Heaven's Glimpse

"Let's go with red for tonight," Rachel said, her voice full of excitement as she rummaged through her suitcase, clothes spilling onto the bed.

"Nah, anything but red. Red is too bright for my skin tone. How about pink?" Kira replied, her tone was gentle but firm.

They had been debating for over twenty minutes, first about the style, now the color. Their voices rose and fell in an animated symphony of opinions. They had completely forgotten we were supposed to go out touring with Ms. Clarke by 9, just an hour and a half away.

"How about black sequins? We all have those dresses we bought a few days ago," I suggested, hoping to end their debate. My voice cut through the air, silencing their bickering.

"Wow, that's a great idea," Kira said with her face lighting up.

"True, we all look good in black, and the sequins will sparkle under the ocean's reflection," Rachel added with her eyes shining. I didn't even realize I was suggesting a good idea; I just wanted them to stop arguing.

"I didn't know you had a knack for fashion, or is it because of someone?" Kira teased playfully.

"Someone tall, handsome, and kind," Rachel added with a wink. We all laughed, the tension melting away. Just then, room service arrived with our breakfast tray. The aroma of freshly cooked food filled the room, more tantalizing than yesterday's.

After breakfast, we dressed in sky-blue floral-patterned summer wear. Kira, the girly girl, wore a backless minidress. Rachel wore a sleeveless crop top and matching skirt, while I chose a short-sleeved knee-length dress.

We opted for a natural look, leaving our hair unstyled. Kira worked her magic on our makeup, her fingers moving deftly. We added beaded and shell jewelry—bracelets, necklaces, and earrings that caught the light. We wore sandals to match our outfits and spritzed on floral-scented perfumes. I wasn't a fan of makeup or dresses but loved perfumes, colognes, scented candles, in fact anything with fragnance. We also added woven bags, hats, and sunglasses to complete our look. When we were done, we looked at ourselves in the mirror with satisfaction. We looked radiant yet simple.

"How about some photos, girls?" Rachel suggested excitedly. We took lots of selfies and photos of the beach from our bungalow, capturing the sun-kissed scenery and our joyous faces while waiting for Ms. Clarke. After a few minutes, the doorbell rang. It was Ms. Clarke, looking more relaxed in a t-shirt, jean shorts, and sandals. She smiled and complimented us, saying we looked gorgeous, which was unexpected given her usual cold demeanor.

"Today, we will board a seaplane and fly across the Maldives to view the entire island," Ms. Clarke announced enthusiastically.

"Yah!" we screamed in unison, our excitement palpable as we walked to the seaport. We couldn't hide our excitement, our hearts racing with anticipation. When we reached the seaport, we boarded the seaplane, the view of the Maldives taking our breath away. Ms. Clarke pointed out each island we saw, naming them as we passed by.

Among us were other passengers, mostly locals. Only we and a honeymooning couple seemed to be the only foreigners. Ms. Clarke who have worked in the Maldives' tourist center for ten years, was pretty much a local.

The ride in the seaplane was wonderful, with the only downside being the constant stops at different islands to drop off and pick up passengers. The tour lasted about four hours, but the mesmerizing views made it worthwhile.

We were completely exhausted and famished. Ms. Clarke noticed this and politely asked the pilot if he could wait for fifteen minutes so she could get us lunch. The elderly, kind pilot agreed. He stopped at a local island, and she quickly returned with local drinks and dishes. We thanked her for her concern. She also got some food for the pilot. We then headed back to Rangali, our tour for the day over.

We returned to our bungalow completely exhausted. We decided to rest for a little while, then get up by 4:30 PM to get ready for dinner. Despite all the touring and sightseeing, I couldn't stop thinking about dinner with Daniel. I kept wondering what to say and do when I saw him. The entire tour was an attempt to suppress my anxiety. I set my alarm for 4:30 and lay down for a rest.

Only Kira and Rachel managed to take a nap. I stayed awake, my anxiety relentless. Before I realized it, the alarm went off. Kira and Rachel got up. We showered and got dressed in our black sequin dresses. Kira wore a long-sleeved cut-out bodycon minidress with silver-strapped heels, a matching bag, a silver choker, drop earrings, and silver rings. Rachel wore an off-shoulder minidress with a side slit, paired with gold block-heeled sandals, a matching bag, gold hoop earrings, and thin gold bangles. I wore a long-sleeved v-neck crossover dress with black and silver cone heels, a matching bag, a thin silver pendant, silver studs, and a silver ring.

Kira styled our wigs. She chose a low ponytail, which complemented her dress. Rachel opted for a sleek high ponytail, adding elegance. I chose sleek back long straight hair for a sophisticated look. We looked radiant and stunning. We wore perfume, each scent carefully chosen to match our personalities. I wore my favorite perfume, a blend of lavender and vanilla. At 5:45 PM, we left our bungalow, heading to Ithaa Undersea Restaurant.

I was filled with both excitement and anxiety. As we walked, we attracted a lot of attention. Many people stared at us with their gazes lingering. I felt a bit shy and awkward, but my anxiety was taking over. We arrived at Ithaa Undersea Restaurant and checked our reservation.

To our surprise, the entire restaurant was completely empty and the interior design looked completely different than usual. I spotted a man at a table set for eight people, unusual since the restaurant was designed for tables of two or four.