—"Miss, I want these."
Says Vincent to the girl at the counter.
—"Oh, the total is 500 Crescents."
As she starts to put the items on the bag, some of the contents can be seen, as a yellow Hawaiian T-shirt, a dark-green scarf, one pair of blue beach slippers, purple hair clips, a white-bluish headband and a sun hat with a few shells attached, with a silver sash tied on it . That's some of the souvenirs he promised to her sister.
Like this, he exits the shop, carrying the bag in his left hand while tapping his cellphone with the other hand, checking his message box.
>2 hours ago: How're things over there? - Jenny.
>2 hours ago: It's Vincent? Please return the call. - Unknown number.
>2 hours ago: Vince, where are you? - Lisa W.
>1 hour ago: I wanna talk, please answer me. - Lisa W.
>30 minutes ago: It's Vincent? I want to talk. - Unknown number.
—"(Hmm... did I really spent so much time shopping? Geez. Time surely flies.)"
He looked at a few messages and typed to answers some of those.
>To Jenny: Ah, we left the baggage a few hours ago at the hotel. Since I had some time in the room, I bought some things for you and uncle. By the way, don't even bother to ask, it's a secret. :P
>To Lisa: I'm free now, what is it?
{Trimmm, Trimmm}
A few seconds after he sends the last message, his phone starts ringing. When he looked, the one who's calling was Lisa. So he picks up the call while walking on the streets, watching some people passing by.
—"What's up?"- He says, waiting for a sign from the traffic light, so he could cross the street.
—"Err... what w-w-ould you say i-if I tell you I need you to meet my father?"
(Huh? Really? But why me? I don't get it... Ah, must be something related to uncle Hal.)
—"Sure, but it's really okay? Something happened?"
He said, using a curious tone.
—"Yes and no. Actually... I ended talking about you to father and now he wanna meet you."
What could be the motive of this meeting? Such thoughts raised on Vincent's mind, as he scratched his chestnut hair, but not messing up too much his regular haircut.
—"(Well, there's not much I can do, right? I just hope this don't end backfiring to uncle.)"
—"Okay. I'll go."
—"Really? Like really, really? You see, I want to talk about the meeting. Can we t-talk a-al-alon-ne sometime at the party?"
—"Of course, I'll wait for you."
—"Ok, bye."
Vincent resumed his path to the hotel.
At the time the entry door of the hotel was on his sight, a sudden voice was heard by him, coming from a bench nearby.
-"Hey, it's Vincent Morris, right? Could you please give me a little help here?"
What he saw was a girl with a fresh face, a small nose, blonde wavy layered hair with bangs, and blue eyes with long eyelashes. She had smooth light skin and a slim body. Her clothes were a white-green skirt, black-colored sandals, and a white blouse. She was on the bench with an exhausted expression, and in her hand was a bottle of water, while she was taking a break. Close to her was a few boxes and packs with different kinds of food, some bottles, also many other kinds of disposable products.
The girl was Rose Williams, also known as Chairman Rose. She is the student council president of Dagoran High School, and the responsibility of the preparations had befallen on her.
—"You're carrying all this alone? Why there isn't someone helping?" - He said while taking one package.
—"I had some boys helping me, but they left to go to a certain meeting." She told him, with a slightly disgusted expression. —"That actually makes me asks, why you haven't too? Didn't you want the same as them? "
Half laughing, he answered.
—"Ha... I kinda don't get invited. As you can see, I already had my own plans." Vincent said raising his arm, showing the bag with gifts. -"But, if you allow me the question, what do you mean by want the same?"
Unintentionally, Rose smiled and a cheerful expression showed for a few moments before she turns back to a normal mood.
—" You missed nothing not going. The meeting was just an excuse. Some boys started a competition, with hopes to pick up on girls. Something like a reward for how far they can reach. Francis Cayden was the only one that had the guts to tell me about this... Plan. Don't you think this thing is disgusting?"
So Vincent heard the details of the "game" while helped her, carrying the party stuff. He started to question himself why Dean called him to that meeting, but he kept silent. There was no necessity to bother the girl, who was already irritated with the subject of this conversation about these thoughts. In fact, could be sad if she had a bad impression or badmouthed his best friend. It's better just ask Dean directly, Vincent said to himself.
