"I'd walk through fire for you, just let me adore you... like it's the only thing I'll ever do." Adore you by Harry Styles.

Thursday, July 4th, 2013

10:00 AM

I stirred in my sleep as I absently ran my hand over the couch. I was patting the cushions without opening my eyes, looking for the man I had spent the night tangled with. No Noah. I frowned.

A chuckle came from across the room, and I followed the melodic sound with my eyes. Noah was rousing in the kitchen, gripping a whisk in one of his hands and a pan in the other. He was wearing a tiny apron around his waist and a full-sized smile on his pretty face.

I was not a morning person. I often felt bad for people who had the misfortune of dealing with me before my caffeine fix. Coffee was food for my soul- It gave me the clarity and energy I needed to cope with the world. It was my favorite drug.

... before I met Noah, that is. Noah had become my new favorite drug. I was addicted to him in every sense. His presence. His smile. His touch. His scent. His eyes. His love...

Everything about him was enticing; he was euphoria personified. I was high on him.

Rubbing my left eye with the pad of my palm, I spoke in a sleepy voice. "So, it wasn't a dream. You really are here."

"In the flesh, baby!" he looked up at me and smiled. The morning sun snuck through the window and illuminated the kitchen. Noah's skin refracted the sun's rays and sent them my way, blinding my eyes.

He looked enthralling; I was enchanted. I had it bad for that man. Every glance I threw at him made my body tingle everywhere.

I wetted my dry lips and gulped. "Did you sleep well?" I asked, getting up from the couch and stretching my stiff muscles.

"I had the best sleep of my life with you in my arms." He grinned, flipping what looked like an egg on the pan. Oh boy, I was already weak in the knees. He didn't have to try to charm me.

I ambled toward him, inspecting all the ingredients sprawled up on the kitchen counter. "I see the sleeping pill has worn off." I couldn't help but smirk.

Noah had a bigger smirk on his face as he grabbed my hand and pulled me forward, caging me between him and the kitchen counter. He tipped my chin up with his hand and gazed into my eyes. His lips hovered over mine and his iris flickered between my eyes.

Leaning down to meet my height, he pressed his forehead against mine. I couldn't handle the teasing. The anticipation of experiencing the same out-of-body experience I had a few hours ago, when his lips met mine, was killing me. I had already shut my eyes closed as I braced myself for what was coming.

Noah leaned back a little and let out a breathy chuckle. Clutching my waist with one of his hands, he cupped my chin with the other and his plump lips brushed mine ever so slightly. I stayed frozen, willing the butterflies in my stomach to calm down.

It was just a closed-mouth kiss- a soft peck on the lips, but it was enough to spin my head around.

"Breakfast is ready." He whispered against my mouth, his breath washing over me. He smelled minty, like my toothpaste. It reminded me I hadn't brushed my teeth yet, which meant that I probably had morning breath.

Bobbing my head up and down, I shimmied out of his grasp and went straight to the bathroom. "Do I have time to take a quick shower?" I yelled out.

He hummed for an answer. Locking myself inside the bathroom for exactly ten minutes, I took a shower, washed my face, brushed my teeth, and ran a comb over my hair.

Dressed in leggings and a sports bra, I made my way to the kitchen. Noah was done making breakfast and was waiting for me, seated on the stool with his nose buried in his phone.

"Boo!" I said, standing behind him.

He feigned shock and grabbed my waist, pulling me into him. Even though he was sitting, he was still taller than me. We hugged silently for a few seconds. He nuzzled his face into my hair and inhaled my scent. I buried my face into his neck and exhaled in content. I could feel his pulse throbbing against my lips.

Letting go of me, he pulled the chair next to him and motioned me to sit. "You are so beautiful." He said as he pushed my plate toward me.

"You're not so bad yourself." I echoed, picking up my fork.

Letting out a guttural laugh while he shook his head in amusement, Noah handed me a glass full of yellowish liquid. He picked up a slice of tomato with his fork and held it over my mouth, silently daring me to break my fast.

Here was the problem, I rarely ate food in the morning, and I hated orange juice. I had an application on my phone that tracked my eating routines and calorie intake. Every day at noon, it sent me a notification permitting me to eat my first meal of the day. Until I got a notification, I only had a cup of coffee.

The application also had OJ labeled with a warning that said it had too much sugar and calories in it. I despised calories- I was terrified of them. Therefore, I avoided orange juice at all costs. But Noah didn't know any of that. Nobody knew.

Or so I thought.

Noah gazed at me while I chewed the tomato. He brought another round of fork full of eggs to my mouth. I took it in begrudgingly and gave him a reassuring smile. He hadn't had a bite of his food yet. He was determined to feed me first.

