Graceful Hatred

“We’re so sorry, Lia. We saw that this morning when we needed to fill out the forms.” That was what my best friends told me two weeks ago. It angered me – actually, it was more frustration at the time. Trust me, I love my two best friends, Kat and Sofia, but two weeks ago they did something that Ireallydid not like. We have been friends for seven years. We had our ups and downs, but truly, what happened was truly unexpected. Every year on the summer holidays, since we got into college, we would go on holiday together. I do not have much family and they do not like spending two months with their family. Evidently, we agreed to dedicate every summer breaks of ours to explore the world.

This year, Sofia is choosing the vacation. I chose last time – we went to visit Italy, which was nice. Sofia decided to change things a bit and chose a very interesting place: Agaparos Island. The small island is in the middle of the Indian Ocean, not far from Mauritius. It is a tropical island, ideal vacation for those who want to relax. Except there is a catch. And of course, my friends forgot to warn me about this.

Sofia and Kat are both dating. Sofia is with Will – they have been together for a total of four years. Kat has dated Steve since we got into high school – they were on and off for a while, but they eventually committed to one another the past three years. I, on the other hand, am single. Agaparos Island is a special island, in the fact that it is a couple’s island. Let me explain. Agaparos, as I discovered it two weeks ago, is a paradise-like tropical territory, built by American scientists. The concept of the island is to bring couples back together. It is a sort of program you enter for a few weeks if you want to improve your relationship or save it. Like the brochure said: “We heal hearts, we help lovers and we mend differences.” However, they do not accept single people to visit the island or be part of the Program.

Kat told me after saying all that information to me: “You need to be with someone to go with us.”

“Why don’t we go somewhere else?” I asked – I would not force myself to get a boyfriend to go on a stupid island.

“C’mon! It’s an amazing opportunity. The island opens up twenty-five places every two years. We got selected! What are the odds of such a thing happening! We can’t give that up!” Sofia said, obviously excited by her choice.

“But I don’t have a boyfriend.”

“Well…” Kat looked at Sofia. They planned this all thing out, I knew it. They shared this conspiring look and glanced back at me. I knew I would not like the solution they proposed: “Since we are going with Steve and Will, Zach is coming with us. Zach and you are single, so…” I think my face clearly showed my disapproval on the idea they were trying to paint to me. “Don’t look at us like that! It’s not that bad. When, in the forms, they asked about the couple status, we said that you two were dating.”

The strength it took me not to shout at them was enormous. Zachary is…special. He is Steve’s and Will’s best friend. Ironically enough, they were a group of three friends – just like Kat, Sofia and I. Kat was the one who began dating Steve. Sofia fell for Will, as we spent more time with them. But Zach is not Steve nor Will. I would like to be kind in my description of him, but I hate him. I have known him for quite some years – since middle school, I think. He is very conceited, hateful, annoying, haughty and with a short temper. He hates everyone except his two best friends.

When Kat and Sofia told me they wrote that I was dating Zach, I was upset. Even enraged. This guy is the worst man I ever encounter. He hates me and I hate him. That is why I obviously answered: “No.”

Kat and Sofia kept on saying “but we can’t go back on it now, it’s over, and you’ll love it… bla, bla, bla…”. I kept on responding: “No, that is out of the question.” But after more debating, I concluded by saying: “I need to think about it.” The two women saw some hope in my answer. And it pains me to admit it, but they were right. Eventually, five days before taking off, I said yes.

On the men’s side, Zachary was pretty opposed to the idea, too, but like me, he could not say no to his best friends. Although we both agreed to play a fake relationship, we did not speak to the other, until we took the plane. Everyone arrived at the airport very early. Sofia forced me to arrive at least six hours before taking off. Thus, I woke up at 4 and now, I am very tired. Not very surprisingly, Zachary is the last one to arrive. This bloke never arrives early – nor does he respect any human being on the planet. He avoids looking at me, of course, and goes straight to speak with Steve who is sitting next to his girlfriend, Kat.

