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Emil plopped down in the empty lounge chair beside Mila, popping open a bottle of ice cold beer he had grabbed from the cooler. “So, are you ever going to ask her out?”
“Ask who out?” Mila inquired, peering at him over the rims of her stylish sunglasses. A light Mediterranean breeze tousled her hair, the briny scent of the air tickling her nose.
Emil rolled his eyes, taking a swig of his beer. “You know who. You’ve only been staring at her non-stop for the past two days.”
“No, I haven’t!”
“I didn’t even say who, yet you’re denying it?” Emil laughed. “Face it, Mila, you’ve got it bad.”
“Oh, shut up.” She held out her hand. “Give me one of those, too.” A drink sounded good right about now.
He grabbed another bottle from the cooler, handing it over to Mila. “So? Are you ever going to take the plunge?”
Mila sighed. “Sara’s my best friend. I don’t want to ruin what we have,” she said, taking a sip of her beer. “Besides, I thought you had a thing for her, too.”
Emil shrugged. “I used to,” he said. “Now I kind of have my eye on someone else.”
Mila followed his gaze. Sara and her twin brother Michele were chatting near the bow of the Crispino family’s luxurious yacht, Sara looking gorgeous in a white bikini that popped against her dark skin tone, a crimson sarong tied around her waist to match the scarf she had tied like a headband in her hair. Emil wasn’t looking at her, though, his attention focused elsewhere – to be more specific, the guy in the tight Speedos standing beside her.
Mila cocked an eyebrow. “Mickey? Seriously?” she scoffed. “Emil, I’m sorry, but you have the worst taste in men.”
“Hey, Mickey’s a great guy. I know he can be a little...overprotective of Sara sometimes, and, yeah, maybe he’s kind of uptight, but…” His voice trailed off. “He’s really, really hot, okay? Anyway, need I remind you of Andrei?”
“Ugh, no.” She crinkled her nose at her former boyfriend’s name. Her jerk of a hockey playing ex had cheated on her with a pretty pairs skater, breaking her heart before she (accidentally) broke his nose. “Fine, we both have terrible taste in men.”
“Well, at least we agree that Sara is fantastic. So, I ask yet again, why not go after her?”
“I told you. I don’t want to lose our friendship,” Mila said. “I’m pretty sure she’s into guys, anyway.” She knew Sara used to have a thing for Seung-Gil Lee, although it had been a while since she mentioned him, now that Mila thought about it. Maybe she had finally realized after the hundredth time Seung-Gil ignored one of her texts that he just wasn’t that into her. Or women in general.
“That doesn’t necessarily mean she’s not into girls,” Emil said. “I give you Exhibits A and B.” He pointed to himself and Mila in turn.
“You think she’s bi, too?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know for certain, but I have noticed her staring at a certain sexy red-head…”
“Really?”
Admittedly, there were moments over the past couple of months when Mila suspected that Sara might harbor the same feelings towards her, but she had always brushed them off, convincing herself that she was only imagining what she wanted to see. If even Emil was picking up on the vibes, though, maybe it wasn’t all in her head, after all.
“How about this? You agree to confess to Sara, then I’ll confess to Mickey,” Emil said, holding out his half-drunken beer bottle. “Deal?”
She glanced one more time over at Sara, who smiled and waved at her. “Okay, deal.”
They clinked their bottles together, sealing the agreement.
Mila tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.
Ever since she and Emil agreed to their pact earlier that afternoon, she’d been trying to work up the nerve to tell Sara how she felt. There were a few times she came close, but either they were interrupted by Sara’s annoying twin brother or she lost her courage at the last minute, awkwardly making some stupid joke that Sara still laughed at anyway, like the sweet, amazing person she was.
Mila covered her face with a pillow, muffling a frustrated scream. Ugh, why couldn’t she just say the damn words? She never had so much trouble confessing her feelings to someone before. In fact, she was usually the one to make the first move, having no patience for playing games, wondering will we? or won’t we? Yet when it came to one Sara Elisabetta Crispino, she found it near impossible to confess her feelings, becoming a blathering, stuttering idiot the second she stared into those beautiful violet eyes.
Maybe Yuri would have some good advice to give, having confessed his feelings for his own best friend, Otabek, at last month’s World Championships. Mila sat up and grabbed her phone from the top of the nightstand, unplugging it from its charger.
U up? she typed, sending the message to Yuri.
It took close to a minute before she received a reply: first an “angry face” emoji, then actual words.
Yuri: no hag im not!
Yuri: its fucking 2 in the morning
Oops, she had forgotten about time zones. According to the time on her phone, it was only a little after ten wherever they were currently located on the Mediterranean Sea, but Yuri had gone on a two week vacation to Almaty, Kazahkstan to visit his new boyfriend in his hometown.
Mila: Sorry!!!!!!!
Mila: But since ur up now…
Yuri: I told u im not. Im sleep texting.
