#id like to thank Mar for proofreading that

[mchlgayser]

Hi. Can you do being pregnet with Richarlison?

MY LOVES!

starring: richarlison x female!reader

warning: mention of nausea but nothing too expressive

author's note: hi anon, I especially wanna thank you for the request! I try my best and hope you'll like it and according to what you like most!! Anything that's not up to your liking please inform me immediately I will try my best to correct it <3 messy writings ahead!! but anw hope you and the readers enjoy it!! xx & not proofread

song suggestion: marry you by bruno mars

The wrenching sensation on your belly almost makes you jump from your seat, you run to the toilet and vomit on the toilet bowl, it was truly a disgusting sense with a few strands of your hair getting in there. You stay on the floor with mouth-stained and labored breathing. Your stomach feels ill and weird. One of your co-workers was there eyeing you, asking if you are alright. It was the mid-30s-year-old woman that work from the other departure. She was putting on some lipstick when you busted through the door

She helped you get up and you rinsed your mouth with water. You hate puking, you hate the odd sensation on your throat after you vomits. You quickly thanked her and left to your cabin room once again. You are getting work done and typing away on the computer. You don't know how many hours has passed but it was starting to get dark inside, the horizon is painted with an orangey-yellowish hue, the sun is just about to set.

You wrapped up your work, and get your stuff leaving the room with your jacket on your forearm.

-

Waiting in the lobby for nearly thirty minutes, with two coffees on the table with two slices of bread, your patience has started to grow thin, your husband whom supposedly picked you up thirty minutes ago had just stood you up.

Your ringtone rings and you picked it up with an exasperated sigh, the caller id show your husband's name on it 'Hey linda, I'm outside now!' You grumbled under your breath, not even reply to him and just hung up.

You see his car park on the entrance of the lobby and get inside 'Hey Linda!' He went to hug you to which you clasp back

'How's your practice?' You strike up a chatter, and he shrugs 'Good I guess?' You hums averting to the window and watch how many houses you passed by 'Lindo wanna go somewhere else first? Like a place to--'

'Nah let's just go home.' You gave him one tiny smile 'I know you are tired, I can just cook something..' You mentioned, palm on his hand

You slumped your head against the window admiring the night-horizon city, when out of nowhere a thunder rumbles, you stare at the night sky above, the blue hue painted with gold-ish-white strikes. The rain began pit-pattering against the car window as your eyes began closing bit by bit.

You woke up by a sizzling smell of of meat, it was one of a kind of aromatic scent that cured your tiredness. You jolted from bed, realizing now yourself is fully dressed in your pajama attire. You run downstairs seeing your husband on the kitchen sizzling steaks. The juicy meat was topped with smashed garlic and rosemary. It's looking mouth-watering.

He was wearing an apron on and you smile, giggling at the thought how cute and considerate of him to cook and take care of you.

You tiptoed behind him, placing your arms around him and caging him in you, chest against his broad back, he swiftly turn his head and flush to see you, sparkly eyes like a puppy

'It smells so good--' You take another strong sniff on those steak but a strong sensation building up again at the pit of your stomach, dashing to the bathroom and starts puking.

You groaned getting so angry at yourself for ruining such a lovely moment, Richarlison came up behind you caressing your back in a circling gesture 'Are you okay Linda?' You hum, wiping off the stained from the corner of your mouth and went to wash your hand on the sink 'I'm sorry, I don't know what's happening with me? The smell... It makes me nauseous...' Richarlison brought you to the couch and sit beside you 'Do you not want to eat the steak? You want something else?' You shake your head at him, your eyes becoming moist with tears and you suddenly cries

He engulfed you in his arms, peppering kisses on your head 'It's okay, don't cry!' He try to assure you but that only makes you cry even harder 'It must look like I don't want to eat your food right? I want bananas!' You wailed and held onto his shirt, he was stunned for a moment before he blasted into a lousy laughter

You look up at him, offended 'What?!' He was having a hard time containing his laugh, he take your hand bringing you back to the kitchen, and again he sat you down on the island stool and open the fridge bringing you some bananas

'I'm do glad we had this at home' He chortle, you took the bananas grabbing the peanut butter and smother some on it and eat it

He watches in amusement seeing you eat in a such weird combinations as if you are.... Richarlison stepped back accidently clashing on the stool and it fell 'You startled me!' He has a wide grin on his face 'Wait!' He ran upstairs with you watching him in pure confusion

Richarlison came with something in his hand, you choke on the banana with cheese as you saw him holding a pregnancy test box, 'What the fuck?! When did you ever had this?'

