Starlet

29. Water Reenactment

The bed is so comfortable, I almost don't want to get up. But I have to see this resort. After breakfast, I go shopping. I get every color of the clothes. Then I get the fingernail polish and some sunglasses and towels. I have a blast shopping. Then I make a tie-dye t-shirt with the teen club. There are a couple of cute boys that keep trying to help me. But I figure it out. Then I eat lunch and get ready for my date. I pick out a bright pink bikini and skirt with a black tank top. Then I get some black sandals and go to the spa. They make my hair pretty and do my nails in hot pink to match my outfit. I feel pretty for my date.

I check out the teen club and it's amazing. It plays music and has a bar to sit at.

The 2 guys are both on me quick. There are other people here too. It is so fun. Those hanging chairs are here. There's a movie spot with couches. Laser lights shine over the dance floor.

"I like your hair."

"Thank you." I twirl a curl. "I got it done at the spa. They did my nails too."

"Wow. That really matches."

"I know right. I was so surprised, but I really wanted to match."

"Well, you look very nice. What's your name?"

"Whisp." Someone wraps their arms around me from behind and I flip around. Then I hug Collin and giggle. "You scared me."

"I didn't mean to, baby." He tilts my head up and gives me a kiss.

A couple of girls on the couch start laughing. The boys beside me both say, "Ugh." I turn around. They're gone.

Collin winks and leads me out. Marcus is standing there.

"This place doesn't have underwear for sale."

Collin's eyebrows shoot up.

Marcus rubs his eyes. "Please tell me you're wearing underwear."

"There is no underwear here."

"Most people pack before they go on vacation."

"This is my first vacation. I did not know that. I figured I would buy everything when I got here."

He nods and mind links. "Dipak is bringing you underwear. Next time, we'll have Mary explain packing first."

"Thank you. But really he has everything except underwear."

"I don't even remember what I wanted."

Collin starts laughing.

"I made a tie-dye t-shirt earlier. Those activities are the best things ever."

'Let's go see your t-shirt while I try to remember why I'm here. And you don't go out without underwear on."

"Well, I got a swimsuit on. It's not the same though."

"At least you have something under that."

"It's pink too." I lift the skirt up.

"NO." I jump into Collin. Marcus rubs his eyes. "Sorry. I don't mean to yell. But that's still a skirt. You keep it down and act like it. Don't lift it up to show off your swimsuit."

"Ok."

"I need a drink." We get out of the elevator and go into my room.

Dipak is standing there with underwear. "Why? Do you have anything on under that?"

"Swimsuit. I'm not allowed to show you." I throw the pack of underwear in the bedroom.

"That's fine. I nearly had a panic attack. Screaming about girls' underwear to the table."

All 3 of them laugh.

I look at Collin and shrug my shoulders. "I told you I mess everything up."

"You have a swimsuit on. You didn't mess anything up. We would have found girls' underwear somewhere in Rome."

"That's true."

"Oh, I remember. On Monday, you are starting a swimming class at school from 1 to 2pm. It's only been going a week. You'll be fine."

"I can't do that. I have my dance practice at 2. I need to go early and stretch."

"That's over."

"No, the 2nd class. Ribbon aerial."

"Are the other 3 in that?"

"No. Only me."

"How do you get there?"

"Make myself a door."

"You can not go to Switzerland by yourself and not tell anybody."

"I thought it was ok. I took the first class."

"You have to tell me."

"Why?"

"What happens if you get hurt?"

"Maybe you'll find me in another 60 years."

Marcus takes 1 step towards me.

"AAAHHHH!" I run for it.

Dipak catches me halfway down the hallway and picks me up. I wrap around him and shake. "Calm down. You're alright." He rubs my back and carries me into the room. "Go back. I'm going to calm her down. We can figure it out on Monday."

Marcus leaves and Dipak sits me on the counter. "You alright now?"

"Yea."

"He didn't mean to scare you. But you can not go that far away and not tell us. You could get hurt. Someone could take you. We would have no idea."

I don't even understand why they care. "Ok."

"I need to go back. You go have your date. Have fun. Drag him all over Rome."

I laugh. "I will."

Dipak leaves and Collin steps in front of me. He kisses my head and hugs me. "What did you mean, you'll find me in another 60 years? Who are they to you?"

"Nobody. In 9 years, they'll kick me out, and I'll never see them again."

"What?"

I sigh. "I was 322. My parents were killed. I was taken by people who were not nice. 63 years later, Marcus found me. He has this place called the mountain."

"Luke said his brothers are there."

"It's for abused kids. I was there for a year. Now, he's trying to add me to society somehow. I have no attachments to them. I'm not family. They feel bad for abused kids, I guess. I'm trying my best, but I mess everything up."

"No. You don't."

"Hopefully, in 9 years, I have it figured out. I'm trying to learn as much as I can, as fast as I can. Maybe I could find a house for sale here. I love the food. Keep an eye out. I want enough of a yard for a garden."

He scoops me up and gives me a kiss. "Let's go for a walk."

"Ok."

"Are you good like this or do you want real underwear before we go?"

"Real underwear." I wiggle down and run into the bedroom.

