9 comments/ 39033 views/ 17 favorites Greece Ch. 01 By: 2CHaNces Hey, new to this so cut me some slack. Suggestions always welcome. * "Call me as soon as you land." Sean hugged me so tight it was hard to breathe. "Go have fun, ok? But please, please, stay out of trouble. I can't help you if you're out of the country." I tried to break free of his embrace, no luck. "I love you lil sis." Sean kissed my forehead. My big brother and I have been connected at the hip since we were kids. So the thought of going to Greece for five months without him brought tears to my eyes. "Love you too." I tried not to cry. I took my boarding pass out and made my way towards my gate. "Bring me something back!" I heard Sean shout as I boarded the plane. Going to Greece wasn't my idea. It was a cousin of mine that I never met. He thinks being there will clear my head and help me focus on what I want to do with my life. I guess the family has been gossiping about me again, that's the only way he would know about the trouble I've gotten myself into. Just last year alone I was brought home by the police on 7 different occasions. They were they weren't serious crimes and I was a minor at the time, nothing on my permanent record. This trip is meant to straighten me out. The plane ride was smooth, I slept the entire time. When we landed in Greece I had no idea where to go. The people getting off the plane walked like they were on a mission, as if they knew something I didn't. Maybe I shouldn't have slept on the plane. I took a seat on a near by bench and figured I should go ahead and call Sean. "Hello?" A groggy voice answered. "Hey, my plane just landed. Are you sleep?" "Yeah sorry, it's midnight here." "Oh my bad I forgot about the time zones. It's only 5pm here. Do you know where I'm supposed to go once I get here?" I could hear him yawning into the phone. "Someone is supposed to meet you there to pick you up. Go outside and there should be a car with your name in the window. Call me later, when it's morning here." "Thanks." I hung up the phone and headed for the door. Sure enough there was a black car outside with my name in the window. An older man, I'm guessing in his thirties stepped out. He was a big guy with a brown pony tail wearing kaki shorts and a white button down shirt. "You must be Arian." I reached out and shook his hand. "Call me Ari." He smiled at least I think I was a smile and took my bags to the trunk. "Get in the car Ari, we have to go." I wanted to ask where, but from the look on his face, I could tell he wasn't going to answer me anyway. We drove for two hours in silence until we reached a dock with a boat waiting. "Get out." I obeyed, of course. He walked my bags on to the boat and motioned for me to follow. He spoke to the boat driver and started walking back to the car. "Whoa, where are you going? Aren't you coming with me? Hey!" He wasn't listening to me. He just walked back to the car like it was nothing. I am not liking this. I feel like I'm being kidnapped! I turned to the driver, who as laughing at me. "You think this is funny?" God this couldn't get any worst. "Calm down sweetheart. You don't recognize me?" the driver was maybe forty, his black hair cut short with sprinkles of silver. His skin was olive colored, from the sun I'm assuming. He didn't look familiar. "Excuse me? Should I know you?" I was scared of his answer. "Well, I'm an uncle of yours. Distant uncle, but uncle nonetheless." He smiled a loving, fatherly, smile at me. This made me a little more comfortable. So I have Greek in me? My mother is Black, while my father is half Native American and half Venezuelan. Thus giving me light brown skin and curly black hair that I kept at shoulder length. Where the Greek comes in, I'll never know. "Oh," not really knowing what to say next. "can you tell me where we're going?" "My place, in Santorini. You will be staying with me and my niece for the next five months. You will help me with all the work that needs to be done." I really hope he doesn't mean hard labor. "How old is your niece?" I asked him. "Leora? She is 7. You will help me with her too. It is very difficult raising a little girl. Her mother died when she was four, so I am Leora's guardian now." I could see his emotion change to sadness. Something about him made me want to reach up and hug him. Which is so unlike me. We approached the dock and he helped me out of the boat with my bags. "So what should I call you?" I asked my uncle. "Galen. It means helper in Greek." We started walking up a hill, a very big hill! Santorini was beautiful. The houses were mostly white with blue doors and sometimes roofs, quite frankly, they were bright as hell. But they were gorgeous. We hiked for about 15mins with me wishing the entire time that I had packed less shit. Finally we reached his house. Walking inside it was small, but very open. I immediately felt welcomed when little Leora ran up and hugged me. She was a very beautiful little girl with long dark hair coming down to her waist, big brown eyes and a perfect olive complexion just like her uncle. "Look Ari, I lost my tooth!" Sure enough she was missing a front tooth. She was speaking to me like we have known each other for years. Leora started telling me about school and her friends and a boy that she wants to kiss but he thinks she has cooties. Before I knew it we were all in the kitchen making potato and lamb moussaka and pita bread. Watching Galen and Leora, was like watching father and daughter. And in an odd way I felt like I belonged here. There was a knock at the door. "That must be Basil." "Basil? Who's that?" I asked Leora. "It's BAH-SILL, he is our neighbor. He comes over for dinner every night and he helps uncle with work. He's here all the time, you will like him." With that said Leora ran to the door to greet him. Basil looked to be about 6ft tall with a nice tan. He had green eyes, curly black hair that hung in front of his eyes, and a five o'clock shadow. He was very handsome, his body was lean but I could see muscles under his shirt. He had the cutest set of dimples, as if he wasn't sexy enough. He looked over at me, I must have been staring pretty hard. "Basil, this is Ari. She is my niece." Galen introduced us. "Yas sas, Ari. It is very nice to meet you" He flashed a beautiful white smile and kissed me on both cheeks. That definitely caught me off guard. "I have heard so much about you." We all sat down at the table and started passing food around. Eating dinner with them was quite the experience. There was loud talking and laughter , everyone was so happy. "So Ari, tell us about life in America." Galen asked me. Suddenly the table was quiet, everyone was interested. "Well, what do you want to know?" Could you be more specific? "What's your family like? Are they like this?" Basil asked, motioning to everyone at the table. "We sure don't have dinner like this. We don't sit down and eat like this, as a family." "How do you eat?" Leora asked. "Usually not together, like, I might make some food and take it upstairs to eat it. We just don't really do 'togetherness'. If you know what I mean." Galen, Leora, and Basil all looked with confusion on their faces. "But that's the point of dinner. It's for families to bond." Galen sounded concerned, as if it was bad for my health. "My family doesn't really bond." I felt embarrassed