I swiped my card along the access monitor watching the tiny light flash green and walked inside. I wouldn't look back. I couldn't look back. After a quick journey to my floor I decided that I was so very mentally screwed by the constant ache in my chest.  I entered my dorm, grabbing my phone. I welcomed 20 missed calls and 25 text messages from Sterling and Skylar.

It was 5 A.M. Skylar wasn't here, probably at the gym. I needed to call her. I needed a reassuring voice. I was hanging on by a thread. I could feel myself beginning to come apart at the seams. As I scrolled looking
for her number I came across Gryffindor.

How did he get into my phone? How did he guess my password? When did I give him my phone in the first place?

I guess... electrical engineering pays off.

I smiled lightly to myself as the sharp ache in my chest increased. 

Why did I have to be on my period?

Don't cry. Don't cry.

As the first tear fell I opened the door ready to escape the killer pain when I was met with a pair of worried brown eyes.

That's when the hurt smashed into me tenfold. My heart throbbed excruciatingly in my chest. And I didn't know how to make it stop. We've known each other for such a short period and I had grown this attached, this close... To him.

"Sage...?" Skylar said softly.  "What is wrong? Tell me..."

The tears began to run.

"You just disappeared from the bar and then Sterling got a call from Griffin saying that you were with him...".

"I don't want to get into all the details..."

I said looking at the rug underneath my feet.

"No!" She exclaimed. "Something is eating you up. I'm your closest friend..." She insisted putting her hands on my shoulder. "We tell each other everything. Don't keep it in. It will just make the pain worst."

I sucked in a trembling breath.

"You're scaring me." She whispered.

She gave me a strong embrace.

"Tell me, Sage. I won't judge..."
She beamed nudging my shoulder.

So, I told her everything from the Halloween party to a few minutes ago. Every single detail.

I had to get it off my chest and after I had to admit that I felt significantly better. But...obviously not that much better since the tears never stopped flowing. I was still in pain.

"It shouldn't feel this bad..." I sniffed grabbing at my chest. "I shouldn't be such a pussy." My blurry vision stayed on Skylar than shot to the blue rug beneath us. "I didn't know that it would hurt this bad. I like him, I know that, maybe I like him alot to be honest. And, for the life of me I want him. I don't want him with anyone else..."

"Do you love him?"

Her question caught me slightly off guard.

"I ... Don't know..."

"Are you scared of losing him?"

"Yes..." I whispered lowly.

"Do you want to be with him?"

"Yes...But..."

"But what?" She demanded sternly.

"He said it himself. He can't..."

"What do you want to do?" Skylar questioned with unwavering eyes.

"I..."

"Let me stop you there. Remember that you are an 18 year old freshman."

"I... want to...rehearse my lines and get some sun." I smiled honestly.

"That's my girl. Boys will always be boys. Always. Even though you and Griffin's story is movie worthy, you have to keep going. Cause even if you are on the right road you will get run over if you don't move."

I gave her an impressed clap.

"Or something like that." She beamed. "You're a theater major at UCLA, one of the steps in your plan to become an actress. That's what you need to focus on even if your distraction is a 6 foot something Adonis." She continued with a kind smile on her face.

"You're right." I said standing up. I was too awake to sleep at this time. It was 6:30 A.M on Saturday. "Let's head to the beach." I suggested.

"Great idea." She agreed jumping to her feet. "I'll invite the girls."

"The more the merrier."

I began changing out of my outfit and into my swimsuit, a long sleeve white one piece.  I pulled my denim shorts over them and white sandals. This is just what I needed a: reality check. I threw my crazy hair into a messy bun and buried his sweatshirt under my bed.

No more painful memories of cliche romances.

I turned to Skylar who was dressed in red denim shorts and her black full body swimsuit and her black converse. I eyed her perfectly curly hair.

"Could you blow dry mine?"

"Do you even have to ask?" She beamed. Skylar is pretty amazing at hair. Since, she was the only child, she always found time to do her hair growing up. She quickly plugged up her blow dryer. 30 grueling minutes later. We were done. My head was throbbing from all the combing. I put it in a tight high bun to control the frizz.

"Who else is coming?" I asked grabbing my black crossover bag, stuffing it with beach essentials, and the treats from thou who shall not be named, then walking out of our dorm. I clipped my pepperspray onto my keychain hooking it to one of my belt loops. Officially, ready for the beach.

"Just Jane, Grace, Hailey, and Amber." She smiled innocently.

"Where's Ariel?"

"She's always with Jesse as usual."

We swerved around people in the hall.

"Really?"

"Yep...they're getting pretty serious."

Lucky them.

I grabbed the pack of Skittles, riping them open and stuffing a few in my mouth.

"When did you get those?"

She gave me a look but shrugged it off a few moments later.

"Last night. So what did you and Sterling do afterwards?"

"After panicking about you." She retorted. I gave her an innocent smile.
"Well, Sterling tried to calm me down then..."

I watched her eyes grow wider and look off to her side.

"We left after you had and when we were outside of the bar he..."

