by Bryce Oakley
"Don't change a thing," Isla said, shaking her head.
Freya's eyes searched hers, and for a moment, the air felt charged around them.
Pia cleared her throat from somewhere else in the room.
"Beautiful moment, but it's showtime, people. Isla. Get your ass in that dress. Phoebe might actually murder us if we're late," she said.
Isla grabbed her dress and ran into the second bedroom of the villa, hastily tearing off her robe and stepping into the gown with the type of caution appropriate for expensive, tight-fitting clothes that would cost her two month's salary to replace.
The others were standing outside as she joined them, carrying her heels in one hand and her clutch in the other.
Collins' eyes widened, Pia looked impatient, and Freya's mouth dropped open slightly. Okay, she could take 2/3 solid reactions. Not bad.
"Did you call a golf cart? I don't think I can ride a bike in this thing," she joked.
Luckily, before anyone could answer, a gold cart full of the Rush brothers and their wives pulled up in front of the villa.
"See, we're not the latest," Freya said, slapping Pia's ass playfully as she climbed into the cart.
The ceremony itself was simple and purely Billie and Vero. It was situated in a small grove of trees, encircling the center where the couple stood.
Billie wore a feminine suit, open at the collar, paired with slim wingtip shoes. Beside her, Domino wore a more masculine version of a similar suit in a darker color, and Zoey and Meg wore a simple sheath dresses.
Vero was walked down the aisle by her father while Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide" played, and Isla teared up seeing the way Billie watched her with the purest look of love she’d ever witnessed. Sabrina stood as Vero’s bridesmaid, looking gorgeous in the same type of dress as Zoey and Meg. A woman that Isla knew only as Elena stood as Vero's Best Woman.
Vero’s vows promised to love and cherish Billie, to never correct her mistaken lyrics and to always keep her safe from harm and creepy record-store dudes.
Billie produced an acoustic guitar out of nearly thin air — seriously, had she hidden that thing in her suit jacket? She sang her vows with a gentle strum, promising to honor and cherish Vero, follow her on any death march hike and through any hot springs, and to love her through it all.
Isla wiped at her eyes, looking around the crowd. Not a dry eye in the place. Even Phoebe looked moved. Vero looked as though she might melt into a puddle in the sand at any moment.
Freya handed Isla a tissue. “Get it together,” she teased in a whisper.
The fire crackled in front of Isla's eyes, the wood glowing red and orange in the darkness of the night.
She couldn't remember whose suggestion the bonfire on the beach was, but she was enjoying the after party with Freya and the couples: Meg, Collins, Sabrina, Domino, Zoey, and Pia. The couples were all wrapped in blankets, cuddled together.
The air was cool and the waves set a slow rhythm to the night. The breeze in the trees made Isla feel enveloped in a magical world. Just her, her friends, the stars above them, and the wide ocean before them.
Isla had changed out of her dress into comfortable joggers and a tank top.
"I can't believe they didn't use 'Undone' as their first dance song," Meg said. She was inexplicably wearing an Elvis jumpsuit, as was Collins, that she had changed into for the reception.
Isla had always thought Collins was an asshole, but something about her willingness to go along with Meg's antics endeared her.
"Too predictable," Domino said with a grin. "I thought that Cat Power's cover of 'Sea of Love' was a nice choice."
Isla saw Freya shiver out of the corner of her eye. She leaned towards her, offering a corner of the blanket that she had wrapped around herself.
Freya took the blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders, scooting closer on the sand to Isla. Isla could feel the heat of Freya's body against hers as their arms pressed together. She was oddly aware of Freya's breathing, of every shift in movement.
Pia poured from a wine bottle into the glass in Freya's outstretched hand.
"So, whose wedding will be next?" Freya teased.
Zoey rolled her eyes. "I think Billie and Vero are the exception, not the rule."
Isla noticed Pia staring a hole into her wine glass.
"What? You don't think any of us will get married?" Domino asked.
