ARWIN

  Dappled sunlight played across the grass and along the thick tree trunk next to Arwin and his new companion. The delicate sound of feminine laughter and giggling voices carried easily through the fresh air.

  “Go ahead.” Yaz motioned towards the forest glade before them. “You introduce yourself to the beauties over there, and I’ll take a nap while I wait.”

  Arwin looked at the playful nymphs and wanted to go but hesitated. This should be an easy decision. But it wasn’t. “I don’t know…”

  Yaz laughed. “From the way you’re staring at those lovely ladies, I think you do know.”

  Arwin shrugged. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to go over and talk to them,” he admitted but made no move to do so. Arwin looked at the nymphs. He was tempted. Really tempted. He almost got up then, intending to enter the nymph glade. But, as happened far too often recently, unwelcome thoughts of Kelli started to worm their way into his brain. It sickened and twisted his excitement, mixing his feelings up.

  Yaz seemed to notice a change in his facial expression. “What’s wrong?”

  Arwin cursed the unwelcome return of his depression. “Thinking about my ex. I just got out of an intense three-year relationship a few weeks ago.”

  “Bad breakup?”

  He tried not to laugh and cry at the same time at such an understatement. “Yeah. I was crazy about her. I was going to marry her. She decided that money was more important than love, so she cheated on me and hooked up with some rich guy. Then she set me up to find out about it in public in order to permanently destroy what we had between us.”

  Angrily, Yaz spat, “That’s heinous! I’m so sorry you had to go through that.” He put a hand on Arwin’s shoulder to comfort him. “No one deserves to be treated that way. Especially not by someone they loved.”

  Arwin felt himself choke up a bit. He nodded briefly. “Thanks.” He looked down at the ground, trying to wrestle his feelings under control. He normally thought of himself as even-keeled, but ever since the breakup, he’d been emotionally fragile, swinging back and forth at unexpected times. It seemed his wondrous time with Aoi and Bleu hadn’t put an end to that. Looking back up at the nymphs, his lust had sunk under a swell of pain from his broken heart.

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  Enjoying the company of the Bleu and Aoi had made him very much aware that, more than sex with fabulously beautiful women, he wanted shared love. Unfortunately, a part of him still yearned for Kelli’s love and to love her again. He hated that he was still dwelling on this, especially at this moment.

  Yaz spoke gently, “You two broke up. I know how much that hurts, but you have to move on to heal. This seems like the perfect opportunity. Feel a bit better about yourself and about life. Regain hope that other women are out there and that you have a chance of meeting someone new.”

  Arwin slowly nodded. “Yeah, maybe.” He chuckled ruefully but made no move to leave. “It’s weird. Kelli wasn’t faithful. And she’s already with someone else. But it almost feels like it would be cheating on her to even flirt with someone new.”

  Yaz matter-of-factly replied, “That’s probably because you’re still in love with her.”

  Arwin sighed. “Probably.” It looked like he still had a way to go before he fully recovered.

  Yaz looked Arwin in the eyes. “Things are not going to change overnight. But I promise it’s a lot easier to get over someone after we meet new people and have new experiences. A breakup like that will absolutely destroy your ego and sense of self. I think it’ll be really healthy for you to get some positive attention from a member of the opposite sex. After how your ex betrayed and hurt you, you need it.”

  “Yeah.” Arwin thoughtfully rubbed his chin. Yaz was right. He pushed his negativity and depression away. He told himself that it was ok to move on from the past. He consciously let himself come around to the idea.

  To his surprise, he felt some of the darkness drift away. It didn’t vanish completely; it still sat there in the pit of his stomach. But his excitement for the nymphs once more rose to the forefront. He clapped his hands together, psyching himself up and feeling more himself again. "Ok, I’m going.” Arwin straightened up, and a smile bloomed on his face. He faced the glade and dancing girls. They had ceased using the disrober and now splashed in the edge of the pool, water droplets and bare skin sparkling in the warm sun.

  One of the nymphs looked up, seemingly secretively. Her eyes locked onto Arwin’s, even from that distance, and she bit her lower lip. Then she was laughing and playing again with the others. It had been only a moment, but it had felt like a hell of an invitation.

  He felt a rush of excitement flood through him. “Holy cow. This is wild!”

  With a deep breath and with increasing anticipation, he cautiously made his way into the glade. He angled towards the disrober, putting it between him and the ladies, screening himself from view.

  Hidden by the hut, he watched as a nymph came bounding by him, apparently oblivious to him. He’d never seen a woman with naturally green hair before. Hers was light, like the leaves of an elm tree, and it flowed in a thick, wild tangle to her hips. Just as the nymph walked by the disrober, Arwin stepped into view.

  The nymph prettily shrieked and turned on her delicate toes. She cast an inviting glance and sly smile over her shoulder to make sure he was coming after her, then took off across the grass, pleasantly laughing.

  Arwin grinned.

  Moving to twice per week, Tuesdays and Thursdays, Japan time.

  Back to the Future.