Eric began heckling as well, “Stop trying to explain it. An explanation means that you’re hiding something, and whatever you’re hiding is the truth. The more you describe it, the worse it becomes. We’re all very much aware of what’s going on. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. You’re not that young anymore, Mark. Stop acting so bashful.”
Mark happened to be in a good mood, so he didn’t quibble with them. Instead, he stepped aside and gazed into the landscape in a distance, holding a bottle of beer. He enjoyed the gentle sea breeze. It was a rare moment of peace.
Tiffany was bored. She picked up her bottle of beer, walked next to Eric and asked, “How long do you plan on vacationing here?”
Eric shrugged, “Don’t know. It’s up to you guys. I’m fine with anything.”
For some strange reason, Jackson found the sight of Eric and Tiffany sitting together unsightly, “We’ll definitely go back in a week. We can’t leave our companies alone, it’s not like we’re bums.”
Tiffany narrowed her eyes, “Are you calling Ari and I bums? I really hate listening to you, it’s like you’re always trying to rip my heart out.”
Eric laughed so hard that he was out of breath, “Seriously, Tiffany. You’re the first person who’s ever been annoyed with anything that Jackson has said. No woman can stand up to his teasing. You’re the only one who can render him speechless.”
Jackson lowered his eyes, turned around and walked away. One out of the group of five would feel awkward. He was now the odd one out. He had noticed that Tiffany had purposefully distanced herself from him. She wasn’t as close to Eric as she was with him.
They finally returned to the shore at sunset.
Lisa’s group was pretty much done with shooting the advertisement. They were frolicking on the beach and did not leave.
Lisa swayed her hips amorously and moved closer when she saw Jackson. Her already skimpy swimsuit was close to a wardrobe malfunction, thanks to her extensive movements.
“Hey, Jackson. Wanna have a drink tonight? I know a bar nearby that serves pretty good alcohol, the vibes are pretty great too…”
This time, Jackson did not reject Lisa’s invitation, “We’ll talk later. See how it goes.”
Lisa cast aside all her reservations at this sign of a chance. She pressed herself against him, “Could you give me your number then? You’ve changed your number so I can’t contact you.”
Mark and Arianne were fine with the barbecue restaurant. Jackson was the only one absent. Everyone was well aware that he had gone to see Lisa. No one called him out, except Tiffany who boldly poked at him: You won’t need to exchange rooms with me tonight, right? I’m just worried that you might get drunk and forget about the room exchange, then squash me while you and Lisa are humping around in bed.
Jackson simply replied to her with an “mm”, and seemed very cold and distant. The group chat promptly went silent. No one sent any other messages.
At dinner, Mark patiently helped Arianne in barbecuing her meat then placed them on her plate after it was done. He only started eating once he made sure that she was nearly done with her food.
Seeing this, Eric barbecued some meat for Tiffany as well. Men should be more gallant, after all, regardless of whether he was with a lover or a friend.
After dinner, the foursome took a walk around the nearby night market. Eric glanced at Mark and Arianne, then pulled out the small camera that he had brought along with interest, “Hey, you two. Look over here.”
Arianne and Mark turned to the side at the same time, and Eric captured that very moment. They were walking side by side. Arianne was dressed in a long white dress with a blue floral pattern. She had let her hair down, and her light brown sandals set off her fair ankles and dainty toes perfectly. She looked cute and lovable standing next to Mark. He, on the other hand, didn’t like the heat, so he was dressed in a white t-shirt and black sports shorts. He wore white sneakers and his hair was choppy, but in an elegant kind of way. He didn’t look as cold as he usually did in his suits. The pair had very nice skin and looked very photogenic.
The night market was crowded with people, and the lights were not all that bright, a stark and bright contrast with the neon lights of the buildings around them.
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