"I just think we're all strong, independent women who don't need marriage to define us," Zoey said with a shrug.
Meg raised her can of La Croix in a cheers to Zoey.
"I like the idea of being married," Isla admitted with a shrug.
"You do?" Freya asked, turning slightly towards her.
"Yeah, I think it would be such an honor to find someone who wanted to align their life so closely with mine. Don't get me wrong, I hate dating, and I think if I could skip from single to engaged, I would consider it," Isla said with a giggle. She felt slightly self-conscious explaining herself in front of such an intelligent group of women whose strong opinions on subjects never went unsaid.
"That's kind of lovely when you say it like that. Aligning your lives," Sabrina said with a wistful smile.
Isla thought back to earlier, overhearing that Domino was going to propose to Sabrina. Well, at least Sabrina seemed as though she’d be on board. And of course, what was marriage that the two of them hadn’t already begun? They lived together, they’d adopted a dog together. Rumor had it Sabrina had even begun regularly surfing, which was something Isla had yet to witness.
Domino pulled Sabrina close and kissed the soft part of her cheek below her eye.
Isla held back an "Aww."
Wow, the wedding had made her so soft.
"Marriage is a promise to love you as you are, and who you'll become," Pia said softly.
"But why designate that idea only to marriage? Can't relationships be that important without the legal union?" Collins asked.
Domino sighed. "Isla, Freya, you just had to go and stir the pot." She grinned from across the fire.
"You must feel jealous, since it's usually your job to do that," Freya quipped.
Domino belly laughed. "Well played, Fray."
Pia stood, holding out a hand to Zoey. "Want to turn in?"
Zoey smiled, nodding, and stood with Pia's help.
Isla glanced to Freya to see her brows furrowed tightly as she stared into the fire.
"You okay?" She asked quietly.
Freya gave a small nod. "Yeah, just getting thoughtful in my old age."
"Gross, stop it," Isla grinned, bumping her shoulder against Freya's.
Domino and Sabrina turned in shortly after, and Collins followed about ten minutes later.
Meg lay sprawled out on the sand.
"I miss the Single Girl's Club," Meg said, staring up at the sky.
"Trouble in paradise?" Freya asked.
"No, I love Collins, and I love our life, but didn't it just seem like she was actively campaigning not to get married? And I don't even want to get married, and yet here I am, feeling a little offended," Meg said, propping herself up on her elbow. "It's so much simpler to be single. You only have to worry about yourself."
Isla sighed. "You're romanticizing it. Remember all the awkward one night stands?"
"Remember the really good one night stands?" Meg said with a laugh.
"Can I ask you guys an awkward question?" Freya said, finishing off her glass of wine.
"Sure," Meg said.
Isla eyed Freya warily. It was rather rare for any good to follow such an intro.
"You guys definitely hooked up, right?" Freya said, looking between her and Isla.
Isla exploded in surprised and uncomfortable laughter. "Uhh," she stalled, glancing to Meg.
"A long time ago. Like back when Domino and Sabrina were first getting together," Meg said.
"Why didn't you try to make a go of it?" Freya asked.
Isla shrugged awkwardly. She and Meg had slept together once,
and it had been fine, but it hadn't felt like sparks. It felt like kissing a friend out of curiosity or boredom. Nothing about it had changed her life. She was waiting for something... more. Something mindblowing.
"I think we just had to get it out of our systems so that we could be friends," Isla said.
"That's the most lesbian thing I've ever heard." Freya shook her head.
"You've never been interested in someone and then decided they were in your life for a different purpose?" Meg asked.
Isla smiled. She and Meg had processed their hookup of nearly two years ago. She had no weird feelings attached to it anymore. Nevermind that back then, Meg was a bit of a hot mess and she had no interest in dating. Meg had matured, but she had still stayed the same — content in being single, despite her hopeless romantic views on marriage.
