Chapter 5
I watched Barrett drag his finger across my phone's map, carefully plotting a new route for us. He looked so focused, I couldn't help but zone out for a second, just staring at him.
Back when I traveled with Raymond, the planning was always left to me. He didn't know a thing about where we were going and didn't even glance at my plans.
If I crammed too much into our schedule or accidentally picked a spot that looked amazing on Instagram but was a total letdown in real life, he'd start griping and picking on me.
He'd say, "Natalie, this itinerary is way too sloppy.
"My legs are about to give out. What's so great about this crappy place anyway?"
After a while, I almost forgot that traveling was supposed to be something two people did together, meant for both of us to talk things through and make plans as a team.
But Barrett was different. He'd obviously put in the effort beforehand.
In no time, he'd already fixed up my itinerary for me.
Once the plane hit cruising altitude, I was so tired that I drifted off to sleep without even realizing it.
When I woke up, I realized my head was resting on Barrett's shoulder, and my hand was unconsciously clutching the corner of his shirt.
Barrett was sitting there, stiff as a board, not daring to move a muscle.
I jolted awake, sat up straight, and my face turned bright red as I stammered out an apology.
"It's fine. You looked so peaceful, I didn't have the heart to wake you," he replied, sounding totally unfazed, like it was no big deal at all.
Over the next few days, Barrett and I explored Serphira Island together, following our new itinerary.
I realized Barrett was honestly the perfect travel buddy.
He never complained about the restaurants I picked, unlike Raymond, who was always nitpicking about whether they were "authentic" enough.
He didn't just snap a couple of quick photos and rush me along, either.
Whether it was a seafood shack or some local street food, he was totally into it, digging in with real enthusiasm.
"Natalie, you've got a real knack for finding great spots. This place is awesome," he said with a grin.
When it was time for photos, he'd patiently hunt for the perfect lighting and angle, even coaching me on how to pose.
Every picture he snapped looked like it belonged in a pro travel blog. It was like having my own personal photographer.
The only thing that put a damper on our trip was the Silver Veil, the famous bioluminescent waves everyone said would light up the shore. According to the forecast, they were supposed to show up, but so far, there was no sign of them.
Thankfully, we'd both booked a few extra days off, so we could stick around and keep hoping they'd finally make an appearance.
One day, after we left the Fairy Well Scenic Area, I was killing time on the bus ride back, scrolling through my phone.
Out of nowhere, I saw Giselle had just posted something on Instagram.
Before I even realized it, I clicked into her profile, and every single post was about Raymond.
At first, she was all formal, calling him her senior, Raymond.
She said: [Thanks to my senior Raymond for staying with me all night and talking me through things. I feel so much safer now.]
[My senior Raymond took me to try the hot pot I've been wanting, and even got me a huge cup of milk tea. So happy!]
But then, her captions started getting more intimate, and she switched to calling him "a certain someone."
[A certain someone really is a city boy. He'd never seen a firefly before and was so startled he actually yelped. Too adorable!]
[A certain someone is used to gourmet food, but he said my mom's cooking is hands-down the best he's ever had.]
[A certain someone wouldn't take no for an answer and took me hiking to watch the sunrise. But man, the path was still super slick from the rain, you know!]
[He said the misty view from the mountaintop moved him more than any ocean ever did.]
She was spamming her feed all day long, like she wanted to broadcast it to the whole world.
Didn't she claim she was losing her mind from all the drama? From what I was seeing, she looked like she was living her best life.
Just as I was about to put my phone away, Barrett suddenly handed me his.
"Natalie, I'm not one to stir up drama, but I think there are some things you should know," he said.
He pulled up the messages from his computer science dorm group chat and showed them to me.
One of his roommates tagged Raymond and asked: [How's your trip going?]
Raymond replied: [Not bad. The place is a bit rustic, but the air's great, and it's pretty chill.]
Another roommate chimed in: [Has Natalie reached out to you? She might've actually gone to Serphira Island. I haven't seen her around campus for the past couple of days.]
Raymond sent a dismissive emoji and replied: [Like she'd actually do that. She's got a ton of classes, so it's no wonder you haven't seen her. I'm not reaching out either. She needs to learn a lesson, or she'll just keep threatening to break up every time.]
A roommate said: [Raymond, you're way too cocky. Natalie's a total knockout. What if some guy tries to make a move on her while you guys are on the outs?]
Raymond just brushed it off: [Trust me, you have no idea how into me she is.]
He said: [Honestly, though, it's been almost a week since we talked. She's probably sulking in her dorm, bawling her eyes out. Once I'm done watching this movie with Giselle, I'll give her a call and throw her a bone.]
Every word felt like a needle, stabbing right into my eyes.
I looked up at Barrett and asked, "So, what are you getting at?"
"No big deal, I just think Raymond's way too fuzzy about boundaries with other girls for someone who's got a girlfriend," he replied.
"I'm not trying to stir the pot. I just want to make sure. Someone who can so easily spend the night at another girl's place, just go home with her like it's nothing… you wouldn't ever take a guy like that back, would you?"
He hesitated at the end, his voice careful and tinged with a subtle nervousness.
"I won't," I answered, my words sharp and resolute.
He didn't say anything more, just took his phone back, and a faint smile touched his eyes.
The bus ride back to the guesthouse was a long one, and after all the exploring we'd done these past few days, I was completely beat. Before I knew it, I drifted off to sleep again right there on the bus.