'My mom gave it to me.' He shrugs, bringing your body up and ushered you to the bathroom 'Now go! Good luck!' Rolling your eyes at his words, you take the test away from him and did as he asked.

-

It's been more than five minutes but you haven't got out yet, he found himself began to knocking on the door, his hand bawling as he aggressively knocks on the door 'Wait!' You croaks, hands shaky as you twisted the doorknob and gave him the test

It was positive, and Richarlison being Richarlison he could't help but to bursted into a happy screams, his face is red with tears in his eyes 'Meu deus! You are preggo!!!' He twirls you around, your smile is widening each seconds being so happy that this sickness of yours turns out to be not so bad as you expected.

The rest of the night was him on the phone all day, telling his folks, parents, family and relatives. He's just being his usual self, the best man of your life.

[mcspurs]

Raua Needmine

APH Rare Pair Week, day 2

Prompt: Music

Characters: Estonia & Finland (OCs).

Kalju Salumäe (Estonia) belongs to @brothuania, Jaakko Järvelä (Finland) belongs to me. Also available on ao3. Enjoy! c:

"Jaakuke, have you made any plans for the evening already?"

Mua paholainen vaanii joka kulman takana, missä vain mä kuljen, kuiskii kieli katala. Sen silmät mua katsoo olutlasin pohjalla; sen hymyilevän huomaan vieraan tytön huulilla.

The Finn had spent the entire day wearing nothing but checkered pajama bottoms, safely tucked in a huge blanket, devouring copious amounts of snacks, and binge listening to at least ten years old Finnish schlagers. In other words, he did not quite resemble someone who wanted to leave his safe nest for no good reason. Thick blond stubble on his cheeks and chin, reaching upper parts of his neck, clearly indicated that Jaakko had not shaved for about two days. A water jug, together with a few coffee pots, all empty, awaited being delivered to the dishwasher. The man was again in the doldrums he hadn't expected but was not shocked by in the slightest. At any rate, the last week was subtracted forcibly from his life.

Jaakko set aside his skull-shaped mug he was holding before he tentatively examined the Estonian now leaning against the doorframe with a difficult to read facial expression. He was certainly not in the mood, neither for riddles nor Kalju's stupid inquiring.

Mua paholainen vaanii joka kulman takana, minne vain mä kuljen, on tuo tunne mukana. Kaikenaikaa onneni on vaakalaudalla; jos se ei käy sisälle, se oottaa ovella...

"Was that a rhetorical question?" Trying to sound angry came to naught because the pinnacle of Jaakko's vocal possibilities at the moment was a slightly shaky, clearly exhausted undertone. To muster up a coherent reply was truly an accomplishment on the Finnish man's side and somewhere deep, Kalju was immensely proud of him.

"Not at all. I was just wondering whether you'd be willing to accompany me tonight somewhere." He paused, awaiting a reaction, though in vain. Not being one to give up easily, he continued. "It breaks my heart to see you in that miserable state, you know? I intend to drag you out from your depression cave."

Luoja auta, pidä kurissa! Kaidalla tiellä, poissa kiusauksista.  Luoja auta; vaikka tukista! Pidä mieli kirkkaana ja paita puhtaana.

Noble as it was, it couldn't work out, not according to a rough draft of the rest of the day Jaakko had sketched already in his head. His idea was not grand, not in the slightest, though it did not include leaving the bed. Let alone the entire house. It felt like all the demons he strived to avoid at all costs would get to him the moment his foot crossed the threshold. Something inside him twitched uncomfortably – that was not the desired scenario. In the end, his place was here, namely among cushions, blankets, woolen socks, cozy clothes, and vintage music with lyrics he knew by heart. And his beloved black dog by his side. Musti nestled himself comfortably in his owner's lap as he awaited caresses and promises he's a good boy.

"Not going to say anything? At all? Don't make me take your silence for consent."

