Page 9 of Made for Us

“You are already a buzzkill,” Gabriella accuses from my bedroom doorway. “This is a vacation, which means we go on island time.”

I can’t help but laugh at her and look at her outfit. She’s wearing cream-colored yoga shorts and a yoga bra with an open, white linen button-down top, with white sneakers, “I’m not a buzzkill. I’m just saying it would be nice if we…” I toss my earphones into my blue Christian Door purse. “And by we, I mean you, were on time.”

She huffs at me, “You know there are like a million people going, right?” She puts her hands on her hips. “And you know it takes a good hour for us to even load up the plane.”

“Which is why we are leaving forty minutes later than everyone,” I point out to her, “but we should still be ready when the car gets here.”

She throws up her hands. “I’m ready.” She looks me up and down. “Are you ready?”

“What is wrong with what I’m wearing?” I look down at blue jean shorts and my oversized gray-and-white striped linen shirt, tied loosely at the waist, and the sleeves rolled up to my elbows.

“Nothing if you aren’t trying to pick up anyone,” she says, turning and walking back to her bedroom.

“We are going on a plane with our family members!” I shout at her retreating back. “Who the fuck am I trying to pick up?”

She looks over her shoulder at me. “The pilot.”

“Who could be a woman.” I can’t let her have the last word, obviously.

“Don’t forget to pack condoms,” she fights back with words. “Wouldn’t want you to get knocked up on your first try.”

“You are such a bitch,” I tell her, and she just smirks.

“Takes one to know one.” She holds her arms over her head and puts her hands together in the shape of a heart.

“Why are you even living in my house?” I ask, and all she does is laugh at me. I grab my Dior bag and then carry my luggage downstairs. “Four minutes,” I yell and hear wheels rolling across the floor. Gabriella comes out of her room with one suitcase in front of her and another behind her.

“I’m coming,” she declares, getting to the top of the stairs, picking up one bag, and carrying it down before walking back up and repeating it for the next one. When she finally gets back down the stairs, she is panting.

She walks over to the fridge, grabbing a bottle of water. “You are bringing two suitcases?” I ask her. She just nods while she drinks half the bottle of water as if she just worked out for an hour instead of twenty-six stairs.

“Remember the last time I brought one suitcase and I was missing all sorts of stuff?” She looks at me, and I just shake my head. “This time, I brought backup plans.” She points at me. “And I’m not sharing.”

“Fine by me,” I walk to the door when I hear someone in the driveway. “I’m planning on being in my bikini all day and having one outfit per night.”

“Same,” she agrees, coming to me, and I just look at her. “Okay, fine, I will go to breakfast in one outfit and then bikini and then dinner.” I tilt my head to the side, and she throws her hands up, “Okay, I have outfits in case there is someone I need to impress.” I just laugh at her. “Let’s go.” She ushers past me. “We are going to be late.” She stops mid-step. “I’ll bring my camera,”

I walk out after her, and the heat hits me right away. “It’s so hot,” I mumble as I close the door behind me but then rush back in to make sure I closed and locked everything. I jog up the steps to Gabriella’s room, seeing it in a total mess. But I just walk toward the bathroom, making sure she didn’t leave anything on. I do a quick sweep and then walk back out, closing and locking the door.

I see the black car with the trunk already closed and the driver waiting for me by the door. He opens the back door for me as I slide in. “Did you go back and make sure I didn’t leave anything on in my bathroom?” Gabriella asks, looking up from her phone.

“No,” I lie to her, and she just laughs.

“Maury said that’s a lie,” she jokes with me. “You forget.” She turns and continues on her phone. “I know you better than you know yourself.” I’m about to say something to her when she just looks over at me and smiles so big it fills her whole face. “Also, I was ready before you.” I snicker. “Was I not in the car before you while you did what you did?”

I don’t bother answering her while I buckle my seat belt and the car starts moving. My phone beeps in my purse. I open my bag, grabbing it and looking down to see that Christopher texted the family chat.

Christopher:

I’m on the plane.

Gabriella:

Congratulations, you have activated Squid Games.

I snort out.

Christopher:

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