I took a small sip from the juice to wash down all the food Noah was serving me. I was already planning in my head how I would compensate for all the food I had been eating. I am going to hit the gym and fast for two days. That way, I can balance my excess calorie intake by burning it.

Another round of eggy fork lingered over my mouth. I chuckled with a mouthful. "That's enough, Noah." I said, shielding my mouth with my palm.

"Not yet."

I pouted- with gratitude and emotion. "You don't have to do that. You don't have to feed me."

"I want to." He smiled, nudging my lips open with the fork. "Now, open your mouth and let me love you."

I obliged.

I opened my mouth and wiped all the contents of the fork clean. Noah's eyes stayed glued to mine, and his throat bobbed. He ran the back of his hand over my cheek. "You really are too beautiful, Mer."

Overwhelmed by emotions, I stopped chewing. Those words held so much meaning behind them. Noah was perceptive, especially where I was concerned. He wasn't complimenting me just because. He was giving me affirmations. He was reminding me I was beautiful as I was and I didn't need to change myself.

"Thank you, Noah." I blushed. But that wasn't new. I always blushed. He probably thought my skin tone was tomato. Because that was what I looked like whenever I was with him.

Noah and I talked about our plans for the day while we ate our food. He kept feeding me from his plate and wiping my mouth with his hand. I kept letting him feed me and clean me. I wasn't a very touchy-feely person, but he touched me so inconspicuously that he left me wanting for more.

Noah insisted on doing the dishes again. He was more stubborn than the previous night and refused to let me help him. I sat on the counter and hummed my favorite tune while I appreciated my view. He was so meticulous; he made washing dishes look hot.

I was long gone, daydreaming about how perfect life with him would be. He was so domestic. I could tell that he would make one hell of a husband one day.

Noah dipped his finger into the bubble and smeared my nose. I giggled and held onto his hand.

He came in front of me and stood between my legs. One of his hands roamed over my thigh while the other interlaced with my hand. I brought my hand up and ran my fingers through his hair.

The way he closed his eyes and leaned into me, told me how much he longed for my touch.

For the past four months, Noah and I had spent almost every waking hour together. Despite being miles apart, we knew things about each other that weren't available to the general population. I knew his sleeping schedule, and he knew my hair wash days.

But I never knew how tactile he was until a few hours ago.

There wasn't a second where we were together that he didn't touch me. He held my hands any chance he got, caressed my cheeks while he fed me, kissed me good morning, and cuddled with me all night.

Noah loved me the way I wanted to be loved. I valued attention, and he was attentive to my needs. Words were so powerful to me, and he always made sure that I was told what I needed to hear. I hated confrontation, and he understood my battles and comforted me silently. He wrote me letters, bought me gifts, and fed me.

I didn't tell him to do any of those things for me. He figured me out all on his own and loved me the way I needed to be loved. I wanted to do that for him, too- love him the way he wanted to be loved.

Smiling in mischief, "Carry me to my room." I whispered in his ear.

Noah's eyes widened, and he wrapped my legs around his waist. Still looking into my eyes, he picked me up and strode to my room slowly. He threw the door open and walked inside.

My room was very uninteresting. Four white walls, one big window, an untidy study table, a mess of a closet, a giant bookshelf, and a double bed. Noah's attention was, however, drawn to the small space in my closet as he stopped in his tracks to look around.

My walk-in closet housed many clothes and shoes. But there was still large enough space in the middle that I decorated and used as my little gallery. LED lights hung from the roof, and sticky notes decorated the walls. The furry white rug and the pillows atop it gave it a cozy vibe.

Sitting me down on the bed, Noah slowly walked toward my closet. "Can I?" he asked, pointing to the far corner where a pile of canvases was hidden from the world.

I nodded, a little apprehensive. I had never shown them to anyone; nobody even knew I painted.

He picked up my paintings and examined them one by one. I bit my nails as I anxiously waited for his reaction. Noah crouched down and let out a soft "wow." Turning to look at me, he shook his head incredulously. "Did you paint these?"

I nodded again. I only painted when something was wrong. Sudden urge to binge eat? Paint. Nocturnal panic attacks? Paint. Fight with parents? Paint. Poor grade? Paint. Bad day? Paint.

Maybe that was why I hid them from the world. Because they were stained with my deepest, darkest secrets.

"Wow." Noah repeated. He made sure they were tucked back in the corner before he walked toward me. "What can't you do, May?" he sat on the edge of the bed.

I let out a nervous laugh. "It's not even that good, Noah. The paint is smeared, the colors are inconsistent, and it lacks detail."

"Are you kidding me?"

"No. I'm serious." I got up and walked to the closet to close the curtain. Suddenly I was feeling combative. Naked. Vulnerable- too vulnerable. "I don't know how you see me Noah, but I am not as special as you make me seem."

