My Greek Project Read online

  Chapter III-

  Friendships

  “I am that kind of person who doesn’t want to risk his life, or to do crazy stuff. I simply cannot do it, plus that I feel lost here.” I talked nineteen to the dozen to the girl, both of us standing on a local bar near the seaport. She didn’t say a word, watching me serious, listening to every single word I said, making me glad that someone can be able to listen to me. I took a little drink from my soda and continued:

  “And I cannot say that I don’t love my job, or whatever, my future job, but…”

  “But then why you choose this way if you are afraid to meet people? After all, psychology implicates those things. To observe some human aspects, psychic speaking.”

  “Well…I.”

  I did not want to tell her the truth, I was not the type who opens to someone, but she deserved an explication for my behavior and above all that we were partners for a project. She looked at me very curious, rising an eyebrow.

  “Well?”

  I sighed and looked down.

  “Well, I chose psychology of selfishness. To know me better, somehow to try to change me. I can be a pain in the ass sometimes.”

  “Just relax”, she changed her look from me to the sea. I was thinking that she was ruminating at what I said and felt like under the microscope.

  “The psychology, notions, definitions, will not be able to help you Damian. You reached the last level of your college, thinking that being studious and knowing everything will help you finding your answers. Well, you were wrong. You’ll not be able to know yourself like this. You don’t pay attention to you, you don’t have people around to help you, and even if you had, you are too stubborn to listen to advices.”

  Wow. She left me speechless. Somehow, she disturbed me with what she said but I had to agree with her. She was right. I didn’t say a word, and like her, I watched the sea, seeing it so peacefully and so blue, plus that the red ship was far away distance.

  “Good. Now that I embarrassed enough, let’s do business, shall we?” she said smiling with warm, giving me snakes in my stomach. I smiled back and noticed that she took off a folder from her backpack, on which was written: Laurence Mill.

  “Laurence Mill?” I curiously asked.

  “Yeah. Ours subject. He has 21 years old, Canadian. Seems to be that he was diagnosed last year with schizophrenia, at him it manifests, from his parents declarations, that he sees movie characters that talks with him, he doesn’t remember when he causes an act, such as a recent incident, when he destroyed his laptop by throwing it out from his window directly in a men’s head.

  He said that one of these characters told him that his laptop is broadcasting every time when he sleeps or when he gets back in his room from the shower,” she read from her folder, while I was dumb with surprise.

  “And this how his schizophrenia manifests?”

  “Yes. He caused it when his ex girlfriend left him, closed inside him and he got mad. He calls himself sometimes Alex and reacts differently; he has an other personality for short periods and makes acts which aren’t from his true behavior.”

  “Like?”

  “Like the laptop thing. He hears the characters voice and listens to them, while he is one of them.”

  And I thought to myself that Helen is not in a good way with her mind. I drank my soda, because my neck was dry from that information and looked a little uptight to Abby, who was looking on her folder and then she turned her beautiful eyes at me, smiling.

  “That’s why I’m telling you Damian, that not the college can help you resolve your issues. But the people. To not get in the same situation like poor Laurence here. You have to open yourself, to get if off from your chest. Now you have me. We’ll be friends” she smiled at me and I back.

  A voice from my head said to me that I will be in the friend zone, which I did not like the idea. But the idea to be open with her, grained to me.

  “And now what we will do?” I asked her.

  “Well we will go back to the hotel, eat something. You will leave your luggage and then we’ll go and visit the Mill family. They are waiting for as at 3 o’clock.”

  I agreed and sent a message to my mother:

  “You are right, I would hate you for the rest of my life if you would took tickets”, and I smiled leaving the seaport with Abby.

  In the hotel at the reception lobby, Helen came fast at us wearing high heels.

  “I can’t believe! I will forbid you to go in clubs for this!”

  “Not a problem” I laughed with Abby, knowing that wasn’t a tragedy. I took back my key-card, going to the elevator.

  “But not tonight, of course. You can go. I mean we will go.”

  I made a scene of sickness at that thought, making Abby laugh. And like the first day, Helen waved her hand happily, making us laugh.

  “You know…is not a bad idea.”

  “What?” I asked terrified.

  “To go clubbing. But not for the sake of dancing and drinking, but in this way we can meet Laurence better, to get along with him.”

