My memories from last night were hazy. I remember coming back to my room, after finding out that my favorite spot became Michael's favorite spot too. Now I'm not sure if I want to go back there. I mean, to seat in that couch knowing what touched it the night before...eww!
The tequila bottle was standing empty on my nightstand. Damn! That's why my head hurt so much. And I can't remember dinner, I'm sure I didn't order nothing from room service.
Shit, my laptop!
I sat and found the laptop at the foot of the bed. I had vague memories of searching for information on Tanya, because what Rosalie told us was worth of a more detailed look. Maybe I googled Michael, Bella and Edward, but nothing relevant came out. I opened the laptop, and what I saw scared me. There on the screen, were pictures of Maria on lingerie. What did I search?
It was an e-mail. Maria begging me to come back. Those were the pictures she used to try to lure me. She looks thinner that I remember. Ja, that one with the purple bra was wrong on so many levels; it was what she wore when I caught her with Paul.
There were more mails. I know I don't check my mail so often since I left the city, but this was ridiculous. 741 mails. Three or four mails a day.
I have to block her. The last two were from a clinic. All of these is bullshit. One would think that six months later she would had got the hint. I'm not coming back.
I erased the mails without a doubt.
Now, let's see what I found about Tanya Denali...
xxx
When I remembered that we were supposed to go fishing, I ran to the beach. Someone had to be there. I was right, Bella was sitting on a chair, instead of swimming.
"Good morning Bella! What about that fishing trip?"
"It got cancelled, there's a storm coming. But instead they organized a costume party."
"Like a Halloween party?"
"Sort of. The manager offered to give us some costumes they keep for occasions like this, but the idea is to create a costume from whatever you find around here. There's a prize for the best costume if you're interested."
I noticed that today she wasn't wearing her bathing suit, but cotton shorts and a tank top. She looked sexier than ever.
"Why aren't you swimming?"
She smiled. "I forgot you left early. Let's just say our friends got a bit excited for the party and there were limitless amounts of alcohol... I hope all of them are still sleeping avoiding the hangover. I knew they wouldn't be up early."
"And you didn't partake in such events?"
"Nah, I didn't feel in the mood of partying. I left early too."
"Had you give it a thought?"
"Uh?"
"Your costume. By the way, do they think to set another date for the fishing trip?"
"Yeah, they said it depends on how big the storm gets. It may be two or three days. I didn't notice you were so interested."
"I am! I offered Carlisle to watch him while he dives, and I want to swim on open sea."
"Aren't you scared of sharks?"
"Nah, I heard there are other animals over here. Maybe we could see a dolphin."
She laughed. There was something in her being so carefree that made me feel... like a teenager.
"You sound just like Esme and her octopus. Maybe I could disguise like one. Now I have to think how to make the costume."
"You don't look like an octopus."
"Really, what do I look like?" Her beautiful eyes were on me, mirth on her face. She's an angel.
"A manta ray."
She snorted.
"Think about it, it's an easy costume. Just two squares of fabric and a tail."
"And a smiling face. They always look like they smile."
"See? Now let's think about my costume."
"A shark? No, maybe Aquaman."
"Does the costumes had to be related to the sea?"
"No, not really. We could steal a carpet and you could go as a caveman."
"Why are we thinking about ridiculous costumes? You could go as a sexy mermaid." I wiggled my brows, so she knew I was joking, only I wasn't.
"Nah, I think the skanky costumes are more suited for other occasions."
"And other people. Just imagine what Victoria will wear?" That was the chirpy voice of Alice. She came skipping from the beach, with Edward behind her. The guy looked overwhelmed.
A bit of Bella's carefree demeanor disappeared. Now I'm wondering if it was for Alice or Edward. There was a bit of tension between those two, Edward and Bella.
"So we're going for funny costumes?" Edward asked.
"I guess so. What were you thinking?" Bella asked him, while taking out a bottle of water from a bag.
"Oh, I was thinking to go as a mermaid; and I asked Edward to go as Neptune. But he doesn't like it." Ok, Alice wasn't a bit subtle. How was it that I never noticed?
"If I got a disguise, it has to be something comfortable. We're going to be wearing it for a few hours, and you won't caught me wearing spandex or thighs."
