Page 3 of Guided by the Stars (Creating Destiny #1)

Adriane

When on Sacred Ground

We arrive at the temple of Poseidon, and I should be staring in awe at the beautiful stone pillars, but the only thing that is really drawing me in is the ocean.

I walk over to the edge. Nora is snapping pictures and I smile at her as she takes picture after picture.

Last night was so crazy. I reach up and touch the knot on my head.

My scalp is still tender from where I knocked my head against some coral while being tossed around.

I remember that at one point I looked up, once I broke free, and the stars were brighter, and there were shooting stars blazing across the sky.

The water even turned a light, glowing blue.

I was panicking, there were moments I thought I wouldn’t make it, and I was so worried about Nora that once we made it out, I was thanking my lucky stars nothing happened to us.

I wasn’t sure what I would have done if I had lost Nora.

I remember looking back at the water and it was calm, almost as if nothing had happened.

It was like a bad dream, but I was soaking wet.

I felt so shaken because we had nearly drowned.

Fingertips brush my arm, jolting me back to reality.

Nora is holding out a water bottle and more pain meds.

I hope to banish this headache. I pop the pills on my tongue and swallow them.

We continue following the steady line of people making their way to the center of the temple.

I’d never expected that the crumbling ruins would attract so many people, especially so early in the morning.

But here we are, surrounded by a bunch of energetic early birds.

We glance around at all the inscriptions on the walls, some look to be ancient, and we can’t even try to decipher what they are.

There is more modern etching, initials of lovers and friends who have visited and left their mark.

I run my hand along them. I’ve never been one to do cheesy relationship things like this, but that might be because I found no one worth my time.

Maybe it wasn’t my time, maybe it was because I didn’t think I was worth anyone’s time.

Nora’s stomach rumbles. We glance at each other and laugh. “Did you get enough pictures?” I ask and she nods. “How about we go and eat? I didn’t notice how much time has passed.”

“I know, I am starving too, let’s go.” She takes one last glimpse around and her eyes sparkle with awe and amazement. This place is magical, like something is calling to me. It has captured us both.

We make our way down the path, and there is a sign.

It points to the Athena temple close by.

I recall the story we read about Medusa, a beautiful maiden.

That is until Poseidon seduced her in Athena’s temple.

The vengeful goddess took offense and turned her into an ugly gorgon, with hair of snakes, and whose stare could turn you to stone .

That would be awesome! Right? Turning people to stone. I could have used that myself growing up with some of the foster families I lived with.

We end up outside a small cafe and we sit on the patio, which is a huge balcony overlooking the water, and I can’t help but feel at home close to the water.

“What are you getting?” I ask Nora. She looks at the menu, playing with her water cup.

I take a sip of my water and look over the menu.

“Grilled cheese.” She smiles at me. “With tomatoes.” She sticks her tongue out at me as I make a gagging motion. She laughs. “They are good for you, you should really eat more vegetables.”

“I only like meat, especially in my mouth,” I say winking at her. She almost spits out the water mid-sip.

We have coffee and tea brought to us with our grilled cheeses. I need the caffeine. I am still exhausted from being woken up so early. Jet lag is a real thing, I feel like I should still be asleep right now.

I take a bite of the perfect grilled cheese and groan. Nora rolls her eyes at me and I smile at her. “You attract the most attention when you eat, A.” I take another huge bite in the most passionate way possible and she blushes and shakes her head.

“You know you love me,” I say, and she taps her chin as if she is seriously contemplating. I throw a fry at her.

She flicks water at me from her glass. “You’re right, I do. But it’s only because you love me too.” I reach across the table and take one of her hands in mine and squeeze it and she squeezes mine back.

We met years ago in a group home, and Nora’s right.

I love her. She is more than my best friend, we’re like sisters.

I remember when I met her she was this shy, quiet person.

Now, she is still that way, yet she has a fiery side to her.

It took me a while to see the real her with her past weighing her down.

Her story is one not many people go through.

I had seen kids come in and out, but the night she cried in her bed I remember it broke my heart.