at the fact. Why couldn't my family be like them? They were perfectly happy. "With us you will be doing a lot of that. In fact, Basil," Galen nudged Basil with his elbow "why don't you take Ari around town tomorrow? Show her how things work here. Besides we wouldn't want her to be lonely for the next five months." Basil looked embarrassed. "You don't have to do that. I'm sure you have other things to tend to." I didn't want to sound like some poor lost kid that needed a friend. Even though I was secretly hoping he wanted to take me. "Don't be silly. I would love to show you around. Actually if you don't mind I'd like to show you something right now." Basil stood up from the table and walked over to me. He looked over at Galen for approval. I guess he got it because he basically lifted me up out of the chair and to the door. We jetted out the door and up a ladder on the side of the house. After walking on the platform for about a few minutes we climb up another ladder that must have been the roof. It had four soft, colorful mats laid out on it, and looking down from up there almost made me sick. "Lay down" Basil instructed. I laid down on the purple mat and Basil plopped down right next to me. And when I say next to me, I mean on the same mat. He was extremely close, comfort level dropping. "Why haven't you looked up yet?" he laughed. I was so concerned with my personal space that I didn't realize what was above me. Looking up I saw more stars than I even thought possible. There were more stars than there was sky; that explained why it was so oddly bright at 11pm. "Have you ever seen anything like this?" "No. This is amazing. It's so beautiful." I was pretty much at a loss for words. "I thought you would like it. You can get lost in thought up there, you know. I came up here one time and stayed for five hours. I had completely forgotten where I was and what problems I had. They say our sky clears your mind. It acts as a healer." Basil was on his side facing me now. He looked me dead in the eye. "You looked like you needed some healing." "What is that supposed to mean?" Did I really look like I had that much baggage? I mean things weren't the greatest at home, but they could be much worse. I was fairly happy. "You just look a bit sad, hurt even. I thought this would help." I kept avoiding eye contact with him. Looking in his eyes make me want to spill my guts to him. "We should head back inside." I said after about 10 minutes of looking at the sky. I stood up and went for the ladder. Basil was right on my heels following me down. I don't know why but I felt I couldn't really trust myself with him. I felt as if I would give away way more information about myself than needed. Being alone with him wasn't a good idea. When we finally made the long journey back down to the house, Galen (should I be calling him Mr. Galen? Uncle Galen?) and Leora we cleaning up the kitchen. Galen instructed Leora to get her clothes out for school tomorrow to go take her bath. "Ari, will you braid my hair after I wash it? And will you help me pick out clothes for tomorrow?" Leora looked at me with those big brown eyes. "Oh course!" She was definitely seeing me as a big sister. I couldn't tell her no, but I didn't want her to get attached to me. She would just be loosing a friend when I left, I didn't want her to get hurt. She pulled me to her room and she headed straight for the closet. Her room was a typical girls room, with a greek touch of course. It was open with white walls and big windows. It consisted of a twin bed (pink sheets of course), a nightstand and a dresser. There were dolls thrown about and fake jewelry everywhere, but it was fairly clean for a child's room. Leora laid out a pink and brown stripped tank dress with 2 little pockets in the front, it was too cute. "I really like this one. But there's a cute shirt that I want to wear too." She whirled around back to the closet and came back with the perfect white polo. Remembering she had told me earlier that her class was going on a field trip the following day, I suggested she go with the dress. After all it would be the perfect temperature outside and she would be comfortable in the dress. Plus, she wouldn't want to get her white shirt dirty. "So does Galen pick out your clothes for you at the store?" If so he had great taste. "I have to go with him otherwise I'd be wearing long sleeve shirt and sweatpants all the time. I have to remind him that I'm only 7, no one's looking at me like that. I should be allowed to wear a dress." Leora was so grown up I had actually forgot she was only 7. I mean she looked like she was 7 but sometimes when she spoke she seemed much older. Leora and I chit chatted about other things for a while. She seemed to really like me. "Uh, excuse me. Ari can I talk to you for a second?" Basil was standing in the doorway. I followed him back to the kitchen. "I told Galen I would take you down to the market tomorrow morning. I could show you the beach and the old church as well. If that's ok with you. I mean if you would want to go with me. If you wouldn't mind me taking you." What?! Was he nervous? He bit his lip to stop himself from talking. With his head held down his eyes were staring straight at me. I was confused. Was he nervous around me all of a sudden or was he hinting that he didn't really want to take me? "Do you really want me to go? Because if you have other plans or something that's completely fine. I won't take offense or anything, the last thing I want to do is disrupt pervious plans." I'm not going to make him do something he doesn't want to. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to sound like I didn't want to take you. I wasn't sure if you would want to." He sighed. "I just wanted to make it clear that you had a choice. I don't force girls to go on dates with me." As soon as he said that statement he closed his eyes and bit his lip. Whoops. "Date?" I asked curiously. Not that I completely objected. I mean it was hard to be around him but damn he was so gorgeous. It's almost worth giving up a few bits of personal information. "No. Yes. Kind of. We would be spending time together getting to know each other. So yes, that is a date." He seemed to be becoming more confident with his conclusion. "Getting to know each other? I thought you were just going to show me around." I was kidding of course. But Basils' mouth dropped. "I thought that... I mean... but..." He looked absolutely dumbfounded. He was still rambling when I stopped him. "I am kidding. I wouldn't mind going on a date with you. I might actually enjoy it." At first I felt bad for joking with him but seeing that big smile he gave me made it all worth it. "So it's settled then, I'll come by tomorrow morning. Is eight o'clock too early?" He was still smiling. "Eight is just fine." He held my hand as if to shake it and kissed both of my cheeks. Basil looked down at the hand he was holding and decided he wanted to kiss that too. He was making me blush. "I'll be here." He said his goodbyes to Leora and Galen, all the while sneaking glances at me. And was soon out the door. "So you have a date with Basil? I hear girls talking about him all the time. Everyone wants to be Basils' girlfriend." I am not surprised by that fact. He was beautiful. Beautiful Basil. Wow, that was so corny. "His sister is in