Fantasy Vacation- Chapter 4 "I don't think I've known you long enough to spill on that one", Joey said. He was stalling. It didn't really matter how long he stalled. I'd get it out of him. "Come on. I told you". "No, you didn't". "Then what was that whole story I just told?". "That was about kittens". "Not all of it". "Most of it". "What about Christian?". "He was only mopping the floor". "So...tell me". "I wouldn't feel comfortable". "Again...I told you". "You're a girl". "Yeah...so...". "You people have it easier". "What the hell are you talking about?". "Girls discuss this stuff all the time". "Not all the time. Haven't you ever told anyone about your first time?". "No. It was personal". Joey blushed. Now I just had to hear this story. It had to have been juicy. "Too personal to tell me?". "Maybe. Can we just drop this?". "For now. Don't worry...I'll get it out of you". I smiled the smile of a chesire cat. "You think you're clever". "I know I'm clever". "Not as clever as I". "I think I'm much more clever then you, Joe. I bet I could get this out of you". "I don't think you should be waisting your money on stupid bets you're destined to lose". "Don't be so cocky. I am so going to win". "How? I certainly won't tell you". "I have my ways". "Liar. You know you're gonna lose". "Maybe. Look, if I win you hafta go with me to Hawaii for those seven days. What do you want if you win?". "You hafta dedicate your life to me and follow me everywhere, including the bathroom, till the end of the cruise". I giggled. "Why in the bathroom?". "I don't know. I guess I like having you around". He smiled. I returned the gesture. "How long do I have to get it out of you?". "Until tomorrow at noon". "That seems pretty quick". "It is. I just wanna make sure if I win I get what I paid for. So to speak". "Alright. Let's shake on it". I reached my hand out to him. He shook it vigerously. Then kissed it gently. "You know, my bet is only for like three and a half days. I'm not sure how fair this deal is". "You shook on it. Don't you dare back out of this", I threatened. "I'm just teasing". He lifted his hands in a surrendering motion. "Alrighty. I acknowledged the white flag. What shall we do now?". "I dunno". Joey then stood up. He reached a hand down for me to take. I took it and he helped pull me up. I wiped the sand from my back end. "Let's go exploring". "Okay". I smiled. "Which way?". "I thought you made all the decisions". "Well, I've decided that you can make the decisions for right now. That is until I tell you not to". "Fine. Let's go towards that cliff". He pointed to an area several hundred feet away. "What time is it?", I asked taking his hand in mine. We had already begun to walk to the cliff. Joey looked at Justin's watch. It was on the same arm as the hand I was holding. My hand went up to his face. When he was done reading the watch he gently kissed my hand. I smiled brightly. "It is 2:30". "It's 2:30 already?". "Yup". "I guess what people say is right". "And what do people say?". "Time flies when you're having fun". "So you like this tropical island, eh?". "It's not just the island that makes this fun". "What else does then?". "Definitely the company". "What company?". I smacked his arm playfully. "You. Duh". I held the duh out. Joey laughed. "Oh. That explains it then. I understand why you like the company". "Are we being cocky again?". "Nope, just me". "So now you're trying to be witty?". "Baby, I'm already witty". I wanted to laugh at the expression on Joey's face, but decided not to. "Oh yes. You're very witty. You dazzle me with your wit every second I'm with you", I said dryly. "I'm witty!", Joey defended. "I agree with you. Wit pours from your ears", I said sarcastically with a grin. We reached the cliff. Suddenly Joey scooped me up in his arms. He walked over to the edge of the cliff. I could see water. Really far away. "Tell me I'm witty or I drop you off this cliff". I panicked. "Oh my god! Joey, put me down! Put me down!", I shouted. I began hitting his arms. "Not a good idea, sweetheart. Never hit the arms that hold you over a cliff". I stopped hitting him immediately. "I don't want to die". "If I dropped you, you wouldn't die". "I don't want to take the chance". "I can hold you like this for quite a while". "You'll drop me". "I can carry you. I'm SuperJoey, remember?". "Please put me down". He walked closer to the edge. "Joey! Joey! Please!", I begged. "Okay". I could feel his grip loosen on me, but I was still over the cliff. I held onto his arms tightly. "Joey!", I pleaded. He held me tight again. Then he walked away from the edge. He set me down. As soon as I was free from his grasp I started beating on him. I wasn't really hurting him. "You stupid prick! I can't believe you did that!", I yelled. "I'm sorry. Jesus, Lana". He grabbed my hands. I tried to wiggle free, but couldn't. He was way to much stronger then me. "That was really mean". "I was just playing". He stuck his bottom lip out. He looked at me sadly. "I said I was sorry. Please forgive me". He let go of my hands. "I forgive you", I