Meg giggled, nodding. "I know it sounds super cliche, but when I'm with Collins, it just feels different. It feels specific, like we just fit. And don't get me wrong, Isla, you're like, model gorgeous. Like a super babe."
"Wow," Isla said, blinking. She hadn't been prepared for that.
Freya shrugged. "Yeah, I see what you mean."
"Stop teasing me," Isla said, her cheeks flushing.
Freya wrapped an arm around Isla, playfully shaking her.
Meg stood, brushing off the front of her sparkly Elvis jumpsuit. "Well, I'm going to see if my beautiful girlfriend would like to order some room service and eat strawberries off my naked body. You two kids have fun," she said, giving a salute as she stomped off down the beach.
"She's such a fun hurricane," Freya said with a grin, unwrapping her arm from around Isla.
"Her? You mean you, causing a bit of drama by bringing up past hookups?" Isla teased, pulling the blanket tighter around her shoulder.
"I've just always wondered."
"What about you? Haven't you ever hooked up with a friend just to see what it would be like?" Isla asked.
Freya looked thoughtful. "I can't say that I have. How do you establish boundaries?"
"Boundaries?"
"Well, how do you simply stay friends after such an intimate experience?"
Freya's face was inches from her own. Her breath was warm on Isla's lips.
"You just talk about it. You'd be amazed at what communication can do," Isla teased, and her stomach twisted in anticipation. Why did she feel as though she was standing right on the edge of something? Like somehow everything was about to change.
Freya's gaze flicked down to Isla's mouth.
"It's late," Freya said.
Isla nodded, licking her lips in anticipation.
"Let's put out the fire and go to bed," Freya said.
"Literally or figuratively?" Isla asked.
Freya's eyes narrowed for a fraction of a second and then she stood quickly, as if she needed to put distance between her and Isla. She scooped sand into the small wooden bucket that the hotel front desk had given them and poured it over the fire.
The night turned dark, the heat dissipating almost immediately. And in the cold, dark evening, Isla felt slightly ashamed of being so forward with Freya.
It would be so awkward to share a room with her after suggesting they should act on the momentary spark between them. What a creepy thing to have done. What had gotten into her?
Weddings, ugh.
They walked back to their villa along the beach in silence, Freya leading the way, twirling an empty wine glass in her hand.
Isla worried the whole way, twisting the blanket in her hands as she followed Freya. She couldn’t determine if Freya was upset or not.
They needed to talk about it before it stretched out between them too much. Isla had overstepped, but it didn't mean that they couldn't laugh about it later. She had only had one glass of wine, but they could always blame it on the romantic paradise setting, right?
This was something they could laugh about in the future as friends, as they had just laughed about her and Meg's very short-lived hookup.
Isla dropped the sandy blanket onto the chair near the pool and waited as Freya rinsed off her feet and hands in the outdoor shower, then did the same.
Freya walked inside without another word.
Isla stared up at the cool water pouring over her and contemplated stepping in. She was so not looking forward to sleeping on that couch. Maybe she could call Sabrina and beg to stay in their villa for the night?
Except she might be crashing an engagement...
"You okay?" Freya called out the open patio door.
"Yeah," Isla said, quickly turning off the knob for the water. "Sand is just intense."
Freya laughed. "Want another glass of wine?"
"No, I'm okay," Isla said. At least Freya was talking to her again. Maybe she had misinterpreted. She grabbed a towel off of the table near the deck chairs and dried her hands and feet, then stepped inside the villa.
Freya had disappeared again.
Isla found the water bottle she had filled earlier and took a large swig of the cool liquid, trying to relax.
"So, question," Freya said from behind her.
Isla turned to see Freya was wearing nothing but a loosely tied bathrobe. She nearly choked on the last of the water in her mouth.
"Do you want to sleep in the bed tonight?" Freya said, her face completely blank.
Chapter Four
Freya
Freya's heart pounded in her chest as she stood in the doorway.
Sure, she was just telling her friend they could sleep in the same bed, but after what Isla had clearly insinuated earlier, it felt like she was asking something so much more than that.
