Seraphina's POV
Since our work on Saturday was a half-day, Mira and I decided to have an overnight beach trip. I was a little excited because I had never done this with friends before. Mira had been insisting on a beach trip for a while, but I always refused. This time, though, since I needed to unwind, I agreed to take a little vacation. I had already packed the bag I would bring on our trip. Mira brought hers too because she said it would be a waste of time to go home just to get our bags.
As the clock struck 12 noon, Mira and I automatically stood up and walked faster to log out, carrying our bags. I secretly smiled because I had never experienced this kind of situation before. I wanted the clock to move faster just so we could start our trip. Mira openly expressed how excited she was, while I remained calm, though deep inside I wanted to burst with excitement.
We went to the employees' parking area where Mira's car was parked. As we walked, we saw Sir Dominic, Lucca, and Damian approaching. Mira and I stopped to greet them.
"Hi, Sir Dominic," Mira greeted our boss enthusiastically.
"Hi, Sir Damian," he replied to her crush with a slight flirt.
"Hi, Sir Lucca," she said with a forced smile, as if she didn't want to. Oh well, Lucca was an intimidating person. If he didn't change, people would always be scared of him.
"Wow, you brought your bags already," Sir Dominic said, putting his hands together. "Okay, let's use our van. We will not be driving separately."
"What?" I asked, confused. Why was he saying we would be using his van and not driving separately? What did this mean?
I looked at Mira with a questioning look. She just gave me a peace sign—which meant these three men were going on our BEACH TRIP???
"What?" I said as I realized what was happening. I looked at Mira, frowning. She hadn't told me that we would be spending our trip with another group. I thought it would just be the two of us. She didn't even inform me. The excitement I felt a while ago vanished. It turned into worry and hesitation.
"Mira, you didn't tell me," I said, my face angry.
"I'm sorry, Sera. It was a slip of the tongue, and Sir Dominic heard it," Mira explained.
I still looked at her angrily when Sir Dominic spoke. "It's not Mira's fault, Seraphina. I accidentally heard it and decided to come. Well, in fact, the more the merrier, right?" He smiled, making me uneasy. If I had known about this, I wouldn't have come. How could I spend the night with these three, especially the most intimidating person I have ever met?
"It's on us. You don't have to worry," he added.
It wasn't about the money. I thought this trip would help me clear my mind and find my peace, but it turned out to be the opposite. If Mira was happy because she was with her crush, well… I wasn't. How could I deal with Sir Dominic, whose energy seemed endless? How could I handle Lucca, whose stare made you melt? Ugh! I was so frustrated now. I wanted to go home and unpack my bag. The excitement I had felt was gone. My imagination of the beach had vanished, too.
"Let's go. We'll have a long ride," Sir Dominic said, helping me carry my bag. I was about to refuse, but his hands were faster than mine. Damian helped Mira, too, making her blush. As for Lucca? Well… never mind.
We rode in a luxury white van usually used by famous actors. This was the first time I had ever ridden in it. I sat down first. When Mira entered, I tapped the seat beside me, but to my surprise, she didn't sit next to me. She sat beside Damian! I frowned again. Why did I feel like Mira was betraying me with these men? Because Damian was there, had she already forgotten about me? And wow, the confidence of sitting with someone she barely knew. I shrugged and took a deep breath.
"Are you okay, Seraphina?" Sir Dominic asked and sat beside me. I looked back, and Lucca was there, occupying all the other seats.
"Wouldn't you sit beside your friend?" I asked Sir Dominic, pointing at Lucca, who had his eyes closed.
"I want to sit beside you," he said with a wide smile.
I wanted to kick him out of his seat, but that would be rude and possibly get me fired. So, I let Sir Dominic sit beside me, even though I was uncomfortable.
"I brought chips and drinks for the ride, guys," Sir Dominic announced to everyone. The driver had already started the engine, and we began our journey. Sir Dominic offered me a bag of potato chips. I wanted to refuse, but he kept smiling, so I focused on eating the chips he gave me.
"Thanks, Sir," I said after taking the bag from him.
"Enough calling me 'Sir.' Just call me by my name," he said while opening a can of soda from the icebox they brought.
"You are my boss, and it would be disrespectful not to call you 'Sir,'" I explained, then opened the bag of chips.
"If I say it's an order from your boss, will you do it?" Dominic asked.
"So, Sir Dominic, I should call you by your name too?" Mira interrupted and looked at us.
Dominic smiled at her and replied, "Yes."
I shrugged and focused on eating the chips. This was the first time I had eaten these kinds of chips, and I kind of liked them. I was reading the information printed on the bag when Dominic whispered to me.
"Do you like it? I can buy you more," he said, still smiling. Isn't he ever tired of smiling? If I were him, I would get exhausted.