I have been first introduced to Steve Doyle when he arrived at school when we were fifteen. I was in charge of showing him around the high school.He arrived in the middle of the first semester from South Africa. At lunch, he ate with Kat, Sofia and me. According to his sayings later on, he automatically felt in love for Kat. Kat was not as in love with him, at first. She would lead him on for days, before actually doing anything with him. She was cruel towards him, at first. Then a year later, he was the one leading her on. Anyway, their relationship was a mess for a few years before entering college. Moreover, they were both very attractive – it made them the power couple of the high school for a long time.

Steve is tall, with a built that shows his very athletic background at school. Captain of the football team, he is a master in the art of persuasion with a smile that always had an effect on Kat. His black hair is always cut short and he has a darker complexion than Kat’s. His brown almost green eyes tend to impress an attentive spectator of his features. Like I said, he is very handsome. But contrary to Zach, he is way more modest and it is very pleasant to speak with him.

Katarzyna Wójcik, his girlfriend and my best friend, is also gorgeous. Her dark brown hair is cut in an elegant and polished bob – she always made sure to carefully draw some curls inside her always-impeccable coiffure. Her green eyes are shining like sapphires – it almost hypnotizes you. She is tall – almost as tall as Steve is. With high heels, she is higher from the ground than him. Her white skin easily turns red in the sun – therefore, she is used to putting a lot of sunblock and a very big hat to cover her face.

Next to them, Will and Sofia are standing up, chatting, laughing almost at every sentence. William Edwards is the complete opposite of Steve. He is not very handsome, really, but he is friendly. I know it sounds mean, but I am trying to stay the most honest. His olive skin has this almost livid tone. It is very odd. He seems joyful but sad at the same time. He always laughs but you can still feel a sort of sadness lurking inside of him. He is not very tall but he is quite slim. His auburn hair is always gathered in a low small bun. After another laugh, his glasses fall on the tip of his nose. Swiftly he puts them back higher on the bridge of his nose. His dark eyes are looking straight into his girlfriend’s eyes. William is really in love with Sofia – everyone can see it in his eyes. He has done a lot to make her like him. At first, she rejected him, telling him that she was in love with someone else – it was true, she had a girlfriend at the time. But as time passed, Sofia developed feelings for him and they began to date – and they have been together ever since.

His girlfriend, Sofia Garcia De León is very beautiful. Her ash-blond long hair is flowing delicately behind her back. She has a golden tan that looks perfect on her. Her brown eyes are looking at Will’s. She laughs. She has this high-pitched voice and laugh when she talks to him – I always finds the difference of her voice frequency comical with Kat and I and with him.

And I saved, evidently, the worst for last. Zachery Monet is single for a reason. As much as I hate him, it is not because of his looks. He is handsome – maybe even more attractive than Steve – but man!Is he a pain in the ass! He is tall – way taller than me. He has very dark wavy hair, falling slightly on his forehead. His light skin is one only blood sucking demons’ wear. His blue icy eyes judge you every second of your life – and I am glad he is not looking at me. His mouth only opens up to complain or insult people. His dark eyebrows are always shaped as if he is constantly frowning at you and the world. But the worst thing of all, is his personality. He knows that he is considered attractive by conventional beauty standards and he loves to make everyone know that everyone wants to get with him. He is also very enraging and tends to get angry very quickly. Moreover, he is a spoiled brat that lives on his mother’s wealth. I know, he is the ideal man.

And this egotistic awful man realises that I am looking at him. He glares at me. “What is it, bunny?” he said, his voice as deep as the fires of Hell. Bunny is the stupid nickname he decided to give me out of nowhere when I was twelve. I hate it.

I realise that now Steve, Kat, Will and Sofia are now looking at us. I answer to Zach, frowning: “Nothing. Why are you looking at me?”

