Feeling sand between my toes is just what I needed to unwind. After Brett left, I didn't feel like doing anything else. I had lunch because I promised Constance that I would, and she pretended like she didn't see my puffy face. It was the perfect arrangement. She asked no questions. I offered no answers. When I finished lunch, I went up to my room but it had lost its charm, somehow. It felt too confined. I needed a place where I could breathe and think without having my thoughts ricocheting. So I decided to come to the beach. I haven't been here in ages. I just never have time. I was always busy planning something with Vic or Brett but now I have the time, and I didn't want to miss the opportunity. Here, I have more than enough space to think.Telling Brett was the best decision I’ve made so far. Well, technically he came to me with his suspicions and all I did was confirm them, but I still poured my heart out to him. Surprisingly, though, he didn’t think I was responsible for an

There's not much to look forward to these days and I don't know how I got to this point. Rather, I do know, but there isn't much that I can do to stop this. Having fun feels wrong at a time like this, which is what's stopping me from calling Victoria or Brett and are arranging something. I'm sure they'd find it strange of me, too, because it seems they're taking my situation more to the heart than I am. They're careful around me, especially where it concerns Mary. Going out so out of the question, and to be fair, I don't see much of them these days. I'm having lunch later in the kitchen, and it's the same with dinner whenever I do feel like having some. Dad left a message with Constance. He wants to talk to me as soon as he returns from his trip. I haven't gone to his office yet, though. He might ask me about Luca and I wouldn't know how to answer him. I'm confused about all of this myself. Besides, I'm avoiding the matter as much as possible. The good thing is that mom and Mary a

It's Mary. I can hardly believe it when I look over my shoulder and make eye contact with her. This can't be happening to me. Not now. Not here of all places. She stares back at me blankly, like she barely sees me at all but something dark is swimming in the depths of her eyes. For a second, the scene before us disappears and it's just the two of us in this room. Her disgust toward me is palpable. I see the way the cornered of her lips turn down in disappointment. I blink and the world snaps back to its original state. I turn my head away from her and make eye contact with Luca instead. He never took his eyes off me. Or his hands, for that matter. I don't say a word to him but he must have gotten the message somehow. He lets his hands fall to his sides and takes a step back. Even so, we're still standing too close, and anyone would know that something transpired between us. For a few painful seconds, nothing is said. I don't know what to say. I doubt that Mary would say anything ei

Luca There she is. Seeing Laura approaching our table makes my heart beat faster, and I love the thrill of it. I stand when she finally reaches me, and she looks at me with wide and uncertain eyes. I put a hand on her shoulder and kiss her lightly on the cheek. She shivers when I graze my lips against her cheek. A seemingly innocent action. She steps back carefully and takes a seat. Her cheeks are now the color of her lips, and it pleases me to see her react this way. One would assume that a fiery woman like her wouldn't blush when kissed by a man, much less on the cheek, but Laura is a box full of surprises. She's the most interesting person that I've ever met. She intertwines her fingers and looks everywhere but at me. I take the opportunity to stare at her while she isn't looking directly at me. She looks perfectly fine, and it helps me shake the guilt I feel for leaving her alone last night off. I can't forget the haunted look on her face when she saw her sister standing at t

Mom doesn't take her eyes off me as I sit down. I catch myself over analyzing her demeanor and facial expressions. She looks exhausted; she didn't sleep last night. If she did, she slept very little. Negative emotions begin brewing within me. I don't like where this is going and she hasn't said a single word to me yet. The smoke from her cigarette tickles the back of my throat. I ignore it as I sit down, even though my eyes sting and water. She gives me a level look and I try to match it. I opted not to ignore her but that doesn't mean that I will let her pin all the blame on me as she has tried to so many times before. I meant what I told her last night. This is her fault. If not entirely, then partly. She should never have spread those rumors. She should never have assured Mary that she would marry Luca. She finishes her cigarette and lights another before she speaks. I sit watching her patiently. I tell myself to be calm. Finally, she looks at me and says, "Your sister isn't we