seemed to make sense to me.
"Good."
"Aria look!" stated Mitchell, causing me to look at him briefly to see that he was pointing at something ahead of us, so I looked in front of me and I gasp. We were approaching a large, building that looked old yet beautiful. It was at least seventy feet tall. It's outer walls, were made of either brick or stone and had a bright rusty red as the main color. It looked like each bedroom had their own balcony. I could bet the view from the topper balcony's was a money maker. The windows were not big, but they were average, like medium size, yet simple in design. The front courtyard had a water fountain, the water gently falling over the corners of the top tier, falling into the second tier before falling into the main tier. There were colorful flowers everywhere. Covering the perimeter of the fountain to the main entrance of the building.
"This the hotel?" I asked.
"Yeah," answered Mitchell.
"Wow," I whispered. I was taken aback by the beauty of this simple place.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to ParadÃso. Where the food is the shit, service is great and beds are quite comfy!" yelled Vaas, as he stop the car at the front entrance. I unbuckled my seat belt and gazed around, amazed as I climbed out the jeep. Places like this don't exist in America. I mean there are places like this but you need to travel far and wide to see something like this. Nature ravaging all around, vines slowly climbing up the side on one of the hotel walls, the fresh smell of wilderness in the air. This was beautiful. It wasn't overdone like most hotel's back home nor was it over expensive or bizarre in style. This was simple, comfortable and welcoming. I suddenly felt a arm drape around my shoulder and looked up. It was Vaas. "You guys get her stuff, I'll walk our gem in," he shouted out to the other two, who were already getting my belongings out. "Come on," he said softly to me as he looked down at me, with a half smirk that I found charming. I followed. We walked into the hotel together, him still having his arm drape around my shoulder while I gazed around like a child in a candy store.
"Oh, so pretty," I complimented. The lobby was big. It had bright color orange wall on one side and a bright green wall on the other which matched with one another. There was this big sofa that was a light tan color, and beautiful marble flooring.
"Ah! Vaas! My brother! How have you been doing mi hermano?" Shouted a voice. Vaas and me turned our attention to the main stairway, and saw a man dressed in a causal white shirt, and cargo pants with military boots coming down.
"Carlos!" replied Vaas. He let go of me momentarily, and embraced his friend patting his back. I chuckled softly to myself. It's a Latino thing among Hispanic men I swear. He pulled back before draping his arm over my shoulders once more, pulling me besides him. "Carlos, meet Aria. Aria, meet Carlos." I smiled shyly, and gave a small wave to him.
"Very beautiful name!" Carlos said with a smile. I smiled slightly before trying to squirm behind Vaas. Vaas chuckled.
"Gem, he doesn't bite." I felt my heart race knowing I've been caught.
"I'm shy."
"I can see that mi amor," he stated as he grasp my chin, making me look up at him. He smiled, before he bump our heads together, laughing. "Don't worry. Carlos is a pretty chill dude."
"It seems that you are a part of the tourist that are staying here am I right?" asked Carlos, as he went behind his desk to grab a handful of paperwork that looked like they needed to be done but hadn't gotten to yet.
"Yes. I was suppose to be with the others but Vaas here and his friends offered me a ride, and well, I got here before them," I replied. He nodded listening.
"No doubt those Americans have taken a unexpected detour from the main road on the way here. That damn fork in the road always throws people off," he mumbled to himself. I looked up at Vaas, who shrugged his shoulder's.
"He talks to himself. It's normal." Normal? I mouthed a 'O' before staring at Carlos. I wasn't bugged by it, I mean, I sing and dance in the shower when no ones watching so who am I to judge? I'm the biggest goofball once you get to know me better. He kept searching for something but for what? Important document?
"Here. Assuming you are going to give her the best room here, these are the keys," Carlos said to us, before throwing a key to Vaas who caught it with grace.
"Thanks hermano. It's like you can read my mind."
"Knowing you for years friend, I already know you like to give expensive things to things you like," he chuckled, "Especially a beauty like her hermano," he whistled, "I won't be surprised at all." I stared at him confused. What was he talking about. Vaas wrap his arm around my shoulder again and begun dragging me off towards a elevator that was nearby.
"Where we going?"
"To your room, where else loca?" he simply replied as he called the elevator down.
"What is it with you women and your crap?" yelled Josh, as he entered the building, carrying four suit cases, followed by Mitchell who was dragging another three with him side. "You have dead bodies in here?"
"Us woman need to come prepared and have to scare off the creeps," I replied laughing. "Nah. At least four of those bags have school based related things. Tools, electronics like camera's, books, documents with information. My professor ask me if I can take some of his items with me. If you think that's a lot, wait till you see Maya." Just as I finished, the elevator doors opened. Vaas went inside, pulling me along.
