Saturday Short Story: Skylar By Nadia B

The Frangipani : Psychological Perfection

28 April, 2018
Saturday Short Story: Skylar By Nadia B

Skylar

By nadia b

After a hectic month in the city she was looking forward to getting away to one of the world’s most treasured islands. Though she felt a pang as she was would be leaving Nathan, she really was looking forward to this break, where she would be alone.

The jetty was attached to the airport, so very soon after landing, she was whisked away on a speedboat to her resort. Oh the colours of the ocean…so bright and so blue. And so untouched. The coral reefs undulating under the ocean were like a painting. This really was Eden she thought to herself and she would never have enough of it.

As she took the first step off the boat onto the island, she looked up and smiled. The sun washed over her face as she took a deep breath. Dressed in a red, sleeveless, ankle length dress and matt gold sandals, her wavy jet black hair cascading around her, she looked a part of the jet set, a term often attributed to her and a term she disliked. She was born into privilege yes, but she had worked and continued to work very hard to grow the family companies and to make a difference in whatever way she could to the world at large.

Skylar got off the buggy and walked down the long open corridor to the reception, slowly, taking it all in. There were intimate alcoves on either side with plush armchairs and sofas in the colours of the ocean. She moved to the right to let a luggage trolley go past her and as she did so, she saw an incredibly handsome man… she thought he looked familiar as their eyes met, but unsure, she walked past.

After a few steps, she stopped as something made her turn around, and he had stepped out into the corridor at that very moment, so here they were, two strangers in a foreign land out in the corridor of a hotel, staring at each other.

An awkward few seconds passed, she walked towards him and said “Hi you looked familiar, I'm Skylar.” To which he said slowly, “I'm Liam, as you walked past me, you felt so familiar”. She nearly stumbled with the intimacy of that statement but she steadied herself and looked at him, and it dawned on her, of course he looked familiar, she had seen him in a movie just a few days ago. Embarrassed, she stuttered a goodbye and moved away, walking fast..

Liam felt like he had been hit by a tornado...he didn’t know what it was that had made him get up and walk towards her except a feeling that he had to… and fate had made her stop and turn around.

Who was she?  How long was she here for...and most importantly, was she here alone?

Skylar checked in and fled to her villa. A tranquil beach villa. She preferred the beach villas to the ocean water villas...as in the late evenings, she could wander along the beach under a sky full of mesmerising stars.

The porch of this villa which led to the ocean was full of large white urns with the resplendent frangipani bedecked with white flowers. She knew it was here she was going to spend most of her days, switching off from the world and gazing at the ocean enjoying the fresh ocean breeze and thinking about nothing at all.

She ordered a Bellini, settled herself onto the day bed, gazed at the ocean and gave herself pause to think of the unsettling encounter with Liam. What was all that about she thought? Or should she not over think and just let it go? He was handsome, he was an actor and maybe he was getting up to leave and it just happened at the same time as she turned around? Yes, that was it, she told herself firmly.

The phone rang, slipping her out of her reverie. There had been Manta Ray sightings nearby and would she like to go snorkelling she was asked. She quickly changed into an emerald green off shoulder swimsuit, threw on a green and blue shaded silk kaftan and walked down towards the jetty. Upon getting into the boat, she saw a few other guests were there and she panicked for a second…she didn’t need to, he wasn’t there. She sighed with relief.

With her snorkelling gear on, she immersed herself in the ocean. The feeling of being in the ocean was unlike any other and every time that first step into the ocean felt like the very first time.

As this island was a protected island, the reefs were still alive and gloriously colourful. Lots of fish and other sea life took her back to the days she used to pour over nature magazines as a child, knowing that one day this would be where she would find her bliss.

Suddenly, she saw the graceful grey giants gliding their way towards her. She swam to the side and then joined them as did the other guests and it was the most incredible feeling…to be a part of something so surreal, swimming as part of an oceanic family.

As she swam along, she felt a presence near her...that made her turn around. There was Liam. She would recognize him anywhere. It wasn’t so much the facial recognition as the feeling of familiarity. It’s what he had said the first time they met. That she felt familiar. He felt familiar too. Even in the middle of the ocean.

Where on earth had he arrived from? She nodded her head in acknowledgement and continued swimming…as did he...slowly meandering away from her.

Skylar was completely disoriented. Here she was in the ocean surrounded by astonishingly beautiful fish, coral and sea life. And yet, through it all she kept looking around for him. Flustered, she swam up to the surface and began swimming back to the boat. While swimming back, she noticed there was another boat; he must have been on that.

She reached the boat, took her gear off and a pair of arms reached down to help her up. Without looking she grabbed them, strong arms, firm hands. And she knew at that moment that those hands belonged to Liam. As she was hoisted up, so close to him, she could feel his breath and she could feel her heart racing.. She pulled away and sat on the closest spot she could and got busy drying herself.

Liam watched her and then moved away to talk to the captain.

Upon reaching the hotel the captain suggested that everyone should go and swim in the infinity pool so as to continue the ocean experience. Liam looked at Skylar and nothing needed to be said.

A few of the other guests swam but within a short time they left so it was just Skylar and Liam. He swam towards her and they began chatting about nothing in particular and yet everything. The chemistry between them was palpable, and they had to move their eyes away from each other often. Both felt this and both were unsure on how to and whether to proceed. It was an unspoken, strong undercurrent. And it was nerve racking. For both.

Liam suggested they have dinner as they both needed to eat. He was trying to keep it casual as the air between them was taut with tension. She had alluded to a significant other early on in the conversation, clearly attempting to mark a boundary. He just knew that he had never been hit so hard, physically and mentally and significant other or not he had to give this all that he had.

Skylar was feeling gutted. This was like an electric bolt out of the blue and she thought of Nathan. Sweet, patient Nathan who was always there for her and who was such a good man. A man she loved. Was it possible to love one man and yet be drawn so hypnotically to another? What on earth was this and what was she going to do. She had never met anyone like Liam.

Sitting at dinner didn’t help. There was a candle between them which flickered and made them both look even more gorgeous. The lights were soft and the music romantic. How he wanted to ask her to dance but he knew that would scare her away…and he wanted her to stay. At this point he wanted her to stay forever. They spoke about life, about the movies, about the ocean. Before they knew it, it was past midnight and the restaurant was closing. Skylar got up, reached out and kissed Liam on the cheek, muttered a goodnight and walked away

She got to her room, changed into a topaz yellow silk kaftan, tied her hair up and waited by the phone. She knew he would call. He had to.

He did. She said hello, and he said was he would do nothing she did not want him to and gave her his villa number. She couldn’t go. Thoughts of Nathan kept tugging at her. This was crazy she had to put an end to it. She went to bed but couldn’t sleep and then suddenly as if possessed she got up and ran to his villa. This vision in yellow with her gorgeous black hair flowing around her. His door was open and she walked in closing it.

He was standing at the end of the room, looking out into the lit enclosed glass patio which was full of exotic birds. She walked towards him, he turned around, and as soon as she reached him he began discussing the birds. They stood there looking at the birds. They were magnificent.

There was silence and he moved back and the space between them widened.

He opened his mouth to say something and she walked into his arms.

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