Back in the Memory Lane

   Faith drove her SUV straight through the large gates of the property, the three-story mention with its perfect and well-kept gardens. This place in words or in saying was home that she built with her husband, to the outside world a perfect picture. To her for a reason well known to her was the palace of lies she created to hide her truth from just not the world but herself as well and today she was reminded of it all, it was not just her mind it was also her body that was burning up with the thought of the man that just she made the deal with.

“Mrs Mills, don’t call out for me. I don’t care who is waiting,” She told to the caretaker.

“Yes, Mam,” the middle-aged woman nodded. As Faith literally run upstairs from the grand staircase that leads up to the first floor and her master bedroom.

She ripped open the door and close it in the next breath as she enters. She almost ripped the heels from her feet as she headed for the bathroom. There was a scream in her throat she can not let out a lungful of breath she can not release and she clenches her jaw as she saw the woman in the mirror, her blue eyes that were dead for six years looked vibrant and alive. The colour in her cheeks reminds her of the Faith, the old Faith of 21. 

How does she feel this way? How could her heartbeat be so fast still that she could feel every throbbing pulse she has.

“Deal,” the greek thick accents vibrating through her skin, one brush of his lips and she is like this. She took several deep breaths and swallow. The touch had awake memories, that every cell in her body repeating, removing the blazer and she unbutton her white blouse but her own fingers caressed every revealing skin, she remembered the trailed of certain someone’s long slender and strong fingers doing the same leaving a firey trail behind it making her inside burning with desire to want more but it was not here it was in a tattoo parlour on a private Island in Greece.

                                                                 ***

6 Years ago…

Victoria’s father, Mr Hart was the best lawyer in the states and through his many connections, he gave his daughter a week-long vacation on one of the Private islands in Greece owned by a friend of Victoria’s father. A graduation gift extended to her best friends and roommates as well. Faith and Chloe.

“It’s just me or the sea looks better abroad!” Chloe exclaimed and hugged Victoria. Faith was enjoying the show drinking, sipping a red mocktail in hand, resting on a recliner as the clear blue sea stretch beyond them and the salty scent with her cool drink mixed Faith senses, making her relax further, she has been soaking up the sun getting lazy for days and life was never better.

“Alright, alright I get it you loved this place. Stop hugging me,” Victoria half groaned and half laughed, shaking her off. Chloe let go of her with a dramatic sigh

"Faith, sweetie at least you should understand how blessed I feel?” Chloe sat beside her crossing her legs, her blond hair shining in the greek sun braided to the side and looking at her blinking animatedly.

Faith sighs take her sunglasses off and touch her arm reassuringly.

“I know exactly how you feel Chloe…” She musters all the fake sympathy in her eyes.

“...poor,”  Chloe huffed.

“If you want to be rich, maybe you should find a sugar daddy. You know Mr Hart, he is single and hot,” Faith popped a grape in her mouth, waiting for her words to be registered in the minds of her best friend and the moment it did. Faith laughed at their expression change and they launched at her but she was fast, her flower sea-green wrap skirt whipped behind her as she ran laughing as Victoria and Chloe ran after her, swearing.

The beach was not crowded, the resort only had elite guests. The onlooker was very few, so it was easy to see the man standing whose eyes moved hearing the boisterous laugh of a woman, the sea-green of her skirt looking like trying to cover the vastness of the ocean and her dark as night hair trying to do the same. 

Victoria and Chloe finally catch up to Faith, dragging her into the blue waves.

“Okay, okay, okay. I surrender!” Faith laughed and gasp for air as the three of them came out of the waters laughing.  

“Oh my god, he is so hot!” Chloe squeal made Victoria and Faith look at the man, strange as he was wearing all black in this intense sun, his lean frame standing casually with one hand in his pocket of casual pants. The features were not clear from this far but his dark red-brown hairs were talking with the wind while he stood stoic with his eyesight set on their way.

"Is he looking at us?” Faith asked, shielding her hand from the sun as their feet hit some dry sands.

“No, Faith. He is looking at you,” Victoria corrected and raised her brow with a teasing glint moving at Faith's wet body and her dark hairs sticking to her bareback with her sea-green bikini top sticking to her skin leaving nothing to the imagination. Faith did not notice Victoria teasing and simply shrugged.

“Nah, he is not. It just seems that way,” Faith turned away from him which made Chloe and Victoria sigh with disappointment. 

“Come on, I want to get a tattoo too, remember? Are you coming with me or not?”

Chloe and Victoria echoed their agreement as they started to walk away, the casual gaze that Faith ignored turn into a heat that would put the sun into shame, like watching every drop of water on her creamy white body sliding down and a shiver passed through her spine, making her turn to look at him and he didn’t look away. 

Few days of dark stubble on his face was in complete contrast with his greek white skin, which seemed to shimmer a little in the sunlight and Faith's eyes moved to meet his eyes as she walked with her friends. The dark mysterious green jade orbs finally caught her and she looked away, feeling the urge to cover herself up but her inside clenching in the agreement of the attention.

“Can’t you just admire a guy? Or fool around maybe for once,” Victoria rolled her eyes.

“Why would I do that? That is not in my plan,” Faith said and looked at her, hoping that she would stop right there with her usual look of ‘you need to date or get laid’. Faith was a virgin and proud one at that with no reason or intention to change it whatsoever. In her own words, it was not in the plan, not right now. This week-long vacation was a break with friends, enjoying the beautiful scenery of Greece and getting a tattoo, later finding a job,  building a career and when she had enough hold in her life, she would move to the next thing. Boyfriends, marriage and children. One and done. No distraction, no time waste. Simple.

For today, the plan was simple, to get a tattoo on the back maybe on her shoulder blades, something small feminine but cool. It was first and something she was really excited about since she wanted the tattoo on the back, she chose a light yellow playsuit with a button on the back, so when she gets it. It doesn’t become awkward.

She pulled her jet black wavy lustrous hairs in the ponytail, the third round of the rubberband is so difficult. She sighs in frustration but manages to get the round scum to it and she smiles in the mirror in victory, running to meet Chloe and Victoria in the hall. 

They were living in one of the cottages in the resort. 

As they get out of the rental car, Chloe gets distracted by a beach jewellery shop, so they decided Chloe and Victoria would go shopping while she gets a tattoo.

A woman around her age but with more muscles in her body and dark skin was standing at the counter as she asked for what she was looking for. Renee, she introduced herself had an arm covered incredible and some modern art. She greeted her in greek then continued in English. 

"I am really not set on design, it's my first. Something small and cool,” Faith said and was handed a catalogue that had both photos and some sketches, so many designs just confused her further. She didn’t want something completely feminine but not something tomboyish either. 

Renee left to bring the artist while she chose, sitting on the green couch.

Victoria is good with this kind of thing and she could have helped her. For someone who always had an annoying habit to plan ahead, she had no idea what would be better for her. She had her phone in her hand to ask her friends for advice but stopped mid-way as she heard someone entering, she turned, curious and her breathing stopped.