Chapter One
A/N: I think we all need a little bit of brightness and light at a time like this, so I've decided to upload this way ahead of schedule to hopefully bring some sunshine to your life. Uploads will be every other day.
"Wake up, wake up!" A voice I'm not used to hearing in the mornings rudely interrupts my dream about a particularly delicious man in the film I'd fallen asleep listening to.
"What do you want?" I groan, my voice thick with sleep.
"We're here, we're here!" Does my best friend have to act like such a child at all times? I don't care where we are, I'm sleeping, "urgh you're such a grump. Come on," she demands, grabbing and pulling at my arm until I have no choice but to leave Ryan behind in that incredible dream. It's something I'll come back to for sure - a mansion in the hills, unable to leave thanks to a zombie apocalypse outside, just us two left to repopulate the world…
"For god's sake Alice, I'm sleeping," I grumble. We've been best friends for years now, surely at this point she knows not to wake me. I am not a morning person at the best of times.
"Unless you want to go all the way back to Seattle I'd suggest you apologise," such a snappy little pixie.
But wait.
Back to Seattle? And come to think of it, why is Alice in my bed? And why does my bedroom smell of farts and strangers?
I awake with a start, sitting upright in my seat and blinking at the bright lights of my surroundings, "we're here?"
I look out the cubby little window which confirms that yes, we are here.
"Can you believe it? The Beaver Brigade on tour," Alice bounces up and down in the seat next to me, the nickname of course referring to the trio of three professional business women.
As the plane stops at the terminal in Paphos airport, a series of clicks erupt across the plane as everyone undoes their seatbelts in an effort to be the first off the plane.
And who can blame them, from the pictures Alice waved in my face in the months leading up to this, Cyprus is beautiful.
I attempt to stretch out my limbs in the seat, not bothering to stand just yet - it's been a long ass day. Alice, with her numerous planners and folders and wallets, woke us up just in time to get to the airport five god damn hours before our flight, from there we flew to London where we ended up having to sprint to the terminal after thinking we had enough time to stop for a starbucks - over ten dollars per drink we paid by the way - then it was the flight from London to Cyprus. So just shy of a full 24 hours of travel.
But that sunshine makes it all look worth it.
July in Seattle isn't too bad, we have some sunny days where all you want to do is rip your skin off it's so sticky in your pants suit, but the rest of the time it remains overcast and dull.
July here though? In a five star all inclusive resort right on Coral beach? Something tells me this is the better option. Two weeks of sun, sand and alcohol.
Rosalie, the third part of our trio, is already here - the lucky bitch flew in a week before we did and doesn't leave until the week after. She's staying on the other side of the island in Protaras, somewhere I'm assured is only a two hour drive away.
Wow, two hours one side of the island to the other - that wouldn't even get me out of the state. Hell, it wouldn't even get you from one side of Seattle to the other in rush hour.
Her wedding isn't for twelve days yet, but we thought it best not to disturb her honeymoon with Emmet when we booked it. Especially with how over excited Alice gets.
I'm lucky to have them though, they've been friends since they were children and only adopted me into the group seven years ago when we were all fresh faced, rosy cheeked first years. Now we're all bossing it business women - Alice's term, not mine.
"Oh isn't this so exciting," Alice beams from next to me. She's like a duracell bunny and only has one setting: hyped-up-oh-my-god-EXCITED. But we love her for it, "ooh do you think they have Tinder over here?" she asks, turning her phone back on as people start to file off the plane.
"Oh my god you did not just ask that," I laugh next to her, totally not shocked at the comment no matter how much I pretend to be.
Pulling my sweater off and shoving it into my hand luggage, we make our way off of the air conditioned plane and onto the oven of an island.
I can't wait.
OoOoO
The hotel is, admittedly, absolutely beautiful.
It's a high rise with grand steps leading up to the reception area, it's painted white with the glass on the balconies a subtle shade of blue. Alice done good.
I was told I wasn't to be trusted after the failure of a hen do in Vegas, looking to keep it a little more on the budget friendly side I booked a motel just off of the strip. In the pictures it looked nice, nothing out of the ordinary, but also not terrible and breakfast was included. How was I supposed to know the air con would be broken, there would be roaches in the room, a crack head next door and that the breakfast consisted of molding toast and burnt coffee? I was officially removed from the planning committee after that and it was left to Alice to save the day who managed to book us into the Bellagio for the remaining two nights. So much for budget friendly.
I'm glad I threw the budget out the window for this one, though, especially when I'm handed a welcome cocktail and my suitcase is whisked away immediately. Maybe I'll throw the budget out the window more often.
