A Surprising Destination

"Where do you want to go?" Olivia asked as she pulled both her legs up on the passenger seat of Matthew's car. She might look like she was just sitting at home on the couch, but Olivia couldn't care less. She always prefers to sit that way whenever she is not the one driving and they were going for a long drive.

In fact, if she could, she would always sit that way in a car, as long as she was wearing comfortable clothes. Fortunately this time, she was just wearing comfortable royal blue shorts with ribbon on the sides and a white tank top that shows a small part of her smooth and flat belly.

Matthew glanced at her face and then at her legs that were on show before he looked back at the road with a scowl on his face. No, he doesn't mind that Olivia was sitting like that in his car or the way she was dressed as long as she was with him. But he just rather be in another place than inside his car.

"You ask me that just now when we had already left?" Matthew asked, making Olivia roll her eyes. "And I was the one behind the wheel, might I add," He added. He thought that he should be the one asking her where she wants to go because he was the one driving.

"Oh shush! We had to leave before you change your mind," Olivia pursed her lips as she reached to the back of the car to grab some chips that they bought from a convenience store not too far from Matthew's pad before they set off on the road. They were going to have a road trip so she wanted to have something to eat to keep themselves from getting bored or sleepy.

The scowl on Matthew's face became deeper. "I should have changed my mind sooner,"

Olivia turned her head to Matthew. She looked at him and dryly said, "Matt, I promised you this vacation," Then she opened a huge bag of potato chips. She doesn't understand why Matthew was acting against that vacation when he was the one who suggested it.

But it was obvious to Olivia that Matthew was just being a child. More or less, she had an idea why he was acting that way.

And she was right because Matthew said, "But I would prefer to be in bed," Matthew pursed his lips.

Olivia laughed at that. Ever since she moved into Matthew's pad, they never left except for when they went to Elizabeth's cafe and when she had to go grocery shopping because Matthew doesn't have anything edible in his fridge and cupboard. Olivia wondered how he managed to survive.

And to her surprise, Matthew didn't leave for work as well. He took his work home and refused to leave her. He said that he will stay with her throughout her break.

Olivia doesn't mind staying at home or in bed for the whole two weeks. But her body and mind don't agree with her heart. If she was not doing anything, her mind always drifted to work, her body was asking to work. And that is not the reason why she took the break. She wanted to relax and take her mind off work.

She loves staying at home with Matthew but, "I am getting sick," She groaned as she rested her head on the headrest of her seat.

Matthew smiled and reached out for Olivia's free hand. Of course, he knew that. That is why no matter how much he wanted to just stay at home…with her in their bed, he still went on with their planned vacation. Because he knew that Olivia needed that. After what happened in the past weeks…they both needed that. "Okay, I might have an idea," He said then he saw Olivia smile at him before she fed him potato chips.

Their journey took them three hours to reach their destination. And Matthew could not believe how many chips they consumed during those three hours. Though he was the one driving, Olivia never forgets to feed him as she opened one chip from another.

It was never dull during their journey and Matthew never felt sleepy because they talked a lot. They never run out of topics to talk about. They talked about Megan and Timothy's engagement and bet that they would be married even before the actual ceremony which will make their parents, especially their mothers who were the ones busy with the preparation, pissed at them.

They talked about Daxon's current predicament and laughed a lot about his messy apartment. They even bet that Daxon will probably start working at his father's law firm in one week because he will definitely fire the maid that his mother will hire.

Then they talked about Elizabeth and how much Olivia liked her. Olivia was actually planning on writing another blog about Elizabeth's cafe while on break. Of course, she will also write about Sadie's. It was a plan that she hasn't had the time to fulfill.

"Where are we?" Olivia asked when Matthew parked his car in front of a hotel. She looked around and realized that it was not just a hotel but a resort. She turns her head to look at Matthew with an excited smile on her face because it has been a while since she has been in a resort. Then her smile fell when she realized that she did not bring any swimwear.

"You could have told me that we are going here! I did not bring any swimwear," She pouted at Matthew. Throughout their journey, Olivia cannot remember how many times she asked him where they were going but Matthew always says that it was a surprise.

