“Okay. Let’s do it,” Lily said.
At that, we locked forearms and jumped in tandem, grinning and smiling. I became giddy.
“Right, girls! What the hell are we doing. I’m getting off. No one fall and break an arm.” Mathilde knelt and awkwardly slid off the trampoline.
The rest of us followed her, even more awkwardly, except for Lily, who dismounted gracefully. Kaira was last to come down, having not stopped smiling and bouncing.
Back at the house, the energy was still up.
“I’m going to make some pasta. Who wants some?” Mathilde announced. “Save us all from being hungovertomorrow. To be honest, I’m already feeling a little hungover.”
Noises of approval went around the group.
“I’ll help you, Tilly.” Bouchra joined Mathilde in the kitchen.
Lily looked at me, a bit surprised.
“We do everything as a group. I guess it’s kind of odd.”
“No, it’s lovely. You guys are wonderful.”
We chilled out in the fancy lounge while pots clanged. I couldn’t take my eyes off Lily. Mathilde and Bouchra served bowls of pasta carbonara to anyone who wanted one. We ate in a comfortable silence. Everyone was winding down after a big night and a busy day getting settled into the villa.
After the food, most of us were falling asleep on various chairs and sofas around the open-plan room.
“See you tomorrow. I’ll be dead to the world for the next twelve hours at least,” said Vicky, shuffling towards her bedroom on Mathilde’s arm.
Everyone drifted off to bed after that. I lay awake on my bed listening to the quietness of the villa, replaying the night’s events in my mind, smiling to myself, looking so forward to waking up tomorrow and spending more time with Lily; the star who had shone brightest for me all night.
~ 3 ~
Lily
Sleeping in didn’t quite happen for me. I made some coffee while everyone slept. I was too excited to get up and start the day hence tip toeing around the villa trying not to wake anyone up. Vicky’s friends weren’t phased by the celebrity status I’d somehow acquired as a footballer. I felt like I could be myself here. I liked it.
“Good morning.” Rona appeared behind me in the kitchen.
“Hey, morning,” I replied, surprised to have company this early.
“You’re up early.”
I smiled. “Yeah. An old habit.”
“I’m a terrible sleeper. Thought I’d just get up and get on with the day. No use lying in bed thinking when I can do it down here in this beautiful house with a coffee in my hand, right?”
“Right. Coffee?”
Rona smiled. “Full disclosure, I heard it being made and I came down for it.”
I laughed. “Strategic.”
We sat in the garden beside an olive tree and the birds singing their morning songs. Rona was quiet as we sipped our coffee. Last night, she looked so hot on stage, and her glasses really added to her overall look for me. She came across as natural, relaxed, energetic, almost nerdy, and intellectual. I’d never made the connection between electronic dance music and bookish intellectual lesbianbefore, but now it made so much sense. Her songs were intelligent and demanded further enquiry. It was obvious she put a lot of thought into the whole production and there was a deeper meaning behind each of the songs she selected and played. I was already hooked.
I took another sip of coffee, stealing a look at her across the rim of my cup. “What were you thinking about in bed this morning?”
Rona looked at me, as if gauging how much to share. “An idea for a song.”
“Oh really? What is it?”
