𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚗

Have you ever had a moment of clarity? Where everything makes sense, your insecurities and worries dissolve into the ground, and your entire universe shifts on a different axis?

It's a moment where you feel like everything you're doing in your life is totally and completely right. A time you were born for, and that destiny led you on this path for this specific reason.

Well, right here in this lake, pressing my palms deeper into Grayson's chest feels like my own moment of clarity.

Pure joy and shock crosses his eyes. His heart beating under my hand stops for a brief moment as he holds onto the thin air escaping his lips.

"How is this possible?" He asks in a rushed whisper.

"I don't know, but I can physically feel you."

His hands are suddenly exploring every inch of my body. He starts on my face, running the pad of his thumb over my cheek. He makes his way down, allowing his pointer finger to gently graze my collarbone.

I can feel the butterflies erupting in my stomach. It's doing flips and turns and a million cartwheels. Nobody has ever touched me like this before.

His deep eyes roam my exposed body, and suddenly I feel nervous. I can actually pinpoint the nerves in my body.

Wanting to do the same to him, my hands move down his perfectly toned stomach. Every curve and bump on the creases of his abs are on my fingertips.

"My skin in tingling." His voice is raspy, and the sound actually makes me shiver.

"So is mine." My eyes lift up to meet his, and that's when my breathing hitches.

The way his eyes lock with mine is sending spirals of waves through my core. My mouth suddenly feels dry, my knees are buckling.

"This is amazing." I manage to say.

When he removes his hands from my skin, I feel empty. And a lot colder than before. Instead, his hands touch his own face.

"I can feel myself." He whispers, running his fingers through his wet hair.

Drifting my hands off of his stomach, I slowly place my hand over my heart. The thumping against it is enough to cause a heart attack to occur.

"My heart is beating. It's actually beating again." I gasp and keep my eyes down on my cold body. Goosebumps are forming on my skin.

"The water calmed down." Grayson points out while checking his surroundings.

My eyes shift around me, and I noticed the wind has completely stopped. "That was bizarre."

"I'm freezing." He says while rubbing his hands over his arms.

"Let's get out." I gulp and quickly rush out of the lake. The water is splashing against the sides of my legs.

I can hear his movements behind me, and all my brain can think about is his hands touching my body.

Picking up my clothes off of the ground, I quickly throw my white dress on. I'm already hating the feeling of my wet bra sticking to the dry material.

Grayson puts his jeans on, but I take notice that his white t-shirt is still hanging in his hands. I really wish he would just put it on, staring at his dripping wet body is causing my skin to feel hot.

Making my way into the cottage, my heart pumps faster in my chest. I can feel every aspect of it beating.

When I look down at my clothes, they're completely dry. I spin around, and Grayson's soaking wet body is now gone.

"What the hell is going on today?" He says with a nervous laugh as he runs his hands through his hair again.

"I don't know." I whisper and take a seat on the couch. He's quick to throw on his t-shirt before sitting next to me.

"We need to tell Hunter." Grayson says while sighing.

"He said we wouldn't be able to feel anything. Human emotions don't exist here." Those have been the rules since day one. We weren't supposed to feel anything until we reconnected with our bodies.

"They obviously do." He lets out a sigh.

My breathing becomes heavier as a sharp pain pierces my skull. I place my hands on each side of my head.

"H? What's happening?" Grayson says, but before I could answer, his breathing begins to pick up.

I close my eyes and scream out in agonizing pain. The sadness and guilt comes pouring out of me in the form of rapid tears taking over my entire face.

Grayson begins to sob next to me, and when I turn to look at him, his entire face is bright red from crying so hard.

I'm crying because I couldn't before. All of my emotions that have been locked away in my body are finally exposed.

"It's okay." Grayson's shaky voice says as he places his hand over mine.

"I need to let it out." I squeeze onto his hand and interlock my fingers with his.

"Me too." He whispers while scooting closer to me and wrapping his arm around my fragile body.

I lean my head on his chest and continue to sob. I thread my fist in the fabric of his shirt, feeling the soft material through my hand.

"Shhh. It's okay." Grayson says while running his hands smoothly over my hair. The feeling causes my stomach to turn in the best way.

"This is incredible." I slightly sit up, wiping away some of my tears.

"God, that was emotional. For weeks I've been wanting to cry because I miss my family in the real world. Now I finally got the chance to." Grayson gives me an understanding nod.

"I can't believe we can feel each other." I say while moving my fingers over his, which are still connected to mine.

"I took for granted having feeling of you that night at the carnival." Grayson says while pulling my body closer to his.

"I have to tell you something." I gulp, trying to steady my already growing heart beat.