  “What do you mean by that?” I said much terrified.

  The elevator’s door opened, and I turned my face to Abby.

  “I mean that, we have to make him see that we are not here from a school to investigate him, this is one of the project’s rules. The subject is not allowed to know that we want to make friends with him just because we are studding him.”

  “Seems to me unfair. But Abby, clubbing? I don’t go out in clubs. I don’t know how to dance or…”

  “Don’t worry about that, I can teach you.” She said smiling and went down on the stairs.

  I entered my room, praying that Laurence is the type of guy who hates clubbing, but something was telling me that he loves to do that. I jumped on the bed and sighed. Probably I sighed thousand of times since I came here, but I was happy that Abby came after me in the seaport. That means something or that she is selfish. I will promise that I will try to get along with a psycho, only for her sake.

  At 2 o’clock, Abby returned to my door, being dressed in white, with a sheer dress and a t-shirt. I saw that she tress her hair again, emphasizing her green eyes. Together we came down to the reception and for my sake Helen wasn’t there, after that we went to a taxi. When the driver started to go, I turned to Abby:

  “Abby, I am not good at talking or making friends. I will pull the rug from under us.”

  “Is not true, in this way you will learn to be more sociable. I know that he likes martial arts, is very good at it…”

  “Great, a good martial arts schizophrenic.” I said ironically.

  “Yeah right, he will not hurt us. Then…an R&B dancer. He likes action movies, fantasies, and listens to rock and hip-hop music. He likes spicy food, especially Mexican.

  “From where you know all this?”

  “I studied the brief. Something tells me that you didn’t get one, that’s why you are so clumsy.”

  A blow under my belt.

  “I did…but…”

  “You didn’t read it,” she continued.

  “Yes” I said having my face all red.

  “Don’t worry; I’m like a mini-glossary on two feet. When I study something, I do it very rigorous.”

  She smiled encouraged at me, while I was feeling abashed. Odd.

  Arriving at the block, I paid the taxi --I did not want to let her do that, even if she insisted-- then Abby called at an intercom.

  “Nai?” someone answered in Greek language.

  “I’m Abby.”

  A clang and the stair door opened. She entered first, with her little black purse, and me after her being more like terrified. Climbing those stairs I felt my heart exploding, I didn’t know how to react and honestly I am not good at acting, or to mime a mood or to be friendly. I couldn’t fake or at least not for a long time. A door opened at the second floor and Abby entered in the apartment with her cute smile on her face, me more like restrained. The apartment was big, and the main
hall made a connection to the living room. Who opened the door, seemed to be Laurence’s mother. A thin woman, boney, with her hair black and long until the shoulders. Having russet-colored skin and eyes dark as night.

  “Hello”, Abby and I saluted polite. She did not say hi back just:

  “Laurence is in his room, I will lead you the way to him. Do you want something to drink?” she asked, Abby turned her face at me, like realizing that I wanted to run away. She took my hand and we went into the living room, I felt blushing again. Laurence’s mother came to us with to glasses of soda.

  “Here you go,” she said and we took the glasses. We said thank you and take a seat on a white sofa, looking around. They had a beautiful house, but I could feel the cold inside, not because was chill inside but for simple reason that here wasn’t the land of happiness. Abby looked at her and said joyfully:

  “You have a beautiful home.”

  “Yes…thank you. We rented for the summer…,” she said with her eyes in another direction.

  “How Laurence is feeling?” Abby asked.

  The woman turned to us with tears in her eyes.

  “Pretty good…I’m afraid. Me and my husband are thinking to intern him to a hospital.”

  “This is not a solution,” Abby said with passion. “It can be resolving if he takes his medicine. You don’t have to put him away.”

  “Yes but what happens if his ill will not pass?” she said scared.

  “It will pass if he will respect his treatment.”

  I thought to myself that she didn’t jock when she said that psychology was her passion, considering that this thing could be read on her face.

  “Can we see him?” Abby asked.

  “Sure…just be careful.”

  “I…can stay here”, I said whispering while Mrs. Mill left.

  “No. You are not here to gossip. You’re here for the project. Trust me Damian. Everything will be ok. Let’s go.”

