HOT LOVE IN BALI

***Denichka***

The day rises on the beautiful Riviera.

My eyelids open slowly. The muffled sound of the waves and birds in the sky has been my alarm clock for several years now.

At the same time, my mother knocks on my bedroom door.

"Wake up, honey. You're going to be late," she says.

"Hmmm! You tell me that every morning, Mom. I'm already awake" I said between a few sighs.

I get up wearily half on my bed. I vigorously rub my eyes with my fingers and run my hands through my hair.

"That's it! The day has just dawned again," I stammer between yawns.

My name is Denichka and I am twenty-five years old. I have lived with my parents in Bali since I was a little girl. There are two of us children. I have a brother who is twenty years old. He is studying at a university several kilometers away from our home and only comes home during the vacations.

My parents work at EL DORADO, the largest and most popular hotel in Bali. My father, Fernando, is a short order cook and my mother is a housewife.

We are not especially rich but we manage to support ourselves. I am proud of my parents and all the sacrifices they make for my brother and me. Nevertheless, we are often teased. I won't deny that it hurts me but I manage to get over it.

So I am a waitress in the same hotel. My parents had a hard time accepting it but I did everything I could to convince them. We went through a very difficult period where we almost lost our house. This house is the only property we own. My parents bought it with their savings with great difficulty. I had no choice but to find a job quickly. And this is the one that came to me.

At the hotel, everything is going well, without counting the indecent proposals of some customers and the rich girls who do not miss a single opportunity to make fun of me. But I'm holding on. I have always remained straight in my boots and faithful to my principles.

I get up slowly from my bed to take a shower.

"Ow!" I exclaim.

I just stepped on a hair clip lying on the floor.

I reach down and pull it out.

Decidedly, my day is looking very good.

A few minutes are enough for me to get ready. I wear my change of clothes and go to breakfast with my parents.

"Good morning, sweetie!" says my dad.

"Good morning, Daddy," I replied.

I put my money where my mouth is and give him a peck on the cheek. He gives me a long hug. Mom joins in. Over time, this morning hug has become a sort of little ritual between us. In our family, we stay very close.

"Come on, let's have breakfast," my mom shouted.

Dad and I pretend to be offended. Mom is good at breaking up moments like this.

She serves us tea.

I have lunch while watching them bicker. They have been together for almost thirty years. Sometimes I want to live this kind of love but until now I haven't found the man who will make me want it. I haven't had many relationships but men who wanted to get serious didn't approach me. People come to Bali more for vacations. On top of that, working as a waitress in a hotel doesn't help me much. The boys I meet are mistaken about me. They only think about having fun.

I am not a saint but I have principles and values.

I finish my breakfast and say goodbye.

I get on my bike and start pedaling.

I usually ride my bike to the hotel. We live just five minutes from the hotel. A few pedals and I run into Diana, my best friend. She is also on her bike.

"Hi pretty girl!" she says

I smile at her teasing.

Diana and I work at EL DORADO. She works as a housekeeper so she interacts with my mom.

We check in with each other and continue chatting until we reach our destination.

In front of the hotel, we put our feet on the ground simultaneously.

"It's been several years since I've been here but it still gives me that feeling. The EL DORADO is just breathtaking," exclaims Diana.

Yes, Diana is right. No matter what anyone says, this hotel is worth all its prestige. In a word, it's beautiful.

"Come on, let's go to our posts before Madame Vera catches us" I said.

At the mention of her name, Diana frowns.

Madame Vera is a lady in her fifties who oversees the stations at the hotel. She is a sort of controller who is always calling the employees to order. She is particularly annoying and does not fail to put us down in front of the customers.

We enter from the back of the hotel and go up the steps of the service staircase. As soon as we parked our bikes, Mrs. Vera calls us.

"Young ladies! Have you seen what time it is?" she questions with a frown.

Diana tries to answer her:

"Madame Vera, it is only..."

She cuts him off:

"I don't care what time it is. You all need to be at your posts." she argued.

Diana was still about to answer her but I managed to beat her to it.

"Understood, ma'am," I whispered.

She stands for a moment and stares at us without saying anything. She approaches Diana, who grunts through her teeth.

"Have I made myself clear, Miss Diana!"

She pronounces his name with a certain disgust.