"SHUT THE DOOR."

I slam the door and change into underwear. Then I come back to Tye and Collin laughing their asses off. "What's funny?"

Tye rubs his eyes. "My underwear." He laughs so damn hard. "I'm leaving. Have fun."

I shake my head. "I don't want to think about Tye's underwear."

Collin loses it. "Neither do I." He rubs his eyes then puts his arm around me. "Let's go tour Rome, baby."

We get outside and I jump up and down. Then I see a lady being carried. She's in a big chair and slaves are carrying her. It's so different from what I'm used to.

"What do you want to see?"

I very confidentially answer, "Rome."

"Let's go see the Coliseum. Then we can walk around the town."

I smile and hug him.

We take 3 steps. "LOOK!" A man is going by on a chariot. He's waving at people. I wave at him and he smiles at me. "The people here are so nice."

"We are going to see more than the outside of the resort, baby." He half drags me down the path. I point out every single thing I see.

The Coliseum is so big, and they have something going on in it. People are buying tickets.

"It's a reenactment of a battle. Want to check it out?"

"Yes, I want to see the inside."

I get our tickets, and he gets us some snacks. We find a shade spot and watch it start filling up with water. I panic and jump on his lap. I shake my head. There's no roof at least.

"It's not going to fill up. It's a water battle. The bottom will fill with water. That's it." He snuggles me and lets me sit on his lap for a few minutes. "See it's already full. That's it."

"This isn't so bad." I move over and he chuckles. "LOOK!" I jump up and point at the boats they're bringing in.

He laughs and motions at the brain following us around. "Ask Dipak if our arena can do water reenactments."

"DO YOU SEE?"

"I see, baby. Here sit down." He pulls my hips so I sit beside him. "Stay seated so other people can see ok?"

I nod fast and don't dare blink. Lots of boats are down there now.

"He said 'No. I need to see that though.' He then exited."

"LOOK." I jump up.

Then there's a big boom, and it seems like water explodes in a big splash. I slam myself down on his lap.

He laughs and hugs me. "It's just a show. It might get loud, it's a battle. But you're safe."

The boats shoot and throw things at each other. Then 1 catches on fire. It burns right on the water. It's an amazing show.

"I liked that show. It was so different."

"Me too."

I nearly jump out of my skin. Dipak is on the other side of me. "I didn't know you were there."

Collin helps me up. "Yea, you were into the show. That was neat to see. And the Coliseum itself is amazing. I wouldn't mind seeing a gladiator game sometime."

"That's a you thing. I'll go shopping while you do that."

Dipak stands up. "Next time we're here for gladiator games. Not next weekend. But the next game, We'll get you here. Quite a few at the table like them." He pokes my side. "We'll leave the girls to shop."

I giggle. "I like shopping here."

"I can tell. You've bought a lot. You 2 have fun. I need to go back and figure out how to make the arena hold water."

Me and Collin laugh as Dipak leaves.

We walk by the merchant area, homes, water, we see so much stuff. I feel like I have actually seen Rome. It is all amazing. I enjoy every minute of it. We get back to the resort at about 8. So he goes to the fire snacks with me. We try a couple of things, then go to the room.

"I hope it's not too late for the food guy. I don't want to do any more things. My feet hurt." I kick my shoes off.

"I need to sit." He sits at the table and stretches a little.

"Can the food people come cook for us?"

"Yes."

"Do that."

"Of course."

"What's the food people, baby?"

"That meal plan you put?" He nods. "Has people that come to the room and cook. They made me amazing spaghetti last night. I kind of want it again. But I have to remember to tip. I think I forgot at lunch." I get money and put it on the table. "Don't let me forget that please?"

"Of course." He answers the door for the food guy.

I get the wine and a couple of glasses. "You like wine?"

"Red's not bad. What do you have?"

"Gold." I smirk. "It's rare. But it's good."

"I've never even heard of it." He opens it and pours the glasses. Then he swishes it around and smells it. "It smells good."

I nod and take a sip. "One of my favorites."

We have pasta and a couple of glasses of wine for dinner, then we move over to the couch because hard chairs suck. I sit my wine on the coffee table and snuggle in beside him.

I get pulled up. "Good morning."

Nadine shakes her head. "Almost."

I nod and look at Collin. "Good morning."

He winks at me. I like him.

"Oh wine." Thora picks up my glass and drinks it.

Nadine nods. "Gold wine. That is 2k a bottle."

"No s**t? It is good though."

"For real. 2k a bottle. They thought my 200g a bottle was bad. Collin, I'm drinking yours. We can't let this go to waste."

Thora swallows half a glass. "Oh Collin. You have to leave. It's the middle of the f*****g night. You can't spend the night with her."

Nadine pulls him. "We won't tell. But you have to leave before they check on her and find out."

He kisses my head and my cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow, baby."

"Good night."

"Good night, beautiful."

"Out before they check."

Thora shakes her head and pushes him. "We won't tell. We promise but GO."

They get rid of Collin and Nadine pushes me in the direction of the bed. "Good night."

"Good night."

"I really need some of that wine."

Thora cracks up laughing as I face plant the bed.