my class. She says even though all the girls want him, he never goes out with them." That's weird. Damn I really hope he's straight. "I don't know what you did but you did it right." Greece Ch. 02 Sorry its so unbelievably late. Thanks for all the feedback! * I woke up early to the sound of Leora leaving for school. I quickly showered and got dressed. In the kitchen Galen was setting out breakfast for me, a bowl of yogurt with honey and fruit. Is this it? I was going to be hungry today. Galen sat across from me with tea and cheese. "How did you sleep?" Galen reached over to put honey in his tea. "Great. Best sleep of my life actually." No lie, as soon as my head touched the pillow I was gone. I was so knocked out a hurricane couldn't have woken me up. "That's good. Basil will be here soon. Be careful with that boy." Galen said casually while sipping tea. "Careful? Care to elaborate?" He wouldn't allow a serial killer or rapist in his house. What the hell did he mean be careful? "Basil is a sensitive guy. He wears his heart on his sleeves and for him to want to spend time with you... well it's a big deal. Don't hurt him...or even worse, give him false hope." Galen had the most serious look on his face you would of thought he was debating the issue of abortion. I didn't know that Basil showing me around town was going to be such a big deal. And why isn't Galen worrying about my heart getting broken? Basil must be pretty important to him, like a son I'm assuming. Basil doesn't know how good he has it. "Is there something wrong with this guy? I don't understand what the big deal is?" Everyone was making me nervous about this. "No there's nothing wrong with him." He laughed. "Just don't play games with him, if you know what I mean." I don't play games but I'm getting sick of all the warnings. I finished my yogurt while chatting with Galen about the weather. At exactly eight o'clock, Basil was at the door. "Are you ready for your tour?" He was all smiles, genuinely happy about our 'date'. "One second, let me get my shoes." I had on a white cotton, summer shirt dress that stopped above the knees. My big sister had bought it for me as a peace offering for one of our many fights. It was breezy and perfect for this weather, plus it looked absolutely perfect on me. I slipped on some white flats and we were out the door. "You look amazing, if you don't mind me saying." As if I would object to it. Basil was looking pretty good himself with dark jeans and a white t-shirt. I've never seen simple done sexier. "Thank you. So where exactly are we going may I ask?" He took my hand in his and led me down a trail of stairs while occasionally kissing the back of my hand. "Just around town. You know show you the basics. There's something pretty amazing I want to show you but that will have to wait for another day." We spent the next few hours walking around laughing and learning more about each other. He has lived here in Santorini most his life and has a younger brother who lives in the states with his father. He loves American movies and he's kind of a history geek like me. We hit it off much better than I thought. Occasionally I caught Basil staring at me with a goofy smile on his face. He was awfully cute. We stopped and ate at a small café around three pm it was a late lunch in my book but I'm guessing it was normal for him. I wish it had been earlier because I'd been hungry since breakfast. "This place is absolutely beautiful." I felt his hand caress mine. "If you like this will love the trip I have planned." His smile was so genuine. "Trip? When?" What does he have planned? "Tomorrow if you aren't doing anything." I opened my mouth to speak but he put his finger to my mouth stopping me. "And no I'm not telling you where we are going. You just have to wait and find out." Smiles stretching across both our faces we continued eating lunch. Around 5 o'clock we headed home. Galen and Leora weren't there so we took a seat on the couch and continued chatting. The day went smooth, probably the best date I've ever been on. Basil had this way of making me smile even if nothing was funny, I couldn't help but be happy around him. I could see him slowly inching his way closer to me. "Could you be more obvious?" I joked. "Then come closer." Basil smiled sweetly and put his arm around my waist pulling me closer to him. He was warm and inviting, it took everything in me not to take his clothes off. His scent was killing me it was a light clean, manly smell and I found myself openly putting my face to his neck and breathing him in. Must resist. Then as though I had been slapped in the face I pulled back realizing what I was doing. He was sending me all the right signals to proceed but I still felt I was moving too fast with him. All thanks to Galens warning I'm second guessing all my moves. But what could one kiss hurt, right? I leaned in closer hoping he would take the hint. He pulled back releasing me from his hold. "I should go. Tell Galen and Leora I will be back later." With that he got up and walked away. I could barely comprehend what had just happened. I sat on the couch feeling stupid until Galen and Leora came home. Leora immediately began telling me about her day. "The field trip was ok. I was expecting something more entertaining, but the library was fine. It's a good thing I like books. Oh my goodness, I completely forgot! You went out with Basil today. How was it? Tell me everything!" We talked like teenagers. I like Leora more and more everyday. "So he didn't kiss you?" She looked absolutely shocked. "Yeah, and I was so sure he was into me. I don't get it. The day went great, he was holding and kissing my hand, he kept smiling at me." I threw my hands in the air. "What about that says he doesn't like me?" "He likes you, I know it. He wouldn't have asked you on a date if he didn't." Words of wisdom from a seven year old. "Maybe he changed his mind halfway through. What if it was my breath! Does my breath stink?" "It smells like peppermint." Leora giggled. "Just talk to him when he gets here later for dinner and ask him. I can ask for you if you want." "I would love for you to be the one to ask but I think it would be better if I did. Thanks." This guy was such a question mark. I decided to go ahead and call Sean just to let him know I'm still breathing. "So how are things over there?" He asked. I could hear people in the background talking. "Meh," I shrugged. "it's ok. Galen and Leora are nice and it's really pretty here." "Hey you aren't mad at me for sending you there are you? I mean I was just looking out for you. I thought I was doing what was best." Sean had been my legal guardian for most of my life. And even though I was 20 now I still obeyed him like he was my father. If he thinks I have some growing up to do then it must be true in my eyes. "I was at first but I'm over it now. It's not so bad I'm kind of enjoying myself. What's going on over there? What's with all the noise?" "The whole family is over here. They are fighting over who's going to host the thanksgiving dinner this year." I could hear them getting louder. "They do know thanksgiving is like 7 months away?" Sean laughed. Our family was pretty ridiculous. We talked for another 30 minutes or so until dinner was ready. I promised to call him later. We ate pastitsio (casserole) for dinner. It was