Was she ready for that? What if Isla hadn't been serious? Maybe she had misread the situation.
And yet, the moment Isla had suggested the idea, she had been intrigued. Maybe this was a way for her to stop thinking about what it would be like to touch Isla, to kiss the soft skin below her ear where her neck slipped into her shoulder, to stop thinking about the way Isla's legs felt as they brushed against hers in the water when they were snorkelling. It was as though some kind of spell had come over her the moment she'd seen Isla naked on the patio chaise, and if this was a way to break the spell, at least it would be a fun undoing.
Isla simply looked shocked.
"We're both mature adults," Freya said a lot more calmly than she felt. "I don't think it has to be a big deal."
"Sure," Isla said, nodding and wiping at the corner of her mouth with her thumb. The gesture made Freya's insides twist.
"And if you don't want to–"
"No, I want to," Isla said. "I mean, because the couch is really small."
Freya laughed, put slightly at ease from the speed of her reply.
Isla crossed the room slowly. "I'm going to go get ready for bed, then," she said with a smile as she turned toward the bathroom.
They brushed their teeth and washed their faces in near silence, and Freya momentarily questioned whether or not she was making a mistake.
But then Isla caught her eye in the mirror and smiled, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand in a silly, innocent gesture.
Freya changed into pajamas as Isla did the same in the other room, then crawled into bed.
She felt nervous as she watched Isla walk into the room in a faded t-shirt and shorts — seriously, who had the right to look attractive wearing a t-shirt with a stretched out neck?
She took a deep breath, trying to calm down. She didn't want to make a fool of herself for assuming Isla would want to be with her.
Besides, it was a rather large bed.
"Okay, well, goodnight then," Isla said, sounding uncharacteristically shy.
"Yeah, goodnight," Freya said, reaching to turn off her side light.
She could hear Isla's rhythmic breath, could sense her closeness, and yet, it felt as though the awkwardness of the moment had created a barrier between them.
"Hey?" Isla said, her accent pulling the word into a question.
"Yeah?" Freya asked
.
"Do you mind if we open the window? So, we can hear the waves.”
Freya smiled into the darkness. "Yeah, that would be nice."
Isla climbed out of the bed and shuffled across the bedroom toward the windows, which she slid open.
The waves, though small in the atoll, folded onto the shore with a rumble, and the breeze in the trees added a soothing melody to the rhythm.
Isla shuffled back across the room in the dark.
"Ow!" Isla yelped, and Freya sat up, trying to make out Isla in the dim light.
"What's wrong?"
"I just hit my shin on the chair. Who puts chairs in a bedroom? Monsters," Isla complained, sitting down on the edge of the bed.
Freya reached to turn the light on. "Are you okay?"
Isla nodded, pulling her knee to her chin as she inspected her leg. "Fuck, that hurt."
"Here, let me see," Freya said, scooting to kneel beside her on the bed.
Isla's leg had a scrape, and it would probably bruise in the morning.
"Well, I don't think we'll have to emergency-amputate," Freya teased. "But maybe the front desk has crutches? Or we could convince Collins to fireman carry you for the next few days?”
Isla rolled her eyes and reached to shove Freya playfully.
Freya laughed, grabbing Isla's outstretched hand.
Their laughter died down and the moment shifted significantly as Isla's hand lingered in her own.
Isla's eyes searched hers, as if to see if her own intentions were reflected there.
Freya wasn't sure exactly what the order of events were, but Isla leaned in as she did the same, and suddenly, their mouths were crashing against one another in a fit of freshly uncoiled anticipation.
The feeling of Isla's mouth on hers made her entire body alight with pleasure.
Freya took Isla’s bottom lip between her teeth, tugging it gently. Isla’s moan in response was one of the sexiest noises she’d ever heard, encouraging her to do it again.
“Just to get it out of our systems,” Freya whispered against Isla’s mouth, and she felt a smile in return.