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Picture

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Chapter 25: Picture (Vanessa's POV)

"Everybody is already at the waterfalls, last I heard from Zach," Jade replied. 

"The lower falls?" Aaron asked, pocketing his phone. 

"I don't know, I guess we'll find out when we get there," she replied. 

We had just parked the car and were now on our way to the waterfalls. It's about a five-minute walk to the lower level from what Aaron says and from there it's a little longer to get to the higher level. 

"Since Aaron is our tour guide," Thomas sighed, patting his shoulder, "he should lead the way." 

"I have never in my life been to Hawaii, let alone these waterfalls," Aaron mumbled, "but sure." 

"Great. We'll follow Aaron and Van," Daisy agreed. 

I turned to Aaron as we started walking. "Do you know where we're going?" 

"No," he sighed, slowing down when we hit the slippery and damp soil. We walked straight ahead, following the trail but being careful not to slip. At one point, we reached a steep point. "We have to go down to reach the lower levels, from there we take the new trail to go up," Aaron huffed, glancing at my sandals. "You could have worn something a bit better, no? Something that could at least prevent a sprain if you fall." 

"Why would I fall? You'll catch me, right?" I smiled. I ignored the chuckles behind us and lifted my brows at him. "Let's go." 

Aaron took the bag from me. "You don't need anything disrupting your balance," he mumbled, grabbing my hand and locking our fingers together. There were trees all around us, some of them dripping water, most of them just providing shade. 

"How many bugs do you think are here?" Jade asked. 

"None, please tell me none," Daisy whined. We stopped when someone behind us yelped and I turned in time to see Daisy slipping but Julian caught her, steadying her. 

"Stop thinking about bugs if you don't want to fall," he sighed. 

Aaron took a step forward, tugging at my hand. I followed, watching each step I took. Going downhill, you walk faster than you would. "Walk on your heels, Vanessa," Aaron instructed. "You'll fall if you walk on your toes." 

"How do you walk on your heels when you're going down a hill?" 

"You try," he deadpanned, glancing at me over his shoulder. 

I tried. It didn't work. So, I started walking on my toes again but then I just slipped forward. I gasped, stumbling ahead in quick steps. Aaron stopped and spun around to face me right before I crashed into him. My hands flew to his shoulders so I could catch myself while he secured an arm around my waist, sighing in annoyance. 

He looked from the others behind us to me. "See. I told you you'd slip," he whispered, holding my gaze. 

I blinked, frozen. 

"We're almost there, you can kiss once we arrive," Thomas snickered, walking past us, taking Jade with him as he held her hand. 

Daisy and Julian passed us as well, Daisy singing, "Aaron and Vanessa sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G." 

I pulled my hands away slowly, still holding his eyes. His arm eased up on my waist and he glanced down at my feet. "You okay? Nothing hurts, right?" 

I nodded, humming softly. 

"Let's keep going then," he said, taking my hand again and leading the way. "Walk on your heels now." 

I did. 

We finally reached the clearing and decided to take a break there for some time. Daisy and Jade sat down on some stones while Thomas roamed around some more and Julian sat by the water, staring at the waterfall. "How come nobody's taking pictures?" Daisy questioned. 

"We should all take one together," Jade agreed. 

Everybody gathered up, our backs to the waterfall. Daisy handed her phone to Aaron who was standing to my right, first in line. "You're at the front so you take it," she said. 

He held up the phone, keeping himself out of frame. 

"That's so not how you take a picture," I snickered. "Come on." I elbowed him in the ribs gently. "It's one picture, please?" 

He glanced down at me where I stood by his side and then sighed in defeat. 

"Look at you, listening to Van now," Jade teased. 

I rolled my eyes and grinned up at the camera with the others. "One... two... three," Aaron mumbled before snapping the picture, squinting slightly under the sun beamed down on us. Both our sunglasses were in the safety of our bag. After we took the picture altogether, everybody took pictures on their own and of the view as well. 

I sat by the water, taking my sandals off and dipping my feet in the water. Aaron came and stood beside me, looking around. "How cold do you think the water is?" I asked, glancing up at him. 

"Pretty cold. Don't even think about splashing it on me, I will push you into the waterfall without hesitation." 

"I wasn't going to do that," I laughed. "Sit." 

He watched me warily. 

"Sit with me," I demanded. 

He sighed and reluctantly sat next to me. "What?" he asked, resting his arms on his pulled-in knees, staring at me. 