the same sight as last night only I was trying to avoid eye contact with Basil, trying to spare myself anymore embarrassment. "So did you enjoy your day out Ari?" Galen would be the one to bring it up. "Yes I saw a lot and I had fun." Keep it short and simple. "Did you enjoy your company?" Galen wasn't letting up and everyone had their eyes on me. "He was a complete gentleman." I said quickly and went back to eating. "Well maybe he would like to take you out again sometime soon." Seriously? You can't just eat your food and let it go? I thought to myself. "We'll see." I said before I even knew he was finished talking. I didn't want Basil to get a word in. "I was hoping Ari would want to hang out with me tomorrow. It's a Saturday and I don't have anything to do. She could even meet some new people!" Leora was quickly becoming my new best friend. Basil sat silently but I could feel his eyes on me. I guess this cancels out our little trip he had planned. Well, that was pretty much canceled when he jetted out the door earlier. But he didn't speak up about the previous plans. A few hours ago I was really looking forward to it. I glanced up to see the expression on his face, masked sadness. He was smiling for Galen but his eyes seemed sad. I kept telling myself it wasn't my fault. He was the one that didn't speak up. When dinner was cleaned up he tried to sneak out, luckily I caught him right outside the door. "Hey." I didn't know what else to say. "Hey." He was staring at the ground with his hands crammed in his pockets. This conversation was getting absolutely nowhere. I was mentally beating myself up for even trying. Why was it so awkward between us now? Nothing had even happened. I was making this a much bigger deal than it actually was. I wanted him to hold me tight while I ran my fingers through his dark curls. All I had to do was ask him why but I just couldn't get the words out. "So I'm assuming that trip is not going to happen, huh?" I had my arms crossed but immediately put them at my side. I didn't want him to think I was being defensive or anything. "Yeah but you seem to be just fine with that." Whoa, attitude! He wasn't staring at the ground anymore. "I just thought that earlier when you left, you know, I didn't think the invitation was still on the table." "You know what, I have to go," He kissed my cheek softly and headed down the stairs. "Of course you do," I mumbled under my breath. Greece Ch. 03 "Ugh... when are we going back to shore?" The rocking of the boat made me sea sick. It would be different if it was like the speed boat I came in on; there was no rocking on that one. This boat rocked every time the fucking wind blew. "In about 2 more hours sweetheart. It's not that bad you're over reacting!" Galen laughed at me. "Easy for you to say, you do this for a living!" I was hurled over the side of the boat just in case breakfast decided to come back up. Galen had taken me out to show me how to fish; needless to say I wasn't really into it. I stared at my phone counting down the minutes. I just wanted dry land under me. "You've been here 3 days now and it's been all fun and games. You're going to have to start doing some work." Galen gave me a big smile, like work was fun. I hate hard labor. "What kind of work?" Honestly I had forgotten I was here for some sort of punishment. I looked out at the beautiful buildings, what a sight. Some punishment. I could stay here, I could be happy here. "Nothing too serious. Just some gardening and you can work at the café with Andrew a couple days out of the week." "What do I have to do?" I'm pretty sure he's going to say cleaning. "Cooking, serving, and some cleaning." So Galen reads minds, who knew? It can't be that bad, it's good for me right? Although I don't see how this is was going to make me a so called responsible adult. I thought I was pretty responsible, I mean I handled my business. Back in high school I wasn't the easiest kid in the world to deal with. I was into the alcohol and the drugs but I maintained pretty good grades, never failed a class in my life. In fact, I graduated high school early and took some college classes before quitting. Money was tight and I couldn't afford it anymore. In my mind it made no sense to pay for an education that should be free. I intended on just taking a small break to save up some money but after having that little taste of freedom I didn't want to go back. I wanted to live life while I was young. I had discovered nightlife and I thought it was all I would ever need. I drank and stayed out till 4am every night, I didn't care. In my drunken state I might have done some things I regretted, hell I did shit even when I wasn't drunk. I destroyed a police car (It was dark, I thought it was a regular car), I accidentally participated in the breaking and entering of a random persons home (It was dark, I thought it was my house) and various forms of vandalism (...it wasn't dark). The people I hung out with were definitely not looking out for me. Hanging with bad people leads to bad decision making. I would say I was going through some sort of quarter life crisis if there was such a thing. I couldn't figure out what I wanted to do with my life. So for the past year I've been acting like a kid, so I've been told. I was crashing on friends couches and switching jobs every time I got bored (every two months or so). I needed a career and for that I needed a college education and for that I needed some motivation. I was unmotivated and unfocused. I lived in the here and now not even caring about the future. It was time for change apparently. "Grab the net! Hold it tight for me." He caught a big one! He could have easily just swung it on to the boat but I guess he wanted to include me in the process. The fish nearly smacked me in the face but I caught it. I sat it on the floor of the boat and watched it flap around. "What now?" I must admit I was kind of excited, I felt like I had accomplished something even though I didn't do a damn thing. Then again just being out in a little boat in this large body of water was kind of an accomplishment for me. I gave myself a round of applause. Galen looked at me like I was crazy. I meant for it to be a mental round of applause. We returned to shore just twenty minutes later with six fish, including the one I helped catch. Yeah, I was proud of myself. It was extremely early in the morning when we left out so when we returned Leora was just getting up. She ran around the house bouncing and singing unusually excited for the day. ~*~*~*~*~*~ Late in the afternoon Leora was literally pulling me through the streets. I had taken her up on the offer to spend the day together and she was hell bent on making the best of it. She had said we were going to some café but her excitement couldn't have been over the food. "Leora, honey, I need my arm." How can she be so small but so strong? "Come on you have to meet Andrew!" Oh! That café. Now it all made sense. "Whoever Andrew is I'm sure he won't disappear if we slow down." Leora shot me a mean glare but caught herself and softened her face. "What's the big deal with Andrew anyway?" I should have asked Galen some questions about this guy. "Andrew is way smarter than Basil." She said as if it were a well known fact. So what if he won a couple spelling bees. "Huh?" I'm so confused right