It was a pain I had not known. My mother had died, but not like her family.

There was an instinct in me to go to her and I laid with her and said, “One word.”

She said, “Broken.”

After that it just became our way of communicating sometimes, one of us would say, “One word.” Then the other would choose the one word to best describe our feelings.

From then on we were always together, even when she was adopted out of the system. Bill and Jane were great and wanted to adopt me, but the system had flagged me as a problem child. I didn’t care. I was glad Nora got out. I had lived most of my life in it, and I was used to it.

I see Nora’s eyes widen a bit and a blush creeps up her cheeks.

I turn around and find the reason. Or should I say reasons.

“They look almost as delicious as this grilled cheese,” I say and it causes her to blush harder.

It is so fun to make Nora blush, especially because it comes so natural to her.

“Shush, they will hear you,” she says, smacking my hand and making me laugh.

She even looks over to make sure they haven’t noticed us.

“Plus, you know me. I mean they are easy enough on the eyes, but I need that spark.” I smile kindly at her because I love that about her.

She is a hopeless romantic, and so far has had shit luck in finding her one true love.

Not that I think it exists, but if my best friend thinks it does, then I will be there rooting for her to find it.

** *

We arrive at our next destination, Kyparissia, a while later and I can’t stop yawning. I didn’t think sitting on a bus for so many hours would be this draining, but I’m hoping to find another coffee somewhere.

We checked into the hotel, and the hotel porter led us to an enormous suite on the ground floor. Our room number is ‘tria’ according to the lady at the front desk. She mentioned an old myth, something about the three powerful gods and how lucky the number was for us. Let’s hope it’s true.

Once inside, we grab our swimsuits and cover-ups, and throw them on before heading to relax on the beach. It’s mid-afternoon, the sun is blazing down on us, but a soft breeze picks up as we get closer to the shore.

On our way to one of the shaded huts lined up in the sand, we stop at a bar. We both order an Ouzito, the Greek version of a mojito, even though I find that the regular ones taste like grass. When in Rome, I guess? Or Greece I should say.

The sand is hot beneath our feet as we carry our shoes and get settled on the lounge chairs beneath the shade. We lather ourselves in sunscreen and enjoy the warmth on our skin before getting wet.

The water is a deep crystal blue. There are various activities set up along the shore and a volleyball court nearby. There’s even an attractive lifeguard sitting atop his throne, waiting to jump into action if needed.

Once again I feel the pull to the water. I ignore it for now and look at all the men on the beach. After all, it’s tourist season, and I lower my sunglasses so I can stare. There are men with tattoos and piercings with their golden-tanned skin on display for everyone to look at.

“Let’s go for a swim,” I say and Nora looks at me. She is turning red from the heat, we have been laying out for a few hours. She obviously feels the same as I do because when I mention it her eyes light up.

She smiles at me and we take off in a jog toward the water.

The closer we get, the softer the sand becomes, our toes sinking in and leaving footprints.

Warm, salty water splashes our ankles and a laugh bubbles up from my throat.

We pause, recalling what happened before.

Even though we feel a pull to the water, we hesitate looking out at the ocean.

The water is calmer today than it was last night, no gigantic waves that might take us under, and we make our way further and further out.

Stopping when the water reaches our necks, we both stare out, enjoying the vast expanse of water that seems to never end.

A sense of relief and calm take hold of me from being in the water. It’s almost like I belong to it.

I kick my feet up to float on my back, gazing up at the blue sky. There’s only one small fluffy white cloud in the shape of a turtle.

The water is silk against my skin, not cold, but just the right temperature to stifle the heat. Nora and I have always loved the water, we’ve gone to as many beaches as we could, but nothing matches this.

As we glide through the water, I get lost in the sensation against my skin. My body breaks through the waves like a hot knife through butter, and the thrill it provides is out of this world.

I stop for a moment and notice I’ve pulled ahead of Nora and I give a whoop of excitement. We’ve raced several times in the past and we normally keep pace with one another. Today, it’s as if I am one with the water. I’m in a state of euphoria, these waters seem to speak to my soul.