“If you must know, Paxos happens to be a paradise of clear waters and lush greenery,” replied Sofia.
“We’ll just have to see about that. I bet it’s the worst place ever!”
“Danny, I think it’s time to pay Steve again.”
“Why should I pay him?”
“For calling my granddad a werewolf for starters! That’s just being plain silly. I believe a payment is well due for that.”
“That’s right,” said Steve. “Pay up mate! When are you going to learn your lesson?” He shook his head and stretched out his hand, palm up.
“I’ll do better than that! Loula, bira parakalo! My round,” said Danny, ordering beer in his best Greek.
Chapter 29
Sofia wished away the next few days till Saturday. She wrote in her diary every evening, filling the blank pages with enthusiastic accounts of every second from her daily, brief encounters with the boys. She felt disappointed that her cousins hadn’t come to the village yet. She needed a solid alibi in order to meet Danny one evening, but she couldn’t complain. She had put all her hopes on Saturday, setting herself up for the most blissful day ever. The boys would go home soon and so, she didn’t dare think what would happen next. All she allowed herself to think about was Paxos, knowing the rest would take care of itself, if it were meant to be. Sofia was a firm believer of fate where it came to love.
When Saturday came, she and Loula met up with the boys early on the pier. The boat arrived and set off right on schedule, full of tourists as usual.
The four of them sat on the bow to enjoy the breeze and to soak up the sunshine. They were sitting on plastic chairs. Danny had an arm around Sofia’s waist, sharing his Walkman earphones with her. He kept skipping from song to song, eager to play for her all his favourite tunes such as ‘Word Up’ by Cameo, ‘I Just Died in Your Arms’ by Cutting Crew and of course, the pièce de résistance, ‘Never Gonna Give you Up’ by Rick Astley. Sofia and Loula teamed up to tease Danny when that song came on, reminding him how silly he had looked that first day they saw him on the beach. He had danced to it and sung it until he drove Steve to a frenzy of vexation.
Danny couldn’t believe Sofia knew most of the songs he played for her, and he named all the bands she didn’t know. They continued to chat incessantly while Steve and Loula sat in silence holding hands, just smiling at each other. Every now and then, Steve would reach out to brush a strand of hair away from Loula’s face and ever so gently, tuck it behind her ear.
Anyone could see they were smitten with each other, but this wasn’t the case with Danny and Sofia. To the onlooker, they seemed to be attracted to each other enough, but Danny also appeared quite distracted, noticing every pretty girl on board.
As for Sofia, after she left the Walkman all to Danny and opted to just look out to sea, the melancholic look on her face revealed she wasn’t exactly in the state of bliss she had hoped for. She had noticed that Danny followed with his eyes every girl who passed them by. Yet, she knew he was a flirt, so she wasn’t too surprised. Despite her feelings for him, she was a realist. She didn’t expect anything from him. Already, she imagined the time that he’d be gone, and she’d be haunted by the bittersweet memories
“Hey, why so glum?” asked Danny putting away his Walkman in his backpack. “You could save that long face for when we get to Calcutta,” he teased, nudging her on the elbow.
“Oh you,” she retorted, slapping his wrist.
“What’s the matter? You’re missing some Danny love, aren’t you? Here you are; I’m feeling generous today,” he said, planting a firm kiss on her cheek.
“Oh, thank you, how kind! How can I ever repay you?” she teased back.
“Huh! Just play your cards right and you never know,” he said, looking deep into her eyes. Sofia gazed back at him, and then he moved forward. His eyes caught fire with that twinkle that meant trouble.
“How about a kiss, gorgeous?” he asked. “Do I dare one or will you throw me overboard?”
“Here? I can’t kiss you here in front of all these people!”
“But they’re all strangers. What do you care?” He argued in a soft whisper, stroking her neck with two fingers.
“I’m sorry, okay?” Although it ended in a question, it sounded final.
“I don’t understand,” Danny complained, shifting his weight to pull away from Sofia. He had sounded hurt, like a pupil scolded by the teacher.
