1 The Vacation

The beach stretches out alongside the clear water. She smiles, listening to the foreign chitter chattering on the background. The voices seemingly merge, creating a wonderful atmosphere - an environment away from her workplace.

Then, she hears it, a couple flirting with each other, completely forgetting the world around her. She wants to stand up and slap each of them on the face, screaming at them to go to their hotel room.

But she won't.

This is her vacation.

Her hard well-earned vacation.

She won't allow meaningless events to ruin it.

"You're cute," said the guy.

"No, you're cute," the girl responds, her cheeks growing redder by the second.

"No. No. We both know you're the cute one here," the guy continues to spoil his girlfriend with sweet words.

"Stop it," she slaps him playfully. "If I'm the cute one in our relationship, why do all the girls around here continue looking at you," she fake pouts.

Linh rolls her eyes. She wouldn't even touch the man with a stick.

"Oh, please. They aren't looking at me. They are clearly looking at you," he taps her nose. "Because you're so cu-"

"Yes. Yes," the lady beside them said annoyingly. "You're both freaking adorable. Now, can you go back to your hotel room and express your undying love there?"

The girl scoffs, running her fingers down her long luscious hair. She stands up from her boyfriend's lap. "Why are you so rude? This is a public setting! We can do whatever we want here! Who are you to tell us what to do!" she said to the lady with the large hat, nearly covering her face.

The lady in the large hat didn't even grant her a single look. Instead, she slips out her slimmed legs. The boyfriend tries his best not to look, knowing it will become a death sentence. "This is a public setting with children," she said plainly. "With a single string snap from that damn cloth that's barely holding in your lump of meat, you two are basically having sex."

The girls beside her giggles.

"Do you know who I am?" the girl screams. "My daddy owns this beach!" she stops her foot on the sand.

The woman glances over and tilts her sunglasses down. "Child," she said, showing off all her beautiful curves by turning her body. Her toes sink into the sand. The girlfriend glared at her with envy, and she returns it with a smirk. The girlfriend turns around only to notice that her boyfriend was drooling over the woman in front of them. The woman crosses her legs and leans back on the lawn chair. "Your daddy owns this beach?" she scoffs. "Why don't you bring daddy here to talk to me?"

"You-" the girlfriend points a finger at the lady.

The woman only lay back down. "Talk to me when daddy is here," she waves her away.

The girlfriend smacks the boyfriend's chest, pulling him back to reality. "Let's go!" she was determined to get her father to kick the woman out.

"Spoiled brat," the woman said.

"Watch it, Linh. One day, someone will snap because of your attitude," her friend said, before lifting her numerous tattooed hand and flipping the page.

Linh exhale, lifting one leg above the other. The sun heats nicely on her tan skin, the dark shades covering her eyes. After long hours of work, this is precisely what she needs. She needs a vacation, in a five-star hotel, with her friends. "And then what?"

"And then, you will end up dead - like the villain!" her friend other squeals. "Die!" her voice suddenly drops, pushing the book further into her ample chest.

Linh looks over and rolls her eyes. "You're all still reading that?" she asks, knowing her friends have all been obsessing over this one book called - The Duke's Wife.

Of course, Linh didn't live under a rock, despite her boss working her like a slave. Well, no one says, going through business school while working at a high-end company is easy.

"I cannot believe you have not read it! Linh, you need to read it!"

The one who finally

Linh turns her head, seeing all of her friends' face shove into the book. Now she understands why her friends weren't making snappy comments behind her towards the girl earlier. It's because they are too deluded in their own world. Linh exhale, telling herself that she needs new friends.

In reality, she knows that she won't be able to make better friends then the three girls on her right.

The four of them had been together since they were all in diapers. They lived in the same neighborhood. They went to the same elementary, middle, high school, and university. Although they all had different majors, they always manage to meet at least once a week to catch up.

They fight for each other, tooth and claws.

They can be seen as the four musketeers, but prettier.

Linh release another breath and turn forward, seeing the endless amount of muscular man. She could never understand her friends who enjoy 2D men more than 3D. You can't touch them. You can only feel them through rough papers that were once majestic trees in a forest.

One of her friends says: "2D men don't disappoint you."

It's the one the recently went through a rough breakup - Emily.

Emily ends up drowning herself in alcohol and 2D men. Everyone mutually agrees that Emily is a borderline alcoholic. Instead of forcing her to find new love, they take shifts in watching her when she wants to get a drink or picking her up at the bar.

Strangely, Linh agrees with her statement. Sometimes, 3D men do disappoint. Imagine going out with a smoking hot businessman only to find out his little brother isn't so smoking hot. But, by that time, it's too late to back away. Linh's body shivers, remembering a bad experience.

Unable to withdraw the sun any longer, Linh wraps the cloth around her body. "I'm going to buy a drink," she smacks her dry lips.

Her friends smile and request some drinks where she waves her hand in silent understanding.

Linh drags her legs into the convenience store and smiles as the air conditioner blow. She threw a few drinks into her basket before grabbing a popsicle. Sliding the door open, Linh notices a cute girl and boy staring at the delicious treats.

The two-child notice Linh, and silently, they watch as she pulls out a popsicle. There's drool in their mouth. Linh grabs two more popsicles and pays for it; before giving it to the little kids. "Here."

Immediately, they both smile and bow their heads. "Thank you!"

Linh pat each of their heads before walking out of the door. Instantly, a blur pass by her causing her body to shake. She turns around to see a broad man's back, embracing the children. They wave at Linh, eyes' squinting and popsicles inside their grinning mouth.

Linh takes a few steps before hearing a man's voice. "Miss!"

She halts her steps, about to turn her legs until she feels a sharp smack on her head. She couldn't even say: "Ow."