All the pamphlets about activities on Majorca were filled with pictures of sun-soaked beaches, glittery blue-green ocean water, and clubs.  Because who didn't like sand nestling itself everywhere, and skin sticking to that plastic chair when you try to get up and run to the shade before being cooked alive? 

That'd be me. I didn't.

But the only indoors, non-nightlife activity I could find was some aquarium I had no interest in visiting. I was about to give up, until my eye fell on a tiny advertisement in the bottom corner of a tourist attraction booklet. 

Outdoor bouldering (also has an indoor location).  

There was a beginners course, but I'd already missed the sign up date, but there was also an option to just go and pay for the afternoon. Climbing wasn't necessarily interesting to me. Back home I wouldn't consider going. Here, however? It seemed like the best option. At least I'd be getting some exercise out of it, and I could get away from Joyce's friends. 

Not that they particularly cared about my presence or absence. Everyone ignored me at the breakfast table, except Joyce who wished me a 'good morning' after a big yawn. 

"I'm going to stay indoors, Joyce," I told my sister, purposely only addressing her. If all Joyce's were all going to ignore me, I was going to ignore them back just as hard. 

It didn't have that much effect, considering I seemed to care much more about them ignoring me than the other way around. They probably all thought 'good riddance' when I exited the apartment in my exercise clothes, and only some cash, my phone, a bottle of sunscreen, and a towel in my bag. 

The walk to the climbing hall was further than I thought, and when I finally arrived I was already sweating like a pig. Then, I wondered if I had filled in the right address considering the building looked abandoned from the outside - with paint peeling off of the walls. When I turned the corner however, I found the indoor bouldering walls. It wasn't super crowded, much to my relief. 

There was nobody behind the counter, until I walked closer and a girl on the climbing wall glanced at me, jumped down on the mat, and moved herself towards me. 

With a start, I realised I knew her face. It wasn't one you'd easily forget. 

She was the beautiful girl from last night. The one who'd sneered at that guy to 'fuck off' and was currently staring intently at me. My eyes darted to the name tag on her chest. 'Vera' it read. I guess that was her name. Wow, in the broad daylight I could really see how toned her arms were. It was obvious she climbed often. 

"So, how can I help you?" Vera asked. 

I quickly made myself look up at Vera's dark eyes. She had quirked an eyebrow in question. 

Crap, I was staring like a creep and I was making her wait. She was annoyed with me. My heart started thumping and I felt my face grow hot. "I just need a pair of climbing shoes, because, uh, I want to climb. Indoors please - I don't want to go out in the sun." 

Vera nodded. "That's smart, staying indoors during the hottest hours. Unlike most tourists. What's your shoe size?" 

"European? I'm a 37," I replied, moving my weight from the one leg to the other. 

Vera picked a pair of shoes from the closet, and placed them in front of me. I already had my cash out to pay, but Vera didn't take it. 

"No, you can pay after," she said. 

Before I could open my mouth to say thank you, someone behind me laughed. 

Ty from Club Ocean slipped into the spot next to me, casually draping his arm on the counter. 

"Pff, you never let me pay after, Vera," he said. 

He winked playfully at Vera, who scowled at him.

"Because you forget to pay if I don't make you do it upfront." 

Ty laughed again and shrugged. "That's true," he admitted.

Clearly, Ty and Vera knew each other. I wasn't sure if Ty remembered me from last night - he saw a lot of people - so I decided not to greet him. It felt too awkward anyway, standing here like a potato with two gorgeous people who apparently knew each other. 

I grabbed the climbing shoes from the counter, planning on sneaking away. But Ty had other plans. Rather than staying with Vera, he walked with me. 

"Hey, you're that girl from yesterday," he said. "Charlie, right?" 

"Charmeine."

"Right, sorry, Charmeine." Ty gestured at the climbing wall. "You're into bouldering? That's cool."

"Not really into, I just wanted to try it." 

Geez, stop being Nelly Negative will you? I berated myself. Just saying yes is fine, too. 

Ty didn't seem to mind either way, he had a smile almost permanently plastered on his face. "And are you going to try it indoors or outdoors?" 

"I'm going to stay indoors for a while. I'm a bit too pale for the Spanish sun."

Ty laughed at my remark. "Okay, gotcha. I'm gonna go outside first, but I'll be inside in a bit. I hope you'll still be here so we can climb together." 

"Oh, yeah, I'll be here for the next few hours," I promised, just to get another dazzling grin out of Ty, before he saluted me and went outside.

I regretted my promise about ten minutes later.

