Page 54 of Roaming Holiday

Captain Thomas gently shakes Maia’s hand. When he turns his attention to me, his interest visibly piques. “Look at how beautiful,” he says. Instead of shaking my hand, he caresses and traps it with the other. He looks at me as he adds, “It is a pleasure to meet you both. I look forward to exploring the waters with you.”

I stiffen as he starts to bring my hand to his lips. Wesley steps closer behind me and I don’t have to pull away from Captain Thomas; the look my bodyguard gives him is enough.

“I, uh—follow me,” Captain Thomas says awkwardly to the group. He walks toward the boat without waiting. I wipe my hand on my dress. Wesley’s intimidation was subtle, but Maia and my cousins noticed. Vanessa’s smothered chuckle comes out in a comical snort, making my sister laugh, too.

My cheeks warm at the thought of them reading into Wesley’s defense, so I hurry onto the boat. Maia gets attention from Roman, and I get attention from a greasy sixty-year-old. I don’t want either, but one would make me less disgusted than the other. I hold back mortified tears. Vanessa and Jace put this trip together to help me feel better. It will be best for everyone if I packed away these childish insecurities.

The boat is the size of the house I grew up in. An array of fruits, vegetables, and other snacks lay in wait for us near the lounge area under the shade. The bodyguards disappear up into the room where the captain works, which I notice has its own lounge, too.

“Let’s get this party started,” Roman says, and I wish I had enough time to take a picture of Maia’s reaction when he turns on techno music. My sister immediately protests this music taste, surprising him and my cousins.

“You don’t like this?” Vanessa asks as she clips her short brown hair behind her. She tugs down a few pieces to frame the bangs across her forehead. “It’s popular here.”

“Techno?”

“EDM!”

“ED-no.” She outstretches her hand for whatever phone is playing the music. “I’ll show you some better stuff.”

Roman laughs and hands her his phone. “Play what you like. I want to hear your music taste.”

The slick attempt to include his interest in her makes my sister roll her eyes. She types and scrolls until Iced Tea by Joyce Wrice thumps through the speakers. The R&B helps calm me as the boat steers farther from the dock and sails through the crystal blue waters.

I marvel at the sight of Kosita. Half of the city looks etched into a mountain, some of its buildings blending in from the ancient structures. It’s the epitome of a preserved world.

As Maia and the rest chat and joke, I wander to the bench along the perimeter, folding my arms over the edge to watch the horizon. The breeze whips through my curls. It’ll soon be so frizzy that I have to twist it into a bun, but I focus on the sway of the boat on the waves. The sea before me is wild and the sky above is endless. Puffy clouds dot the atmosphere, far beyond my reach. It’s more jarring to remember how infinite the world is beyond the clouds.

Suddenly, my attack feels less powerful, less hurtful, in comparison with the world’s vastness.

It won’t last, but the taste of relief—no matter how fleeting—offers hope I hadn’t possessed before. I slip back into the shade the moment I feel a drop of sweat; I spent far too long covering the bruise around my neck to sweat it off.

We float past dozens of mansions perched along the coast, flanked by pillars of cypress trees. None of the houses has a dock because of the hundred-feet-tall rocks between the surface and sea. Vanessa eventually puts traditional Maldanian music on, the guitar and accordion melodies drifting throughout the boat.

In spite of Roman consistently invading Maia’s personal space, she maintains an upbeat personality, and I know that it’s for my sake. Roman is the type to keep his advances subtle—a brush of his hand or shoulder against hers, asking her every opinion. It would make her look dramatic if she were to ask him to stop.

As we sit around the table playing a game of UNO, a longing pang for Wesley hits me. I don’t like it when he’s not at my side. Vanessa starts to deal out another round, and Roman steals a card to gather the white powder he dumps on the surface. He sets up two lines and snorts up one while Jace snorts up the other. Coke? I glance around to see if anyone is as uncomfortable as I am.

“Is that—?” I ask.

Roman holds up another little baggie of white powder. “You want some?”

“No, I, uh—I need to use the bathroom,” I stutter, jumping from my seat and heading around the corner. I disappear from the main deck, grateful for the temporary moments to gather myself.

“Neen?”

I whirl toward Maia. “They’re snorting coke?”

She sighs. “I know, I know, but that’s their choice. We don’t have to. I’ll ask them not to do it anymore.” She turns me toward the view of Maldana’s mountainous landscape across the stretch of blue sea in front of us. “We’re here to relax. Look at where we are! It’s insanely beautiful here. Why don’t you go ask Mason and Beck to come relax with us?”

I look at her over my shoulder, eyes wide in question.

“Roman’s getting a little too close,” she admits. “This is the one time I want him to run interference.”

I choke out a laugh and head upstairs to search for the two bodyguards in question. In truth, it will calm me with Wesley in sight. Part of me panics at the chance that Maia knows this, which is why she suggested they join.

“Wes!” I perk at the familiar figure walking down the exterior hallway. I hold onto the railing to my right. We might be in water, but this is still too high for comfort. “Maia and I want to invite you and Mason to come relax with us,” I explain when Wesley faces me. “Like we did at the café in Milagro.”

He hesitates. “No, we’re fine up here.”

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