Mila rolled her eyes.
Mila: Whatever. I need some advice.
Yuri: at fucking 2 in the morning?
Mila: Its only ten here. Anyway…
Mila: I’m in love with Sara.
Yuri: and this is news?
Mila frowned. First Emil, now Yuri… Just how obvious were her feelings? She thought she had done a good job of concealing how she felt about Sara from other people, but evidently not.
Yuri: omg, just tell her already.
Yuri: im tired of watching u moon over her every time you see her at comps.
Yuri: its pathetic.
Mila: geez ur a ray of sunshine.
Yuri: FUCKING 2 IN THE FUCKING MORNING!!!!!
Mila: OK, OK! I GET IT! UR TIRED N GRUMPY!
Mila: But what if it ruins our friendship?
It took so long for Yuri to reply that Mila wondered if he had gotten fed up with her and turned off his phone. Sighing, she was about to do the same, connecting it back to the charger, when she heard the ding of an incoming message.
But what if its the best thing you ever do? it read, followed shortly by a cute photo of the happy couple, a grinning Yuri’s arm wrapped around his boyfriend’s waist as Otabek kissed his temple. They were standing in front of some wooden building Mila didn’t recognize – maybe the Kazakh Museum of Folk Musical Instruments Yuri had mentioned the last time they texted each other?
Mila smiled, staring down at the photograph. She honestly could not remember Yuri looking so happy in all the years they had known each other. I want that, she realized. Someone who wasn’t only her lover, but her best friend.
Someone like Sara.
Mila: Aw, u 2 are 2 cuuuuuuute!
Mila: Thanks Yura. I feel a little better now.
Mila: Sorry again for waking u. Buona notte!
Yuri: Night. and good luck.
Mila set the phone back on the nightstand, then stood, stretching her arms over her head. Though she really did feel better after chatting with Yuri, she still wasn’t that sleepy. Deciding some fresh air couldn’t hurt, she left her cabin and headed up to the deck.
She shivered, a cool breeze brushing against the exposed areas of her skin. It was chillier than she expected for the Mediterranean in May.A cold front? She should have thrown on a robe, but not feeling like going back to her room to grab one, she rubbed her bared arms as she walked over to the railing.
It was a cloudless night, the sky filled with countless twinkling stars. A crescent moon shone brightly, its soft reflection visible on the dark waters below. Looking upwards, Mila chose one of the stars at random, silently wishing for the courage to finally confess her feelings.
“Mila, is that you?”
Mila turned around. “Sara?” She definitely recognized the Italian accent, but looking around the deck, Sara was nowhere in sight.
“Down here!”
She looked down at the floor. Sara had propped herself up against the edge of the on-deck pool, her chin resting on her folded arms.
Mila laughed, walking over to the pool and crouching down to better talk to her. “You do realize it’s ten o’clock at night? What are you doing out here, swimming so late?”
Sara shrugged. “Why not? It’s rather relaxing, swimming in the moonlight. You should join me.”
“I’m not wearing a swimsuit,” she said, pointing out her flimsy tank top and cotton shorts, chosen more for comfort than style.
“So? Neither am I.”
Sara let go of the edge of the pool and swam back a few feet, her arms gracefully wading through the water. With the deck dim except for a few pool lights and hanging lanterns, and her body mostly submerged underwater, it was near impossible to see anything, yet Mila pressed her lips together and swallowed, grateful for the cover of darkness as she felt her cheeks start to burn.
“Come on, it’s fun,” Sara said, waving her hand in a beckoning motion. “The water feels great.”
Mila stood up, hesitating for only a moment before reaching for the hem of her tank top. “Okay.”
No big deal. She was hardly shy about showing off her body, and it wasn’t as if they had never seen each other naked before in the locker rooms at competitions. Mila yanked the tank top over her head, tossing it on the nearby lounge chair where she noticed Sara had flung her nightclothes, then pulled down her shorts and panties, adding them to the pile as well.
As to be expected on a luxury yacht, the pool was heated, Mila’s body warming as she climbed down the ladder and submerged herself in the water. “Yeah, you’re right,” she said, spinning around to face Sara. “It does feel g– Sara?”
Sara was staring at her, biting down on her bottom lip.
“Oh, sorry!” She broke out of her trance, laughing and shaking her head. “Did you say something?”
“No, nothing important.” Mila smiled, swimming closer to Sara. It seemed Emil had been right about Sara staring at her. Funny she never noticed before, but it boosted her confidence. “So, what’s the real reason behind your sudden urge to go skinny-dipping?”
Sara giggled again, pushing a strand of her wet hair behind her ear. “Do I really need a reason?”
“I guess not, but it doesn’t seem like something you would do.”
“Hmm, then maybe you don’t know me as well as you thought,” Sara said, playfully splashing in Mila’s direction.
“Hey!”