"So I'm thinking we can make an itinerary today. There's a few trips I've researched that I'd really like to go on and I think they'd be great. I'm thinking three days at the pool and the rest of the days we can…" I drown out the babbling as we queue for our room keys, Alice is so wrapped up in her excitement that I think she barely notices.
"Hi, Bella Swan and Alice Fields," I smile at the absolutely magnificent woman behind the check in counter. She's got hair that seems naturally brown, but has sun bleached highlights running through it and reaching all the way down her shoulders and below where I can see of the desk, her skin is naturally tanned and glowing and he has the most spectacularly green eyes wonderfully framed by dark lashes and minimal makeup.
"Welcome to Coral Bay Beach Hotel," she smiles back, showing me her absolutely perfect pearly white smile, "that's the twin room, is that correct?"
"Yeah it is," my usually slightly grumpy demeanour disappears, influenced by the sunshine, the laughter and chatting I can hear, and of course the small woman beside me who's almost vibrating with barely contained excitement.
The woman looks up from her computer and slides a couple key cards across to me, "if you take the lift just through there to the third floor, there will be directions showing you the rest of the way. Your bags are already up there."
Wow. Efficient, too.
Alice and I continue to nonchalantly sip on our cocktails, acting like normal human beings, right up until the moment we turn we get into the lift which happens to be empty.
"Oh my god oh my god!" Alice jumps up and down and I can't help but join in, the only time I've ever been abroad was to Canada, and lets just say the atmosphere there is very different to the one here.
As the door pings open we simultaneously break into a jittery jog until we get to our room, "this is it," I say as I shove the key card into the slot and the little light turns green, but not before turning red a couple of times beforehand of course.
The second the door opens Alice bounds in and starts examining everything around the place. No door is left unopened as she buzzes around the room like a bee to get the lay of the land.
I choose to instead take a moment to take it all in. Much like the theme of the rest of the hotel, the walls are painted an ocean blue with a matching blanket tucked into the bottom of each bed. The floor is white mock marble and echoes as Alice darts around. Our luggage is left standing at the end of each bed and as Alice whips open the sheer white curtains, I'm shown a view of endless oceans. Man, I'd be happy spending the two weeks in here.
"Let's go down to the pool," Alice chirps, finally calming down and perching on the edge of her bed.
"We've been traveling for hours, why don't we just take it slow this afternoon and nap? We've got the rest of the holiday to sunbathe," I protest. As much as I want to enjoy this holiday, I know I also stink of airplane and sweat. I know Alice must feel the same after choosing tight skinny jeans and a blouse to travel in.
I get a head shake in return, "you're allowed a two minute shower and then you have to get changed into pool stuff."
I'd argue, but at this point I know it's futile.
Instead I grab the first bathing suit and cover up I can grab in my suitcase and head on into the bathroom.
Everything in here is white and marble effect, carrying on from the bedroom area on the other side of the door. It's so spacious and the shower is huge with a darker stone coloured tile that matches the sink.
I peel off my sticky sweats and tshirt and wait for the shower to warm up, taking in my reflection.
As always I look like dog poop. It would appear that travel agrees with me even less than my everyday life does. I look pale and my hair is a bird's nest at the back of my head.
Hopefully the sun will change the paleness, though I usually just go a lovely shade of lobster red, but as for the hair? Unless there's a miracle hairdresser somewhere on the island I'm out of luck.
As the large mirror begins to steam up, I take it as my queue and jump into the shower.
As the dirt goes down into the plug hole, I pretend it's my old life going down there as well - I promised myself and I promised Alice that there would be no mention of Jacob Black on this trip. Not one single utterance of his name.
Not since he left me in Seattle three weeks ago to move back to Forks with no warning.
I got home from work late with Chinese takeout for us, something I always do when I'm at the law office 'til late, and came home to his car gone, all his stuff gone, and a small note on the kitchen table held in place by a bottle of wine.
As much as I hate to admit it, every single word of it is ingrained into my mind for the rest of my life:
Dearest Bella,
We watched one another grow up, but now it is time to part. I don't think I love you anymore and don't want to stay and find out until we resent one another. Good luck to you for the future.
Jake
I instantly went to call him but he'd blocked my number, I'd been blocked on Facebook too.
That day not only did I lose my boyfriend, the love of my life, but I lost my oldest, dearest friend as well.
I didn't know what life after Jake looked like, and to be honest I still don't. Every weekend, every summer's evening, every school holidays - all spent with him. I remember playing hide and seek on the reservation with him when we were tiny, then having campfires and barbeques on the beach when we were know it all teenagers.
I quickly wipe the tear that's fallen and jump out of the shower.
I'm in Cyprus, it's impossible to be sad here.
I quickly change into the neon green swimsuit that comes half way up my ass, Alice's pick of course, and throw on a white tshirt dress.