  Contrary my will, the girl took my hand and together went to his room. Mrs. Mill smiled to us and opened Laurence’s door.

  The first thing I saw was this huge poster, which represented a death with her scythe. This was not a good sign. On a bed, an athletic and black hair boy, was standing back towards the door.

  “Lars, honey, someone came to see you.”

  I figured it out that Lars was a short name from Laurence, but he didn’t answer. The woman smiled and closed the door after us. His room looked like a teenager’s one, full of posters with musician bands. A computer on a black desk, in the corner, and a little mess in, the cloths being everywhere.

  “Laurence?” said Abby, going closer to him.

  In that moment, the boy got suddenly up, I jumped off my skin. He turned slowly to us, and I saw that he was double then me, like body. He had the skin like his mother, black eyes set deep above the high planes of his cheekbones.

  “And you are?” he asked with a heavy voice and a little thick.

  “I’m Abby and he is Damian.” The girl said with pretty much courage.

  Him, for my surprise, smiled and said:

  “Cool. I’m Lars or Laurence, seat down.”

  I took a seat on the bed with Abby next to me. Lars was sitting down in front of us, on a chair.

  “My mom doesn’t let me to have visitors, or to meet someone new. I’m bored to death seating all day in my room or to get out only with my parents. How old are you?” he asked curiously.

  “22” we answered together.

  “Cool, we are all the same age. Well, I’m younger then you with one year…21.”

  “Nice. Why your mother doesn’t let you meet someone new?”

  “She says that Greek people are difficult and they don’t speak English. But she’s lying, I saw a lot of Greeks speaking a perfect English, I really don’t get it. I hate this place.”

  I realized that he wasn’t nonsensical, it was his real personality and some how he seemed a good person.

  “Well yes, we, I mean me, I’m from United States, from Seattle. And Damian comes from London.”

  “Cool. I’m from New York, but I was born in Canada. My parents move a lot. And now in Europe, for this summer.”

  “Yes well…maybe they like to travel,” I said unskillful, not knowing how to talk.

  “Nope…I like to ground myself in just one place. When I make friends, we are moving again. It’s already frustrating for me. I cannot keep a friendship.”

  In his voice, I could easily discern a trace of regret. Me, not like him, I was perfect happy without any friends. Abby sighed, even she realized that regret voice and smiled. He frowned his eyebrows and asked while he was playing with a pen.

  “But it’s weird…why did you came to know me?”

  He wasn’t stupid.

  “Well…your parents and mines are friends. And because I wanted to come in Greece for the summer, my parents suggested me to come here, to not feel alone, because here are your parents and of course you. And with Damian become friends in the hotel, and I suggested him to come with me to know you.”

  He smiled, and I was so amazed how convincing Abby could be. Laurence believed her and smiled happy.

  “Cool. Finally, I meet someone. Well what you want to do? Go to see a movie, pizza…?”

  “Well actually…we were invited in a club tonight and would be nice if we will go there.”

  Oh no! Please Laurence, say no!

  “Well…really, I don’t like that much crowdie places”

  Yes! He will become my best friend.

  “But if you want, we can go. I want to do something I never did before. Maybe will be fun.”

  Oh no! He is already on my black list.

  “Awesome. We have to go.” Abby said, rising.

  “Can I give you my number? To call me when you guys want go”

  “Sure.” Abby said.

  While they were taking their numbers, my thought flew at a big bottle of whiskey. I already preferred to seat all night in my room to let Abby managing this thing herself. But the thought that she will go with a lunatic, gave me chills on the back. So, remains the whiskey.

  On the road, in the cab, Abby sniffed her nose and wiped her tears. I was curious why she was doing that, because outside was beyond 86-Fahrenheit degrees.

  “Abby, are you alright?” I asked her.

  “Yeah…yeah, I’m ok. I mean…Damian, do you realized that the poor boy isn’t allowed to make friends. He’s alone. Not for nothing, his parents move a lot, just for others safety. It’s sad.” she said, while she was cleaning her nose with a napkin.

  I didn’t thought that far at the non-friends theory, when I didn’t had one, or at least I didn’t want too. And others who want and are not allowed to have. Indeed was sad. Arriving at the hotel, from my despair, Helen stopped us.

