"Because they both die in the end, and I'm not planning on dying anytime soon."

~•~

"Do we have to go? Can't we just stay in bed and watch some movies?" Vica asked as she walked down a Monaco street towards the harbor with George by her side.

She was wearing a dark blue bikini with a white dress with turquoise polka dots over it—she had bought it in London a week ago and couldn't leave it behind when she saw it in the store. She had to support George somehow, and what better way than with a color that evoked Mercedes? She had to balance it out since her swimsuit evoked Red Bull.

Her hair was styled in a bun, though it looked hastily done as strands of hair were sticking out. Vica really tried to make her hair look good, but it just wasn't working—she still needed to learn how to style her hair properly.

"I'd love to stay in bed, watch a movie, and hold you in my arms, but we need to socialize," George chuckled, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "So smile, lift your chin, and survive today, because you're my plus one, and I wouldn't survive without you."

"You don't want to go, I don't want to go, so let's not go," Vica suggested with a smile. "Let's go back to your place and watch Jurassic Park 2."

The previous evening, they had watched the first Jurassic Park because they both wanted to watch a dinosaur movie, so they didn't have to think twice about what to play on the TV. Vica might have fallen asleep on George's shoulder halfway through the movie, but the brunette didn't mind, as he just held her closer and enjoyed her presence. He really enjoyed that evening and realized that he could imagine his days being just like that.

"You know I'd do that in a heartbeat, but we really should be among people, Vica," the brunette chuckled but kept his arm around her shoulder.

"You and your socializing," the girl playfully rolled her eyes. "You know I'm an introvert who doesn't want to socialize with people, so why are you forcing me to go on a yacht where there will be people?"

"Because the yacht belongs to Charles, and Alexandra requested you," George replied. "She said I wasn't invited unless I brought you. She said I shouldn't even think about showing up without you."

"Well, I guess I'm just your better half," she smiled and nudged him with her hip. She didn't even realize what she had said at that moment—George didn't comment on it, so she moved on without thinking much about it.

However, George did notice her words. He had to avert his gaze because he didn't want the girl beside him to see him blushing. She called herself his better half. They had never kissed, never talked about their relationship, never discussed the feelings they had for each other, and yet Vica called herself his better half. He tried not to give those words too much weight because without asking her to be his girlfriend, he didn't want to consider her one.

They continued walking in silence as they approached the harbor, where many yachts were currently docked. Vica had no idea why, since the Monaco Grand Prix had already happened, which was usually the time when most yachts arrived, as every celebrity with a yacht had to be present.

"Romeo and Juliet are here," Lando exclaimed excitedly when he noticed the pair stepping onto the deck. Vica and George were the last couple to arrive before they set sail to a special spot where they could enjoy the afternoon by the water in peace and without the presence of fans.

"Don't call us that," Vica protested.

"Because you're not a couple?" he asked.

"Because they both die in the end, and I'm not planning on dying anytime soon," she corrected him. She decided not to explain that they weren't dating anymore. Let people think what they want.

"I thought you'd rather die than come here," George looked at her questioningly.

"You can't keep a secret, can you?" Vica looked at him sternly but with a playful tone in her voice.

"Vica's here," Alex exclaimed excitedly, returning from below deck with Kelly, Max's girlfriend, and Lily, Alex's girlfriend. All three looked very beautiful. They also seemed to be thoroughly enjoying their meeting, not paying any attention to their boyfriends.

"Alex, I missed you so much," Vica squealed, pushing George aside and moving to Alex, whom she hugged tightly.

"I'm so happy to see you again," the brunette mumbled into Vica's shoulder. "When Charles told me you were here, I immediately ordered him to invite George, but only on the condition that he brought you," she told her with a big smile on her face.

"I came a bit unannounced," Vica laughed. "But I promise I planned to visit you at the gallery. I definitely didn't want to surprise you by suddenly showing up at a race."

"Unannounced?" Max was puzzled.

"She kind of showed up at my door at ten at night saying she missed me, so she flew over," George answered. "Just when I had turned off the TV and was about to go to bed."

"I'm glad I caught you before you fell asleep," Vica laughed. "Otherwise, I would have stood there longer than a few seconds."

"And did you really miss him, or did you want to tell him something?" Lily asked, and Vica realized what she was getting at—she wanted to know if Vica had confessed that she liked him and wanted to date him.

"I actually did want to tell him something, but it didn't come up, so I'll announce it now and here in front of everyone," she smiled. Alex and Lily immediately started smiling widely, hoping she would confess her love for the brunette standing before her.

But Vica had other plans. She wanted to announce something else. "In a few weeks, my very first book will be published."

"What?" everyone exclaimed.

"It happened? I'm so proud of you, Vica, so proud," George was the only one who said something different from the others and immediately trapped the blonde in a tight hug. He wasn't lying; he was genuinely proud because he had read the book, it was damn good, and he knew how much Vica wanted this. He knew how big a dream it was for her. He knew how much it meant to her and was glad to be there for it. He was glad to be by her side when all this was happening.