“Youwere looking atme,” he retorted, his voice snapping.

I was but I refuse to give him the satisfaction to be right. Thus, I answer back, on the same snappish tone: “Iwas not.”

“Guys!” We turn in Steve’s direction. He has gotten up. “Why can’t you try to be less mean towards the other?”

Zach has a bitter laugh and crosses his arms on his chest. “Not a chance in Hell.”

“C’mon!” says Sofia. “We are going to spend a lovely time in a tropical island. Why can’t you enjoy this and put the fighting aside for a few weeks?” She added her question with a big smile.

I sigh. “I did not start any fight.” I point in Zach’s direction with my right index. “He did.”

Zach rolls his eyes. “I was just asking you why you are obsessed with me.”

Now, it is my turn to laugh bitterly. “Obsessed with you? Who in their right mind would be obsessed withyou?”

“Plenty, actually,” the very modest man replies.

I clap back: “How many of them are real people?”

Zach’s frowning intensifies but he does not answer. Will has a little laugh, looking at me and Zach arguing: “You two look like a divorced couple!”

Everyone laughs but Zach and I. Zach is looking at me for a few seconds – I sustain his gaze with the same frown he has – but quickly draws out his phone out of his pocket. I sigh and sit next to Kat.

A few hours later, the flight attendants called for our flight number. And there am I, off pretending to have a romantic relationship with my nemesis. Oh, do I love this stupid play?

Entering the plane, I realise that my luck must have run out. I look at my seat number. Shit… I am sitting next to Zach. Seriously? I go to see Sofia. “Why am I sitting next to Zach?”

“You are?” she said, faking a surprise tone. “I didn’t notice.”

I frown. “You did this on purpose?”

Now she is smiling at me.Perfect!My own best friend sabotages my life. “Maybe, I did…” She grabs my arm and whispers to me, joyfully: “C’mon, Lia! You guys need to play a couple. Why don’t you start now?”

“I hate you for doing that,” I answer to her.

Sofia lets go of my arm but she keeps her smile. “I know you love me.”

Kat is sitting next to Steve while Sofia is by Will’s side. So, that leaves me at the empty seat besides Zach’s. It’s going to be the longest ride ever. I took a big inspiration of air, trying to pluck up my courage to suffer for twelve hours. Zach is putting his luggage in the compartment on top of our seats. At least, I have the window. I slip next to him – God, he is tall. Next to him, I am as minuscule as a fly. I take my seat, and shortly after, he sits next to me. I look by the window, gazing at Heathrow Airport showered in the dim light of the sun. My plan is to look everywhere except in Zach’s direction. If I don’t look at him, I don’t have to speak to him. But he can speak to me. And that’s what he does: “How long are you going to stare at the airport?”

“How long are you going to stare at me?” I retort, keeping my eyes on the window.

He has a chuckle. “You wish, bunny. Twelve hours next to you! That must be what I’ll experience if I am sent to hell.”

I roll my eyes and pivot in his direction. He has his phone in his hands, typing on it frenetically. “Trust me,I amthe one in hell right now.”

He looks at me. “Oh, you are so cute when you try to insult me, bunny.” He gives a little flick on my nose. Zach always does that to me, and he has never told me why. I hate this gesture. It makes me think that he is treating me like a small girl, patronising me when I try to retort something to him.

“I already told you to stop that,” I tell him, sharply.

Zach smirks. “You mean, that?” Once again, he gives a flick on my nose. “I know you hate it – that’s why I continue to do it.”