Matthew chuckled as he unbuckled himself and said, "It is not my fault that we left the house without any plans," He said and then he stepped out of the car.

He was right though but it only made Olivia more annoyed. Nevertheless, she stepped out of the car before Matthew could open her door.

"Don't worry, babe. I am sure that they have boutiques here where you could buy swimwear," He said and then he kissed her forehead before he grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers.

When they entered the hotel's lobby, Olivia's jaw dropped on its marbled floor. "No fucking way," She said as she look at Matthew and then at the sight that greeted them in front of her.

The lobby of the hotel is an open plan with a huge glass wall where they could see the whole resort below them. It turns out that the hotel was on a small hill and below was a crystal clear beach with kilometers of shoreline with golden sand.

Olivia let go of Matthew's hand and ran towards the glass door that connects to the huge balcony where she could see the whole beach better.

"Oh, my God!" Olivia said in a breathless tone as if she was about to cry. When was the last time that she was on a beach…or saw an actual one? She cannot remember. Maybe when she was just a child. When her mother and brother were still alive. Because her mother loves the beach.

Olivia didn't come from a well-off family. Her father died even before she was born. Though her mother had a job…it was enough to keep them alive for a day. Her brother was working part-time to support his college tuition fee. So, having a vacation was already a luxury to them. A luxury that was rare for people like them.

But despite that, Olivia was happy. They were happy. She loves her small family and she was content with what they have. They lived in a small house and she could not ask for more. They eat three times a day and she thought that they were fortunate enough.

Olivia never remembered herself feeling sad or regretful because of the status of their life. Her mother thought her to be thankful and content for the blessings that were given to them.

But fate suddenly takes all the blessings in her life in just one day. She was not even prepared.

Her brother won a vacation outside of the country for two from a random soft drink that he just brought from a convenience store. And since he doesn't have a girlfriend, he contemplated who to take with him…her or their mother.

Olivia gave way to her mother. Their mother was already old, and she wanted her to experience all the best in life. While Olivia was still young and had all the opportunities in the future.

But who would have thought that giving way to her mother to have that vacation was like giving a ticket to her death?

Her brother and mother were on the plane that would take them to the other country for vacation when the plane crashed into the ocean. And the worst part of it, their bodies were never found. She didn't get a chance to see them one last time even if their bodies were already cold and lifeless.

But then Olivia thought that it was a blessing in disguise because her last memory of them was when they were smiling at her and waving their hands at her as if they do not have a care in the world.

Olivia was fifteen years old…young…alone…and unprepared.

The death of her mother and brother…the only family she has felt like her world crumbled down. The pain…the grief were overwhelming to the point that she thought she was dying as well.

But Olivia, despite her age, was a strong woman. She mourned the death of her mother and brother but she still managed to stand up and move on. Not that she doesn't love them…she loved them so much that is why she chose to move on with her life. Because she knew that it is what her brother and mother would want for her.

It is what her mother taught her…to be thankful for life. She might have lost the most important people in her life…but she was still alive.

But after losing her mother and brother…Olivia never indulged herself in pleasures and vacations. She worked and studied hard to achieve her dream and make her mother and brother proud.

Until she met Matthew who spoiled her and gave her anything and everything that she lacked in her life.

But even though Matthew had taken her to different places, it is the first time that they went to a beach. And it was making Olivia giddy as if she was a child.

Olivia's eyes shone brightly as she rested her hands on the marbled railing of the balcony. She looked around the stretch of shoreline below them and the waves crashing on the sand. They were still quite a distance from the shore that she could hear the sounds of the waves as if it was calling on to her.

She looked around and realized that the hotel was a three-story building and she could already tell that all the rooms were facing the beach. She hoped that their room had the best view. And then below the hotel was a small forest that separates the hotel from the beach. She wondered how to get to the beach.

Olivia could already imagine her running on the shore and maybe sunbathing. She doesn't know how many days Matthew plans on staying there but she will definitely make the best out of it.