said without giving it much thought. He was too cute to be mad at. I placed my hand on his cheek and stroked it softly. He leaned his head on my hand. His arms soon found their way around my waist. I leaned in closer to him and placed my lips over his. We kissed slowly at first. But the pace quickened after a moment. My hands found themselves at the back of Joey's neck. I played with the hairs on the back of his neck. His hands rubbed up and down my practically bare back. It made me shiver, in a very good way. When we pulled away Joey said, "I'm glad I was forgiven". "I couldn't stay mad at you with a face like that". He smiled coyly. "Don't you even think about using that face on me again, buddy". "What would make you think I'd do that?". "You know what. I want a hug". "Do I look like the hug store?". "Yes. Give me a hug". "I didn't hear the magic words". "Please". "Not the right one". "Joey is god". "Those words are good, but not the right ones". "Abra kadabra". He hugged me. "Those were the magic words?". "They sounded magical didn't they?". "I guess". I hugged Joey tighter. "Are you trying to cut off the circulation?". "No. I was scared before. You were trying to hurt me". "No, I wasn't. Anyway, if you did fall I would've jumped in after you". "Always the gentleman", I muttered. "What was that?". "Oh nothing", I said innocently. "If I fell would you go after me?". "I think I'd wait to see if you died first. If you didn't I'd jump in after you". "Gee, I feel so special". "You should". I tried to release Joey. He pulled me tighter. I could feel my legs getting lifted from the ground. "What are you doing?", I asked suspiciously. "I don't want you to wait until I die". "What?", I asked confused. But before I could get an answer Joey jumped off the cliff with me in his arms. I screamed and held onto Joey tighter. Right before we hit the water I held my breath. Then we went under. About thirty seconds later I surfaced. Joey did so right after me. "Have fun?", he asked with a smile. "Is your mission to try to kill me?". "No". "Is this some sneaky way to get out of the bet? I mean you never know, you might win". "I just felt like doing something daring". "Why'd you bring me into it?". I started swimming to shore. "I couldn't leave you behind". He said simply. Soon we reached the shore. I then went over to a patch of grass and layed down. "This has been a hell of a trip". "Just think, it isn't over. Plus if I win the bet it could get interesting". "I don't even want to think what'll happen when I play follow the leader with you in the lead. That was a stupid bet. I can tell already you won't let me win". "I'm pretty though". I giggled. "Yes Joey. You are very pretty". He layed down next to me. "This island is amazing. I've probably said that already, but woah. I'm glad I went on this cruise". "Me too. Besides I think I could use the rest. I've spent the entire summer worried. I have no idea what I'm doing with the rest of my life". "What was your major?". "I didn't have one". "You spent four years in college without a major?". The look on Joey's face was priceless. He was utterly confused and shocked. "Yeah. Is that bad?". He continued to look shocked. "What the hell did you study?". "My god, you sound like my mother". "That's...nice. What did you study?". "Random crap". "Was there anything that grabbed your attention?". "Well...I liked photography, psychology, French, and writing". "Did you like any of those better then the others?". "Probably photography". "Then why don't you photograph stuff for a living". "You can't just go around taking pictures and expect to be paid". "Are you any good?". "I guess". "Do you have a camera with you now?". "Yeah. It's in my beach bag, but we convinently left that at the top of the cliff when you decided to jump". "Oh. Well then lets go get it". He stood up and grabbed me with him. He started walking fast in the direction of the cliff. "Why are you so interested in my camera?". "I wanna see your work. Is your camera a Polaroid?". "Yes". "Great. I want you to take a picture of me". "Why?". "Maybe you can take good people pictures". "Why does that matter?". "I have some photographer friends. If you take good pictures they'll hire you. Then you can photograph for famous people for a magazine or something. You can make a lot of cash doing that". "Do you think I'm good enough?". "I don't know. That's why I'm anxious to see your work. You never know, someday you might be taking picyures for 'N SYNC. That'd be cool". "I'd get to see you. So yeah, it'd be cool". "You like seeing me cuz I'm pretty". I giggled. "And oh so modest". "I am modest, aren't I?". "That's why you complement yourself so much". "Hey. It's not nice to poke fun at the guy who wants to help you start your future". "A thousand apologies, oh patient one". "Huh?". "It's a line from the movie 'Aladdin'. It's a Disney movie". "I knew that". "Uh huh. I'm sure you did", I said sarcastically. "I don't appreciate sarcasm". "Pity, cuz I'm full of it". "I know". "I meant sarcasm. I know you meant different". "Have a little