"Voi ei..." Short and to-point, as always. Jaakko was not a particularly exhaustive interlocutor, at least not before a few shots of vodka sent him on a self-discovery trip to his inner source of endless, often one side-centered, chatter. His lips formed a thin, tightly sealed line as if he feared to slip out any more words. He wasn't really in the mood to start getting ready or, God forbid, actually socialize with real people. In the stubbornness contest between the two of them, however, there was no clear winning and losing side division, and this could mean only one thing.

"Jaakuke. Palun."

"Tä?" *

"I promise you won't regret going with me. It means a lot to me, and I want you to be present there. Please, kullake. It'll be fun."

Tuo varjo aina auringosta osan piilottaa, kauneimpiinkin uniin siipinensä liihottaa. Tänään kuljen hymyillen vaan tiedä tulevaa, pelimme kun etenee vain päivä kerrallaan.

Jaakko's hand kept brushing Musti's fur lazily, almost nonchalantly. Much like his favorite human, the dog wasn't up to changing the position. Several raindrops, first signs of the incoming rain, hit up against the windows. The weather acted on his advantage, giving him more reasons why he would stay home.

"I can't go out. It's raining, can't you hear that?"

"The rain won’t kill you. It's just a drizzle, and we have umbrellas. Come."

The singer's warm and soothing voice was slowly lulling him to sleep as if this depression nap he took earlier today wasn't enough.

Mua paholainen vaanii joka kulman takana, minne vain mä kuljen on tuo tun--

Suddenly, the music stopped. Unsure what happened and what to blame for that intrusion, the Finnish man frowned, suspiciously puzzling around. In the meantime, Kalju casually locked his phone and slid it into the back pocket of his pants, unbothered by future Jaakko's reactions. Truly, any response would be cordially welcome. As of late he wasn't receiving many of those.

"How the fuck-- did you do that, the laptop's on the desk, and--"

"Jaakuke, I can use the mobile app to navigate Spotify on a desktop. The future is now. Come on, get dressed, shave this thicket off your face, or just trim it at least, and get in the car with me. I'm going to be pestering you until you agree, take my word for it."

The Spotify-related revelation caused the Finn to gape in an utmost unflattering fashion, but soon enough it dawned on him it was, in fact, possible. How could that slip his mind? His glance met Kalju's eyes, gentle, strangely encouraging. Much as he appreciated the thought and his boyfriend's diligence in pursuit of the goal, the Finn still didn't quite feel the urge to abandon his safe hideout.

"I promise we'll get some booze on the way back home," the Estonian resorted to bargaining, hoping for reaching a potential agreement. When the alcohol came to play, it was always much easier to convince the other man to cooperate. This method had proven to be effective many times before, and Kalju sincerely hoped it would work today too. He couldn't bear the sight of his loved one being this miserable for a few consecutive days. "We can refill the snacks drawer, too. And we'll binge watch a Netflix show of your choice."

Jaakko was as confused as unhappy with this turn of events, but he had no strength to further argue with the other man. Kalju simply knew his strengths and weaknesses and on top of that, knew how to make a successful bait. Gently shoving Musti off his lap, he proceeded to untangle the blankets tied in the likeness of a Gordian knot. Once he was free from the bed trap, the Finn sat on the verge of the mattress and dragged hands down his face.

"No niin, mennään nyt,**" he mumbled, sniffing himself and flinched with disgust. "I might be in need of a shower though, so you have to give me some extra time."

"You can have all of it. Almost, because we have to make it to our destination before six and it's reaching half past four."

"I don't even know what to wear," Jaakko complained. The entire room resembled a battlefield and, in a metaphorical sense, functioned as one during the past six days. No matter how often Kalju would clean it up, the mess would return double as intense. But having endless patience for the Finn made it much easier to cope with continuous cleaning. "I haven't done the laundry in so long..." 

"This is why you're lucky to have me. I've prepared and ironed an outfit for you already. It's waiting for you in the wardrobe. All you have to do now is just get ready. I'll be waiting for you in the living room."

All the witty replies seemed to have abandoned his head. There was no use in fighting that statement, and Jaakko knew all too well Kalju was right. A short nod followed by an attempt at a weak smile had to work as thanks. But what would make the Estonian truly happy was the Finn lumbering to the bathroom, and Jaakko decided it won't hurt to comply with this humble request. Maybe some soap and running water will help cleanse his mind at least a bit. A small sauna session when they're back would be lovely, too... Nothing clears your mind better than steam and sweat

"There. Where are we even going? I haven't worn this shirt in ages. It almost feels weird."