"Your turn," I call to Alice as I walk out on the balcony to wait.
The sea is even better when there's no glass door in between. It's not like the sea near Forks which is more brown than blue and always angry with white horses crashing and warning you to stay away.
This water is more like a mirror in the most perfect aqua blue you could imagine. One I'm sure Alice the interior designer will spend weeks trying to find in paint swatches and wallpaper samples when we're home.
I could watch it forever, the tiny little waves lapping about, only interrupted by the occasional swimmer who's braved it that far out. Everything here just seems so laid back - from the gentle ocean waves, the beautiful little breeze that only catches the wispy ends of my hair, and the somehow always model material staff we've encountered so far that always seem to work with a smile on their face.
I never want to leave.
I'm rudely dragged out of my daydream when Alice taps me on the shoulder, handing me a pair of sunglasses and some flip flops. You know I think the only other time I've worn this type of shoe before is in the communal showers at the gym, yet here people actually wear them outside. Madness.
Slipping them on the feet and the shades down over my eyes, I follow Alice out of the room. She's already organised a pool bag for us so all I needed to grab was my phone. God I love this woman.
OoOoO
"You better not be checking your phone for messages from you know who," Alice lazily scolds me from her sun lounger. She's paired a leopard print, tiny two piece with a sheer black cardigan looking thing with baggy sleeves, and a floppy black straw hat - she looks every bit the heiress she is and I'm digging it.
We were incredibly lucky managing to snag two spots right by the pool and we've taken full advantage.
"Of course not," I lie. I think I've checked my phone every hour on the hour right up until we boarded onto that plane. Since then I've managed to extend it to every hour and a half, but I'd still like a little more information that that note provided and can only hope that Jake is man enough to provide me with it.
I turn to see Alice staring at me, lowering her shades to half way down her nose so she can give me her best mom glare, "I will confiscate that phone of yours."
I choose to take a long sip of my iced margherita instead of replying to her, already feeling buzzed from the other two we've managed to guzzle over the last couple of hours. That's what you're supposed to do on holiday, right?
"I think we should go into the town tonight, we can have a bit of an explore and book some excursions for the rest of our stay. I've been looking online and-"
Not wanting the babble to interrupt my zen I interrupt, "I want to book a boat trip."
"Ooooh that's perfect," Alice claps and squirms in her lounger, like she actually claps, "there's a great snorkelling trip and I've already google mapped it all so I know exactly where to go."
Wow this woman is organised. I'm almost jealous, but know for a fact that I'm way too lazy to rifle through stacks and stacks of binders, highlighters, coloured pens and sticky notes every time I want to jot something down on a bit of paper. I have a notebook by my bed for me to write down incoherent messages for my future self to puzzle over and never understand. It works, kind of.
"That all sounds great, but I'm going to try and get a sun nap in before we go get ready."
OoOoO
Everything about Paphos is wonderful. As we wander around Paphos new town we're faced with twinkling fairy lights dangling between street lamps, al fresco dining along the pavements, and sun dazed holiday makers everywhere.
And people here walk slow, I'm so used to the hustle bustle of Seattle that I've almost forgotten that there is more than once pace in life. It doesn't always have to be rushing and running late and panicking about meeting times and yelling at assholes stealing a taxi that obviously pulled over for you. People can just amble along taking in the sights, the smells and the sounds.
"It's day one and I already never want to leave," I muse to Alice as we pick our way through the highstreet, the very street Alice has memorised.
"You can't go abandoning me, bitch. Rose is already ditching me for a month," Alice gasps, hand over her heart as she skips next to me in a cute t-shirt and loose flowery shorts. She's got the perfect petite figure - all curvy and womanly and beautiful. Her short, jagged bob looks like it's just made for her delicate little features.
I have to laugh, "she's hardly abandoning you, she's on her honeymoon."
"Us single ladies have got to stick together," she links her arm through mine as we turn onto a smaller street, "but we should also be considering an amazing, hot, passionate holiday romance."
"There is no chance in hell that is happening."
"Oh come on…" She groans, stamping her foot on the floor to make a point.
"Nope, no, not happening." I confirm for the record, I may be checking my phone less but that is not happening.
Just as Alice is about to argue back she spots the shop she's been looking for, a small kiosk looking thing with laminated pictures of different boats and prices all over it.
"Which one which one which one?" Alice asks as she traces her delicate fingers across the main board, as if she hasn't already memorised the exact trip she wants to go on.
"How about-" I start, just to hurry this along.
"This one," Bingo. She points to the all day all inclusive snorkelling experience and I nod my head in agreement. Three stops in paradise doesn't sound too bad, after all.
A young man no older than about sixteen serves us which doesn't exactly fill me with confidence, he explains that the trip for tomorrow is fully booked but there is space on the one the day after. Perfect.