now. "Basil was stupid to not like you." Well I wasn't completely sure he didn't like me. I wasn't going accept that until it came straight from his mouth. Most people would just take the rejection and move on. But there was something about the way he looked at me and how he couldn't stop smiling whenever he was around me. There was chemistry there. "So I figure Andrew will pass with flying colors." "Leo are you trying to set me up? I don't do blind dates!" She smiled sweetly. "You won't be saying that once you see him." She looked over my shoulder and pointed. My god she was right, Andrew was utterly gorgeous. He was tall with light brown eyes and completely kissable lips. His hair was a perfect auburn with natural sun highlights that hung down past his ears. With a big smile he waved for Leora to come over. His thin mustache and the hair on his chin were only strengthening his sex appeal. Basil and Andrew were exact opposites but both would make you weak in the knees. How does she just happen to know all these gorgeous men? She's like a magnet for them. I think I'll take her with me when I leave for home. "He wants to meet you!" She pulled me to the counter. Up close this man could make you melt. "Hey Andrew!" She was literally bouncing up and down. He came from behind the counter and picked her up squeezing her tight. "Leo you just keep growing! I swear a week ago you were at least 3 inches shorter." Leora was trying to contain her giggles. "This is my cousin Ari. She's going to be staying with us for a while." She shoved me in front of her and up against Andrew. He treated me as if we had known each other for years by hugging me the same as he had Leora except his hands lingered a bit longer. He smelled sweet like fresh fruits and sun, of course my mind wandered to what he tasted like. If felt good being wrapped in his arms. "Nice to meet you Ari." He said when I was finally released. The sound of his voice sent tingles through me. "Uh, yea, same to you." Ha I couldn't even talk, this is ridiculous. He was slowly scanning me up and down making me extremely self conscience. "I'm going to use the bathroom." Leora said. "So you two can talk." She mouthed to me once she was out of Andrew's sight. "Do I make you uncomfortable?" Andrew asked after a few awkward moments of silence. He must have noticed my uneasiness. "The way you're looking at me makes me a little nervous." I shoved my hands in my pockets as a slow smile appeared on his face. God he had a beautiful smile. "Good thing I was able to contain my drool otherwise you would have been out the door huh?" Damn Leo was right this guy is a big deal. She walked back in as we were laughing. "Can I get you two lovely ladies some Kourabiedes?" Leo nodded yes for the both of us. "Some what?" I nudged her arm. "Butter cookies with powdered sugar. Mmmm..." She rubbed her belly and did a little dance in appreciation. We took our cookies to a nearby table and took a seat. "So what do you think?" I could feel Andrews eyes on me. "He's cute." More like sexy as hell. This guy was turning me on more than any other man I'd ever known. "But I hope you don't think anything is going to happen." Besides I don't even know what's up with Basil. There's something between us, I know it. "It never hurts to have a backup plan right?" Leora said with a mouth full of cookies. "When did you get so smart?" That's it! I'm taking this kid with me! We talked for a while but she was mostly harassing me about talking to Andrew. She was relentless stopping to talk to him before we left. "I see you two were getting along. I told you Andrew!" She stuck her finger in his face and Andrew snapped at it with his teeth. "Well you were wrong little Leo, she's not." He said with a small smirk on his face. "What? Yes she is!" I could feel my phone vibrating in my pocket I headed towards the door to check it. "She's not pretty..." Leora had her mouth hanging open. "She's beautiful. How long is she going to be here?" He whispered and handed her a bag of cookies. "5 months." With that she happily skipped to catch up with me. "Good. I'll get to see more of her." He said more to himself than to Leora. "My brother killed my goldfish." I said nonchalantly. And to top it off I received the news via text! Sean didn't have the balls to call me and tell me he was dead. He was definitely going to get a call from me later. "You have a fish?" "HAD a fish. Marsellus is dead now. Apparently some people didn't realize that fish have to be fed in order for them to survive." Damn that was the longest living fish I had, a whole 7 months! I'm gone for 3 days and all my hard work is literally flushed down the toilet. "Marsellus? That's a funny name" She giggled. "You know, from Pulp Fiction? The guy that almost gets... Never mind you're a little young for that movie." After being out for another hour we finally headed home. Basil was waiting at the door for us to arrive. Leora gave him a nod and squeezed past him to the door. Greece Ch. 04 This story is going somewhere... I promise. lol * Basil was waiting at the door for us to arrive. Leora gave him a nod and squeezed past him to the door. "Hey." "Hey, what's up?" What is he doing here? And how long has he been here? "You want to go for a walk with me?" He motioned towards the water. Where? In the freakin' ocean? He must have seen the quizzical look on my face. "On the beach." He smirked. "Only if you tell me what the hell is going on with you." I was just going to be blunt with him. The mixed signals are giving me a headache and games are for children. He looked at me blankly. Like I was the one with the problems. "What was that the other day!" I practically shouted. "I'll talk while we're walking." Taking my hand the same as he did last time we headed towards the beach. "Are you mad at me?" He asked softly. "No, just confused. One minute you like me the next minute you can't get away from me quick enough." His grip on my hand got tighter. "Yeah, about that... I'm sorry for the way I acted." We stopped walking. "I think we should just be friends." "Friends?" Well damn. I couldn't' believe it! This is the second time he has left me feeling stupid. The only reason I didn't storm off is because I didn't want to look childish. "It's complicated. But I like talking to you. We have fun together right? Why change that?" Putting his hands around my waist he pulled me in for a hug. "Is that ok?" He whispered in my ear. "Sure." I muttered. I don't want to just be friends. I was sure we had a connection. He didn't feel the same way, to him I was just friend material. Not a girlfriend and not even worthy enough to be a potential fuck buddy. I could still change his mind. I could make him want me. ~*~*~*~ I made my way back to the house. Getting there I discovered I was completely alone. It was an odd feeling, I felt like I should wait outside or something. So I did, just out of respect. I took a seat in the chair out front and pulled out my phone. Might as well call Sean. "You killed Marsellus!" I yelled in the phone. I didn't even bother to say hello. "Who the hell is Marsellus? I ain't kill nobody!" He yelled back. "Marsellus! My fish!" "Oh! Ha, that fish had a name?" Wow, what a dick. "This is the part where you apologize asshole." "Yeah well I flushed him, he was starting to smell. I bought you a new one though. You