End of the day

Chapter 20: End of the day

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*Isabella Marciano*

''Who's Enzo?'' Azure asked, holding his cheek that's slowly reddening with the imprint of my palms.

Standing up to my feet, I fixed my dress. ''I-I'm sorry...''

What the hell is happening to me?

''You just... You called me my name'' I whispered, rubbing my hands up and down my arms, the warm ocean wind of Greece suddenly pummeled down by a few Fahrenheit.

''I called you Red, not someone else's name... unlike you'' Azure whispered, rubbing his face roughly, hiding the hurt in his voice, ''God you're crazy.''

My heart was hammering on my ribs. Was it all in my mind? Did he not call me Isabella?

''You didn't call me Isabella?'' I hushed, unsure of what really happened.

Azure shook his head, looking at me as if I grew two heads. ''No. Is that your name?''

Shit.

''No.''

I stormed out of the cabin, evading drunken bodies along the way. It was suffocating, the spacious walls of the yacht suddenly moved closer to each other. My skin was suddenly burning up, my blood suddenly reaching its boiling.

Cool off, Isabella. Calm down... those words played like a prayer in my mind.

When I reached the deck, I pulled off my dress, not caring about the whistles and hooting around me.

I need to dive down. To clear my mind.

Standing on the railings of the boat, I raised my hands and pushed myself up, letting the wind flow through my waist long wavy scarlet hair, clamping my hands together, I hit the water. I might have heard Azure calling my name but I didn't care. The need to give in to my anxiety was taking the best of me.

The dark blue water of the ocean was endless, there was no edge around me. I can go in circles if I want to - no one would care. I can drown and die - no one would care except for John. Closing my eyes, I let myself slowly drop down the deep waters.

Die Isabella. My lungs were urging me to swim up, to breathe the air it needed.

Suddenly, I was pulled up and my lungs celebrated as I coughed, oxygen filling my lungs.

''Are you crazy?'' Azure yelled, cupping my face in his soft hands. How can a man have such soft hands? It was even softer than mine I swear. ''Are you hurt? Talk to me, Isabella.''

My eyes snapped in his direction, I swear I heard him perfectly this time. He just called me Isabella.

''Don't call me that'' I groaned as splashes of water sounded around us. Girls in skimpy bikinis and guys in skin-tight trunks were now crowding the blue waters around us.

''Give me one good reason'' Azure was still holding my face.

''I-I don't want to talk about it... please.'' The pleading in my should have gotten in his skin already. ''It's just that, I'm running away from my past.''

He seems to weigh down his options. ''Go on an actual date with me.''

''Are you blackmailing me again?'' I huffed, slapping his hands away.

''I am'' he gave me a toothy grin. This time, twin shallow dimples were showing on his cheeks.

''As if I have a choice'' I rolled my eyes, ''just keep this between us.''

He gave me a crooked grin ''a dirty little secret between you and me? I like.''

''I need a drink'' I swim away from him and climb up the now steady yacht.

Azure's party went on like a normal bachelor's party. Loud music was blasting from the speakers that I'm sure even the sharks under the ocean could hear it. Bottles and cups previously containing alcohol were now scattered on the polished floor of the boat and drunken bodies are everywhere you look. Some were mingled together while others were passed out.

I was starting to let loose after a few glasses of this and that. The names of the alcohol I drank were lost in the moment of weakness.

I wanted to forget, although I knew it wouldn't last. Since I was younger, I knew not to turn to alcohol to drown my fears and sorrows away. It doesn't work like that. Dad and John taught me that facing your fears was always the best option, in this case, how will I do that? Enzo was unreachable at the moment, I can end his life but will it remove the anxiety I have every time a guy gets intimate with me?

Then I remember Kon, he was the only guy who I almost gave myself too. I wanted to lose my virginity already, I tried too many times but none got to fourth base.

Like what happened with Azur earlier, all I can see and feel was Enzo. He was like the boogeyman I grew up to be afraid of every night because of my big brothers.

Whenever I sneak into Heat's room in the middle of the night, he'd tell me the boogeyman is sleeping in the hallway. It didn't stop me though, I still went on and searched for the boogeyman but turns out it wasn't real, at least I didn't see it.

I can't do that with Enzo, I can't go on a hunt and test one too many theories like what I did with the boogeyman.

Before the sunset, the yacht brought Azure and me back to his place, Alfonse and Brandon handed him their gift as we parted.

''Where are you going?'' Azure's hand gripped my forearm as I turned my back on him after saying goodbye.

''Uh, home?'' The sarcasm in my voice should be offending, ''where do you think?''

''Tsk tsk'' he shook his head, the sunset's beautiful burst of colors made his raven hair glow like dark fire. ''I have you for one day, Red.''

Wiggling my arm out of his hold, I smiled saucily, ''the sun already set your highness, it's called the end of the day.''

The infuriating man merely smirks, his dark blue hues dancing with mischief, ''a day consists of twenty-four hours, Princess. It means you'll be spending the night with me.''