37

"This sucks."

I looked over to Iris, continuing to fold my few pieces of clothes and putting them in my big luggage bags.

She's packing up as well, but hers is a lot messier, half of her stuff falling out on her bed or on the floor.

I didn't know what to say, so I just kept quiet.

This is all my fault.

She shoved her pants inside, struggling to shut her suitcase and it popped open. Her clothes flew out, landing all over the room.

That's when she snapped.

She let out of a loud groan, throwing her hands up in the air.

"Okay this is just ridiculous!" She yelled, giving up. "I mean, do those assholes really have nothing better to do than kick us out of the country for making a little mess at a bar?!"

It could've been a lot worse.

And still haven't said anything.

The way Iris' pacing up and down, hands on head, guilt hits me. A swirling sensation in my stomach.

Iris being worked up, makes me worked up too.

I try my best to contain my emotions.

But the more I think about it, the more my breathing picked up.

Tears swelled up in my eyes and my grip tightens on my shirt, my knuckles turning white.

"Hey, hey!" I looked up to see Iris moving towards me, her arms lowering. She placed her hands on my shoulders, coming right up into my face.

"Don't you dare do that." She said, her voice low, "Don't you cry. Don't you fucking cry, this was not your fault. You hear me? This isn't your fault!"

I tried as hard as I could to hold the tears back, knowing that it would just make things worse.

Iris pulled me up from my bed and into a tight embrace.

I didn't resist.

I just let her hug me.

"If my dad finds out..." I whisper shakily.

"No. Don't-- He won't, okay?" She whispered, her arms tightening around me, "We'll think of something. We'll think of something."

I keep quiet, just standing in her arms, shirt in my hand still.

She gently pulled me back and cupped my face. "Hey. Hey. I love you, okay? Okay?"

Her words, her touch, even her tone soothes me instantly. It's exactly what I need.

I close my eyes and nod slowly.

She wipes a tear from my cheek.

That's when I realized how dramatic I was; crying in front of her.

I took a sharp breath in and step back.

"Ah, um..." I clear my throat, "Thank you."

My voice laced with guilt, and anger.

She shakes her head, "Don't you dare thank me."

After that, I continued packing and she collected her clothes from the floor.

Both of us finally calm.

She went for round five with her suitcase, and lucky, she won-- she was able to close it entirely, but a few clothes were sticking out at the edges.

She flopped down on my bed in victory next to me packing.

I took my time to pack, neatly folding everything and going through the room to check if we got everything.

When I got back to my bed, Iris jumped off hers and stepped in between me and my suitcase.

She grabbed the toothbrushes and pastes out of my hand. "I'll finish packing for you."

I look at her skeptically then at her suitcase, clothing sticking out.

"Uh, I'm not sure if I want you to." I said, a hint of humor in my voice.

"Why? You don't trust me?" Her hands are on her hips with the stuff she took out of my hands and a playful smile on her lips.

I chuckle, feeling a bit better. "With packing? Not one-bit."

She rolled her eyes with the same smile and quickly placed down the stuff in her hand on the bed.

She turned back to me and started pushing me back.

She walked me back to the door, opening it behind me.

I let her have her way, "Seriously? You're forcing me out of my own room now?"

She nudged me out and started closing the door in front of me.

"Go check on professor." She smirked with no context, "Bye, bye."

The door slammed in my face before I had a chance to argue, and I let out a soft scoff.

I stood there, staring at the shut door for a few seconds. Knowing there's no point in arguing with Iris' stubbornness. And the fact that she kicked me out was the cherry on top.

I turned away and strolled towards Daniela's door.

A frustrated voice behind in the room, talking loud and aggressively.

I stopped in my tracks, trying to hear what's going on.

She might be pacing around the room, I can tell by the loud footsteps. She's either talking to someone on the phone or yelling at a football game her favorite team lost.

It could be all of those possibilities.

Daniela's been stressing like me and Iris, so it might not be something serious.

But then the muffled voice, shouting, turned into Spanish.

Nevermind, something's wrong.

Very wrong.

She speaks Spanish when she's mad.

Very mad.

Concerned, I immediately push the door open.

"¡PEDAZO DE MIERDA INÚTIL!" She shouted.

And in a flash, I saw her throwing something towards the wall right next to me.

I flinch, looking with wide eyes towards the guest room's phone shattered on the floor.

I was shocked and speechless for a moment.

Daniela's eyes widen too as she saw me.

"Victoria." She whispered with that Spanish accent, regret in her voice.

I gulp. "You missed."

My joke seemed to have soften her up a little. Her shoulders relaxed and her hands dropped to her sides.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart." She breathed out, relieved of her anger.

She walked over to me and pulled me into her embrace.

Instantly, the warmth spread over my body and I also felt a bit more relieved about everything.

My arms wrap around her neck, hiding my face against her neck.

She softly caressed my back in slow circles, placing a kiss on my head.

Daniela looked at the room's phone she threw. "I'll probably have to pay that back."

"What was all that about?" I mumble against her skin.

She doesn't respond right away and let's out a long sigh. "The guy with the plane doesn't want to co-operate."

"It's hard enough to convince him, but it's even worse since I'm trying to do it on a tight budget. The guy would not go any lower than he could. I just lost my temper."

I pull away to look up at her, frowning at her words. "So we have no way to leave the country before the cops come to check if we're gone-- if that's even how it works." Question, yet also a statement. "What will they do if we don't leave before then?"

She shook her head as if she doesn't want to find out. "I don't know, but it can't be good. We can probably be charged for something and then detained."

"What!?" My jaw drops.

"It's a foreign country, Victoria. Not so friendly than you thought." She added, "Worst that can happen, is bail. But it won't be cheap either."

I step back, looking to the ground as realization hits me. "You'd have to pay for all three of us..."

She nodded." We're looking over the tens of thousands in European currency."

Stuck in my thoughts, I moved to the bed and sat down.

Shit. Shit. Shit

This is crazier than anything I've done, for what? I mean, I know for a fact that Iris have done something crazier than this. She do this kind of 'jail-worthy' stuff for a living. But is getting drunk and having fun, without putting people's lives in danger, jail-worthy?

I get that there was maybe cocaine involved, but we would never touch it!

Well, I would never.

Iris, maybe.

I guess Adeline was right, and I hate to admit it.

Even though it's Greece, specifically the beautiful Santorini islands, with the best views... can still be strict.

Daniela knew I was over-thinking and stepped in front of me. She crouched down to my knees, placing her hands on the side of my legs. She then placed her chin on my knee, looking up at me through her lashes.

"What's going on in that pretty head of yours?" She ask softly, placing a kiss on the fabric of my pants over my knee.

Butterflies filled my stomach.

I hummed trying to focus, before slowly looking down at her with wide eyes. "I got it... but it might not be the best idea."