can name him Marsellus II or better yet you can call him Jules." I had to thank him for that even though I wouldn't need a new one if he hadn't killed him. "You homesick yet?" Sean knew me too well. I missed my family but mostly him. Of all the other people that would put me down he always helped me keep my head up. Always telling me I could do better. "Yeah. I miss you guys a lot. Plus I could really go for some American food right now." A cheese burger and curly fries sound delicious right now. "You must not have seen the Ramen noodles I shoved in your suitcase before you left." My face lit up! I couldn't have been happier. Screw respect, I'm going in the house and making some freakin' noodles. With Sean still on the phone I made my way in the house with the key Galen had given me and started making Ramen. "How's Marvin?" At fifteen years old Marvin was my favorite little brother. We adopted him just 3 years ago. He was a small fifteen and was constantly being picked on but I had his back. "Chris and the boys were giving him a hard time. But I got them in check. Don't worry the kid is fine." I always worried about Marvin. He was fragile and I didn't want the other kids getting in this head. Yeah I know, I can't protect him forever. "Luis is on some other shit though, you should try to talk to him." Luis was the trouble maker. We were hoping it was just a phase but now it looks pretty permanent. "There's no talking to that kid. He is going to do whatever he wants when he wants. I'm tired of trying." It's an awful thing to say. You should never give up on a child but hell it's not my job, I'm his sister not his mother. "Well Meko and Sam said they miss you. And we sent you a package but I don't know when it's going to get there so be looking out for it." ~*~*~*~*~*~ That Ramen hit the spot! I lay on the couch to close my eyes just for a minute and next thing I know it morning. I must be getting old, Ramen never had that effect on me before. Sitting up I noticed Galen and Basil at the table eating breakfast. How long have they been there? Seriously someone could have woke me up, this couch was uncomfortable. "Morning sweetheart" Galen said softly. "Good morning" I yawned and stretched. I know my hair was a mess of curls but I was too tired to care. Basil gave me a nod since his mouth was full of food. "You should go get ready. You start your first day at the café in an hour." Galen informed me. "Basil is going to walk you there, so hurry up." That meant I had to look cute. I was going to change Basils' mind about me. Leora was still sleeping so I tip-toed through her room to grab a change of clothes and headed for a quick shower. The walk to the café was mostly silent. We made small talk while Basil kept squeezing my hand and stealing glances at me. Now, riddle me this: if we are just friends then why are we holding hands? Friends don't hold hands! Although I can't say I don't like it. I want to just cut my brain off and stop overanalyzing things. When we arrived outside the café I gave him a smile and tried to make a dash for the door. My attempt was foiled when Basil pulled me back in for a hug. "I can walk you home when you're done." "Uh, no that's ok. But I'll see you later alright?" I just wanted to be away from him. He keeps giving me the wrong impression. The café was empty when I walked in. I wasn't sure where to go so I just made my way to the kitchen area. There were pots and pans everywhere and immediately I started washing them. Why not now? They'd have to get washed sometime today and I'd probably be the one assigned to do it. I started scrubbing a giant pot that looked like it had been soaking overnight, the grit came off with ease. I felt the warmth of two arms wrapping around me. I freaked out and started swinging hoping to hit whatever was touching me. "Whoa calm down tiger!" Andrew held his arms up protecting his face. "Shit, sorry! Don't sneak up on me like that!" He almost gave me a heart attack. Scanning him up and down I was staring at him as if this were the first time I'd seen him. His shirtless body was quite a sight. The Greek Gods were probably jealous of me just for getting a look. "Leo didn't tell me you would be working here." Andrew jumped up on the counter next to me. "Well I am. So what should I start doing?" I scanned the room trying to find something to look at other than his body. "Hmm..." He smirked. "You can be a waiter. The customers like to see a pretty face." He winked and handed me an apron. This was going to be a long day. My shift didn't go too bad. The people were friendly enough and my only problem was the language barrier that seemed to come up every other table. You know when you get the feeling people are talking about you? I had that feeling all day long! Eyes were watching me constantly and I couldn't tell if it was a good or bad thing. But other than that it was a typical waitress job, it was something I was good at. Andrew spent most of his time laughing and joking with the customers. When the place finally cleared out I started washing tables. Andrew came over and placed a green dry erase marker on the table. "You have to write down how you felt about your 1st day in one sentence or the comment you heard the most from the customers. It's like tradition." He pointed towards the white board in the back of the kitchen. I read the random writing on the board. 'Those shorts make you look fat' 'He said this would be easy' 'I'm pretty sure there's gum in my hair' 'My mom made me get this job' 'Can I get your number?' 'You guys were lucky to have me' 'I'm not even fuck buddy potential' is what I wanted to write but it was clearly inappropriate. I picked up the marker, found a small spot in the corner of the board and wrote 'I get to do this everyday?'. The sarcasm didn't transfer well. "At least 3 times a week." Andrew gave me a look. I walked back to the tables I was previously cleaning. "So, on your first day here I've had six people come up and ask me if you had a boyfriend." Andrew sat his ass on the table I had just cleaned. "Really?" That kind of caught me off guard. "Yeah. Allow me to read off your options. The first one was Mr. Alexander. He's 63 years young with a heart of gold. Then there's Dorian, 15 years old, in my personal opinion he's a bit young for you." "Are you serious?" I felt like he was reading off profiles from a dating site. "There's more. Hector is 29, been to jail 3 times and has 4 kids, none of which he takes care of. Lucas is 42 and still lives with his mother, not because she's sick or anything but because she does his laundry and cleans his room." "How do you know all this?" "I know everytihing" He winked at me. "You want to hear about the other two?" "No thanks." "Do you want the phone numbers of any other these people?" He arched an eyebrow trying to figure out what I was thinking. No thanks. They aren't really what I'm looking for." "What are you looking for?" Suddenly the room was closing in on me. Why didn't I see the conversation turning on me like this? I should have expected it. "I'd just like my man to be close to my age, independent and without a record." Now and days that might be asking for too much. "Well, my name is Andrew." He stuck his hand out to shake. "I'm 22 years old, never been to prison and I have my own place." Damn he is smooth. "So I'm