"What's it about?" Charles asked.

"Don't pretend you read," Max laughed.

"He doesn't even know how to read," Alex teased her friend.

"It takes place during the Korean War," she told them. "The main character is an eighteen-year-old American soldier. His unit captures a few North Korean women, and he falls in love with one who helps take care of the wounded. Neither of them speaks the other's language, so we follow their story of falling in love despite this significant barrier."

"That sounds like a very interesting book," Lily said with a smile.

"The Korean War? Isn't that your favorite period?" Alexandra asked.

"You remember," Vica was perhaps more surprised by George remembering than by the girl standing next to her. After all, Alexandra was educated and very smart, so she hoped she would remember this little fact about her. She did, and it brought a smile to Vica's face.

"I wouldn't forget," Alexandra nodded with a smile.

"I can confirm it's a very well-written and engaging book, and I definitely recommend reading it when it comes out," George announced.

"You've already read it?" Max asked in confusion.

"I got exclusive access to the book and was able to read it," George nodded in response to his friend's question.

"He lost a bet and as a punishment, he had to read the whole thing in a week and write me a two-page report on what he thought of the book," Vica explained, ratting out the brunette.

"I don't know if I'm more surprised that you made a bet and he lost, or that he managed to read a book in a week and write a two-page report," Lando looked back and forth between George and Vica.

"I didn't know George could read," Alex chimed in. "I thought he was like Max and had only read two books in his life."

"It was three," George didn't let the teasing get to him and even joined in.

"My apologies, Mr. Genius," Alex chuckled. "I bow before the smartest driver among all twenty."

"Has the book been titled yet?" Alex asked, genuinely interested in Vica's book.

When they were walking through the gallery, and Vica was explaining everything she knew about art, Alex tried to extract some information about her life. She didn't get much but hoped that would change soon—hoping it was just because they didn't know each other well and Vica was a very big introvert. Fortunately, she managed to get out of Vica that her biggest dream was to write a book and have it made into a movie, because you know you've made it as an author when your book is turned into a film.

She found out that Vica was currently working on a book but didn't want to share any details. Vica was very secretive about her book, and Alex was afraid she would never find out what it was about. She feared that if Vica stopped talking to George, they would also stop talking, and she would never hear about her again. Luckily, now she knew they would stay friends even without George in Vica's life because they had become friends and would stick together.

She was glad she finally found out today what her friend was writing about. She was happy to know that the book the blonde was so proud of would soon see the light of day. She was proud that her friend would soon become a writer—she had never read anything by her, but she believed she wrote brilliantly. She believed that the book she wrote would be a hit.

It probably would be a hit, and she probably did write well because she doubted George would finish a book if he didn't enjoy it. It wasn't just that he liked Vica and wanted to impress her—he simply didn't want to waste his precious time reading something that didn't interest or enrich him.

"Just yesterday, I chose the best name the book could have," Vica nodded.

"And what is it called?" Kelly asked curiously.

"Silent Words From Korea," Vica replied.

"That sounds like a very good title for a book," Alexandra smiled. "It fits what you said the book is about. Does the title fit the book, George?" the brunette looked at George, who hadn't taken his eyes off the blonde the whole time.

"It fits very well," he nodded with a smile.

After that, everyone started minding their own business. Charles and Lando went to the captain, who announced the departure from the harbor. Charles, to guide him to the place he had planned to go, and Lando, hoping the captain would let him steer for a few meters.

Vica and the girlfriends sat on the bow of the boat and sunbathed. Compared to the others, she was as white as cheese, which wasn't very attractive. She knew she needed to get some tan if she wanted George to finally ask her the question she had been waiting for for days.

"Did she really just show up at your door?" Max asked George once he made sure none of the girlfriends were around.

"Yeah," George nodded. "I was about to go to bed when there was a knock, and there she was with a suitcase in hand. She was crying."

"She was crying? Why?" Alex asked.

"I don't really know," George shrugged. "She asked me why I wrote those papers so nicely, and then we just stood there hugging and ignoring everything around us."

"And did you finally ask her?" Lando, who had returned from the captain, who made it clear he wouldn't let him steer for even a second, asked. It wasn't that he didn't trust him, but because he didn't have a license and didn't want to risk anything happening—it would be on him and he would be the one to lose his license.

"I'm waiting for the right moment," George sighed. "It feels like none of the moments we're together are the right ones."

"The moment will come," Max patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry about that."

"Or you'll get tired of waiting for the right moment and ask her at the most unexpected time," Alex smiled. "Who said feelings have to be expressed at the right time?"

"Exactly," Lando nodded, wanting to add something, but George cut him off.

"I'm not going to tell her I really like her while she's sitting on the toilet."

"Your loss," the brunette stuck his tongue out at him. "If you don't want to be original."

~•~