  “So…what shall we do tonight?” she said happy.

  “We are going in the club,” Abby said with red eyes.

  “Super! I know one very cool…in a resort. We’ll take the bus at 7 o’clock…oh shit, I’ve so much to do, I have to do my hair…Oh my God, what clothes should I ware?” she started to talking more for herself, given me headaches.

  “Someone will come with us.”

  “Really? You hooked up with someone?”

  “No, I didn’t. Laurence will come, our subject, or whatever, our friend.

  “Hmmm, ok, only if he will have fun” she said with a disgusting smile, running in her room.

  She might have say, God be careful, or at least to ban us, considering that she knows all the rules when she banned me to go off the island. But no, she was happy at the thought that a psycho will join us. How cute.

  “She is right” Abby said making me turned shocked my face at hers.

  “Since when Helen is right?”

  “I was referring at the clothes…Even I don’t know what to wear,” she said, going at the elevator.

  “Women” I said, rolling my eyes, joining her in the elevator.

  The 7 o’clo
ck had arrived, and the sun was near the Aegean Sea. Me, Abby and Laurence were sitting in the bus station, with tickets in our hand, waiting for the bus to come. For my relief, the blonde platypus didn’t came with us, being already there. Laurence was talking about his dance competitions and Abby seemed very interested about his stories.

  “And it’s a surprise that you don’t go in clubs, if you are a good dancer.” Abby said, being dressed in a short skirt and a thin blouse with long sheer sleeves.

  “True, but in resort beach clubs, you’ll never hear what music you want.” Laurence said animated.

  “We can ask. I’m really curious how you dance.”

  “Hmm, if only you’ll dance with me.”

  Was me or this guy was flirting with her. A irritating mood came to me, because Mr. perfection was looking long at her while they were talking and I was sitting like an idiot, a little dizzy -- I didn’t exclude the whiskey choice-- listening to their conversation. For my sake, the bus interrupted Laurence’s talking and we went straight to it, climbing inside. Abby and I took a seat in front and Laurence alone in the back, on the other side. Abby smiled to me while the bus left the station. A man was walking among us, talking our tickets.

  “Abby, I hope that you are sure what you are doing.” I said a little worried.

  “Of course, relax. I wasn’t born yesterday, he is lovable.” she said, turning to him, who smiled to her while he was listening to music. My stomach was hurting.

  “And I’m not?” I said without realizing.

  “Of course. Why you’ree so envy?” she said, seemed amused. I laugh, even if I didn’t want to do that and I watched on the bus windows, outside was twilight. How beautiful it can be, the view.

  “I’m joking, you know. I mean, you are lovable to me.”

  “Same. But let’s have fun Damian. At least do it for once in the life time…At least for me.” she said, making me blush.

  “I will try…for your sake.” the last words came out so hard. But let’s be serious, why not? How bad can happen? Despite of Alex waking from Laurence and drown us in the sea.

  “Did he take his pills?” I asked precaution.

  “What? Yes. I have them with me, in case of him to forget.”

  “Cool.”

  The Mr., which was sitting among us, was shouting the resort, which came next, and I was careful when he will yell Chersonissos name.

  “You know. I feel weird.” I said.

  “Why are you feeling weird?”

  “How…how the life can make you a surprise. Only few days back, I was sitting in my room, upset, and look at me now, I am standing right beside of a beautiful girl, in a beautiful country…sharing with me the same dream. Thank you.” I said sincerely, felling my heart dancing inside of me.

  “You don’t have to thank me. You chose this way.”

  “Not, really thank you. If it wasn’t for you, I would gave up my big dream.”

  “Well in that case, you’ree welcome.” She said smiling.

  I wondered if the whiskey was speaking for me or me. Yes, I was. When finally the Mr. shouted Chersonissos, me, Abby and Laurence raised up from our seats and at the first station went down. What I saw around was a vacation-village, in the back being mountains and on the other side of the street was a little mall.

  “Where we are going?”

  “Let me call Helen” Abby said, and I could not believe that these two girls were in touch. Laurence was in happy hour, looking around amazed by what he saw, as if only then he realized where he was.

  “Hello? Hey Helen. It’s me Abby we’re here. We are at the mall, I think…”

  While se took the indications from Bones, Laurence was watching her with a look that irritated me.