you're type?" A cocky smile spread across his face. Hell yeah he's my type but he's arrogant enough without me adding to it. "I'm pretty sure I fit the profile." "It covers a wide range of people" I said as I grabbed a broom and started sweeping the floor. "Well then narrow it down for me." Everything about him screamed 'fuck me', but I was trying to stay at a distance. From the way he was looking at me I could tell that if it were up to him he'd have me on the counter top screaming his name. He was hard to resist. "Smart" "I went to college. I have a degree in computer science." He shrugged. "Funny" "A nun, a priest, an Irishman, a Scotsman, a rabbi and a blonde walk into a bar. The bartender looks at them and asks, is this some kind of joke?" I rolled my eyes at him. "Caring" "I did some community service. Helped out at a soup kitchen." "No crazy ex-girlfriends or baby mamas." I'll bet he has both. He shook his head no. "Honest" "Honestly... you just may be the most beautiful woman to set foot on this island." The room was silent for a minute. What do you say to that? "Face it, I meet all the requirements. You never answered the question." "What question?" I swept up invisible dirt trying to make my way to the other side of the room. "Do you have a boyfriend?" I wanted Basil. I wanted him the minute I laid eyes on him. Andrew crept closer to me. "No. No boyfriend." That damn smile spread across his face again. The one that said he was going to get what he wanted. "My shift is over. I'm gonna get out of here, Leo and Galen are probably waiting for me." "So I'll see you tomorrow?" He asked hopefully. "Most likely." I shrugged. Heading towards the door I couldn't wait to see Leora. "Hey!" Andrew called out to me before I got out. "Could you come in early tomorrow?" "What for?" "The menu has to be changed" He pointed to the chalkboard on the wall. I wanted to ask him why he couldn't do it himself but instead I just nodded my head. ~*~*~*~ The next morning I made a mad dash for the café. I wasn't up for awkward walks with Basil today. Andrew was already there he had taken the chairs down and was waiting for me. "So you have a thing for Basil huh?" Andrew stood beside me as I sat on the floor and scrubbed the board clean. He didn't waste any time getting answers. "It's that obvious?" Jeez, I was too easy to read. "Actually Leo told me. She said you get this goofy look on your face whenever he comes around. It's kinda cute actually." "Glad you're getting a kick out of it." "That's not what I meant. Are you two going to get together?" "No he just wants to be friends." I rolled my eyes not even hiding my annoyance. "Just friends! With you? He must be crazy." Yeah that's what I thought. "How could anyone want to be just friends with you?" I heard him say in a low voice. "Guess I'm just not what he's looking for." I shrugged my shoulders. I was going to get over this rejection eventually. "Maybe he just doesn't know what he has sitting right in front of him. You should show him what he's missing out on." That smirk again. "Care to elaborate?" I stood up with my hands on my hips. "Make him jealous. Get a guy and parade the relationship around. Knowing you have other guys wanting you will make him doubt his decision but showing him that another man can make you happy will make him jealous. Sweetie he'll come running to you." "And where exactly will I find this guy?" I knew exactly what he was getting at. "I would be happy to volunteer." He said as if he was answering the call of duty. "And what makes you think you're qualified?" I crossed my arms "For one, I have tons experience making guys jealous because of the women on my arm. Also," he took a step forward "you're attracted to me. That REAL attraction is only going to make Basil even more jealous." Ok I can't even lie to myself about that. The man is beautiful. "Look you don't have to figure it out now just think about it." It could work. I could make Basil want me. That sounds insane really but I wanted that man and damnit I was going to get him... or at least make him feel like shit for being so flaky. Alex would be perfect for the job, his sex appeal was undeniable. He could totally pull it off. This could work. "You would do that for me?" I mean what's in it for him? Shit nothing is free. "Sure. Everybody should at least try to get what they want." Greece Ch. 05 Sorry for the long wait but here is a short addition to the series. ~*~*~*~*~ After doing a little clean up around the café Andrew gave me the rest day off to "consider his proposition"... his words not mine. He was right about everything. I was definitely attracted to him which, if Andrew was correct, would only help the cause. I mean I want Basil more than I've ever wanted any man. At least that's what I think I want. Now that I think about it I wasn't really this crazed until he rejected me. I'm not used to rejection. Now all I can think about is what could possibly be wrong with me and how can I fix it? Ok this is starting to sound like a self esteem issue. It's not so much that my feelings were hurt it was more of a surprise that I wasn't what he would be looking for in a girlfriend. I make an excellent girlfriend! The only way to repair the damage done to my ego was to put Andrew's plan into action. I could make it so Basil would be begging to be with me. Whoa... I was giving myself a fatal attraction vibe. When I got home I was so excited to see Leora. For some reason the kid just puts a big smile on everyone's face. "How was school?" I took a seat next to her on the couch. "I got in trouble." The sad look on her face was heartbreaking. "What for?" Leo is the perfect child so her getting in trouble was unbelievable. "This girl in my class..." She held her head down low. "She was saying mean things. So I hit her." She wouldn't look me in the eye. "Well sweetie what did she say?" I put my arm around her trying to make her feel better. "She called me a little orphan girl." I could see the hurt on her face but wasn't exactly sure how to handle the situation. What am I supposed to say to her? "Leora. You have so many people that love you and would do anything for you. Don't let her words hurt you. She says things to make herself feel better about her own sad little life." That and her mother's a whore. Any kid that would purposely hurt Leo must have so serious issues to work out. Needless to say she's lucky I wasn't around when this happened because I guarantee I would have made that child regret her conception. "She's right though. I am an orphan." I wiped a tear from her cheek. Technically she was an orphan, both her parents were dead. "Leo don't even think about it like that. Your mother didn't want to leave you but there really was no choice in the matter. But she left you with your uncle who would do anything for you. Galen loves you and treats you like his daughter. Just the other day he called you his little princess. You have it better than any other child I've met. You have someone who would give up everything to make sure you're safe and happy." I don't know if I was saying the right thing but I figured if I kept emphasizing how great Galen was she would understand that her life was good. "I love my uncle. But I still don't have a mommy." If Leora had been my age I would have told her not to get greedy because that's how life