We hand over the monopoly money they prefer to call euros over here, and continue our exploration of the town. It must be around nine already and all I really want to do is crawl up in bed so I can make the most of tomorrow and get over this damn jet lag, but I know there's no point in even attempting to suggest that to Alice.
"Shall we head to a bar?" I ask, at least that would give me a chance to sit down.
"Yes! Yes Bella, what an excellent idea," Alice beams, dropping her hand down from my upper arm and instead grabbing my hand and dragging me down the street until we come across a bar, "first round is on me." She tells me with a devious wiggle of her brow, leaving me to find some seats.
The bar is crazy busy with drunken tourists everywhere, most of whom have an english accent which does make it a level less annoying.
I manage to fight my way to a small, spindly table and take a seat, placing my bag down on the other chair before someone has the bright idea of stealing it.
And then I check my phone.
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
Fan-fucking-tastic.
"Caught you," Alice shouts over my shoulder, causing me to drop my phone to the floor in shock.
"Alice!" I grumble, but the shock of the phone drop is soon overtaken by the shock of the tray of drinks in her hands, "if you wanted to drink that much we could have just got drinks at the hotel, you know."
"No need, no need," she says as she places the assortment on the table, "guess how much this all cost."
What? Why? Knowing better than to argue I take in the tray: four fruity looking drinks with curly straws coming out the top, ten fucking shots all the colours of the rainbow, and two glasses of what I can only guess are her go to of vodka coke, "I don't know Alice, sixty euros? Which is far too much when we've got drinks at the hotel."
"Twenty euros."
"What?" Okay so now my eyes are even wider in shock, if anything else happens they'll be like dinner plates.
"It's great, right?"
"Uhuh," I can't even generate a proper response, it's almost that much for one fancy cocktail in the bars we frequent in Seattle. I try to go through the math in my head but there's no point even trying. We're drinking like good old fashioned college gals tonight.
We do one shot, then two, then three, then start nursing the cocktails. The one I've chosen tastes of passion fruit and mango and oh my lord I never want it to end. Maybe if I ask the bar for a bucket of it they can run next door to the souvenir shop and get one...
By the time I'm half way through I'm incredibly buzzed and not looking forward to standing up, let alone finding our way back to the hotel, but still we continue.
One cocktail down, we start on the other, the only interval is finishing the last two shots. Which weirdly doesn't taste quite so awful now.
"Oh I love this song!" Alice exclaims as some generic pop song begins to play over the speakers, and so I'm dragged from my seat to the small, over crowded dance floor.
Where as I'll usually grimace at the sight of a stag wearing a mankini, and some odd ball wearing an inflatable swan outfit, tonight they make excellent dance partners as Alice and I bop along to song after song after song, only stopping to take more and more sips of the awfully strong alcohol on offer.
After what feels like ten minutes, but is probably closer to two hours, I feel myself overheating so push and duck my way to the fresh air outside - and oh man doesn't it hit me.
Leaning against the wall and taking long, deep breaths I try to gain some sort of composure. I can feel the gleam of sweat covering my face as I wipe my brow, but the buzzing in my head causes me to not really care all that much.
Nothing matters. I'm on a different continent, a beautiful island, nobody here knows me but Alice. Who cares?
Feeling thoroughly refreshed in the cool breeze I get ready to go back in and party the night away, grabbing my vodka coke on the way.
The bar somehow seems even busier now as I struggle to make it back to Alice in the crowd.
"Hey, hey watch it," I end up having to shout as one particular drunken idiot stumbles backwards further and further until he smacks right into me, causing my drink to pour down the front of my brand new white skater dress.
I could kill him.
I could literally fucking murder him right now. This shit is designer, and you bet it was expensive even though I picked it up on sale.
With an angry tap on his shoulder he eventually notices my presence and turns to look at me.
And holy sweet mother of jesus.
I think I've just died and gone to heaven.
The man standing before me is six foot of sinewy muscle, with crazy tousled hair of mousy brown with honey highlights, I can't see much of his face thanks to the fluorescent flashing lights, but judging by that jawline it ain't bad.
I can't help just standing and gawking at him as he stands, sorry stumbles, in front of me. All gusto leaves my body leaving me completely helpless.
And then, oh god, oh god, he leans in close to my face, I think I'm going to die, "I think you spilled something on your dress."
Well that ended that fantasy pretty quickly.
"I didn't, you did," I shout back even though he's not really listening, "asshole," I add for good measure.
Alice walks up to me in that moment with our bags in hand, grabs my arm and storms out the door with me in tow.
What an unpleasant ending to an otherwise pleasant day.
On the upside, I haven't checked my phone in hours.