  “Ok, well we have to go straight ahead, and when she will see us will come at us” Abby said, putting her hands under our arms, walking happy on the street. Around me, I could hear many languages including British. I did not know that this Cretan resort is so popular.

  Meanwhile when I was walking somehow happy that I was with Abby, and unhappy that Lars was with us, I gave thought to myself that in this way I have a chance to know her better. I really wanted to know her much more, now that she admits I am dear to her. Only if Laurence will not stick his nose in my plans. He is schizophrenic, but I can be much worst then that and I am capable of doing conscious bad things. Of course, I am not that type of person who is violent, but I can be sometimes pretty impish, when someone will not give me a break.

  Abby was talking animated, about this experience, how can you meet new people in your way. I agreed with her, or the part, which did not, implicates Laurence. And suddenly I got sick. Not because of eating something spoiled but forasmuch as I saw Helen Bones, and when she sees us, came quickly, very perky --I was just about to throw up--.

  “I thought that you’ll not show up.”

  “Well we are here not,” Abby said. “Helen, this is our friend Laurence Mill. Lars, this is our teacher, Helen.”

  “Pleasure,” Laurence said with a grain, frowning.

  I figured out that Abby made a terrible mistake. And before the blond one reached to open her mouth, I said:

  “Yes, she is our teacher of… “, I could not find of what.

  “Fitness, in my hotel. I take fitness classes; I want to look in shape.” Abby said quickly, realizing her bloomer.

  Laurence instead, looked at her suspicious.

  “Actually I’m teacher of…” Helen started, but I took her away, putting my hand on her shoulder.

  “The most cool teacher I ever known. An incredible fitness teacher,” I said, amazed what I could do, going all of us on the paved street, framed with a lot of clubs and pubs. Abby started to laugh and Laurence did the same, me being relieved that he swallowed a gudgeon. Helen was giggling and I took my hand off her shoulder, I really did not want to appear like her boyfriend. That is the last straw!

  An image with Abby, and me came into my head. An image of me holding her hand, and Lars with Helen were not around. I smiled at that picture, but I lost the grain fast when I saw that exactly this thing Lars was doing with Abby, taking her hand. A monster started to get birth in me, much dangerous then that schizophrenic. Helen entered first in a club located on an intersection of small paved roads. Was call New York, so much originality for a name.

  “Well what do you know, we got in my place.” Lars said, entertaining Abby.

  “Damian, what are you doing? Let’s go in!” Abby said, seeing that I was looking amazed at that club, in the wrong way said, the music, or better say, the noise, could be hear in all Greece, was so annoying that I was so close to put wool in my ears.

  “Yeah Eddy, let’s get in,” Helen said, and when I heard how she called me I remain with my mouth opened. Eddy?! Ok, I know, I have a middle name but no one puts me a nickname.

  “Damian, actually!” I replied with acid.

  The party, if I can named like this, was in full swing. We went to the back of that club, meaning the second chamber, at first was to crowdie, the main bar and the dance floor, the second one was under a canopy, leading straight to the beach, high tables and round. Abby took a shot of Tequila, inviting me to do the same. Lars and Helen were dancing, for my surprise Lars did not praise himself for no propose. He really knew how to dance despite Helen, which you could easily say that she was electrocuted.

  “You know. I never thought that I will have such a great time here, I mean far away from my home and friends.” Abby said to me, while I was watching Helen to see if she didn’t made foams to her mouth.

  “Well there is nothing much in it. But being with you here is awesome, I mean, I am having fun.” I said without fearing and I did not know from where the words came out.

  “Same, you…Lars, even clumsy Helen.” She said, putting a rock on my heart.

  “I want to know you better.”

  “Of course you can. I didn’t forbid you to do that,” she said happy, taking a drink from my vodka.

  �
��Can I?” she asked.

  “Of course. But…”

  But…But, I could not reach to say a word, because Mr. wonderful psycho, came quickly to our table, like he intuited that I was about to take some words from my soul and telling Abigail. For my despair, Helen came too, taking me to dance. Abby accepted the Lars’s invitation, both of them dancing very closed. Helen tried her best, but I stood still like a statue in the middle of the dance floor, watching helpless and lost the Lars-Abby couple.