"I would have gotten hurt if you didn't catch me. Thank you." 

"You're welcome," he nodded, turning to stare at the waterfall. "We should head up soon, the others are there." 

"How do you know?" 

He glanced up. 

I followed his gaze and saw Lyla and Zach peering over the waterfall, waving once they spotted us. I waved back, laughing. "Let's go then." We both stood up, Aaron announcing that we should head up now. 

"Oh, before we go, you both should take a picture," Daisy suggested. 

"Yeah, just you two," Jade smiled. 

"Uh, I already took one," I lied. 

"Let us take one for you," Jade insisted. 

"I'll take it. Give me your phone," Daisy said, holding a hand out. 

I glanced at Aaron who barely nodded but I felt the approval. I took my phone out of the bag, handing it to Daisy. She opened the camera and took a few steps back. 

"Aaron, put your arm around her, man, come on," Thomas huffed. 

He did. 

"Get closer to each other guys, what are you doing?" Julian chuckled. "We're probably making them feel awkward. We should just let Daisy take the picture. Let's go." 

"Yeah," Thomas agreed. 

"What? But I want to see," Jade scoffed. 

"Come on, Jade," Thomas sang, grabbing her arm and pulling her away, the three of them starting to follow the trail. 

Daisy took one, counting us down. "One more," she said. "Aaron. Kiss her." 

"What?" I blurted immediately. 

"What 'what'? Come on, just kiss her. It's a cute picture. You don't kiss your partner in front of a beautiful waterfall every day. Kiss her. And then later when you both move in together before you get married, make this one of the pictures you stick on the fridge." 

"Daisy, what the hell are you talking about?" I asked. 

"And make sure to write on the back. 'Daisy from the office took this picture.'" 

We both stared at her. 

"Kiss her." 

I opened my mouth to argue but stopped when Aaron spun me so I faced him. "Aaron," I mumbled as he took a step closer. 

"If we don't do it, she'll catch on," he whispered. "Plus, it's not like we haven't kissed." 

"But, we can't just—" 

"We can. We have to." 

"Why?" 

He grabbed my waist and brought me closer. "I'll tell you later," he whispered, tilting my chin. 

"Aaron—" 

"Shh, just shut up and let me kiss you, Vanessa." 

I closed my eyes the minute his lips met mine. He pulled my waist in closer until my body was pressed against his. His lips slowly moved against mine but neither one of us rushed or deepened the kiss. There's only so far we can go with a kiss, beyond that, it's too personal. 

I felt my heart pounding beneath my ribcage. My stomach was doing flips and I felt like my legs would give out from under me any minute. I fisted his shirt in one hand tightly, trying to think of anything but his lips on mine. But that's all I could think about. Aaron. Kissing me. All I could feel were his hands on me, his lips on mine, his body right up against mine. I was more than close enough to be able to smell his cologne, it was overwhelmingly intoxicating. When I loosened my grip on his shirt, my palm resting flat against his chest, I could even feel his heart pounding. 

I heard Daisy squeal before she clicked a few pictures and then announced, "Okay! Stop kissing now!" 

We both pulled away abruptly. He let out a quick breath while I inhaled sharply, pulling my hands from his chest. His hands fell from my waist and he cleared his throat, glancing at the waterfall. 

I moved over to Daisy, taking my phone, mumbling, "Thanks."

"Sure. Let's go now, everyone's waiting." She rushed over, catching up to Julian who was waiting for her. 

I stared at the phone screen where the picture was on display. My breath got caught in my throat. 

It was a pretty picture. Definitely, the kind you put up on the fridge when you move in together with someone you love. The waterfall looked beautiful, it almost made a mist around and behind us. Aaron's arms were around me, my hands were planted on his chest, I was standing on my toes to reach him a bit better, he was angled down to meet me halfway. 

"Vanessa." 

I blinked, snapping out my daze, and quickly tucked the phone into the bag. 

"Shall we go?" he asked. 

"Yeah. Let's go," I nodded. 

He stuck his hand out. I hesitated before placing my palm in his. He locked our fingers and led the way again. "Watch your step," he mumbled. "Now, we're going uphill, so walk on your toes, okay? This time you fall, it'll be on your face, I can't catch you," he snickered. 

"Shut up!" I gave him a push, laughing.

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Chapter 25

I loved this chapter fr

next chapter: cozy