"I'm sailing away..."
Seth couldn't help but notice the song playing on the ferry going to the island. This ferry was the only link between the main land and the island, and it sailed every third hour.
"Odd choice," he mumbled.
"What is?" Chetana asked.
He turned his head and looked at his girlfriend. Shiny, baby blue eyes and platinum curls that reached her shoulders. Not a hair was out of place, and she had spent almost two hours on her entire look with hair, makeup and clothes this morning just like any other morning. She was as fake as she could be but she was really good at pretending and making people like her. At least for a short while. There was a time he liked her too but now he just felt stuck. He knew the real side of her. The ugly side hiding inside that she couldn't keep down after nearly a year together.
"The song," he said. "It's an odd choice, or maybe more a funny choice."
"Let's take a selfie," she said.
He sighed and turned to lean his back against the railing. As always she ignored what he was actually saying in order to control the conversation and what they were doing. She moved up close and he placed his arm around her shoulders like he knew she wanted him to. If he didn't, he would get an earful. He faked a smile and she took the selfie. She moved a step away and kept her nose in her phone to post it everywhere. He could already see the hashtags she would add.
#perfectvacation #meandmybae #youarejealousofme #myperfectlife
He turned to look out at the water again while listening to the song. How he wished he could jump on another boat and sail far away from everything. He didn't even want to go on this vacation but as always he didn't get a say. She booked it without asking first and then demanded he paid for it. He couldn't even explain why he always did as she asked. Maybe he was scared, maybe he kept hoping she would turn back to the woman he first fell in love with, maybe a bit of both. He knew by now that woman had probably never existed. She had played a character in order to make him fall for her and get what she wanted.
"Chetana, maybe we should..." He started.
"Already 100 likes, bae," she cut him off. "I told you people were jealous of us."
"Doesn't it ever feel fake?" He asked.
He looked at her and could see the anger in her eyes. She was ready for a screaming match if he continued down this path. The ferry reached the dock and he wanted off it and far away from everyone else on it. There were a bunch of people waiting to board to go back to the main land. The ferry only stayed for 30 minutes before sailing back.
"Repeat what you said," she said.
"Forget it," he said.
"No, I want you to repeat what you said right this second!" She raised her voice. "Don't test me, Seth!"
He could see a few people turning their attention towards her angry voice. It was embarrassing. He was seen as a strong man in the eyes of the world but he didn't feel strong around her.
"People are staring," he said lowly.
"Let them stare!" She yelled. "Did you just call me fake?"
He hadn't called her fake. He had asked if it didn't feel fake posting all those pictures and getting likes from strangers. That was what he meant with that question. She was fake too but he would never dare say that to her face.
"Not now!" He growled.
He walked past her and hurried off the ferry. He didn't want to fight in front of people. She followed behind with her arms crossed. Clearly she was angry and he hadn't heard the last of it. She would wait until they were alone and then he would be told exactly how to act around her.
"I'm sorry," he looked at her. "Let me buy you an ice cream."
"And risk ruining this dress? No, thank you. I won't have ice cream spilling all over me in this heat. I need to look perfect for the pictures," she said.
"I'm buying one for myself then," he said.
"That's okay. You can be topless for the pictures," she smirked.
He faked a smile and nodded. He turned away from her and let out a sigh. He was so done with everything. He knew what she expected to happen on this island, and it was not going to happen. One of her friends had slipped up and sent him a private message on Instagram asking if she could see the ring before the trip. He had no plans to ever ask Chetana to marry him but clearly she thought he would. Lately she had dropped a lot of hints about wanting to get engaged after a year of being together which was coming up soon. She was also talking about not renewing her lease and move into his house. In that same breath she told him about all the things she was going to change. He hated everything she threw out there. This morning she had made it even worse with a throwaway comment about how his pets would have to go to a shelter once she moved in. He was not getting rid of his beloved pets for anyone.
"Seth!" She called.
He paid for his ice cream and ate it while walking towards her. She was pointing at a map of the island. He hummed the song from the ferry and walked over to her.
"There," she pointed at the map. "It's the perfect place."
"Probably also the most crowded place," he said.
"Perfect. I want everyone to see it," she said.
It. The proposal. The thing she expected but that would never come. If they went there, everyone would witness her blow up if he didn't propose.
"Let's take a walk in the other direction instead," he said.
"No!" She crossed her arms. "We're going there and that's final."
"Chetana," he tried.
"I said that's final!" She hissed. "Let's go!"
She turned around and stomped away. He set a slower pace and watched her start jogging to get to her chosen spot.
"I'm sailing away," he sang lowly.
He stopped and watched her continue forward without looking back at him. He turned around and looked back at the ferry. It would sail soon.
"'Cause I've got to be free," he whispered.
He threw the ice cream to the side and ran back to the ferry. He got on and sat down on a bench. His heart was pounding in his chest. He kept his eyes on the dock but she never came back to see where he was. He breathed a sigh of relief when the ferry finally started sailing away.
He was done. Done with Chetana, done with her anger, done with her demands, done with everything she threw at him. Done for good.
It would be another three hours before she could get back on the ferry, and when she finally reached the main land and found her way back to their hotel room, he would be gone. He would go straight to the hotel, pack his bag, leave a note telling her they were over, and then go straight home.
He took out his phone and googled for a flight home so he could be ahead of things. He found one that would take him away from there not long after she would make it back with the ferry. Once she made it back to the hotel and realized he was gone, he would be on the flight back home. He booked a ticket and then went on to block her everywhere. He leaned his head back and looked up at the blue sky. For the first time in a long time there was a smile on his face.
"I'm sailing away," he sang.