faith in me". "How can I you're a man?". "Hey. That sounded sexist". "I know it did. Besides I only made one sexist remark since I've known you. You've made two since we've met". "Oh yeah. What were they?". "I don't remember. But they were sexist". "Fine. I won't say anything else sexist if you don't". "Deal". We reached the cliff. We then began walking towards the little waterfall. I saw my bag immediately and ran to it. "Okay heres my camera". "You're the camera women. Shoot away". I took in the surroundings before deciding where Joey should stand. "I want you to stand up against that rock". I pointed to the specific rock. Joey obediently went to the rock. He stood in front of it. I walked to him and stood in front of him. I positioned one of his arms under his head. The other hand touched the rock near his waist. I then moved one of his legs up a little bending the knee. I stepped back to view my work. I then walked foward again and tilted Joey's head upward and to the side. After once again backing up and inspecting my work I decided to take the picture. I started setting up my angle. "Is this some kind of porno shot?", Joey asked with a grin. "Shut up and stop moving". "Yes ma'am. You sound like a photographer already". "Thank you, I think. I don't want you to smile, but I want you to look deep in thought". He tried to look deep in thought. "No, that is the wrong look. Joe, you look constipated. You don't want to look that way, trust me". "How then? Show me". I walked in front of him and made the face I wanted to see out of him. He again tried. "Perfect. Keep that face while I set up my angle". A minute later I snapped the shot. The photo came out. Joey walked next to me. "I wanna see", he said excitedly. "Not until I'm done". "What do you mean?". "I wanna take a few more shots". I looked down at the developing picture. Of what I could see I could tell it was good. "For this next shot I want you to get in the waterfall". "Why?". "Trust me". He walked into the water. "Take off your shirt". "I don't want to". "Why not?". "You made fun of my tan. I don't want other people to see me this way". "I'm sure it has improved some". "You're just saying that to make the pretty one strip". "I don't see Justin here?". "What?". His mouth dropped. I burst out laughing. "I was kidding. You're definitely the pretty one". "Thank you, I know". "Now take off that shirt". He did so, then threw it on dry land. "Walk underneath the shallow part of the waterfall". He did so. I walked into the water until it was up to my knees. I snapped the shot. Joey looked miserable. It was a great shot. "That shot is going to be horrible". "How many times do I have to tell you, trust me". "Fine. What now?". "I want you to put your shirt back on. Then I want you to dunk under the water". "Why?". "So your hair is wet and the material sticks to your body". "But I don't have another shirt". "I have one you can borrow". "I don't want this to sound like a sexist remark, but you're a girl". "So...". "I'm a guy. I don't want to wear girl clothes". "No one will ever notice. It looks like a guy shirt". I tossed him his shirt to put on. He sighed then pulled the shirt over his head. After he dunked under the water I pointed to a rock I wanted him to sit on. "What?", he asked. "Sit on the rock". "Oh". He sat on the rock. I moved over so I could see the waterfall in my shot. Then I took the picture. "This next picture needs to look innocent. I want you to sit by that bush with all the tropical flowers". I pointed where the bush was. Joey walked over to the bush while I dug around in my bag. I stood up taking a shirt with me. It was a dark green button down shirt. "Take off the wet shirt and put this one on". He did as I told him. "What now?". "Pick up a flower and cup it in your hands slightly". He did as I asked. "Reveal it a little more. Face me. Now the flower. Lean back. Cross your legs, you little slut", I commanded as I took a couple of shots. "Am I done now?". "Yes, you're done". "Can I see the pictures?", Joey asked hopefully. "Not until they're developed and I've seen them". "Fine". After a couple of minutes the photo's finished developing. I looked them over, criticizing my own work. "They certainly aren't the best I've ever taken, but their okay", I said before handing Joey the pictures. He looked them over. His facial expression was unreadable. I began biting my nails, a nasty habit of mine. I was nervous. If he liked them this could be my lifes path. Joey sighed. Then he looked through the stack again. I began to get fearful. There is no way he liked them. "Lana, I don't think...". "I knew it, their terrible. I'm a horrific photographer", I interrupted. "As I was saying...I don't think I've ever seen myself photographed so well". I looked at Joey confused. "You liked them?". "I loved them. I think I'm looking at the next big photographer". Joey smiled and took my hand. I looked behind me. He was surely talking about someone else. "Is there someone behind me?". "I meant you, Lana. You have an extreme talent". "Thanks", I said blushing.