"Don't you ever dare do that again," I said, referring to the boxes of gifts he kept sending me.
"May I ask why you don't like me sending gifts?"
"Because it's not my birthday," I answered sarcastically. Dominic laughed so hard at my response.
"I'm sorry. I couldn't help it. You're a joker too, huh?" he said, wiping tears from his eyes.
"I'm not joking," I said.
"That's the funny part, you're not joking. But to me, it's a joke."
I sighed deeply. My head was starting to hurt. I focused on eating the chips while looking out the window. The tall green trees along the highway were beautiful. This was my first time on a trip like this. I wanted to go on a trip with Mira, not with these three men.
"Do you want water?" Dominic asked. I nodded, and he handed me a bottle. I thanked him and drank silently. Throughout the journey, I kept eating. Maybe it was my coping mechanism to ease the anxiety I felt, being around people I wasn't comfortable with, except Mira. I even finished a second bag of chips. Normally, I am conscious about what I eat, but today was not a "healthy food" day.
If only they hadn't known where we were going, I probably would be smiling and talking with Mira, pointing out how beautiful the scenery was. But those thoughts faded instantly. I tried to stare straight ahead or out the window, avoiding Dominic entirely. Mira was silent too. If only she had sat beside me, maybe my anxiety would have eased a little.
I didn't know how many hours we had traveled. Mira had said it would take four hours to get there, but I forgot to check my watch.
"I wanna pee," Mira broke the silence. Dominic instructed the driver to stop at a gas station. As the van stopped, Mira got out, and I followed. I needed to pee and talk to her too. Since the men weren't going to come inside the restroom, it was safest to tell Mira how I felt.
"You betrayed me, Mira," I said after finishing and washing my hands.
"What? Why do you say that?"
"Sir Dominic knows about it because you told him, right?" I asked, trying to catch her off guard.
"Dominic told you he accidentally heard me about the trip," Mira said, dropping the "Sir."
"Then how come they came prepared?" I asked, still suspicious.
"I… I don't know," she looked away. I squinted at her, she seemed guilty. She didn't look back, meaning she had done something wrong.
"You didn't even sit beside me. You betrayed me twice. If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have come."
"Sera, I'm sorry, okay? The seat, I wanted to take this opportunity to get close to Damian. You know how much I admire him, right? I'm sorry if I felt happy because we were with him. It was selfish of me to feel happy while you weren't," she said, looking sad. That made me realize that this trip was about Mira too, not just me. Didn't I tell myself to help her with Damian as her friend?
I sighed deeply. Mira looked at me. "I won't do it next time for my own benefit. It was my fault," she said, and I felt a pang of guilt. This trip wasn't just about me, it was about both our happiness. Though I was mad at first because I hadn't known about it, hearing Mira explain that she hadn't intended to betray me made me want to forgive her. I should try to be nice to the guys.
"Let's go back to the van," I said, and we stepped out of the restroom. The men were patiently waiting for us to finish our call of nature. As I walked back inside, I saw Lucca still with his eyes closed, maybe he was asleep. Dominic was there, busy using his phone.
"Excuse me," I said to Dominic, since my seat was by the window. He smiled at me and gave me space to get in. Throughout the ride, I mostly watched the scenery outside. Dominic didn't bother me, focused entirely on his phone, probably catching up on work.
Suddenly, I yawned and felt sleepy. I tried to fight it, but eventually, I fell asleep.
"We're here." I heard a voice, and it woke me instantly. I blinked and realized I had been sleeping on Dominic's shoulder. My eyes widened, and I looked at his shirt, hoping there was no drool. I bit my lip nervously. This was exactly why I didn't want to fall asleep, I couldn't control myself.
"I'm sorry," I said, avoiding his gaze. I felt shy and awkward.
"Don't worry. We're friends, right? Friends borrow each other's shoulders," he said, still smiling. That smile made me even more awkward.
"Your shoulder got numb?" I asked, hoping it wasn't.
"If it is, are you going to give me a massage? Ow!" Dominic suddenly shouted as Lucca's bag accidentally hit his head. "Be careful, Lucca, that hurts. Given your strength…" Dominic paused and looked back at me.
"Let's go," he said, helping me carry my bag. The more I tried to refuse, the more he insisted.
As we stepped out of the van, the sea breeze hit my skin, carrying the salty scent of the ocean and the vibrant energy of the place. I hoped I would enjoy the day. I hoped Mira would enjoy herself with Damian too. I should think of this as repaying her kindness.
We walked to our cottage, or so I thought. To my surprise, it wasn't a simple cottage, it was a villa. A modern wooden villa, yet extravagant in every sense. The exterior featured polished timber walls, large glass panels reflecting the sun, and a sleek stone pathway leading to the entrance. A private infinity pool glimmered beside the villa, overlooking the beach. Lush tropical plants framed the property, and the sound of waves crashing added a natural soundtrack. This was a level of luxury I had never experienced.