“Look, it’s not that I don’t want to. But I’m not like the girls you meet back home. This country is not half as liberal as yours. I was raised in a different way.”
“I can see that,” he said, trying to smile. “Okay, let’s forget about it and enjoy the sun,” he cheered, his high spirits restored again. Yet, there was a shadow in his eyes when he stole a glance at her a few moments later.
He was wearing his straw hat as usual, and he put it even lower now over his brow, leaning back in his chair. He stretched out his legs and crossed his arms on his chest. When he closed his eyes, Sofia took the message that he intended to be quiet again for a while. She felt a prickle of guilt but didn’t say anything.
She turned to Steve and Loula, and they were delighted to have her attention. For the past few minutes, Steve had been trying to tell Loula a few more things about his life back home, but it had proven tricky. Sofia was pleased to interpret and help them out. It was the perfect way to fill the time till their first port of call.
***
“Okay, I don’t mind admitting it. This is definitely not bad!” announced Danny as soon as they all disembarked at the picturesque marina of Lakka in the northern tip of Paxos. It was a bustling little place with quaint restaurants and cafés that offered generous views to the open sea.
A multitude of souvenir shops lined the streets. Every single one of them brimmed with merchandise such as colourful scarves and beach towels, jewellery and earthenware. All the establishments seemed to thrive with business. Tourists disembarked here in high spirits, leaving their yachts and boats for a while to seek a cool drink in the shade, or a little keepsake to take back home with them.
“Shall we have a quick drink perhaps? I’m parched!” said Steve after a short walk around, and everyone obliged him gladly. Danny picked a busy café, and they sat at the edge of its veranda under the cool of its canvas awning. Before them, the sea was a sparkling inky blue. The waves splashed softly against the rocky shore.
Danny became highly boisterous while sitting next to Sofia and across the other two. His hands were fully animated as he cracked one joke after another. Once they finished their drinks, Steve and Loula left for another visit to the shops.
As soon as they were alone, Danny moved closer to Sofia along the comfy sofa. Giving a deep sigh, he put an arm around her. “What am I going to do with you?” he asked, looking into her eyes.
“What do you mean?” came her puzzled response.
“If you were an English girl, this would be so easy,” he said, raising his eyes to the sky.
She nodded. “I know what you mean.”
“Do you think you could come to England?” he asked gently, facing her again, his eyes turning cobalt blue against the stunning seascape behind him.
“I told you,” she said brightly, “next year, once I’ve finished my studies, I’m coming to England for my master’s degree.”
“One year from now? I’ll be twenty-one then, I’ll be old!” he exclaimed with a wide grin.
“Don’t be silly! Unless you have more change to spare,” she warned him, shaking a finger before his face. To her surprise, he grabbed her finger and kissed it, then took her hand in his and stroked it tenderly. The look in his eyes became deep then and once more, she was taken aback. What was it about him that often caught her by surprise? As soon as she would have him down as a silly boy who’s only out to have fun, he would do or say something to confuse her again, something that would suggest there could somehow be more, hidden inside his heart, far more than he would ever choose to exp
ress.
“You…” She gave a feeble, awkward smile as her voice trailed off.
“Wait a minute; you’re twenty-one, aren't you?”
“Yeah, so?”
“I’m only twenty. This makes me your toy boy! Phwor! Wait till I tell my mates back home that I had an older woman showing me the ropes in Greece!”
“You’ll do no such thing!” she scolded him playfully, jabbing him on the arm, but he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her closer to him. He buried his face in her neck and left a lingering kiss there. When she met his gaze next, the usual twinkle in his eyes had turned into a galaxy of exploding stars.
“Let’s just be friends and go with the flow… See what happens… What do you think, Sofia?” He looked sombre again. Sofia was still amazed how easily he found it to turn from the absolute madman into the most deadpan human being on the planet in a fraction of a second.
“Sounds great,” she replied breathlessly, hope rising in her heart. What was he saying? Did he want to keep in touch? She didn’t even dare ask him.