Sputtering some water out of her mouth, Mila glared at the woman she loved. If that was what she wanted… Well, two could certainly play at that game. “Oh, it’s on!” she declared, returning the splash.
Blocking her face with her hands, Sara squealed, Mila not even waiting before pelting her with another big splash. It didn’t take long for a full-blown battle to break out, the two of them laughing and shrieking at the top of their lungs. It was a minor miracle that they didn’t wake up Michele, Emil, or any of the crew on board with the racket they were making.
“Okay, okay, I surrender,” Mila said after about ten minutes of splashing, breathing heavily as she raised her hands above her head. “You win!”
“Yay!”
Coming up behind her, Sara threw her arms around Mila’s neck, hugging her tightly. Mila gasped, acutely aware of Sara’s bare chest pressing against her back.
“S-Sara!”
“Oh, sorry.” Sara immediately released her hold on Mila, swimming back a few strokes as Mila turned around to face her. “I was so excited, I forgot that we’re not wearing swimsuits.”
“No, um…” Mila rubbed the back of her neck. “I...didn’t mind,” she admitted, glancing over at Sara, whose eyes had widened.
“Actually, there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you...for a while,” she continued, her bravery growing. Underneath the water, she clenched her hands into fists at her side, determined not to let the moment pass by once again. “I know we’ve been friends for a long time, but, um, lately, I’ve been thinking about you in a different kind of way. If you don’t feel the same about me, it’s okay. I don’t want to pressure you or anything. I know you don’t have much experience with dating and stuff, and I’m not even sure if you’re into girls like that, but –”
“Mila?”
Sometime during her flustered rambling, Sara had waded back over to her, only leaving a small gap of maybe a few inches between their bodies. Smiling, she pressed a finger against Mila’s lips. “Can I get my reward now?” she asked.
“Reward?” Mila blinked.
“For winning. I deserve a reward, right?” Sara moved even closer to Mila, again wrapping her arms around her neck. That time there was nothing “accidental” about it, Sara fully aware of the effect she was having on Mila, if the flirtatious smirk and heavily-lidded eyes as she looked up at her were any indication. “The loser has to do whatever the winner asks.”
“Oh?” Grinning, Mila relaxed her fists and placed her hands on Sara’s hips. “And what does the winner want the loser to do?”
There was no hint of hesitation on Sara’s part. “Kiss her.”
“Hmm, I think that can be arranged,” Mila said, laughing before sweeping Sara into a long, passionate kiss.
Losing had never felt more like winning in her life.
Mila awoke the next morning, smiling when she pried open her eyes and saw Sara laying next to her in bed, curled up on her side facing Mila. Still asleep, Sara’s breathing was soft and steady, her dark hair a wild mess after the previous night’s activities. Mila reached over and tenderly brushed a strand off her face, amazed as always by her breath-taking beauty.
Careful not to wake her, Mila slowly propped herself up on her elbow and looked over Sara’s bare shoulder at the alarm clock on the nightstand: a little after six in the morning. She sighed. Mila wanted nothing more than to stay right where she was, cuddling and making love with Sara again and again for the rest of eternity, but it was probably best to head back to her own cabin before Michele woke up and caught her in bed with his beloved sister.
That was definitely not the first impression she wanted to make as Sara’s girlfriend.
She quietly climbed out of bed and gathered her discarded clothes from the floor. When she finished dressing, Mila walked over to Sara’s side of the bed, bending down to land a soft peck on her cheek. “See you later, lyubimaya,” she whispered, Sara murmuring something unintelligible before flopping over on her stomach and burying her face in her pillow.
Mila tip-toed over to the door and slowly creaked it open, popping her head out to make certain nobody else – namely Michele – was around. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the coast was clear, opening the door wider and stepping out into the empty corridor. As she was closing the door behind her, though, she heard the sound of someone exiting the cabin across the hall, Mila’s heart jumping into her throat as she froze.
Crap!
Frantically, she tried to think of an excuse as to why she had spent the night in Sara’s room, but none came to her. “Mickey, I can explain,” Mila said, turning back around to face the music. “It’s not – Emil?”
Emil, dressed only in a pair of smiley face boxers, sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck and waved. “Uh, good morning?”
Mila exhaled, bringing a hand to her chest. “Emil, oh, my god. You scared the crap out of me!” she said in a loud whisper. “I thought you were Mickey.”
“Sorry to disappoint you.” He grinned, taking in Mila’s disheveled appearance. “So, you and Sara, huh?”
She ran a hand through her tangled curls. “Um...yeah.” Remembering that Emil’s own cabin was one door down, across from hers, she cocked an eyebrow. “You and Mickey?”
Emil winked and gave her a “thumbs up”. “Si, signorina!”
The two of them laughed, giving each other high-fives on the way back to their own respective cabins.
Mission accomplished, and she couldn’t be happier.