“Seriously mother since when does a family reunion last an entire month? I have college classes to prep for. You know how important those are to me.” My mother gives her normal high pitched laugh from the other side of the limo, while my father just smiles.
“Gwendolyn darling, this reunion is to get your head of those stuffy books of yours. You’re only 16 and you need to let go and live a little. Get out, mingle, get drunk or something. You know normal teenage activities?” My mother always was a bit of a loose cannon. She doesn’t work, gets drunk every day and spends absorbent amounts of fathers money daily. Why he doesn’t seem to care is beyond me. Could be the fact that he enjoys his trophy wife who is 20 yrs younger. At 60 my father is still a good looking man. My dad was 36 when he met her, putting her at the young age of 20, to which hey got married and he got her pregnant pretty quickly.
Despite their quick union they never fight or argue over anything. I give them an exasperated look..
“Seriously, how many parents tell their child to go out and get drunk?” My mother flips her hair over her shoulder and waves me off,
“One that cares Gwendolyn, you’re too serious. Lots of your cousins will be here, all of there parents are as filthy rich as we are. There is bound to be someone you can get along with. There are many rich people here, maybe you will find an eligable bachelor?” My jaw drops,
“Eligable bachlor? For goodness sakes mother I am only 16. You keep your fingers out of my love life or I will embaress you and father worse then you can even imagine.” My mother throws her hands up in the air in obvious pretend surrender.
“As you wish Gwendolyn darling but I better see you mingling or I’ll take your precious books away.” I swallow hard at her icy glare and nod quickly. My mother would do it, she would take my books. My father pats my mothers thigh drawing her attention befre he points out the window. We had just gotten off a 5 hour direct flight from New York City to the small island paradise of Hawaii. I follow my mothers gaze out the window and see the huge resport main building as we pull up. I’ve never been to Hawaii but I have heard many things about it’s beauty and deep ancestral culture.
The limo pulls up under the awning and comes to a stop. A deeply tanned usher immediately comes up to the car and opens the dor for my mother. I exit after her before my father. I take a deep breath of air and smell sweet hints of fruit and sea salt. I follow my mother and father into the main lobby repeating to myself,
“You will have fun, you will have fun, you will… Oh shoot.” I bounce off the arm of a man to my left and stumble backwards. He is tall with a skater tee on and some board shorts. His hair is black and shaggy. Wow, he’s gorgeous.
“My goodness, I am so sorry. I did not see you standing there. Are you ok?” He smiles down at me and that’s when I see two other men standing behind him and they are all staring at me. I feel myself blush under his stare.
“I’m fine, what about you Minnie Mouse?” Seriously? My eyes hit the floor and thats when I notice my dress is red with white polka dots. I do look like the damn disney mouse. I sigh heavily.
“And now I suddenly hate this dress. I’m fine, so sorry I ran into you. I must go.” I curtsy and run from him in the direction of my parents. I smack myself mentally, did I just really curtsy like an idiot? Jesus I must have short circuited, I haven’t done that since a child. I hear him behind me asking me to wait but I ignore him. I also hear his friends chuckle,
“Did she just curtsy like you’re royalty or some shit?” I pray to all that is holy that Mr. Hottie and his friends are checking out today. My mother turns toward me just as I walk up to her.
“Here, you are in room 8462, we are in room 1014. Go, live a little, blossom a bit. Call us only if you have an emergency, I’m sure we’ll see you around. Love you Honey.” And just like that, I’m alone. My mother and father turn and walk off, leaving me in the center of the hotel lobby holding a key. At least back in New York I have friends who keep my company, and loyal staff who treated me like family. I’m on the verge of tears when I notice how many people are actually in this huge lobby. None of them get to see my weakness. I straighten my back and walk to an elevator. I am burning this stupid dress the minute I get home!
Alone in the elevator I push “8”. The doors are about to close when a hand stops them from going any further and pushes them open again. I really don’t want company but it’s not like I can tell them to get lost. Where is all my anger coming from? I’m usually a very calm person. The doors open and I’m brought face to face with the man who called me Minnie Mouse. He sees me and immediately starts to smile.I step back and to the left. Mr. Hottie is followed in by his two friends who laughed at me.
“Hello again Minnie Mouse, I tried to get your attention earlier but you were either ignoring me or didn’t hear me.” One of his friends hits “7”.
“I had someone to catch up too. I’m still really sorry I ran into you. Please stop calling me Minnie Mouse.” He looks at the buttons highlighted and nods.
“What should I call you then?” I look up into his eyes and am met by bright carribean baby blues. He seems genuinely insterested, and he really hasn’t been mean to me. He takes my momentary pause as an opening and flashes me a half smile with a wink. Oh my God that just isn’t fair, my lips involuntarily part and I lick them.
I hear his friends chuckle behind him and I collapse in on myself again, why do they keep laughing at me? I turn back to the buttons and press “8” again; why is this elevator so slow? Mr. Hottie turns towards his friends,
“Could you guys please pretend to at least act your age?” The elevator dings and opens at “7”. I breath a sigh of relief knowing that they’re all about to get off. Mr. Hotties two friends get off but he doesn’t.
“Catch ya in a few Jameson, watch yourself, she looks innocent.” Without thinking I hit the close door button. As soon as we’re moving I turn back toward him to find him a lot closer than he was before.
“I’m sorry, I hit the button before you could get off.” Jameson smacks the elevator stop button and puts his hands on either side of me successfully locking me in. I gasp and hit my head on the side of the elevator.
“Gwendolyn Adams... “ He pulls back quickly seeming to be in obvious surprise and then smiles coming back close to me.
“Wasn’t my floor; and isn’t this just my luck. You apologize a lot.” I try to breath but I can’t seem to get enough air. What is his luck, does he know me or my family?
“Why did you stop the elevator? What’s wrong with your luck?” Jameson hits the stop button again and the elevator opens at “8”. I make myself take it slowly and not run. Why does he make me so nervous? I talk to plenty of boys at school. Jameson gets off with me and starts to follow me down the hall.
“Why are you following me?” Jameson gives me a half smile and that mind melting wink. I gasp and swallow audibly, he is so doing that on purpose.
“You like it when I do that don’t you? And I’m not following you my rooms down here, number 8464.” He’s right next to me, what are the odds?
“I’m in 8462, I guess we’re neighbors.” Reaching my door he walks to the next one and slides his key in entering without a second glance at me.