“You’re so beautiful, Sofia! Such a pity I cannot kiss you on the lips like I’m dying to,” he said, stroking her hand.
Sofia felt her cheeks burn red. “Well, I promise I’ll kiss you before this day is over. How’s that?”
“Yes, ma’am!” he replied happily, raising his arm to perform an exaggerated military salute.
She giggled. “You don’t like your spare change much, do you?”
“I don’t care,” he whispered in her ear.
“Just allow me to choose the time and place, okay?”
“Are you kidding? Of course! We couldn’t have any poor onlookers turn into stone watching you kiss me now, could we?” he joked with googly eyes.
“Huh!” Sofia giggled again.
“Surely this island has some quiet spots somewhere. That’s my mission for today. I’ll find one and then you’ll have to kiss me!” he announced pulling her closer to him.
Sofia melted in his arms and silently wished the next year away. She would do anything to be able to fly to England with him in two days, if possible to be packed in his bag and go blindly anywhere he had to go. Being there, in the warmth of his arms, it didn’t matter to her that he was a flirt, eyeing up all the other girls. He was the type of man she used to shy away from, but already, she could sense that for some of them, perhaps it was a façade after all. Now, she felt intrigued and hoped he would stay in her life for her to find out in time the real him; if only he would let her.
They ordered two more refreshing drinks and enjoyed them in each other’s arms, barely speaking at times, just looking out to sea during those precious few moments alone together.
When Steve and Loula returned holding hands as usual, he was carrying a British newspaper, and there was something about Loula that made her look different. She was beaming when she sat down with Steve, their hands still clasped together. It took a few moments for Sofia to work it out, and at last she noticed her friend’s long silver earrings that had been the cause of her wide smile. They were set with square-cut, amethyst stones and made her look absolutely radiant.
“Me ya,” exclaimed Sofia, giving her the heartfelt Greek wish to enjoy with health her new acquisition.
“Efcharisto! Thank you! Steve just bought them for me,” she answered breezily.
At the same time, Steve explained to his friend.
“They’re very nice,” commented Danny. For a few moments, everyone’s eyes were on Loula’s cheerful face. Then Steve looked at his watch and announced they should be making their way back to the boat. It was time to sail to the nearby island of Antipaxos for a quick dip and then back to Paxos for their primary stop at Gaios.
***
“Oh my goodness! Look at the colour of the water! It’s emerald green,” cried Sofia.
The crew had just thrown anchor in the most sparkling, aquamarine waters imaginable, off a quiet sandy beach at Antipaxos. This was going to be a short stop. It was too far for anyone to risk swimming to shore, but it was close enough to observe the deserted beach. The sandy mass stretched for what seemed like miles into the distance, rising here and there in lonesome-looking dunes. A thick cluster of gnarled pine trees stood inland straight ahead and in a rocky cove, a small yacht had moored on its own, floating blissfully in solitude. Its passengers were lounging on the deck, just soaking up the sunshine. A large man in a baseball cap and long swim shorts waved from there to the onlookers. Immediately, everyone on the boat waved back at him.
“Ahoy! Ahoy there!” shouted Danny, throwing his hands in the air. The other three mimicked him, even Loula, who shouted out the words without even knowing their meaning.
Captain Spyros announced from the speaker a second warning that everyone should stay in the close vicinity of the boat, as this was only a half-hour stop. The youngest member of the crew took position to help the lady passengers down a ladder where they could dip themselves into the water at their own pace. Some of the young lads decided against joining the queue and instead climbed up to the highest part of the bow, diving into the water from there.
Needless to say, Danny was among the first to do that, but only after letting out the craziest Tarzan-like roar. Steve followed shortly after, diving in cross-legged, splashing into the water with a big thud like a bundle of rocks.
By the time Sofia and Loula came down the ladder, testing the water with their feet, the boys were there to egg them on. Danny splashed them to make them get in faster, which worked nicely. As soon as the girls got over the shock of the cool water, they rounded Danny up and got into a splashing fight with him, shrieking with total abandon.
