Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine 

Violet’s Point of View 

Walking into the suite, my parents were instantly firing questions at me; Where was I? Who was I with? Why did I leave the room? The usual. I asked them if they had even seen the note I’d left, they said they did, but they were still worried about me. I guess I couldn’t exactly blame them with everything that had happened recently, but still! I wasn’t a prisoner here. This was still my holiday too. 

I calmly explained that I had gone out for a walk, I needed to clear my head and that behind the room was driving me insane. I told them that I had met Toby in the hotel and we had gone for a drink, that I had met some of his friends and in general, had a very nice day… 

…I left out the parts with the ‘’mean girls’’. It didn’t really seem that important. 

When I mentioned Toby, my parents shared a look. It was quick, but I still caught it. 

‘What?’ 

‘Honey... While Toby seems like a good guy-’ 

‘He is a good guy’. I cut my mum off. ‘I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him!’. 

‘We know that it's just, you don’t know him that well, nor do we, we would just feel more comfortable if you didn’t go wandering off with him.’ I felt like they were judging me a little bit. Toby had helped me a lot, and in more ways than one, how could he not be a good guy?! 

‘I’m going to my room’. I told them, ignoring their ‘’request’’. 

‘We’re going to dinner soon’. My dad told me. I just shrugged. 

‘I’m not hungry. You two go without me’. They shared another look. ‘Don’t worry, I won’t leave the room. I’m going to bed. Goodnight’. I told them firmly and walked down to my room, closing the door behind me. 

I jumped down on the bed, sighing… and then I remembered, Toby gave me his number. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and scrolled through my contacts to find it. Clicking on the three little dots to the ‘’send a text message’’ option, but just ended up staring at the screen for a good while before I realised it was a stupid idea. 

He was busy, I was sure of it. He was with his girlfriend and probably his friends. I didn’t want to cause any issues or at the very least, I didn't want to disturb him. Eventually, I put my phone on the bedside table and decided to go and have a nice hot bath and an early night… 

*THE NEXT AFTERNOON* 

Mum and dad had gone to a swimming lesson the hotel was hosting down on the beach. I wasn’t really feeling it so decided to stay back. Going out yesterday was really nice and I had decided to try and get out there again. I wasn’t going to wander far from the comfort and safety of the hotel, but baby steps. Maybe I could find a coffee shop or a little boutique and get some souvenirs for my friends back home. 

I got ready, but found myself constantly checking myself out in every mirror whenever I passed one… What if I ran into Toby, I didn’t want to look awful… 

As soon as the thought passed through my mind, I rolled my eyes at myself. 

‘Christ, Honestly Violet?’ I asked myself. Shaking my head, I grabbed my handbag and jacket and headed out of the suit. 

A few hours had passed and I managed to find a few nice little things for my friends back home… along with quite a lot of candy that, let's be honest, probably won’t even make it till the end of the holiday. I smiled to myself and I entered another shop to look around, and then another and another until I was all shopped out, and very hungry. 

I just decided to grab something quick and easy, a hot dog and fries, and go and eat it on the beach. There were a lot of people there today, obviously, but it wasn’t overcrowded. I could see down near the sea what looked like the activity my parents were still doing, but I decided against going over. It had been hours since they had started so surely it would be finished soon. 

I shrugged to myself and walked over to a shaded spot that surprisingly wasn’t occupied. Sitting down on the cool sand, I dumped my bags down next to me and tucked into my food, moaning happily when the first few mouthfuls went down. 

When I was done, I put my sunglasses on and laid back, using my handbag as a makeshift pillow to keep the sand out of my hair. I closed my eyes, I wasn’t going to sleep, I was just relaxing, and sighed. 

A girl could get used to this. 

I could hear kids laughing, splashing around, a little happy scream every now and then and over in the distance somewhere, I could hear a couple arguing. I just tuned it all out and went back to relaxing. 

‘Violet?’ I heard someone shout but they were most definitely too far in the distance to be calling me, so I ignored it... Until they shouted again... And again... Getting closer every time. Eventually, I sat up and looked around, only to see a few of Toby’s friends coming towards me. I smiled at them as they got closer. 

‘Hey there, guys. Everything ok?’ 

‘Yeah, everything's good, you?’ I nodded. ‘Good. Mind if we sit?’ I shook my head and they did. I was a little bit disappointed to see Toby wasn’t with them, but I’m sure they weren’t all joined at the hip. 