 Jaakko looked much better with his small beard nicely trimmed, clean, combed hair, and in a more decent attire than pajamas that had long since outlived their glory days, even if said shirt looked like someone had forcibly removed it from the eighties and placed in a wrong century. The full outfit contained a jacket as well, but Jaakko casually ignored it. Shifting from foot to foot, he awaited commentary.

 "Well, judging by the look of it, I'm inclined to believe that," Kalju chuckled, much to the other man's embarrassment. "Last time I wore a shirt like that was about fifteen years ago."

 "I'm here to remind you that it was you who picked it for me to wear tonight."

 "Because the rest looked even worse."

 "Look, if you keep roasting me, it's still possible for me to go back to bed and I will not hesitate before doing that."

 "Sorry, you look great. It compliments your eyes. The shirt itself might not be the latest vogue, but somehow you two make a great team. Chin up, Jaakuke. Are we ready to leave now?"

 "Yeah, I suppose. Can you explain why all that fuss is necessary? I could just wear a T-shirt."

 "Of course you could," the Estonian agreed. "but I doubt you'd feel comfortable attracting all the disapproving glances of people present there. We go to a place where the dress code is in force."

 "Namely where?"

 "It's a surprise. I won't spoil it. Don't worry, you'll love it, or so I hope at least."

 All the following incoherent grunts and mutterings were silenced down by a kiss from Kalju who had gotten up and came up to Jaakko to grab him by hand and usher him to the car waiting outside. The Finnish man was still wary. Of course, he trusted his boyfriend would always wish only good things for him, but old habits die hard. Even sat in the front passenger seat he was feeling weirdly anxious about the unknown destination of their -- was a date a correct term for that? Neither of them seemed to be willing to resume a conversation from earlier, so Jaakko turned on the radio without asking. An Estonian song, lyrical and a bit melancholic, quickly replaced the silence between men in the vehicle. The thought that the tune was perfectly fit for current weather - the rain had picked up significantly - crossed Jaakko's mind as their car made its way through the streets of Tartu. He recognized several buildings they passed by, the stores, cafes that remembered their little cliché coffee evenings, tenements in front of which he stood as Kalju was taking a touristy picture of him.

One of the many university buildings was on the horizon. An unpleasant chill went down his spine at the mere recollection of returning to work tomorrow, as his sick leave lasted only until then.

He liked his job, all the young, open-minded people around him were hungry for knowledge, and he was more than willing to share his experience with them. He wasn't ready for social interaction yet, and working as a lecturer was an occupation that required a lot of it. Jaakko will have to grin and bear it for some time before he feels comfortable again.

A few other songs passed before the news report at five thirty. The speaker spoke fast Estonian, and even despite being nearly fluent in it, Jaakko had issues with understanding certain words. He would have to ask Kalju about those later, granted he remembers. The car stopped in the parking lot mid report about a piece of news on Estonian IDs. The engine stopped, so did the radio. The trip was over, and Jaakko had to become a person again, as opposed to a recluse with his head in the clouds. Fleeing from an actual downpour that developed during their car ride, both men hid inside a small but cozy white building.

 "Here we are. Do you recognize this place?"

 "Not really," the Finn replied according to the truth. He was unsure whether this answer will be satisfactory or a disappointment to the other man, but there was no use lying. Wet hair strands were glued to his forehead, he tucked them behind his ear and glanced around. "Where are we?"

"Can you wait a bit more? I'd love to show you around, but I can't now. We've arrived just in time. I must attend to something now. When I'm done dealing with that, I'll take care of you."

"So what you're saying is you dressed me up in those fancy clothes and dragged out of the house just to ditch me in a random place in Tartu, Estonia," Jaakko cocked his eyebrow and made a face. "I don't know a soul here, Kaljuke, why are you doing this to me?"

"Can you please relax for a bit? No one will talk to you there. We didn't invite any audience for tonight."

"We? Audience?" The Finn was startled. "Can I still retreat to the car?"

"Not at all. If this helps, you're not supposed to be on the stage. Not you, me."