"What?" He looks deeply into my eyes.

"Remember when we were in the field? And the butterflies swarmed us?" I bite down on my lower lip, actually being able to feel the sensation this time.

"Yeah, of course I remember." He says with an anxious smile.

"I felt my heart beat for a brief moment." I rub my lips together and wait for his reaction.

"Are you lying?" He says with a surprised expression.

"No, of course not. It scared the shit out of me."

"I felt it too." He blurts out, inching his body closer.

"Wait, what?" My stomach turns.

"I didn't want to say anything because-"

"Because you waited to see if it would happen again?" I ask.

"Yeah, and I thought the car-"

"Carnival would bring the feeling back." I finish the sentence for him.

"Yeah, how'd you know I was going to say that?" He whispers, completely caught off guard.

"Because that's how I felt." I admit while looking down at our hands.

"I only felt it once, though."

"Yeah, in the field. Me too." I let out a sigh.

"But at the carnival I sensed nerves in my body. That's why I asked you if you were also nervous."

"I was." I quickly nod.

"I can't believe you felt your heartbeat the same time that I did." He shakes his head in disbelief.

Nervously gulping, my eyes stare directly into his. I tighten my grip on his hand, wanting to squeeze it for comfort.

"You have goosebumps." He notices the chill of my skin. His hands are suddenly rubbing the sides of my arms. He has a lustful look in his eyes, and it's making me nervous.

"What?" He says while keeping his eyes on me.

"Nothing, it's just the way you're looking at me." My cheeks heat up as I blush.

"I'm looking at you that way because you're mesmerizing, Hope." I love the sound of his voice. It's raspy yet soft at the same time.

"Thanks." I exhale the sharpest breath possible.

"You don't believe me." I can see the frown painting his lips.

"I do, it's just.." My voice trails off as I look back into his eyes. "This scares me."

"Why does it scare you?"

"Because real feelings can be terrifying." I shrug.

"I can never get you out of my head." He admits while placing his hand on my cheek. The jolt of electricity that runs through me is intense.

"Really?" I gulp.

"Yes, I'm always thinking about your smile, or your cute dimples, or if you're going to be more open with me."

"I'm not an open book, but I'm trying to get over that." I say as my eyes scan every part of his face.

"Do you feel this?" He takes my hand and places it on his chest, directly over his heart.

Boom boom. Boom boom. Boom boom.

"Your heartbeat." I whisper, loving the feeling of it against my palm.

"It's going crazy, because of you. Because now I have real contact with you."

"Mine is too." I copy his action by slowly placing his hand over mine.

We sit in silence for a few moments, both staying completely still. We're really taking in the sound of each other's heart. It's a beautiful sensation.

"The flower in your hair stayed." He smiles while moving his hand to my hair. Pulling out the small sunflower, he holds it out in front of me.

"Put it back. It was becoming my signature." I smile brightly at him.

"As you wish, H." He shifts his body so that his face is inches away from mine. My breathing stops as he gently places the petal back in my light brown hair.

After the action is done, he stares down at me. I'm too nervous to move away from him. A major part of me wants to be as close as I can to him.

"Hope?" His voice is barely audible.

"Yes, Grayson?" I stutter.

"Remember how I told you when we get back to the real world, I was going to kiss you?" His forehead presses against mine.

"I remember." I say, my entire voice trembling.

"I don't think I can wait any longer." He whispers before leaning forward and crashing his lips against mine.

My eyes widen as I stare at him, before tightly closing them. I instantly kiss him back, following his smooth rhythm.

My hands wrap around his neck, while he tightens his grip on my waist. His other hand runs up my back, allowing me to press against his chest.

The taste of his mouth is something I can't describe. He tastes fresh, like mint. I don't know how that's possible, but it is.

I slightly part my lips and consume as much of him as I can. I can't believe I'm actually kissing Grayson. The sparks flying around my body is something I have never experienced before.

He lightly groans when I run my fingers through his messy brown locks. The texture is soft and silky. He pulls me even closer to him, and I'm loving the way my heart is pounding against his chest.

When his mouth breaks away from mine, I immediately tense up. I let out a sigh, feeling my pulse racing against my skin. He looks deep into my eyes and I slowly untangle my body from his.

"That was-"

"Yeah, it was." I whisper, not being able to come up with my own words.

Grayson smiles and wraps his arm around my shoulder before lying back on the couch. I'm on top of him, cuddling into his chest.

"I can't wait to read about this moment in your diary." He says with a cocky voice.

"Shut up." I giggle before closing my eyes and, for the first time since we've been here, go to sleep with a smile on my face.