Soon, there were exuberant faces bobbing on the water all around the boat. The youngsters were the loudest among them, diving in and splashing about like blissful ducks. The noise reached your ears pleasantly though, being a pandemonium of summer joy.
Danny and Steve went back on the boat a few times to dive off the bow while the girls watched from the water. Danny dived in a strange way a couple of times, by making his body totally rigid and falling into the water head first.
“What was that?” asked Sofia when he swam towards her after diving like that the first time.
“It’s my trademark! Do you like it?” he asked, chortling.
“Oh,” interrupted Steve coming from behind him, “It’s his wooden soldier dive! I can't believe you’re still doing that, you plonker!” He tutted and gave his friend a playful slap on the top of the head.
“Wooden soldier?” asked Sofia, mystified after translating for Loula.
Steve rolled his eyes. “Yes, that’s what he calls it. He used to drive us nuts in the swimming pool back at school. Although some of the girls were impressed; I’ll give him that!”
Danny put on a smug face, raising his eyebrows and grinning, making everybody giggle.
When they had enough, the four climbed up the ladder and stood by the rail to admire the view. Underneath them, the deep waters were so clear that they could see every detail on the seabed: sparkling sand and schools of silver fish, ragged rocks, covered with sea urchins with glistening spikes, honey-coloured anemones dancing in the undercurrents. Sofia even spotted a large crab, sliding down a rock to vanish under a lustrous cluster of mussels.
They dried off and returned to their seats. Steve and Loula sat down in a tight embrace. Danny got his Walkman out and offered Sofia one earpiece but she declined, opting instead to leaf through a magazine she had brought along. It was one of her British ones from Aunt Marika.
Danny listened to music but kept his gaze at the colourful pages, while fiddling with a bright red curl of Sofia’s hair, rolling it absentmindedly around his fingers.
Looking startled, he took his earphones off as soon as Sofia turned a page. “Hey, this is what I’ve been telling you about!”
“What?” Following his gaze, she scanned the open pages. It was a travel article about Brighton. The centre picture was of a beautiful pier with a murmur
ation of starlings overhead. The sea was peaceful against the dramatic backdrop of a clear sky at sunset.
“It’s Brighton, my part of the world,” said Danny, his face animated. “This is the Pier I’ve been telling you about.” For the past two days, Danny had been speaking incessantly about the two famous Brighton Piers. There was the fully functional one that was a place of fun for the visitors, and there was also an old one, which had been reduced to a mere shadow of Brighton’s grand history. Clearly, the latter was the one in the picture. Sofia thought it looked incredibly forlorn. It was derelict; a dwelling of ghosts from a heyday long lost in the mists of time.
“It’s beautiful,” she said, admiring the intricate rooftops of the Pier’s prominent structures and surrounding kiosks.
“It’s called the West Pier.”
“What an unimaginative name for something so grand!” commented Sofia without even thinking.
“What did you expect?”
“Well, something like ‘Queen Elisabeth Pier’ would be much more becoming!”
“Are you taking the mickey?” he asked with a half-smile.
“No, I’m serious! Whoever thought of that? ‘West Pier’! Really! What a poor name for something so magnificent!”
“I never thought of it this way. I think you’re right, though! I mean, they call the other one ‘Palace Pier’ and it’s not half as pretty as this one used to be.”
“Do you live near this…West Pier?” she asked, pointing to the picture again. She tapped on it lightly with her finger as if knocking on a door, calling in.
“Oh, yes. I visit Brighton on most weekends. It’s the closest place for a decent night out,” he said laughing, thinking of drunken nights with his mates along the promenade.
“Have you ever been on it?” she asked, pointing at the Pier with an index finger. The image grew on her as her gaze continued to fall upon it, becoming increasingly endearing to her. Without her willing it, her index finger approached the image again, and this time caressed it, as if it had a will of its own.
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