  I left from Helen, back to our table, drinking the rest of the vodka and suddenly started a slow song and with a pain in my heart, I saw that Lars and Abby were dancing hugged and slow. Why should I care? Who I am fooling!?

  Therefore, I did not stay to watch them and ran off the stairs towards the beach. I took a seat in the warm sand. The sea was making smooth waves and I took my shoes off, was so pleasant to feel the sand on my bare feet. Was so calm and relaxing to hear the water, to breath it, to see it, even if was night. I watched the stars above and I have to admit that Mother Nature outdone her self with the Greek natural beauty. I observed two girls, which reeked alcohol, were having fun jumping dressed in the cold sea, shouting like the sirens, as they broke down the record for Wales.

  I sighed repeatedly, playing with the sand, I could hear steps in my back, and I felt a hand on my shoulder.

  “Damian, are you ok?”

  For my sake, Abby missed my presence in the club.

  “Now yes…I…I went out because of that drank vodka who was showing signs that wants to get out.” I lied.

  Abby smiled and took a seat right next to me. Even if she was dizzy, still her sweet sense I could smell, and that think made me to want her so bad.

  “How beautiful can be.” She said, watching ahead.

  “Who, Lars?” I said.

  “What?”

  “I am joking. What exactly?”

  “The sea. The sky. The night. This moment.”

  She took a deep breath, closing her eyes. I was looking at her lost and I really wanted to tell her how I feel, but the words were too stubborn to come out. I pleased myself just to hear and see her.

  “What it is?” She said amused.

  “Nothing. What can it be?”

  “Well I don’t know. You look like you’ree about to say something.”

  “No,” I lied again. I already hated myself for this.

  “Ok. I left Lars with Helen.”

  I turned suddenly my head to her.

  “What? Why you did this?”

  “Because I didn’t want company to come here and talk wiith you,” she smiled.

  Even if the idea sounded extraordinary in my ears, Lars didn’t had to be alone, especially that he drank alcohol. I raised.

  “Come on! We don’t have to let him alone. He is able to do anything.”

  “Yes, you’ree right.” She said and together came back to the club.

  Lars was sitting alone at the table, drinking happily. Helen was gone…where she was.

  “Lars, are you ok? Where’s Helen?” Abby asked.

  “She’s dancing with a guy. Abby can we go now? My mom called thousand of time, I don’t feel well.”

  Abby and I looked at each other and we went out, with Lars, off the door. He was pretty dizzy, putting his hands on our shoulders.

  “Friends. How cool it sounds. My best friends.”

  I tried to pull out from his clutch, but no chance, his arm was like my leg.

  “Lars, we’ll take a cab and get you home.”

  “Abby, are you crazy? Until Heraklion?” I said.

  “And what we suppose to do Damian, to seat here until the morning when our bus comes?”

  “Yes. It is 4 o’clock in the morning anyway.” I said, making Abby thinking. She looked at her phone and sighed. After that, we turned our way back.

  It was six in the morning and there was no bloody soul in the resort. The sky took light colors, and at the horizon, a pink line could be seen, announcing the dawn. On the sand I trembled of cold, Abby was sleeping on Lars’s laps and with her legs on mines. The all alcohol cleared, and a little headache started to annoy me.

  “You know,” Laurence started to talk. “Was the best day from my life.” He said low, looking at the pinky horizon.

  I did not want to become sentimental, but real.

  “You never had a best day like…”

  “No. Honestly not.” He cut my question, looking at me. On his sincere face, the first reddish rays of Greek sunshine could be seeing. He turns his eyes at the sun, closing them.

  “Can I ask you something?” I said.

  “Shore, go ahead.”

  “Do you like Abby?”

  I did not know what came over me when I put this question, but I was afraid that his answer would make me drawn him in the sea.

  “I do. I mean…she is a funny girl, beautiful, special. How can you not like her?” he said with a tinge of jock.

  I smiled false, grabbing in my feast the sand and only God could stop me from throw it in his eyes. Abby moved a little, sleeping like an angel.

  “We should go,” I said, looking at the watch.

  “No. Let’s stay a little longer. I love how she is sleeping,” he said, smiling.

  My blood was boiling in my veins.