They talked about school and other things, like the movie he saw last week, or the music she heard a few days on the radio, as for the shops he visited earlier, and the show from a singer she had gone a couple of days ago. And when they finished, she asked him.
—"Hey... You have any plans for tomorrow afternoon, a few hours before everyone goes back?
—"No... not that I remember." He said.
—"Because I was taking this stuff, I lost my chance to go shopping... And as you already visited a few places, can you accompany me?" She asked him, looking in his eyes.
—"Okay, I'll obey the Chairman's request." He answered using a straightforward tone.
Rose's face got red and flustered, at the same speed that she retorted back.
—"I-i know in school I may sound a little bossy, but I'm a normal person. So please stop this Chairman stuff, it's embarrassing." The girl said to Vincent while hiding her face with both hands.
—"Ah, sorry, it was just a joke." He said apologetically.
—"Don't worry, it's fine. Err, excuse me, I'll make a little call." She said, trying to avoid the awkward situation.
—"Okay. I'm going to my room since we have some time before the party. See you later."
—"Until later then." Rose said as he leaves.
After they both left the place, she picked her phone, and using her fingers with red painted nails dialed the number and made her call.
—"Hi! It's Rose. I wanna call off the date. Yes... Sorry, I got other plans. Yeah... Bye".
On the hot breeze of a summer early afternoon, she finished her call.
When Vincent reached his room, he dropped his bag on top of a desk in a corner.
—"Fiiiinally rest..." He said, jumping on the bed.
Using his left time, Vincent took a quick shower, and the water's effect making contact with his skin surely relieved a little of the stress accumulated in his body.
After putting some clothes, he looked at himself through the mirror in the room.
Brown eyes, chestnut hair and a regular haircut. A mid-sized nose with a diamond face shape. His body had low fat, narrow shoulders, large arms, and mid-sized legs. He was not a beautiful guy but surely had his own charm.
He asked himself what was his plan for the future. College? Work? But what got his attention, as the mood of the school suggested, was relationships.
He likes a girl? There's a girl that likes him? Such thoughts were on his mind when his phone ringed.
>Incoming call: Unknown number.
—"Hello? Who is it?"
—"Hey, it's Vincent, right? I'm a... Friend... Of your mother. Where are you? There's a place we can talk? Like now?" The stranger asked.
—"Err... I'll give an address."
So he told the hotel address to that person and headed to the entryway.
A few minutes later, a man who looked in his later 40's appeared. He had chestnut hair a little disheveled and was wearing a black T-shirt. His shoes were brown and he was using blue jeans.
—"I'm Marcus... wanna go somewhere? Drink or something like that? You're 18, right?"
Vincent thought what kind of person this person could be, so he acted cautiously.
—"No, I'm fine. So, you wanted to talk, right?"
—"Ah... Yes. Can we sit?"
So they proceeded to the hotel cafeteria, and a waiter took their orders.
—"Err... how are you doing? And your sister, Jennifer? You both are fine?"
—"We're okay... I may sound rude, but, care to go to the point? I kinda have other appointments."
—"Ah, sure, sure. Sorry. It's not something important, I just wanna hear about you, your sister, school life, that kind of thing. Harold, he's fine too?"
So the conversation continued for some time, with Vincent telling him about his recent life.
After they paid the bill, the two said goodbye to each other, and the man left the hotel.
Later Afternoon
—""""""""""""Cheers!!!""""""""""""
The youngsters said before resume talking.
Swimsuits, Hawaiian T-shirts, hula outfits, those kinds of different clothing could be seen.
Vincent, seated on the sand, was using a blue swim trunks, at the side of other boys. He saw Lisa, who was talking with some girls. Her long red hair was tied into a ponytail and a side bang. The black swimsuit she was wearing added emphasis to her bust, which at the same time revealed her slim and beautiful legs, as also her waist with the right amount of fat.
—"(She surely is a beauty)." he thought.
—"Hey, you saw Dean?" Asked Alice, who appeared at his side, interrupting his thoughts.
—"No, maybe in his room?"
—"No, it was the first place I checked. Well, it's fine. I'll definitely find him." The girl said, and when she started getting lost in her thoughts, she rushed to another place.
The attention of everyone nearby started to gather at one point. One guy whispered something to a girl, who whispered to another, and so it follows. What could be noticed, was one man approaching.