"Carlos do you have that moveable rack somewhere in this lobby?" asked Mitchell.
"Hm? Ah! Si! It has to be over there, if not here's the keys to the staff room. Rosa must've put it there last time if I remember." I chuckled to myself, while Vaas pressed a floor and the doors closed.
"Nicest people I've ever met in my life," I said to myself, feeling myself smiling at the kindness and hospitality I was receiving.
"People in America not like that?"
"Huh? Oh, no. I mean, yeah there's nice people like them and like yourself in America, is just people tend to be more like dick's rather be nice. It's not a bad place to live in, but it's overrated in my opinion." He leaned against the metal wall, crossing his feet and putting his hands in his pocket smirking.
"You actually think I'm 'nice' Aria?" he questioned, adding a hint of distaste on the word nice.
"Hell, your the nicest guy I've met so far besides the other two boneheads. But I've come to grow up that there's always two sides to a person. A good side. A evil side. A sweet side. A naughty side," I replied saying the last one with a smirk and playfulness in my voice. Something about him just made me so comfortable to be playful with him. Even flirt with him a little a bit.
"Oh really?" he asked, as he pushed himself off the metal wall and slowly approached me. I didn't dare move, keeping my stance. "What if I say I'm the bad guy?" I smiled, as I gazed up at him. The height difference between us was perfect. He stop mere inches from me, our bodies narrowly touching. He placed one hand on the wall behind me, while he gazed deeply into my eyes, leaning on closely, till our faces were centimeters apart. "What do you have to say? Huh?" he asked in that flirtatious, Spanish voice of his. "Anything hermana?"
"What if I was a bad guy, huh?" I asked back, "What do you got to say? Anything hermano?" He smiled as he laughed when I used the reverse psychology method on him.
"Clever woman."
"Well, I've learned from the best." He smirked.
"And who will that be?"
"Depends. My grandmother, my friend, teachers, you."
"Your barely know me. You barely know what I'm capable of doing."
"I might not you enough Vaas, but that doesn't mean I can't learn something off of you in a few seconds. And yeah. Your right. I don't know what your capable of doing, but than again. Neither do you know what I'm capable of doing."
"That's insane."
"Everything's insane if you think about. I'm insane, your insane. The world's insane. Yet we're sane at the same damn time while we're losing our minds. Now that's insane."
"I like you Aria. Clever, charming, tactical, strong. Defines what I think how a woman should be," he stated, as he softly brushed my hair with his fingertips. I giggled.
"I ain't tactical. I'm clever minded, not operation spec-ops minded."
"Like you said, you can learn. It only takes a few seconds."
"Oh really? I think being taught to be tactical might take more than a few seconds," I stated as put my right hand on his chest, in which he used his free hand and put hid hand over my, grasping my hand and holding it tightly again his firm chest where I felt his heart thump strongly.
"I agree with you," he whispered huskily in my ear, making my heart race, "I wouldn't mind the extra time in teaching you." I felt my cheeks heat up, and this strange tingling sensation go throughout my body. I looked away, feeling embarrassed. My eyes widen in shock when I felt lips lightly graze my neck. "Hotel ParadÃso does bring lovely paradise," he mumbled. I felt his heavy, hot breath against my skin, as he kept moving his head, making his lips graze my bare flesh. Suddenly, we heard a ding, telling us the elevator had reached the floor Vaas pressed on the button pad. Vaas pulled off me just as the doors open, dropping my hand from his chest, still holding it though. I felt light headed from everything. Vaas walked out of the elevator, once again dragging me, since my mind was buzzing. We kept walking past rooms till we stop in front of a room door, who's door were much larger than the others, and darker in color. Vaas drop my hand and begun untying the red fabric that was wrap around his upper arm as he moved behind me. Even though I was flustered, it made me curious to what he was doing.
"What are you doing Vaas?" Suddenly my vision went dark as I asked. He was tying the red fabric around my eyes so I couldn't see. "Vaas?"
"Shh. I want my gift to be a surprise. Isn't this what you Americans do back home when you surprise someone?"
"Yes."
"Well, I'm surprising you. Now stand still, we don't need you walking into walls face first now do we?" he stated as I heard him walk around me and get the keys out and I heard the door unlock. I felt him grab my hands and help me walk into the room. "Be careful, don't trip."
"How can I trip when you got me?"
"Anything is possible." I snickered, but he was right. "Okay, here we are." He stop walking in which I stop also. He let go of my hands and went behind me once more and I felt him start to untie the cloth. "One, two..." I felt the cloth off my face, but he kept it hovered over my eyes, "Three!" He removed the cloth, and I blinked a few times before gazing around the room he gave me as a 'gift.'
"Wow!"