After swimming at the beach for nearly three hours, I stepped out of the water and glanced down at my fingers, which had wrinkled up like prunes. It was an odd reminder of time passing, yet the sun above me felt warm and inviting. I dried myself off, and soon enough, Amelia and Ethan followed suit, with the rest of the group not far behind.
As I glanced at my watch, I realized it was already noon. The guys were buzzing about heading to the amusement park, and I felt a pang of hesitation. Amusement parks had never really been my scene. Sure, the thought of the roller coasters and Ferris wheel was temptingâwho wouldn't want to feel like a kid again, screaming with joy and terror at the top of their lungs? The idea of seeing the world from that high up and taking in the landscape was thrilling, but at the same time, a part of me wanted to retreat into the comfort of the beach house and binge-watch Netflix.
Amelia was right: we should spend Spring Break together instead of hiding away. Yet, the thought of being around a bunch of people and loud rides was overwhelming. I was starting to feel selfish for even contemplating staying behind.
Before heading into the beach house to wash up, I gathered my things. Amelia lounged on a chair, her sunglasses pulled down slightly, likely enjoying the sun in hopes of getting a tan. When she caught me staring, she lifted her shades, giving me a curious look.
"Are you going to wash up already?" she asked.
I nodded, and just as I was about to head inside, Cayden chimed in, "Are you going back to the beach house?"
I blinked a few times, surprised he was paying attention, but eventually nodded again. He stepped forward, grabbing my belongings without waiting for a response.
"I'll carry these for you," he said, a grin playing on his lips.
Amelia smirked at the sight, clearly entertained by whatever was unfolding. I raised an eyebrow, a mix of confusion and curiosity bubbling up inside me.
"I can carry those. I'm not that lazy," I protested, trying to reclaim my stuff, but he just shook his head.
"I'd rather not."
I almost launched into a playful argument, but instead, he turned and walked away with my things, leaving me bewildered. I shot Amelia a glance, and she just shrugged.
"Go chase after him," she said, her voice light with amusement.
I rolled my eyes, but the urge to follow Cayden was stronger than my annoyance. I dashed after him, catching up easily, and we fell into a comfortable silence as we headed back into the beach house. No small talk, just the sound of the ocean and the gentle rustle of the wind outside.
As I walked, my mind drifted back to last night at the beach, replaying fragments of the evening and the movie we had started. I couldn't remember muchâjust that I hadn't finished it and had likely fallen asleep beside Cayden. It made me smile, but then I quickly dismissed the thought, pushing it aside.
"Uh, are you just going to stand there?" Cayden's voice broke through my thoughts, and I blinked, realizing we had stopped in the hallway.
I shook my head, regaining my focus, and led the way into the beach house. The interior felt cool compared to the warmth outside, and I made my way toward Amelia and my bedroom, Cayden trailing behind me.
Once inside, I dropped my stuff on the bed and turned to Cayden, who stood awkwardly just inside the door. "Um, you can leave now," I said, holding the door open for him.
He blinked at me, seemingly lost in thought. "What?" I asked, meeting his gaze.
"If you don't want to leave, it's fine. But I'm going to wash up now," I added, closing the door behind me. I quickly grabbed some fresh clothes and a towel, then stepped into the bathroom, locking the door behind me.
The shower felt refreshing, washing away the saltwater and the remnants of the morning. Fifteen minutes later, I stepped out, towel-drying my hair before slipping into my clothes. I turned off the lights and exited the bathroom, surprised to find Cayden still in the room.
"Oh, you're still here, huh?" I remarked, raising an eyebrow at him.
He smiled but didn't say anything, which made me even more curious. What was going on with him today? It was unusual for him to linger like this, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
He finally stood up and walked toward me, the space between us closing. "Uh..." was all I could muster as he approached, my heart racing slightly.
"Are you okay?" I asked, but he didn't respond. Instead, he seemed lost in thought, his eyes focused on something far away.
"I..." he began, but was interrupted by the sudden ringing of his phone. He grabbed it from the bed, glancing at the screen before answering. "Yeah, okay. I am," he said, looking up at me momentarily.
He grabbed his towel, mouthing "I'll see you later" before heading out of the room.
"What just happened?" I whispered to myself, trying to process the sudden shift in his demeanor. Something felt off, like there was a tension hanging in the air that I couldn't quite grasp. I couldn't help but feel like I was missing a crucial piece of the puzzle.
After shaking off my thoughts, I made my way to the living room, where Amelia was already lounging on the bed. She looked up as I entered, her arms crossed, a mischievous glint in her eye.
"Tell me, did something happen between the two of you last night?" she asked, leaning forward.
I sighed, sinking onto the bed beside her. "No," I replied, staring at the ceiling, hoping to change the subject.
"Sure, nothing happened..." she mused, her tone teasing.
I shot her a glare, but it only made her smirk widen. "Then let's rephrase the question. What happened between you two at the beach? You know I saw something, right?"
Her curiosity was infectious, but I wasn't ready to share. "Oh, come on, Amelia," I groaned, "nothing happened."
