Page 101 of XOXO

“I apologize, sir, if I overstepped,” he said quickly.

“No, it's just I thought we were being discreet and I can see maybe we need to work on that,” I said, wondering who else had put two and two together.

“I can assure you the crew would never say anything,” he added. “We are all under NDA’s and you are fair to us; we would never break that trust, even if there wasn’t an NDA.

“Good to know, Mark,” I said, realizing maybe I had gotten too comfortable with Violeta.

“I apologize again, sir,” he said softly. “I only meant to say that because you truly seem happy for the first time and I enjoy seeing you all happy.”

“I understand,” I said, already worrying about who else might have seen us, or taken a picture of us.

We just fucked on the beach, anyone could have gotten a peek. I was about to go back into acting and I couldn’t have a scandal on my hands. The headlines would eat it up. I could already imagine reading, ‘Korean actor shares his girlfriend with his besties!’. My stomach soured, going into panic mode. Why did I think I could have this? The world wouldn’t spare me from its scrutiny and I knew how judgmental fans could be.

If I wanted to keep my acting career, I needed to figure out what I really wanted. Was Violeta worth losing everything I had worked so hard to build?

26. Violeta

Life-changing, but nothing lasts forever.

It was the last morning we were on the boat before we docked. I lied between Matteo and Ru as a little sliver of sunlight peaked through the small window. Any minute now, Mark would come to wake us up, and that would be the end of the best two weeks I had ever had in the entire time I was in Europe.

What was I supposed to do now? Did I just say, hey, thanks for the best weeks I've had here? It’s not like I could sneak away, we were still in the ocean, unless I chucked my luggage overboard and swam to the coast. Maybe I could go to my room, saying I wasn’t feeling well and sneak off the moment we docked.

“You’re thinking too loudly.” Matteo’s voice was gruff.

“I am not,” I pouted, looking up at him.

“That little furrow of your brow says otherwise,” he said, holding me closer.

“I was just a little sad that this was over and how the last two weeks were the best weeks I’ve ever had,” I said, keeping my voice steady. “This was amazing and I’m so glad you decided to bring me.”

Matteo studied me, nerves making my chest tight, he saw something I hadn’t hidden well.

“Are you going back to the states after this?” he asked, tucking my hair behind my ear.

I shook my head. “I’m not ready to go home. Plus, I wanted to see VI3E.”

“You should message him,” he said softly. “That’s a concert you don’t want to miss. Hopefully he will give you a send-off ticket.”

“I think I would die if I went to their send-off,” I said, rubbing my face on his chest. “Deceased because I got to see Woosung again.”

“You and all the other K-pop girlies,” he chuckled.

“Now you're making me rethink my interaction with him. He probably felt sorry for me and decided to invite me on a whim.” I covered my face, feeling embarrassed again.

“Nah, he invited you cause you're hot, Vi,” Matteo said, kissing my forehead.

“Shut up,” I said, smacking his abs.

“Who thinks Vi is hot?” Ru tightened his arm around my middle, kissing my shoulder.

“No one.”

“Woosung.”

Matteo and I spoke at the same time.

“Woosung from VI3E?” Ru yawned.