The plane takes off. I grab a book from my bag. If I read, I won’t have to talk to him. In the air, Zachary does not try to talk to me again – and I am thankful for it. He is typing on his MacBook. He seems to be very focused on something. Discreetly I glance at the laptop’s screen. He is correcting what seems to be a presentation. With the few paragraphs I can read, I see that he is correcting a presentation about his family’s business. Zachary is the only son of Valérie Monet, CEO of Monet Construction Company. Zachary finished high school three years earlier than Steve, Will, Kat, Sofia and I. In Year 9, he was put in Year 11, then a few weeks later, in Year 12. After skipping three grades, he was still excelling in class – everyone would speak of him as a wonderkid. After graduating high school, he went to Cambridge – I don’t know what he exactly studied (it was something about economics). At eighteen, he got his Bachelor. After that, he begins working at his mother’s company. I don’t know what he does but it seems to keep him busy, a lot.

His mother is one of the wealthiest women in the world and she is Zach’s adopted mother. Sofia was the one who told me about this. Zach was adopted by Valérie Monet when he was three. According to Sofia, his birth parents died in a car crash when he was two. But Zach never talks about the fact he was adopted – he rarely talks about his family. So, most of my information on his family is from Sofia’s gossips.

Five hours after taking off, I begin to feel sleepy. I fall asleep, my head resting next to the window. I wake up suddenly when I hear the pilot’s voice: “Ladies and gentlemen, we are beginning our descent to Mauritius. Make sure to fasten your seatbelt…” I stretch, my back hurting. I look at the window. We are already arriving to Mauritius. Wow, did I sleep that long? Oh, and I missed breakfast. Zach is still sitting next to me, typing on his iPhone. “Good morning, bunny,” he says to me, his eyes still glued on his phone.

“Are we landing?” I ask him, still struggling to appear awake.

“We are.” He looks at me. “Oh, and you were drooling.”

I frown. “No, I was not.” Maybe, I was, actually. God, this is embarrassing. I shouldn’t have fallen asleep, especially next to him. Contrary to me, Zach looks very well rested, as if he had not been sitting in a plane for the past twelve hours. How can he look so conceited and immaculate? I bet that my whole face is showing my exhaustion and that I look like I just got run over by a car.

“You were. But it’s fine, bunny. My dog drools like that a lot.”

God, I hate him. I retort back: “Go to hell, Zach.”

He chuckles. “It is a delight to hear you insult me, bunny.”

After our twelve-hour plane ride, we land in Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean. From there, we have to take another plane to Agaparos. The ride lasts two hours and then, we are supposed to register with ourcouple forms– don’t ask me why it is (that’s just what Sofia told me). The aircraft ATR-72-500 that takes us to Agaparos is smaller – I hear Sofia talk about it. Thus, we don’t have assigned seats and I am not forced to sit next to Zach – finally, I can appreciate the trip! I take a seat between Kat and Will. Zach sits next to Steve and a Swedish blond woman that talks with him – a lot. I cannot be happier to see him so miserable next to her.

The ride is short and quickly, we land on Agaparos. The weather is very tropical and sunny. On the plane, there are about thirty people. Getting off of the plane, the passengers are directed to the inside of the airport. The building is not vast – it is quite small actually. The roofs were painted in a bright green that marries well with the palm trees growing around the building. All passengers are taken to three counters and airport staff register their arrival and verify their identity. Sofia gives me thecouple formabout my fictious relationship with Zach. The form is single piece of paper, attesting that Zach and I had been selected for the program. Zach is standing behind me, but he doesn’t ask me to look at the paper. When we arrive at the counter for the check-up, a pink-haired woman standing behind a desk asks us: “Can I have yourcouple formand both of your IDs please?” I hand her my identity card and thecouple formSofia gave me. Behind me, Zach hands also his ID. Typing quickly on the computer, she checks our identities. After a few seconds, she says to us: “Mr Zachary Monet and Miss Amelia Burnam, welcome to Agaparos Island. We hope you enjoy your magical and romantic stay on our beautiful island.” I hear Zach chuckle behind me. “Please move to the booth number eight a taxi will take you to your hotel room.”

