Cruel Summer (10 page)

Circle in the Sand

Blog Comments:

Anonymous said:

I’m confused. From your pictures it looks like you are in paradise.

Sun, sand, sea, and a kitten…What more do you need?

Please explain at your earliest convenience.

ColbyCat said:

I don’t really know how to explain, because the truth is, you’re right, it is really pretty here. The beaches are nice (except for the rocky ones) and my kitten is adorable (as you can see). I guess, it’s a little more barren and rugged than I usually like, but hey, you can’t have everything, right?

Maybe it’s just that paradise is more a state of mind than an actual place?

Anonymous said:

Interesting…I never thought of it like that.

Thanks for explaining.

July 18

To: AmandaStar

From: ColbyCat

Re: !!!!!!!!

OMG—R U serious? Levi’s actually really coming here & U gave him my e-mail???

U-R-The-BEST!

!!!!!!!!!!

Thank U Thank U Thank U!

(U sure this is 4 real & UR not messing w/me, right?)

Colby

July 18

To: NatalieZee

From: ColbyCat

Re: You’re moving?

Hey Nat,

Sorry, but I really can’t explain why there was an open house at my home yesterday. Though I do thank you for taking the opportunity to put all the books and CDs you borrowed back on my shelves.

And to answer your question, yes, I’m having a total blast here. And just in case you’re bored, or curious, or even if you just want to know all the juicy details, you can read all about it in my blog. It’s called “Circle in the Sand.” And NO, I didn’t name it that because of you or your mom or any of those songs she always used to sing. I just needed a summer blog name and it’s the only thing I could think of on such short notice.

Well, actually, it’s the second name, but whatever, just check it out if you want.

K—L8R (sorry, I know how you hate that, but I couldn’t resist!)

Colby

P.S. Levi will be here soon!!!!! I can’t wait!

Colby’s Journal for Desperate Times That Require Desperate Measures

July 20

I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Seriously, you’d think I’d be happy, partly because—
LEVI’S COMING.
That’s according to Amanda, who’s still hooked up with Casey who happens to be best friends with Levi who said something about not being able to go to someone’s surprise party because he’s going on a Mediterranean cruise instead.

And also,
YANNIS IS COMING.
Here. Tonight. For a BBQ. But those two friends of his, Maria (black hair) and Christina (orange hair), who just happen to be related to one of Tassos’s best friends (Christina is his friend’s daughter, Maria is her cousin), are NOT invited (I made sure of that). Anyway, apparently the only reason he didn’t call or come by sooner is because he had to go to Athens for a few days, and
NOT
because he suddenly decided he didn’t like me, or anything remotely like that.

Please note the lack of exclamation points even though I really am excited about both of these things.

Though I must admit, the neutral punctuation is probably due to the fact that all of my excitement is currently being overshadowed by my mom and dad’s last phone call, where they both informed me, under no uncertain terms, that they retain the right to divorce, date, throw open houses, and basically make a string of not just bad, but extremely reckless decisions that will surely result in the complete unraveling of my life, and quite possibly my future.

Also, I was reminded, that as a minor, there’s absolutely nothing I can do about any of this, since they are the
ADULTS,
while I am merely their
CHILD.
At which point they went on to assure me that I shouldn’t take everything so
PERSONALLY
as none of it is meant that way.

They are simply dedicating themselves to doing “What is in the best interest of everyone.”

And all I can say to
THAT,
is:

If that’s so true, and they’re so
DEDICATED,
then how come they’ve yet to stop and consider what might be in the best interest of
ME
?

How come they can’t just grow up, stay put, and:

JUST LET ME GET THROUGH MY LAST YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL MORE OR LESS UNSCATHED?

Seriously.

I mean, just one more year, that’s all I ask. And after that, after I graduate high school and head off to college, they’re free to self-destruct or do whatever the heck they want.

Just let me complete my childhood first.

I wonder if I can divorce them?

Colby’s Journal for Desperate Times When She’s So Happy She Can Hardly Breathe!

July 27

Haven’t been blogging. Haven’t been e-mailing. Haven’t been letter writing or postcard sending. Haven’t been to the Internet café. Haven’t even turned on my computer in what seems like forever but is probably just over a week. And all of this is happening because:

I’M CURRENTLY IMMERSED IN A VERY SERIOUS CASE OF WHAT APPEARS TO BE—MUTUAL LIKE!

Ever since the night of the BBQ, when Yannis rode up on his bike and smiled at me, my stomach started doing a series of somersaults and backflips, which, to be honest, haven’t really slowed down since.

But it’s not the same kind of nervous and anxious feeling I had with Levi. It’s more like a tingly,
CAN’T BELIEVE THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING TO ME
kind of feeling. And even though I kind of felt like that back when Levi first kissed me, for some reason it’s even better with Yannis.

I guess because being with Yannis feels more real, less borrowed.

Anyway, he pretty much just parked his bike, sat down beside me, and didn’t really go anywhere else for the rest of the night. And the whole time we were talking and laughing and getting to know each other better, it felt like only half my brain was actually focused on what we were saying and doing, because the other half couldn’t stop thinking:
I wish he’d stop talking and kiss me!

But since Tally, Tassos, and all of their friends really weren’t allowing for much in the way of privacy, I pretty much resigned myself to yet another fun, yet passion-free night.