I was not a regular climber. Not even a regular exerciser. The shoes were so tight I was pretty sure my toes were going to fall off. And my arms felt like they were made out of lead after three attempts and I hadn't managed to reach the top of the wall anywhere. 

I even got stuck on the white route, which was supposably meant for kids. I saw the next grip up above, but my arm simply couldn't reach there without me losing my balance. Sweat was dripping down my forehead into my eyes, which didn't make things any easier either. 

"Turn your right hip in!" 

I looked down and Vera was there, standing in front of the mat and watching me. 

Honestly, my muscles were trembling and I wanted to just jump down. But I couldn't do that in front of her. So, I did as she asked and turned my side towards the wall.

"Like this?" 

"That's right," Vera said. "Now stretch your leg and you'll be able to reach."

"O-okay." 

I got a hold of the next grip, and then another with Vera's instructions. It felt like I was talking forever to reach the top, and I probably was taking forever, but eventually I got up there. 

"Well done!" Vera told me. Her words were followed by an applause, which sounded like more than one person. 

My stomach tied itself in a nervous knot. Evidently, I had an audience. 

I jumped down on the mat and Vera wasn't the only one standing there. She was joined by Ty and two other muscular guys I didn't recognise, and I couldn't help but feel like their applause was meant to be mocking. Why would they applaud for some stranger finishing the simplest route there was? With help, to boot. Then again, they were Ty's friends. So maybe they were sincere.

Either way, I didn't like thinking about it.

"Are you going to guide me through a new route today, too, Vera?" Ty flashed Vera a grin, and just like before, Vera's face scrunched up. 

She rolled her eyes at him. "No."

"Still hates you," muscular dude #1 laughed, patting Ty's shoulder. 

I wondered why. As far as I'd seen, Ty had been nothing but nice to Vera. Yet, she still didn't seem to like him one bit. 

And I didn't like the way my lower arms were cramping up one bit. I massaged one arm . The muscles were rock hard under my fingers and I grimaced. 

"Sore?" Ty asked. 

I looked up at Ty, face flushing as his two friends were eying me curiously as well. 

"Yeah, my arms feel like pudding," I replied. They looked like pudding, too. But I decided to keep the self-deprecation to myself today. 

Ty chuckled. "I remember the first time I went climbing. Could hardly lift my arms the next day. But it'll get better if you go more often."

"Of course," I said, subtly wiping some sweat off of my face as I suddenly realised it couldn't look pretty.

Great, I had to be sporting major armpit stains as well. I hadn't even thought about that, because I wasn't aware I was supposed to look charming while exercising. 

Ty didn't seem to mind either way. He still smiled at me like I was looking charming, maybe even like he was flirting, and it was confusing. Why was he still paying attention to me? This was beyond pity and I didn't get it. 

"So, see you around here later then?" Ty asked.

By now, his friends had already moved up ahead and were picking a route. 

"Yes, sure." Whether it was just sympathy-attention from Ty's side or not, I still couldn't stop myself from giggling like a schoolgirl with a crush. 

"Great." Ty stuck up his hand and waved at me, before following his friends. 

I sat and took off the climbing shoes, breathing a sigh in relief as my toes could finally move again and got some circulation. 

Shoes in hand, I walked over to Vera at the counter. I'd seen her climb several routes while I was busy fumbling through my attempts, but she didn't look sweaty or tired at all. Somehow, she managed not to have a hair out of place.  

The world was an unfair place, and I wasn't sure whether to admire or feel jealous of Vera. 

"Thank you for your help getting me up the wall," I told her with a small, shy smile. "I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have finished any route today if it wasn't for you." 

Vera took the climbing shoes from my hands and tossed them into a bucket at her feet. "If you want more instructions: we're organising a free beginners workshop starting tomorrow at nine."

"Oh, I thought I was too late to sign up for it." 

Vera shrugged. "You are, but I give the class and I can make an exception." 

"Really?" I blinked rapidly, unable to hide my surprise. People usually didn't give me free handouts. Those were usually reserved for my sister Joyce. Just like guys like Ty usually only paid attention to her.

"Thanks," I said, shyly tucking a strand of hair which had escaped my ponytail behind my ear. "I'd like that." 

Vera's full lips tugged up in a smile, and I was struck with the realisation that had not seen her smile yet. It was an infectious one, and I couldn't help but smile back with butterflies flitting in my belly. 

First impressions weren't everything. Vera was actually nice. Kind of intense in a 'I'll bite your head of if you look at me wrong' kind of way- but nice, and I had something to do tomorrow. I also had a good chance I'll run into Ty again. 

Maybe, just maybe, this holiday would turn out fun after all.