Before Jaakko could ask at least one additional question, he realized Kalju was pulling him towards large frosted glass door. Behind it, seemingly endless rows of (indeed empty) chairs faced a stage with a few strangers on it. They were holding paper sheets and forming two rows, taller men standing in the back while shorter guys occupied the front. He'd have to be completely ignorant not to realize who they were and what they were about to do in a few. A shy warm feeling filled his heart.

 "I thought you quitted--"

Jaakko didn't finish the sentence because his interlocutor had suddenly gone missing. Shaking his head, he proceeded to take a seat in one of the front rows. Someone brought a drum and carried it until everyone was ready to start. Kalju wasn't present among the lined up men. Instead, he occupied an honorary place before them together with a blonde who seemed to be his good acquaintance. Making sure the microphone works just fine and smiling politely at a joke, as Jaakko assumed, the Estonian adopted a straight up position, visibly awaiting the right moment. He resembled a violin string, filled with pride and ready to be played by a skilled musician. They were puzzle pieces of something bigger, something noble. Part of the choir.

The man who brought the drum, hit it, therefore announcing the beginning of the spectacle. One row responded immediately, and the second joined after hearing the drum again. The low rumble turned up, masculine voices violently resonated in the hall. They were so loud Jaakko would hear them clearly if he sat in the last row and the audience was full. Closing his eyes, he let his mind absorb all the lyrics chanted by the choir. The perfectly synced machine had two outstanding performers, one of them being no one else but Kalju himself.

 Käisid kolme ilmaneitsit, taeva tütarta tulista, lüpsid maale rindasida, soo peale piimasida.

 He sunk into his seat and with a dreamy expression transferred himself into a part of his brain where the glass was still half full. The lyrics were grim, it's true, but he couldn't care less for that. It was a crucial part of his heritage, and Kalju's group paid respect to it.

Üks see lüpsis musta piima, sest sai rauda pehme’eda, teine valgeta valasi, sellest tehtud on teraksed, kolmas see veripunasta, sellest malmi ilma tulnud.

It's been a while since Jaakko felt that special. He could not remember when was the last time someone honored him that way. At this moment the only thing he wished for was a pair of those lips to linger on his own, to mark the line of his jaw, to whisper sweet nothings against his skin. He knew that if he peeked at Kalju now, particularly at his mouth, he would be damned. It was okay. There will be a lot of time for that once they return home.

'... oi Luoja, kuinka häntä mä rakastan.' ***

Some translations again:

* - What? (Huh?) ** - Alright, let's go now. *** - cheesy warning: oh God, how I love him

Songs mentioned: Marko Haavisto & Poutahaukat - Paha Vaanii Veljo Tormis - Raua Needmine

[i-writeandread-blog]

A Portrait of a Tortured You and I - Chapter 2

Authors Note: I don’t edit or proofread usually when trying to get content out quickly, so I am aware there may be issues with my use of past and present tense. Please know I will fix any and all errors!

I was snapped back to reality, when I heard the horn blow on the ferry.  It was pulling up to the dock.  I was equal parts excited and nervous.  This wasn't my first rodeo, I had been to over 50 concerts, traveling all over the world to see Mars, I was also a Camp Mars alum... but this was the first time I had left the comfort of my home since I had been brutalized. 

Life has a funny way of surprising you though.  Since the attack, my sisters and I have made up.  I don't think we would have, had the unfortunate not happened.

Since I received the anonymous letter and check, I started working on getting better.  I still wasn't out of the woods.  The occasional panic attack and nightmare still happened.  I didn't know if they would ever go away, but they were becoming less and less.  I did have a few issues getting on the plane, but I used the breathing and grounding techniques that my therapist was teaching me.  And here I am, ready to finally enjoy life again.  I was so anxious to get to the island and get settled in. 

Some of the Echelon that I was still friends with were meeting up with me and it was all about strength in numbers.  That gave me comfort knowing that they had my back in the unlikely event I began to panic.

I looked around seeing many unfamiliar faces and was slightly confused.  Having traveled a lot to the European shows, I expected to recognize people I knew, but alas I didn't.  We began to load onto the ferry, everyone in a rush.  I felt a bump and a push and at first just chucked it off as everyone being so eager and not looking where they were going.  I felt an attack coming on and steadied myself against the railing.  "Okay, you've got this. Breathe in, now breathe out." I did my breathing exercises and didn't care if people thought I was crazy.  It subsided and I went to give myself a figurative pat on the back when I turned around and saw an unwanted familiar face.