We stepped inside the villa, and my mouth dropped. The living area was spacious and open, with high ceilings and wooden beams. The floors were polished hardwood, accented with modern furniture—plush sofas, a glass coffee table, and tasteful décor that combined elegance with comfort. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a panoramic view of the beach. The villa smelled faintly of fresh wood and sea breeze, adding to the serene atmosphere. This was the first time I had ever entered a place like this.
"Here is your room," Dominic said, showing us a room near the living area. As he opened the door, I saw it was even bigger than I expected. A queen-size bed with soft, inviting linens dominated the center, while a cozy seating area and a large wooden wardrobe completed the space. The decor was minimalistic yet luxurious, with subtle lighting and a few elegant art pieces on the walls. Mira, used to luxury, simply smiled, while I stared in awe.
"Let's take a rest, girls. When lunch is ready, I'll knock on your door," Dominic said with a smile. Mira and I nodded as he left, and we closed the door.
I unpacked my bag and arranged my things in the empty wooden cabinet.
"You slept on Dominic's shoulder earlier," Mira said while unpacking, too.
"Yeah, I know. I shouldn't have fallen asleep."
"He liked it, though," Mira smiled mischievously.
"Huh?" I paused and looked at her.
"He even patted your head, like he's your boyfriend," she giggled.
I rolled my eyes, feeling awkward.
"If only you were my seatmate," I said, shrugging.
"Let's sit together when we go back home."
"Sure?" I asked.
She smiled. "Yes."
"Just make sure you keep that promise," I said, finishing unpacking and closing my bag. "I'm a bit hungry."
"Wouldn't you change your clothes first?" Mira asked.
I looked at my outfit: a yellow floral dress below the knee, paired with a thin Korean-style cardigan.
"Girl, this is the beach, you can't wear that like you're going to church," she said, making a face.
"What's wrong with my outfit?"
Mira went to the cabinet where I had placed my spare clothes. "See? Your clothes are for old people."
I took the clothes she picked out. "It's my style."
"I'll let you borrow my clothes."
"Why would I? I brought enough for tomorrow."
"What will you wear when we swim?"
"I have a rash guard and leggings."
"Girl, just wear a one- or two-piece."
"And show my body to people? Nah," I said, shrugging.
"I was just teaching you what to wear. You should change your outfit."
"My outfits are fine."
"But they're old-fashioned. Try wearing something that shows your sexiness."
I rolled my eyes. "Stop teasing me."
"I'm not teasing. I'm stating a fact. If you did a little makeover, you'd be very beautiful… and sexy."
"I don't need that."
"Aren't you hoping to have a boyfriend?"
I looked at Mira with an angry face. Why was she bringing this up just because of the clothes I was wearing? I never showed my skin to everyone. Old-fashioned as it might look, I was comfortable with it.
"I'll treat you to a makeover. I'll get you a whole new set of clothes," Mira said firmly, as if I had no choice but to agree.
"Wear this," Mira said, placing the outfit on the bed.
"A short and a tank top? I'll look like a… whore if I wear that."
"So, you're saying I'm a whore?" Mira asked, clearly offended.
"It suits you, but not me," I said.
"Why not try it and see for yourself?"
I sighed. I could wear it if it were just the two of us, but with the boys around, I was hesitant; they would surely mock me.
I went to the bathroom to change. I wouldn't let Mira see me naked, even though she was a woman. I put on the shorts (not too short, just above the knee) and a black tank top, then stepped out so Mira could judge.
"Wow. You're so cute," she said, still looking at me. "See? You're sexy, you just have to choose clothes that show off your beauty."
"You're offending me now, Mira," I said, frowning.
She laughed. "I'm not mocking your clothes. I'm saying you should pick outfits that fit your beauty and body."
I rolled my eyes. "You know I'm not used to this."
"Then get used to it. I'm here to guide you. Who knows? Maybe Dominic will fall in love with you instantly."
I rolled my eyes again. Mira and her imagination.
"I'll be changing my clothes too. Wait," she said.
I looked at myself in the full-length mirror in the room. It wasn't bad at all. My legs were visible, but the shorts weren't too short. The black tank top complemented my fair skin. Though I wore shorts at home, they usually came to my knees, and I never wore a tank top, only loose shirts. This was the first time I wore something like this.
"Done!" Mira opened the bathroom door and stepped out like a goddess. She was beautiful and sexy in her denim shorts paired with a floral purple tank top. It looked perfect on her fair skin.
I stopped examining her when we heard a knock at the door. I opened it and saw Dominic smiling. But as soon as his eyes landed on me, his smile faded, replaced by a look of pure amazement.