I grab our papers back and thanks her: “Thank you.” I give Zach his ID back and we begin to walk to the hallway of the airport. Every couple are walking to their assigned booth. There are fifteen booths – each of them is small black doors that direct someone to the outside of the airport. The booths all have numbers on top of them, painted in red in a black background.

Zach tells me as I look for booth eight: “Will and Steve have already gotten to their taxi. We should go.” Will, Sofia, Steve and Kat went through the counters before us.

I am still looking for booth eight but I can’t find it. There are a lot of people walking around us and I don’t see personnel to guide us. I retort to him: “There’s no number eight.”

He grabs my arm –what is he doing?“There it is.” He pulls me to the left. I am about to protest but he is right. There it is! I finally see number eight, hidden in the left corner of the big crowded hallway. He lets go of me once we arrive outside. A dark red car is waiting for us outside. A dark-haired man with a blue cap on, standing behind the wheel, asks us: “Monet and Burnam?”

“That’s us!” says Zach.

“Hop in! I am driving you to the hotel,” the driver adds.

Zach enters the car first. The car ride is about fifteen minutes. Contrary to the airport, the hotel is very big. The car stops in front of the hotel entrance. The hotel is located on the seashore, surrounded by palm trees. The building has a colonial-like architecture with white walls and pillars surrounding the gravel driveway to the entrance. The roofs are made of very dark brown thatch. Trees with brilliant green leaves line the driveway leading to the entrance. I get out of the car and take my suitcase which I drag behind me. Zach follows me, always staying behind my back.

In the lounge, three couples are waiting to register their arrival at the hotel. In the queue, I observe the scenery around us. Agaparos is a small island but it shows that it was created by scientists to be the ideal tropical island. Everything seems perfect. The weather is wonderful, everything seems idyllic. The hotel lounge has a floor with black and white tiles and a wooden roof. The beige walls are covered with paintings of beaches, tropical birds or trees and colourful flowers. A large wooden desk is in the right corner of the room, and five people behind the desk register the couples and give them their room number.

During our wait, Zach is on his phone and doesn’t speak a word to me. Once it’s our turn, I am prepared to tell them our identities. But the blond one with green eyes – her nametag tells her name is Melody – standing in front of us recognises us automatically. “Zachary Monet and Amelia Burnam?”

I frown. How does she know my name? “Yes, that’s us, but how did you know our names?” I ask her.

“We have your files and your photos ID and your taxi driver notified us you were here,” Melody quickly explains, with a huge smile. “Welcome to Agaparos. You will be sleeping here in Agaparos Resort. Your room is on the west side Building in the Red Velvet district.” She lays a map in front of us on the wooden desk. “You have five districts on the resort.” She points at each of them, enumerating them: “Your room is in Red Velvet. You have next to it Blue Lemon and Yellow Lark on the other side of Red Velvet. You have the cleaning utilities and shops on Purple Rose. The restaurant and concert room are on Golden Tulip. The restaurant is open from 7.30 in the morning to midnight.” She gives us two cards with the 307 painted in pink ink in very elegant cursive letters, on a black background. I grab the plastic card. Zach grasps his with the map that he begins to examine. Melody continues to explain: “You will be staying for eight weeks. We have organised you a meeting with your assigned couple therapist in two hours. It will take place in the Red Velvet district in Room 109. Here’s all the information you need about your meeting.” She hands me a piece of yellow paper, reading as follows:

MEETING WITH A COUPLE THERAPIST

FOR : Zachary Monet/Amelia Burnam

WITH : Julianna Nguyen

DATE : 07/02/2017

HOUR : 1.30 PM

ROOM : 109 / Red Velvet District

“If you need anything, there will be people at this desk 24/7. From your room, just dial 143 when you want to reach the main desk. Do you have any questions or requests for us?” she asks the two of us.

Zach, behind me, answers: “I’m fine. Do you have questions, Lia?”

I look at him, surprised by his enquiry – why is he asking me if I have some questions? Maybe he just tries to play the concerned and considerate boyfriend. I answer to Melody: “I’m fine, too.”