They stayed for a little while and to be honest, it was nice to have the company… and they were really funny guys. I was just laughing constantly, it was weird in a way how it almost felt like I had known them all for so, so long. 

‘Did you know we’re having a full moon tonight?’ Joel randomly asked me. I looked up to the sky automatically but obviously, it was still day time. 

‘Really? You into the moon and stuff?’ He smiled. 

‘’Full moons. They’re magic’. I raised my eyebrow. ‘Seriously, Full moons are magic, right guys?’ His friends all nodded and mumbled in agreement. 

‘Magic for werewolves I’m sure’. I laughed, but they didn't. Ok, maybe they were serious. ‘What kind of magic?’ 

‘The night is completely different when the full moon is out. It's magical itself. Haven’t you ever noticed how people act differently this time of the month, and others will say ‘’There must be a full moon tonight’’. It affects people differently, but it's all magic’. Hmm.. guess I never thought of it like that, ‘And because of the werewolves, obviously’. This time, they did laugh. I just smiled. 

‘Do you believe in werewolves, Violet?’ Ryder asked me. 

‘I-I don’t know. It's one of those things like vampires and zombies. You see them in the movies, but do they REALLY exist?’ 

‘Werewolves exist’. I looked up, hearing a familiar voice and saw Toby standing there. I was so engrossed in the conversation I was having with the others, I hadn’t even noticed him, but as soon as I did, I couldn’t help the smile that spread wide across my face. 

‘You think so?’ I asked as he sat down with his friends, nodding. 

‘I know so. Maybe one day, you’ll find out’. My eyes locked with his and it took me a moment to remember he had spoken. 

‘Yeah, Maybe’. 

‘T, What are you doing here, I thought you were busy today?’ Rick started another conversation, which didn’t involve me, so I just looked away and silently scolded myself. 

‘I told Georgie I’d meet her here before tonight’. Oh, Must be date night, ‘She’s bringing the other girls. They will be here soon’. 

‘Ok, on that note’. I stood up and brushed the sand off my ass. Picking up my handbag and shopping bags, I apologized but explained I had to go. Toby stood up and stopped me. 

‘Hey, what’s wrong?’ I looked down at the other guys who looked just as confused and sighed. 

‘Come on, it's clear they don’t like me. I was having a really good day and absolutely no disrespect to you guys, but they will most likely just ruin it’. 

‘They can be nice when you get to know them’. I couldn’t help but snort a laugh. 

‘I doubt it’. 

‘Please stay?’ Toby's request, as simple as it was, really tugged on my heartstrings. ‘Please?’ Dumping my bags back down, I agreed and sat back down. They gave me a little cheer and Joel and Billy got up to go and locate some food and drinks. We weren’t far from the street vendors, so it was a quick and easy job. 

The rest of us spoke amongst ourselves until they got back and passed out the stuff… followed close behind by the arrival of the girls. Great. 

I just kept quiet and sipped my drink.. But the mood instantly changed when they noticed me. 

‘Oh, Violet. Hmm. Didn’t realize you’d be here’. One of them said in a not so veiled bitchy tone. I just looked at her. 

‘Yes well, I was here first, and the guys joined me. I didn’t realize you would be here either’. I shot back with a sarcastically friendly smile. Afew of the guys coughed to hide their own amusement. She just ‘’hmm’’ed and sat down, as did the others. I noticed Toby’s girlfriend looked angrier than the rest. 

Ok… this is awkward. 

I tried to just forget about it and focus on the conversations and have a good time, but it was made very hard by the fact I could feel her stare constantly. Everytime I looked over, she was glaring at me. I rolled my eyes, hoping she would stop, but she didn’t… and then the conversation turned to me. 

One of the guys asked if I was having a good vacation so far and what things had I been  up to while I was here, How long I was staying? Just normal things like that. Normal things, and then she opened her mouth. 

‘Yes, Violet, Don’t you do anything with your parents?’ I looked at her, confused, so she continued, ‘I mean, everytime we see you, you’re hanging around with the guys. Aren’t your parents wondering where you are?’ 

‘No’. My answer was short and blunt. 

‘Hmm, interesting. Just seems like you’re always hanging around. Trying to steal our boys’. She said the last part with a laugh, as if almost trying to make it seem like a joke, but I could tell, she was completely serious.. And I found it offensive. 

‘Excuse me?’ She didn’t respond. ‘Right’. Standing up, I grabbed my stuff and walked away without another word. I ignored Toby and afew of the guys calling my name. I wasn’t going to sit there and take that from that bitch!