works. That sometimes things are taken away from you and if you're lucky you'll get something half as good in its place. Life isn't cupcakes and rainbows so we have to make our own happiness. But she was a little girl and truth be told, she needed her mother. "No. But you have me. I mean I'm not all that great but if you give me a chance I can make an excellent big sister." Big sisters can sort of be mom replacements right? We can make it work. "Does this mean you're gonna stay forever?" A big smile took over her face. Shit. "No, but I'll be here whenever you need me. You can call me anytime and I will be on the next plane out. Does that work for you?" With that Leo gave me a small smile understanding that I did eventually want to go home. Since she was in a better mood we took it upon ourselves to make cupcakes. Cupcakes always make me feel better. Needless to say there was flour, batter, and icing covering just about every inch of the kitchen. Seriously... you would have thought some creepy little gremlin came in and destroyed the kitchen just for the hell of it. With all the ingredients on the floors, countertops, and table it's a wonder how we had enough left to actually make cupcakes. As soon as we finished making them, we ate them. Therefore destroying any possible proof that something productive and delicious had actually come from the mess. As we cleaned and made dinner I mentally debated whether or not I should tell Leo about Andrew's idea. No doubt she could handle it but she was so sweet. What would she think of me if she knew I was purposely trying to mess with Basil's head? She'd call me childish and tell me to just discuss my issues with him, like an adult. Talking wouldn't do anything, he has to see what he's missing out on. "Is Basil coming over for dinner tonight?" I questioned Leo. "Yes. But I can tell him not to if you don't want to see him." "No that's fine. But can I invite Andrew? He's been so nice to me at the café I feel like I owe him." Time to set this plan into action. Get them in the same room together, openly flirt with Andrew, measure Basil's reaction. If it's not affecting him I'll turn it up. With Leora's approval I raced to the café to tell Andrew the plan. I walked in as he was closing up. "So what do you think? Can you handle it?" Of course he can. "Sounds great. A little flirting is good. Long gazes, silly smiles, subtle touches of the hand... I can pull this off easy." His big smile was comforting. The whole way over here I was thinking I was crazy for even considering this. I mean it was a bit extreme and I've seen enough movies to know that this would fail miserably. "So should we both head over there now or should you just pop in later?" He was the expert. "Let's go together." He escorted me out of the café and we made the journey home. "So what is it you like so much about Basil?" "I don't know exactly. I just can't help but smile and feel all warm and fuzzy around him." Andrew snorted. "Seriously! I know it sounds cliché and lame but that's how it is." It's not lame. You obviously can't help it." He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Don't say it like that." Making me sound like a love sick puppy. "Like what?" "You say it as if I'm hopeless, like it was decided the minute I got here." "Well every woman seems to fall for him. It was probably decided before you got here." "Whatever. Just please put on a good show." I was becoming slightly embarrassed about what I was doing. Quite frankly it was unnecessary. I mean no means no right? Why didn't I understand no? "Don't worry I got this." Galen, Leo and Basil were already sitting down at the table when we arrived. "Andrew! Glad you could join us. Please have a seat." Galen was always so kind. I kind of envied that about him. Hell, why couldn't everyone be more like this man. He just had this presence about him, where you just wanted to be on your best behavior around him so you wouldn't disappoint him. He makes an amazing father for Leora. "Thank you sir. Ari invited me I hope that's ok." "Of course! You're always welcome here son." Galen pointed to a chair for Andrew. "So how are things going with you two at work?" "Great just great. She's an excellent worker but I have to beat the men away from her with a stick." Andrew did a quick glance Basils way. "She gets my good looks." Galen laughed. Love this guy. Everyone started eating and it didn't take long for things to get a bit awkward. I did my best to keep the conversation going with Galen but I think even he was starting to see that something was up. "I'm going to turn in for the night. You too Leo, tomorrow is a school day." We said our good nights and the two retreated to their rooms. Leaving Basil, Andrew and I to sit at the table... alone. "Ari do you have anything planned tomorrow?" Andrew asked. Andrew was so casual about it, like an evil genius. "No, nothing." "There's this party, well more like a small get together some friends and family are having. You should come." Meeting family and friends? He's good. "Yeah that sounds fun." I shrugged my shoulders pretending it wasn't a big deal. "Basil you're welcome to come if you want." "Pass." Ha! He was so mad. "I have plans." "If anything changes the invitation is still on the table." He sounded so sincere "Right. I have to go. Ari I'll see you later I guess?" "Sure. Uh... let me walk you out." Once outside Basil nervously rocked side to side. Holy shit this might actually be working. "Have fun tomorrow with Andrew." "I will. You could always come to you know?" "I'd rather not. But we could hang afterwards maybe. If it's not too late for you." He shrugged. No. No, no, no. He was silly for thinking that would even happen. He doesn't want it bad enough yet. "Yeah, definitely. I'll call you." Not calling him. All a part of the plan. I waved him off and headed back in to Andrew. He didn't say anything to me when I sat down next to him. He just looked at me. "You don't want to know what happened?" "Sure." He moved his chair closer to me. "He wants to hang after I'm done with you." "And you said...?" "I said yeah" "Why?" Whoa getting kind of hostile are we? I thought he would be able to figure this one out. "So I can forget to call him and have him waiting up for me." "Oh... I'm starting to think you're better at this than me." He relaxed. "You put on a good show. He really thinks we're hanging out tomorrow." "I was serious." "Seriously?" Oops. "Unless you don't want to come." Andrew looked a bit hurt. How was I supposed to know he was really inviting me? We agreed to ACT like there was something going on between us. "I do. Plus it'll give us time to talk, you know figure out the next step." "I guess if that's how you want to spend your night, sure." "I..." Words jumbled around in my brain. What do i say to that? "I'll pick you up around 6." With those words Andrew slowly rose from his seat and left. I stood there feeling like a jerk. I never really considered his feelings in all of this. He liked me... that was obvious. But I didn't think it would affect this little arrangement that HE had suggested. He was doing this for me as a friend right? I couldn't help but feel like the villain. But it would all work out, I would get Basil to fall head over heels in love with me and Andrew... well I don't know what exactly is going to happen there.