But then, after we ate and it started to get dark, Yannis leaned toward me and whispered, “Wanna go for a ride?”

And of course I said yes.

And even though I was fully expecting to end up at that club again, this time, after riding around for a while, we ended up at his favorite beach instead. Then we parked on the road, and ran down to the sand, where he laid out a towel for us to sit on as we gazed at the moon and the stars, trying to spot the different constellations, until he finally worked up the nerve to kiss me.

That’s right—
HE
had to work up the nerve to kiss
ME!

Which means, I was making him feel just as nervous and giddy as he makes me!

Which is also the exact opposite of Levi, who pretty much assumes that every girl in any given room is totally willing to make out with him on a moment’s notice. (Though to be fair, that’s probably only because it’s so true.)

But even though it’s probably true for Yannis too, he just doesn’t have that same kind of
confidence
arrogance as Levi. He’s just way more polite, more respectful, and would never try to push someone to do stuff they may not be ready for.

Anyway, one minute we were talking about the Big and Little Dippers, and the next thing I knew he was kissing me. And let me just say that it was
TOTALLY AMAZING!

Not awkward at all. Not even in the very beginning of the kiss, which is normally a pretty tense moment since both parties are striving to choreograph a duet that neither of them has ever rehearsed (at least not together).

But with Yannis, it was like both our lips just knew
EXACTLY
what to do and
EXACTLY
where to go, and it felt like magic.

In fact, it was so amazing and magical that we stayed there for hours, just kissing and talking, but mostly just kissing. Until it eventually got too cold for the shorts and T-shirts we were both wearing and he decided to take me home.

And this time when he dropped me off, he kissed me again, and said, “See you tomorrow?”

To which I just nodded and smiled and ran inside the house, thinking I would write it all down in this journal.

But in the end I chose to just lie on my bed, close my eyes, and relive it over and over again in my head, until I eventually fell asleep, where I dreamt about him too!

And sure enough, the very next day he came by again. And he’s pretty much been coming by every day since!

So after just skimming through all of my previous journal entries I can hardly believe what a big whiny baby I’ve been. And it’s so embarrassing to read all of that, I’m thinking about ripping out all of those pages and burning them at Tally and Tassos’s next BBQ.

I mean, what could I possibly have been thinking? This place is
BEAUTIFUL!
It really is like
PARADISE,
only I was too blind to see it.

Granted, it may not be all that exciting or hip and trendy and jet-set and glittery like Mykonos, but when you’re in the right company you really don’t need all that flash.

It’s like I wrote in my blog—Paradise is a state of mind!

And Yannis is just so incredibly sweet and cute and awesome, and he’s even teaching me Greek! These are some of the words I’ve learned so far:

Koukla Mou
—(Obviously I’m not using the Greek alphabet since our lessons haven’t quite progressed that far.) Which literally means something like “my darling.” Which actually sounds kind of old fashioned and weird, which is also why it’s better to avoid the temptation to directly translate everything, and just take the overall gist of the word or phrase instead. Which in this case would make it more like:
honey,
or maybe even,
babe.
(Okay, still kind of weird, but I know for a fact that he means it in the nicest way!)

Omorphos
—means pretty! (He said this about my hair on a day when I really didn’t think it was looking all that
omorphos!
)

Apothe
—means tonight! (As in, we go out just about every
apothe!
Which also happens to be true!)

Efcharisto
—means thank you. But when I could barely get the hang of pronouncing it, Yannis told me to think of it as a person named F. Harry Stowe. Which I have to admit is so much easier!

And
Yannis
—means John. (But I still call him Yannis because it sounds way more exotic.)

Though
Colby
doesn’t mean anything, it’s just plain Colby. Which is what he calls me when he’s not calling me
Koukla Mou.

And, oh yah,
S’agapo
means I love you. Not that he said it or anything. Though I did ask Tassos how to say it just in case Yannis does decide to say it, then I’ll know what it means. But I really hope he doesn’t decide to say it because that’ll just wreck everything. I mean, it’s way better to keep things casual and not get all serious and over involved—just try to stay focused on having fun, and not make a bunch of false declarations and promises we’ll never be able to keep.

Anyway, we actually see each other so often we’ve worked out a little schedule. Like, in the mornings he almost always goes to work, helping with the construction of the hotel his family is building, but in the afternoons he usually meets me and Tally and Tassos at the beach for siesta, or sometimes we just go on our own, and he always thinks it’s so funny how I refuse to take off my top. But since I’ve yet to take it off when we’re alone, I’m certainly not going to do it for the first time in front of a whole crowd of people. I mean, I actually managed to lose my virginity without once taking off my top, so why start now?

Anyway, at night we usually go into town and hang at that club he first took me to, or we ride around on his Vespa, looking for some quiet place where we can be alone and make out.

And I have to admit that even though it’s fun to hang out with all of his friends and cousins and stuff, my favorite times are always when it’s just the two of us, all alone, gazing at the stars, kissing, or sometimes even just talking. And it’s weird how I feel so relaxed around him, since I’m usually pretty nervous around guys (especially really cute ones like Yannis!) since it’s not like I’ve had lots of experience with boyfriends or anything. But with Yannis, everything feels so natural and easy and comfortable.