"He...?" I edged her.

"He kissed me." My eyes grew to the size of the moon.

"Oh my gosh! Really?!" I gave her continous pats on the shoulder, something I did when I proud.

"Yeah...it was nice."

We left the residence hall heading to my Lincoln Navigator. We started toward the beach. We got there in 20 minutes.

"Oh gosh I just remembered." I said stopping in my tracks while walking down toward the beach.

"I'm on my period."

"You don't have to swim."

"But, I want to." I sighed.

"Do you have a tampon?"

"Yep."

"Then wear that. Don't stay in too long, though. You'll attract sharks."

"Thanks, Mom."

_|_

We made it to the beach at 8:00 A.M. We headed to the Starbucks beside it to get some Strawberry Lemonades. We decided to head to Santa Monica beach, even though it would be jam-packed with people.  We all loved the boardwalk there more than the others. At least we got there early.

An hour in I was starting to feel better. We had found a spot a little away from the boardwalk and the water.

I was laughing on an aquamarine towel over the burning hot sand. The hot rays fell over my body.

I hardly came to the beach even though I lived in LA and this felt good.

"Thank you." I mouthed to Skylar when she looked my way trying to dodge Jane taking pictures.

"No problem."  She mouthed back. I leaned back on my hands soaking in the sun. Jane snapped a picture.

"I have to ask..." Skylar began. "Did you atleast veet it?"

"Yes...Gosh." I said lowly as my cheeks began to burn.

"Let's swim." I announced.

"No." They all growled.

"Why?" I demanded feeling the excitement build in my veins as my eyes scanned the glistening water.

"First." Hailey started. "The water is freezing."

"Second." Jane continued. "Salt water makes my skin break out."

"Third."  Amber said. "I don't want to get wet."

"Fourth." Skylar finished. "Sharks."

"I'm going in." I smiled, standing and pulling my shorts off. I pulled off my sneakers.  I wanted to feel the cool ocean currents against my skin. I missed the ocean.

"Spot me." I grinned to the girls. I wanted to swim. It's been more than a while. I ran quickly across the burning sand and into the cool crystal water that began to swirl around my feet. I went deeper into the water while scanning my perimeter. I turned watching the people filled beach to my right. The girls chose a place a little while away from the other beach goers.

Antisocial people.

I waved to Skylar who waved back before laying back in the sand.  I swam deeper into the water watching the sun glisten over the slight indulations. I looked around to the other individuals around me. All pretty spread out.

Slight waves pushed against my neck. I was getting too far out. I started back toward the shore, not wanting to go too far. The small stones felt so soft under my feet. The sun scorched down on me. I would definitely be tanned to a whole different shade by the time I got to the dorms.

I laid back, closing my eyes and feeling the hot rays shine on my skin.

Such blissful silence. Away from everything. Away from him.

Minutes ticked by and I opened my eyes. I looked around. I had gotten much farther from the beach. Much. I started swimming back toward the shore.

A sharp pain sliced through the bottom of my left leg. The flaming sting ran up my appendage making me scream out. The sudden reaction made me swallow a mouthful of salty water. Much to my horror, I learned that I couldn't move my left leg. I could hardly swim. My body started to sink beneath the water. The frightened pounding in my chest increased. I moved my arms and my one functioning leg so fast that my body started to burn.

I felt my eyes slowly start to shut. My body was giving up.

Where is the lifeguard?

I started sinking below the surface.

All of a sudden strong arms gripped my arms pulling me upward toward the surface. As soon as the person and I burst through the surface I took a long hard breath of air. I couldn't feel my left leg and my eyes could barely stay open.

Several minutes later I was being laid on the wet sand. I could hardly move body. My form was covered in a suffocating numb. I couldn't breathe. It was as if every pore was being suffocated. I tried to open my heavy eyelids. I felt hands on indistinct parts of my body. I couldn't move.

I was paralyzed or at least my body wanted me to think that. All I knew that a growing fiery pain was spreading from my left leg to the rest of my body. My cranium was pulsing in my skull.

What happened?

I tried to sit up but my body had grown completely stiff.

"Don't move, Mickey." A voice ordered sternly.

"Griffin." I whispered softly. My voice didn't sound like my own.  A hot liquid trailed down my leg burning lightly making it the only reason I could feel it.

"I'm sorry...Sage... But Ash is going to help."

Ash?

A liquid was poured onto my leg. And, I felt it because it burned like a bitch. I heard myself scream out. My body jerked causing someone to hold me in their arms.

"He's almost finish babygirl."  A voice whispered soothingly in my ear.

The burn turned into a slight throb.

"Griffin..."

"Yes...?"

"Thank you..."

He was always there when I needed him whether we liked it or not. He was the shoulder to cry on, my guiding hand, my hero, my villain, my knight, my dragon. Okay, it's getting cliche now.

"Griffin?" I whispered.

"Yeah..."

"Did you...pee on my leg?"

"Yeah..." He said softly.

*****
Couldn't Leave you guys hanging with the previous chapter. -BDX