xxv

                                    

                                          
CHARLOTTE POV.
JUNE 20, 2022 
It was our third day in Mykonos already, and I was really enjoying it. I got to spend a lot of time with Mason, and got to know his friends, which was an added plus. I grew closer to Sophia, Sasha, and Lauren while on the trip, and if I had felt like an outsider at the beginning of the trip, I now felt a little more comfortable with anyone. 
I was awoken early in the morning by Mason gently shaking me awake. I rubbed my eyes and taking a peek at the clock I said, "It's still 7AM. Way too early to be getting up." 
"Pack your things. We're leaving." 
"What now?"
"You heard me. I'm taking you on a little island getaway. C'mon, let's go." 
"We're already on an island..." I whined, rolling out of bed. "We're going to another island?" 
"Yes we are. You'll love it." 
"What do I need to bring?" 
"A day's worth of clothing?" 
"A day???" 
"Yep. We're staying overnight." 
"What about the others?" 
"Forget the others. It's just us two." 
"Now we're talking." I said excitedly, quickly shoving my essentials into a beach bag. I followed him out the door and to the harbor, where there was a yacht waiting for us. Mouth gaping open I asked, "Please don't tell me you rented out this entire yacht." 
"I rented out the entire yacht. Let's go. Our island's waiting." 
Squealing a little, I went to the bathroom to change out of my pajamas and into a bikini. I put on a sheer knit beach cover up on top, and went back to the deck. Mason was wearing a loose button-up shirt with shorts and a pair of sunglasses. My jaw dropped as we had breakfast served to us.
"I can't wait to tell everyone else about this when we get back." I said giddily. "This is the most romantic thing ever. How did you even plan this? You've been so busy." 
"I have my ways." He replied, smiling. After we were done eating, the yacht was still heading toward the island. Bored, I picked up a book and started reading, and he lied down, his head on my lap. I held my book with one hand and his hand in the other. Looking up, he said to me, 
"Maybe this is why you're so smart." 
"Pfft." I laughed at what he said. "Please. This is a rare occasion. I pick up a book like once a year." 
"You did go to Oxford, did you not?" 
"I mean, I did. But I had it easier than most other people. I studied abroad for most of my time there, so my studies were much easier. The entire time I was in Spain, I studied like crazy for maybe three or four days a week, then I partied like crazy for the others. I'm surprised I haven't gone into multi-organ failure by now." 
"At the ripe age of 22?" Mason asked, laughing. "Jesus." 
"I used to be a bit wild." I admitted. "But I'm more tame now. My friends think I've been domesticated, you know?" I said, putting my book down and looking down at Mason. 
"Domesticated?" 
"Yeah. I mean, I guess it makes sense. Before I met you, I would go out every weekend with Lily and Kiera. But now, we always have dinner together but when they go clubbing and for more drinks, I don't go with them." 
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" 
"I don't think it's either. I mean, I guess my friends are a little sad that I spend less time with them than I did before, but also the amount of drinking that we did was definitely irresponsible." Changing the topic I asked, "So. Which one of your teammates are single?"