Alice pouted, and in that moment I noticed that Bella glared at Alice. Well, Alice tends to be annoying, but she has a good heart.
"Jasper thinks that maybe I should be a manta ray. It's an easy costume and I find it funny."
Edward smiled, a bit too much for my liking.
"So funny costumes? I could steal some boxes from the kitchen and go as a robot."
Alice's eyes opened so much. "But it will be difficult to seat with them. And if you want to go to pee... no, it isn't practical. Come on, let's give a walk around here to see what we find."
We all agreed it was a good idea.
Later, we were getting too invested in our search. By now, we had discarded a few obscure anime references, superheros, oh and 'slutty costumes' as the girls named them.
"I give up. Let's take a few sheets and make togas." Alice said.
"Or make them two holes and we could be ghosts."
Bella and Alice turned to see each other, eyes opened big as saucers.
"Japanese ghost!" They said at the same time.
"Jinx!" The said again at the same time.
"Ok, if you two go as ghosts, what should we wear?" Edward smiled.
"You both can go as manta rays." Alice answered, though she was thinking something else.
"Good morning guys!" Joham passed by our side, running like every day.
We waved 'hi' to him.
When he was far from us, Alice asked us in a low voice "Why don't we go as a zombie version of whatever. Jasper, you'll be a great zombie cowboy, Bella with her long hair will look great as a japanese ghost. Edward, I'm going to steal one of the lab coats my father had in his suitcase, and you'll be a zombie doctor, use your glasses with a few pens on your front pocket. I'm gonna do the make up."
"And what about you Alice?" Bella was smiling.
"I'm gonna be Jill Valentine and will go all resident evil on your zombie's asses."
xxx
At lunch time, everybody was talking in hushed whispers, and you could see how little groups were formed. Everybody was discussing costumes. The only two who weren't into the party craziness, were Michael and Tanya. They were bored talking to each other. It appears that now that he was hanging around Tanya, Bella was free to talk to us. What an asshole!
Esme was giggling at whatever Carlisle was whispering in her ears, but she made me a sign to seat with her.
"Are you fine? You left early and seemed upset." She was all motherly, straightening my shirt.
"I needed some time alone."
"Well, your uncle was worried for you. He really cares about you."
I huffed. I knew he cares, the same way I care about him. We're family. We love each other, no matter how angry we get at each other. But sometimes, all you need is space.
"I know Esme. I'll talk to him later, I just needed some time alone."
She nodded. "And I saw you with Bella this morning; I felt so bad for deserting her this morning. I had the worst hangover ever. Believe me, James gets really wild after a few drinks." Esme was blushing!
"We talked for a while, then we got to find our costumes with Alice and Edward. Do you have yours ready?"
"Oh yeah! I'm so glad Carlisle is playing along with me. He has a great sense of humor. Now come, I need you to help me with a couple of things. Carlisle offered to get the rest."
She led me out of the restaurant.
Now that we were walking alone through the hallway, she stopped me.
"Now tell me the truth. How are you? I didn't want to talk in front of those two women. They're too nosy."
"Which women?"
"Jessica and Angela. They hounded all the men, trying to pry all the information out of them. Coud you believe Angela asked Carlisle in which hospitals he had worked? That was too much for polite conversation; I don't like them. What if they are extortioners?"
I wanted to laugh at Esme's concerns; in my opinion those women were desperate to find a suitable husband, and maybe they wanted Carlisle to introduce them to his single friends.
Esme kept guiding me through some hallways that I'd never seen before, to finally set into a sofa in a balcony.
We sat and when she was about to ask something we heard hushed voices below us.
"I can't stand it anymore!" It was a woman's voice, it was so soft that I knew it wasn't Tanya.
"Just a couple of days and it will be over love." The man's voice was too low to distinguish from others, but I was sure it wasn't Michael's. He sounds whiny all the time.
"But what if..."
"No, it all go according with the plan. We just have to have faith. Remember I love you."
Then we heard sounds like they were kissing and steps going away. I went to take a look, but as far as I could see, we were alone.
"Who do you think it was? Michael and some woman?" Esme asked in a low voice.
"No, it wasn't Michael voice. And I've heard him talking in a very low voice before. But the woman's voice. I think I heard it before."
I was sure it would come to me, I decided to change the topic.
"Do you want to know what I found about Tanya Denali?"