She rolled her eyes playfully. "Oh, please. I saw you closing your eyes and him leaning in."
"I think something was about to happen, but I'm not going to invent a story just to satisfy my curiosity. Those 'what ifs' will just mess with my head," I admitted, feeling vulnerable.
"Admit itâyou were thinking about him kissing you," she said, her smirk returning.
"Okay, maybe I was, but it's not like it's going to happen," I protested, frustrated at the direction this conversation was taking.
"Yet."
I sighed heavily, flopping back on the bed. "It wasn't the right time."
Just then, we heard laughter coming from the living room. I exchanged a glance with Amelia before we headed out to see what the guys were up to. Cayden and Ethan were sprawled on the couch, a movie playing on the screen.
"That feeling of getting yourself ready for a momentâI feel you, girl," Amelia whispered, giving my shoulder a light tap. I rolled my eyes, feeling embarrassed.
"Nothing's going to happen," I insisted, but even I could hear the uncertainty in my voice.
The guys had scrapped their plan to go to the amusement park and instead decided to throw a small party at the beach house. They'd invited a few peopleâno more than thirty, which was a relief. I hated being around too many drunk people.
James, David, and Logan had gone to a convenience store to buy snacks and drinks, leaving Cayden, Ethan, Amelia, and me to decorate the living room. We wanted to make the space welcoming and fun, so it wouldn't feel too cramped when everyone arrived.
After a short while, the guys returned, arms laden with bags of chips, pizza boxes, and bottles of alcohol. I headed into the kitchen with Ethan, grabbing bowls and arranging snacks on the table.
"Now that I'm thinking about it, you shouldn't be here, because you'll be the reason we run out of food," Ethan joked, elbowing me lightly.
I laughed, grabbing a handful of popcorn. "I need to reward myself for all this hard work," I replied, popping a piece into my mouth.
"And by hard work, you mean pouring food into bowls?" he teased, chuckling.
"Hey, it's a crucial task!" I shot back, grabbing more popcorn.
Just as I was about to dig in again, Ethan swatted my hand away. "That was kind of mean," I pouted, rubbing my hand dramatically.
Ethan smirked and snatched a handful of popcorn for himself. "And you're also eating," he pointed out, defending his actions.
As we playfully battled for the bowl, I jumped, trying to grab it from him. My feet barely left the ground, and suddenly, I was standing close to him. Our faces were inches apart, and I could feel my heart race.
Just then, an awkward cough broke the tension. I turned around to see Cayden standing in the doorway, an annoyed expression on his face.
"You guys need to stop," he said, shooting us both a glare. Ethan and I exchanged confused looks.
Cayden stepped closer to me, grabbing my wrist. "Stop flirting with her," he whispered to Ethan, as if I couldn't hear.
Ethan's eyebrows shot up, caught off guard. "Uh... we're not doing anything," he said, defensively.
"Sure," Cayden replied, casting a glance my way before he headed out of the kitchen, pulling me along with him. His grip on my wrist felt firmer than necessary, almost possessive. Was he already tipsy? I caught the hint of a carefree smile on his lips, but his eyes looked unfocused, like he was somewhere else entirely.
We climbed the stairs, his pace quickening, and I could sense the urgency in his movements. When he reached a bedroom, he stepped inside but kept his back turned to me, staring at the bed as if it held all the answers to his unspoken thoughts. The door clicked shut behind me, and I frowned at his sudden change in demeanor.
"What's up with you?" I asked, closing the distance between us. I reached out to turn him around, but he kept his gaze fixed on the floor, avoiding my eyes like I was a puzzle he couldn't solve. "You seem off. I think you've had too much to drink. How about you take a breather?" I suggested, trying to coax him back to a better state of mind.
He shrugged off my concern, and I instinctively took his hand, planning to lead him back out of the room. But just as I opened the door, he stepped forward, blocking my way.
"Why are you like this?" he asked, his voice low and frustrated. I paused, surprised by the intensity in his tone. I turned to face him, letting go of his hand, trying to gauge what was going on beneath his bravado.
"Huh? Why are you being like this?" I shot back, feeling a mix of irritation and worry. The door pressed against my back, a reminder of the space closing in around us.
"Why can't you see it?" he said, his expression shifting from confusion to something deeper, more vulnerable. I could see a flicker of something in his eyesâan urgency that made my stomach knot.
"See what?" I asked, genuinely perplexed. I searched his face for clues, my heart racing as he finally lifted his gaze to meet mine. His brown eyes were intense, a storm of emotions swirling within them.
"That I fucking want you and that you're mine," he declared, his voice dropping to a whisper, filled with raw honesty. The air between us thickened, and before I could process his words, he closed the distance between us and pressed his lips against mine.
***
Oh my god. This is it.
I'm like... OHMYGODTHEYJUSTKISSEDLIKEOHMYGOD. I'm fangirling and I need to stop. I'm also updating this chapter at around midnight which is already 2:50 AM and I need to sleep soon. I hope you guys loved today's chapter.
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-The Author