"No one is buying it, freak!" She was laughing and acting so smug.

"What is your problem, Natalie?" I asked.  I honestly wanted to clear the air with her.  I knew I'd be seeing her at a ton of events going forward, as I had been for the last fifteen years.  I'd like to be able to enjoy our precious time with the band without having to constantly worry about problems with her.

"You honestly don't know, do you?"  She grinned, all the while looking at me very curiously.

"No. I've never had problems with you.  In fact, when you were writing that Jared smut, I was your biggest fan, always complimenting you on your writing.  Last years camp we even enjoyed some time together. So Nat, what's the deal?"

"You don't get to call me Nat anymore.  Just do me a favor and fuck off."  With that she stormed off into a group of girls all high five-ing her and congratulating her on a job well done being the biggest bully.  The saddest part of this was that Natalie is a 44 year old woman acting like a 20 year old.  It wasn't cute.  Not by a long shot.

I was on edge the whole ferry ride which lasted approximately an hour and twenty minutes, but felt much more like an eternity. My eyes were constantly darting around and anytime the boat rocked, I felt absolute dread. I was repeating a sort of mantra over and over in my head, “you’re gonna be in the presence of Mars soon. It’s going to be the best time!” I just knew once I was there and settled, that I would finally be able to let my guard down. I would be able to relax and have the best time.

We pulled up to the island and from the boat, I could see the beautiful art installations and hear the sounds of laughter mixed with music being played on loud speakers. I was home, in my element. Memories of previous camps creeping in my head and replacing all the negative ones from the past year. I watched as Natalie and her groupies got off the boat before me. I was wishing and trusting that she’d forget that I was here, now that she was also on the island.

Check in was literally right at the dock and there were many faces I recognized there, I sighed a great deal of relief. Walking up, I presented my ID, passport, and my booking number. A cheery girl many years my junior, took my items and said, “Hi, Catherine, how was your trip here?” I smiled, “it has been uneventful up to now.” I didn’t need to tell her all of the details, she was just making small talk. “Okay, you are in.... hmm. I don’t see your booking, that’s strange. Hold on a second.” She turned and walked off. I was growing more nervous by the second. Was my email from Shayla fake? But if so, how did I end up with $3,000 dollars? I started putting pieces together. Maybe the email was fake and my parents gave me the cashiers check. This would be so awful, if true.

I was told to step aside while someone else took over that computer and was checking more guests in. I couldn’t breathe and I started crying and shaking. The place I was supposed to feel most at home in was now not feeling so homey.

The girl came back and asked to see any printouts I had from AiW. I fumbled around looking for the email from Shayla and any correspondence directly from Adventures, I grabbed the first thing which happened to be the original confirmation when I bought the package in January.

She took it from me and cross referenced something on an iPad. “Hmmm, I see this booking existed and then it was canceled. But, I also see your name is on the list of attendees. We don’t finalize the list until all payments are made. This is odd. Do you have proof of payment?” I didn’t have that, but I was able to show her the email from Shayla after digging around once more in my bag. “Oh, well I guess this actually makes sense now! Okay, so you had the moonlight tent package. Let me find you one that’s available since we don’t know which one you’re supposed to be in, anyway.” She found one that had a bed free and loaded up my bags onto a golf cart. I told her I didn’t mind walking, and set out to find my tent.

I hadn’t seen any of my friends yet as many people were still being ferried over and we all had different boat times. It was peaceful. The sun was shining, birds were chirping, the music was a great selection of garden variety pop and rock. I was actually feeling great, now that it appeared the email wasn’t fake at all.

As I was walking, I caught a glimpse of Jared and Shannon talking over by some trees. They were wearing swimming trunks and smiling as they talked. I thought to myself that they looked extra adorable and almost tripped from not looking where I was going. I heard a voice that I would know anywhere shout, “watch your step, the ground isn’t even!” Shannon chuckled as he spoke to me from a distance. Jared looked in my direction and waved. I kept going and finally found my tent. Number 4, one of my lucky numbers. I was at peace.

My bags were sitting on the only available bed and I made my way over to it, to start making my little space my own. I heard someone walk in, but they must have walked back out because I never did see anyone. Once, I had made myself comfortable, I decided to lay down and allow myself time to soften up. I needed to unwind in the worst way and the quiet was really tranquil.