“Alright, go next to the pool and then to your left to join your room.”

“Thank you,” I answer, taking my suitcase. We get out of the lounge and arrive next to huge pool, surrounding by volcanic rocks. Yes, the brochure is not wrong. This looks like paradise on earth. White tiles surround the water and lead people to an assemble of houses with white walls and dark brown thatch roofs.

Suddenly, I hear Zach’s voice a bit farther away: “Bunny, what are you doing?”

I jump and turn in his direction. I just realise that I haven’t moved for quite some time as I was staring into the blue clear water of the pool. Zach looks rushed to get to our room. I quickly join him: “Nothing. Where is the Red Velvet district?”

Zach quickly glances at the map in his hands. “According to the map, it’s down this path.” Zach is walking faster than me, and I almost have to run to keep up with him – how is he so fast? Down the path of white tiles, we stop in front of a four-floor building made of bright red painted walls. After walking on a white and red mosaic represented a hibiscus, we climb the dark brown wooden stairs.

Our room is on the second floor. We arrive next to the bright red door with 307 written with a golden paint. The room is huge – the apartment I share with Kat in London is very small compared to this hotel room. The walls and ceiling are made of wood and the parquet on the floor is so shiny I can see my reflection in it. A king size bed with red and white linens is pushed to the wall and faces a bay window leading to a balcony. On the bed, there is a basket with red towels, red soaps, red sandals, red bathrobes, red roses and a red piece of paper folded on top. To the right of the bed, near a half-open door, is a wooden desk with a grey lamp and a white leather chair. At the top of the desk, I see a window overlooking the sea. White curtains encircle the bay window. Near the door, to the left of the bed, there is a large beige sofa. Opposite the sofa, a large wooden cabinet is built into the wall.

I put my suitcase on the corner next to the wall and walk towards the half-open door next to the desk. The room behind the door is also large. It is a bathroom, extremely luxurious. A black painted bathtub large enough for two people is fixed on the floor, next to a large window overlooking the sea. The walls of the bathroom are red and the floor is made of black and gold tiles. A black and somewhat golden marble sink is to the right of the tub and to the left of the toilet. I remember the cost of our stay in Agaparos. At least I know that the outrageous price for our eight weeks here is worth it.

All of a sudden, I hear Zach in the other room laugh. I go back into the bedroom. He is reading the red piece of paper that was in the basket on the bed. “Why are you laughing?” I ask him, frowning.

“Look at this,” he says, handing me the paper.

Welcome to one of our Red Velvet Rooms.

The room has been designed to enhance a couple’s sexual attraction and to boost the passion in one’s relationship.

Feel free to indulge in the lust and desire of your relationship.

Okay, I have to admit that looking at Zach’s and I’s situation, this is quite comical. I have a chuckle. Zach says, putting his jacket on the bed: “There is not going to be any passion in this room. Speaking of that, you take the couch, Bunny.” As he said that, he threw at me one of the red pillows from the bed.

I know we wouldn’t be sleeping in the same bed – and thank God for that! I would not have stand to sleep with someone as horrible as Zach. But why on earth am I the one sleeping the couch? This is unfair! Why does he get to decide it? “Why me?” I ask him, frowning and catching the pillow.

“Because you’re smaller than me, bunny,” he answers right away.

Smaller than him? Seriously? I agree that the couch is smaller than the bed but still, it is big enough for someone like Zach to sleep in. “What if I don’t want to take the couch?” I retort, getting irritated at his imperative tone.

Zach smirks. “Then, you will have to sleep with me. In this bed.” He eyes the bed he is standing next to.

Oh, hell no! I amnotsleeping in the same bed as him. And I also don’t want to argue with him further on this. Thus, I reply: “Fine. I’ll take the couch.”

“Perfect. I’ll go take a shower.” He grabs some clothes out of his suitcase and a red towel from the basket.