It was Francis Cayden, with Jack and Clyde Foster at his side.
—"He's late, right?" Said a girl.
—"Yeah, but... what happened to his face?" added another guy.
Rushing to a spot a little secluded, close to a few decorative torches, Francis was with an annoyed expression. A bruise could be seen in his eye, who wasn't matching his clothes, a simple white T-shirt and red trunks. He locked his eyes on Lisa while talking to the Foster brothers.
—"I can't believe you two let him run away, you guys said that could deal with this kind of thing. I know you had to use a blunt weapon, but now the situation is worse. I don't care about your gang, the reward is halved. No special brothel for you two."
Clyde retorted, only to be interrupted by Francis.
—"But Francis, you said that..."-"Don't start, the blunder was yours. Our time is running out, who's the guy? I have a plan."
—"It's the one close to that bonfire."- Whispered Jack in his ear, with a slightly unhappy tone.
Francis raised, and after he took two drinks, he added a strange powder in one of it.
Going into Vincent's direction, he sat on his side.
—"Ah, you're out of beer. Care to share a drink? I know we didn't talk often, but you know me, right? I'm Francis."
Although Vincent didn't know him in school, he surely heard some gossips about him. And he sounded like a good person, based on Rose's opinion.
—"Ah, yes. I heard about you. Thanks."
So he took the drink.
They talked for a few minutes, with Francis telling him about his plans for the future, college, and the likes.
After some time, something started on Vincent's body. A sentiment of freedom, as if he could do anything, and was almighty. His senses started to get lower and lower, almost losing control of his conscience.
—"Hey, it's Vincent!?... Wait, what happened to your face Francis? Huh, he's okay? ...Explain."
The one who said was Rose Williams, confused with the situation, who spotted the two and got closer a few times before. Looking at the Francis and Vincent, she was unable to focus her worries; to her, both of them were bad. So she demanded an explanation for this strange situation.
—"Ah, I... Slipped. Also, he's a little bad, right? I'll guide him to his room."
—"Sure... And... you're not angry about that, right?"
—"Don't worry, it's fine." He said.
His face was smiling, but his eyes not.
When they got close to a street, he said to Vincent.
-"Hey buddy, would you like to go to a cool place?"
—"ErR... SuRe, BuT, wAiT, I HaVe SoMeThInG tO... dO."
—"Don' worry, we'll be back in no time. Come, let's talk on the way."
So they left. Francis was carrying Vincent, but one girl was looking at their figures from afar, and she had a surprise, almost angry face.
—"How they ended talking? And...he didn't forgot, right?"
The girl said while the sound of the waves overwhelmed her voice.
—"So... You don't have any girl available to take care of my buddy here?"
—"The others already have an appointment... The only one left is Diana. But you know her background, right? You can wait a few hours till one of the other girls finish, or come another day. By the way, even if you already have a membership, we don't want problems, so we'll notify your father, the one who's connected with the Ring, okay Mr. Cayden?"
The woman on the counter answers.
—"Actually, she's perfect. Father already knows you can proceed. Ah, I want the souvenir photos service. And... With her price, you can remove the 3 tickets, to make worth a full night, right? He doesn't wanna meet with someone today."
He said smiling, pointing at the person in question, who was laying on a couch.
—"Hmm... Let me see... The value fits. But the photos will not be included."
—"Ah... He told me he has the money, but... You can see how eager he's now, right? He'll give the money tomorrow. Be sure to charge. Send the photos to my phone, when they're done."
—"Well... Okay. I'll add him to our list. The Garden thanks your patronage."
—Thank you, and excuse me."
Francis left the place and took his phone to make a call.
—"It's me. Your boys messed up, they won't get their reward. Yeah, sad for them. I have a target. Morris's family, you should've some people close. Ah? Yes, they can have fun. I'll send you the address. 2 days? Hmm... It's close term, huh? Fine, bye."
He turns off the phone and called a cab.
When the car arrived, such thoughts were on his mind.
—"(He surely is talkative... Rose traded me for this guy? Well, I have Rebecca and Jennifer. Sorry bro, but what I need comes first. Some people will start to have a bad opinion of you, but you can get over it. Now the only thing left is the other guy.)"
Francis couldn't notice one girl, sitting on a nearby bench not so far, hearing all the conversation.
