The beach by their hotel wasn't going to win any tourist awards. A few palm trees were scattered here and there, looking as if they were lost on their way to the actual scenic beaches. One, in particular, had grown in a peculiar zigzag shape, as if it had a really wild party one night and never quite recovered.

The sea was a whole other story. It was blue. Very, very blue. And it was filled with small stones that seemed to be everywhere, turning swimming a bit into an extreme sport. The waves crashed loudly, with a distinct sound of rolling over the rocks that formed the shallow sea bed. Yet, it was a picturesque scene, even with its imperfections, and Adam preferred it that way. He would choose quirks and character over perfection any day. 

On that particular day, the charming chaos of the wild beach suited Adam’s mood well. He had been trying his hand at skipping rocks across the water. But the turbulent waves proved formidable opponents, refusing to let the stones glide. Accepting his defeat, he settled on a larger rock, pulling out his phone. A few messages from his sister appeared in his unread notifications. She seemed to be in one of her good moods, Ana Stroe was either a dotting big sister, or disappeared for months. There was no middle ground.

‘How’s Marbella treating my baby bro? Any 🍑?’ she was asking.

He made a face, typing back with one hand as he reached for his cigarette pack with the other.

‘Losing my freakin’ mind that’s how. I swear I’ve never met a more annoying woman in my life, why the hell did she have to be packed in such a cute wrapping?’

‘Because lady luck likes to play with ur nerves, that’s why. And u have the shittiest taste in women, by the way’

Adam couldn’t hear his sister’s voice, but he was ready to bet half of the stones on his new favorite little beach that she was hungover.

‘I’ll accept ur feedback when u manage to keep a relationship for longer than it takes for u to remember their name’ he typed back before pausing to light his cigarette. His phone vibrated on the stone where it was placed and almost fell before he finally picked it back up.

‘Is this the part where I feel insulted? Cut the foreplay, corner her in the elevator and make her shut up, trust me, she wants it’

‘Ana… I wouldn’t touch the woman with a ten foot pole, she’d scream harrasment if I even looked funny at her. This could have been a call btw’

‘Can’t, I’m at the spa getting a facial’

He rolled his eyes and she must have known it because she continued typing. ‘It’s the money maker, baby bro, gotta keep the good genes Ma gave me. And about your dilemma, who are you kidding, she’s just your type, tiny and hysterical’

‘Yeah, I don’t need this right now. Unlike you I grew up’

‘What you need is 🍑, and I know just the place in Puerto Banus. Go ask for Mateo at Dreamers, you can thank me later xoxo’

Adam scoffed, lighting another cigarette as he looked out at the sea. He should be in there catching the surf, but he felt restless. 

‘You better not send me somewhere funny sis, u know I don’t swing that way’

His sister only answered with a winky emoji and a loving ‘Now fuck off, I wanna enjoy my spa day’ 

In his 28 years on the planet, Adam thought he gathered a diverse enough life experience. But one thing he never learned was not to trust his sister. As the sun set on his third day in Marbella, Adam found himself in Puerto Banus, sharing drinks with Mateo – a very charismatic Spaniard ready to propose at least 4 potential wives and a mistress for him to choose from. Since his restless morning, thanks to his delightful boss, he was determined to make his night equally sleepless. 

Among the sizzling energy of Dreamers and its dazzling dancers, Adam found his morning frustrations with miss Ishida ebbing away. The air was electric with laughter, chatter, and the promise of a good time, making the remnants of his earlier annoyance seem trivial. Ana knew he put most of their crazy partying days behind him after he got his Bachelor’s in Engineering. But it didn’t stop her from being the devil on his shoulder now and then. And for once, he was thankful, because 3 days of constant nagging were more than enough of an excuse to throw back a few shots.

It was about 3 AM when he found his way back to the hotel with company. She was a very attractive Moroccan dancer, going by the stage name of Mariana. And Mariana was very, very loud in bed. Being a true gentleman, Adam made it his mission to keep the decibel level at its peak, so Mariana’s vocal talents were utilized to the fullest for the next four hours.