3

I was dressed in shorts and a Chelsea jersey tagging along with Noah to the beach to meet up with Emma. Normally, I would have said no to Noah's invitation but I knew I was going to be opportune to see Liam so I accepted.

We met Emma and the rest of her family in a glamping dome tent set up on the beach. Emma's Father was quite tall, broad and really handsome for his age. On his head rested a luscious amount of black and grey hair. Emma's mother was chubby but beautiful other she looked older than her husband. It was quite obvious where Liam got his good looks, but for his slender body, I think it was a result of too much workout. Emma looked nothing like her parents though.

The parents made us stay over for brunch. A

well packed picnic. Unfortunately, the parents were Christians and kept on talking about their religion, totally making brunch awkward.

"Emma's in the church choir, we have been trying to convince Liam for ages to join but he is quite adamant although he happens to be quite a songster himself" Mr Crescent, Emma's father said.

Liam awkwardly coughed.

I exchanged looks with Noah.

Mrs Crescent turned to me "So do you sing? You look like someone who sings"

I wondered if it was written on my forehead "yes ma'am I was into classical for some time but diverted two years back"

"Classical? I'm sure you are in the church choir. Your voice will harmonize well like an angel when singing." Mrs Crescent said and I nearly choked. She could have said anything like literally anything not a church choir…

"She diverted, she's no longer in classical" Noah came to my rescue, diverting the topic from church choir.

From the corner of my eye, I could see Liam nodding his head while chewing his food..I wondered why he was nodding. Most importantly, I wondered why I was wondering the reason he was nodding.

Noah and I spent the rest of the afternoon with the Crescent family before we headed back to the hotel. Emma had grown fond of Noah which made me feel like puking. If I could use anyone as a perfect example for a playboy, my brother would fit in.

I laid on my bed back in my hotel room listening to songs and trying to freestyle when I heard a knock on my room door. I got up quickly from the bed and opened the room door, two staffs with Manago hotel printed on their tshirt came in. One bringing me dinner and the other came for my laundry. That was precisely the only thing I've liked about this vacation, I didn't have to do my laundry myself.

Dinner was Focaccia with pasta puttanesca at the side…delicious to some but divine to me.. there was something about Italian dishes that I just didn't seem to quite understand, they looked tasty but tasted heavenly.

After a heavy dinner, I went to the hotel's lobby because I was bored and tired of reading and Listening to songs. I met Claire there teaching Emma how to hula and by Emma, I meant my sister not Liam's sister.

Emma's face lit up when she saw me "yay… Char is here…she can teach me hula" she ran to me and hugged me. "Teach me hula please, mom's terrible at it" she whispered so only I could hear.

"Not now princess, it's getting late and I presume you should be in bed" I turned to Claire "isn't that right mom?"

"Yeah…of course" Claire said smiling broadly.

She loves when I call her mom, unfortunately for the both of us, I only call her mom when Emma was present.

"It's barely 7pm" Emma grumbled sullenly

"More reason you should be in bed" I said

"You can learn hula tomorrow" Claire chirped in and lifted Emma into her arms "I'll take you to bed now" and with that, she left.

I slumped on a chair, this vacation was boring and practically draining the life out of me.

"Hey you" Liam called. He was standing just inches away from me. I got up from the chair and went to him.

"Hey you" I said and scanned around for any other member of the Crescent family. I wondered if they were lodging here in manago hotel as well. As if reading my thoughts, Liam blurted out "my family is staying over at Express and suites"

"Oh" I breathed "so what are you doing here?" I asked.

He smiled, he face radiating all shades of beauty "I'm here for evangelism" it was then I noticed the Bible in his hand and a small diary.

"Not really an evangelism though, I was just bored and decided to talk to people about Jesus, you know talking about him makes one feel so enlivened" he explained as though I asked. Mother Nature knows that if not because I had a crush on him, I would have puked all over his face. I managed to hide the scorn on my face and didn't say a word but nodded instead.

"Wanna join?" He asked "it will be fun"

Trust me, it won't. I wondered how he was going to feel if I let him know I hated his religion but had a crush on him.. like the irony..

"I'll pass" I faked a smile " I actually have one or two meditations of my own, I prefer studying the Bible on my own for more understanding" I lied through my teeth.

"Oh, I guess we'll do it together next time right?" He asked as he brought out a piece of paper from the inside of his Bible and handed it to me. It was a pamphlet "my number is behind, gimme a call whenever you want to study together"

"Okay" I smiled…still fake..I had already crumpled the pamphlet-with the picture of a cross and some write up which I didn't bother to glance at for a second time- in my mind.

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The next day happened to be a Wednesday and it came too quickly for my liking. My eyelids begged to be shut but I had to get up. Dad had personally came into my hotel room to wake me. I hated the fact that he had access to my room with a card key. Like why would an hotel do that???

"Get up sleepy head and start packing, we have to get to the airport by 10am" Dad announced and my eyes suddenly opened.

PACKING??? AIRPORT ?… Does it mean we were heading back home? As much as I loved the idea, I was worried. We had only spent a week in Hawaii and still had two weeks of vacation.

I rubbed my eyelids with the back of my palm "why dad?"

"There's no time for explanation…just start packing and be at the lobby before 9" Dad said sternly before he left. He looked worried. Extremely worried.

I got down from my bed and started packing as dad instructed. After which, I had a refreshing bath and wore a strawberry shirt over jean. I was done before 9 and struggled to the lobby with my luggage. A staff offered to help but I declined.

Emma and Claire sat down looking pale while Dad paced to and fro fiddling with his phone.

"Where the hell is Noah?" He asked no one in particular

"Hey Char's here" Emma shouted joyfully and ran to hug me. I left my luggage to pick her up.

"How are you princess?" I asked and put her down. She had a lot of weight for her age.

"I've seen better days" I nearly choked with laughter when she said that.

"You promised to teach me hula but now we have to go back, worst still, the holiday isn't over yet" she complained. Emma was quite a smart brat. She spoke fluently for her age.

" well I could teach you hula at home, it's actually…." Dad's voice interrupted me

" just look at the boy I call my son" That was dad pointing at Noah who was walking stealthy towards us. No luggage in hand. Only his evil smirk.