I rested for what was likely to be about an hour, but I have no actual idea as I hadn’t looked at the time. I was awoken from reverie to a commotion outside the tent. And I drew my legs up and started rocking back and forth.

The problem with being out in the real world was that everything was so unpredictable. Loud noises were everywhere, no matter the cause... they were most always innocent. People fighting... that was a hard one for me, but I saw my share of it in the airport between husband and wives, or parents and children. Now, here on the island there is it’s own set of issues. I needed to know the cause for the arguing. I needed to know I was safe. So I cranked my neck forward to get a really good listen.

“Ughh, I’ve looked all over for someone who can help me and I can’t seem to find anyone that cares or knows what to do! I’m going to just start screaming. Maybe that will get someone’s attention!”

I instantly knew it was Natalie.

“Don’t worry. This is a great opportunity. We can fuck with her as much as we want.”

“Hahahaha, no! I don’t want to be anywhere near her. She’ll play the victim no matter what and then I’ll get kicked off the island. Nooooo thanks!”

“No one has to know.”

“That’s true! Oh wait, there’s Shayla. Let’s get her attention.”

“Shayla, we desperately need your help!”

“Not now ladies. I’m looking for someone. Can it wait?”

“No, it can’t. We are stuck in a tent with someone we don’t like.”

“That’s hardly a reason to throw a fit. Can’t you just ignore each other?”

“Me? Of course! I can avoid her, but it’s not me to worry about. Catherine, will be the problem. She’s gonna hurt me in my sleep or something. She’s really unstable.”

I couldn’t believe my ears. She was actually trying to make me sound like I was a monster. What’s worse is we were to share a tent for three nights. I became violently ill and threw up right there in the bed.

“Did you say Catherine? Where is she?”

“Hell if I know.”

Shayla stepped inside and took notice of me.

“Oh my goodness, are you okay, Catherine?”

I nodded. “Let’s get you cleaned up and out of here. There was a mistake at check out. This isn’t your room. I’ll have someone clean up in here, don’t worry.” I went to protest, but she waved her hands at me. She picked up a towel and wiped my face. I was so humiliated. I had known Shayla for a few years and she was always so kind, we were nothing but acquaintances so to have her help me when I’m at my lowest was really humbling and extremely embarrassing. She handed me clothes from my suitcase and I quickly changed into them. “You ready?” I sighed, then nodded.

Shayla had her arms around me and walked me out of the tent. She gave Natalie a stern look and said nothing. We took a few steps and I overheard a scream followed by, “that nasty cunt threw up in here, how fucking gross!” Shayla reassured me and told me to just ignore it. I tried, but I still couldn’t get over how things were unfolding. I was still so confused as to how it ended up the way it did with Natalie.

We arrived at some bungalows and Shayla motioned for me to follow her. At first, I thought this was where she was staying or maybe it was first aid. I was really perplexed, but I followed her in. She turned around and said, “I’ll have your things sent here. Is this room okay? I wanted you to have something peaceful to wake up to, this was the only room with a direct view of the sea.”

“Shayla, I’m completely baffled. This isn’t my room. Why am I here?” I had to ask because I knew there had to be a mistake. “I must have forgotten to tell you, the donor upgraded you to the VIP experience and this was meant to be your room from that moment on. Unfortunately, when I went into the system to change everything, there was a glitch so it erased your booking entirely. You shouldn’t have been in that tent and it’s my fault you had to experience that unpleasantness.” She looked truly sorry.

“Shayla, you couldn’t have known. But is there anyway you can refund back some of the money to whomever paid for me? I’d like to just be where I was if I had paid my own way?”

“Catherine, I’m under strict orders to make sure you have a smooth vacation and that you have a wonderful time. I can ask, but I don’t think there’s a chance that they will allow that to happen.”

“Shay, who was it? I won’t say anything, I just am a little freaked out that someone did this for me.” I pleaded with her to tell me. Honestly, I was more scared now then I had been traveling here alone. What if this person meant me harm?

“I can’t say. But they’re not a threat to you. I can assure you of that.”

“Okay, whomever it was is trustworthy? I have your word?”

“Yes. Now, I suggest you do whatever it is you need to, because your itinerary is completely full starting in about an hour.” She handed me a paper filled with activities and times. She was right, completely full, starting with front row seating to the soundcheck.