His brows furrowed. "Who told you that?"

"Everyone. The world. Myself." Sighing, I continued. "The only thing I am good at is school, and even at that, I'm not the best. I am a very average person, Noah. I write poetry, but I don't write mind-blowing, world-shattering poems. I paint, but I never win an award for it. I sing, but I don't have the best breath control."

My shoulders slumped. "I do many things and I am good at most, but I am not exceptional at any. Sometimes, I fear that the idea of me you have in your head is far too different from the real me, and that scares me. What would you do when you find out we don't equate? The me in your head and the me in real life."

He called me Merida because, in his eyes, I was brave. I was far from the brave Mer he thought I was. I was a coward. I hid from judgment. I was petrified of rejection. I was not a person worthy of his admiration.

"Come here." He held his hand out for me. With my head hung low, I walked to him. "Well," he said as he pulled me onto his lap. "Art is subjective. And I happen to think that your paintings are outstanding, your poems are unrivaled, and your voice is angelic."

He sat me astride him and wrapped his hands around my waist. "I wish you could see yourself through my eyes. How extraordinary you are. How smart you are. How beautiful you are. How strong you are. You don't need to be great at one thing; you don't need to win a prize, May. You are a prize I win every single day I get to be in your world."

Tears streamed my face because no one had ever acknowledged me like that before. Also, because I wanted to tell him how much I was struggling inside. But my battles felt minuscule with Noah by my side. I knew he had my back anytime, anywhere.

I wiped my tears hastily with the back of my hands. "I know one thing you are extremely good at," I whispered, smiling and poking at his chest.

"What?" He emulated my smile.

"Loving me. Making me feel loved. You do it so perfectly." I held his face in my hands.

"On a scale of one to ten?"

My grin grew wider as I was transported back to one of our early conversations. "An eleven."

"Whoa!" he feigned shock. "That's like an A-plus!"

I nodded. "You get an A+."

Noah tipped his chin up and laughed.

"I want to do that for you, Noah," I said, fisting his shirt. "I want to make you feel loved. I want to make you feel appreciated and valued. I'm not good with emotions; I'm not good at emotional words. But I want you to know that every day I am with you, in body or in distance, my heart overflows with so much happiness. I want to fill your heart with so much happiness, too."

I made sure to look him in the eyes as I spoke the last part with so much sincerity in my voice. "I really, really, really care for you, Noah."

Noah's triumphant smile made me want to tell him more. I wanted to do anything to keep that smile on his face forever. But I held my tongue.

"I know you do," he said, kissing me on the cheek. "I love the way you care for me." His lips inched down to the corner of my lips. "It's not abrasive." He nibbled on my chin. "It's not loud," he whispered, licking the area behind my ear. "It's not suffocating." He bit the skin on my neck. "It's subtle and genuine and exactly the way I need it to be." He captured my mouth. "If I had to give you a grade," he mumbled over my lips. "You'd get an A+ too." He continued kissing his way down my neck.

My vision blurred, and I tipped my head up to give him more access to my body. His hands drew soothing circles on my lower back, and his lips wreaked havoc on my upper chest. I was lost. Everything was foggy. My head felt like cotton candy. Losing my self-control, I fisted his shirt and rocked myself back and forth.

A sudden blaring sound startled us, violently yanking us out of the dizzy trance we were in. We pulled back abruptly, our mouths protesting the sudden loss of contact with a loud smooch.

Noah snatched my phone up from the mattress and handed it to me. He continued his assault on my neck as I glanced at the caller ID.

Chris

"He-" I cleared my throat. My voice was embarrassingly hoarse. "Hello?"

"Hey little miss I-ditch-my-best-friend-when-I-get-my-boyfriend." Rosie's voice came through.

I chuckled. "Hey, Rosie girl. Miss you!"

"Yeah, yeah. You're probably too busy dry humping your boyfriend."

Noah stopped in his tracks and chuckled, hiding his face in the crook of my neck.

"Rosie!" I scolded, but she couldn't care less.

Noah resumed trailing kisses down my chest, and my fingers impulsively ran through his hair.

"Anyway, I lost my fucking phone last night, and I am pissed. Do you guys have something planned for today?" she asked. "Don't you dare say yes, Robbie. I am still pissed."

I snaked my free hand to Noah's chin and urged him to look at me, but he was too busy biting and licking my skin. "No. Nothing so far," I managed to get out. My body was tingling everywhere.

"Well, come hang out with us. Maddie is throwing a 4th of July party at her beach house. We'll barbecue and swim and see fireworks. It's just a few of us and I'll meet your Noie or whatever you call him."

Maddison was Rosie's famous friend. She was an aspiring model who owned a beautiful beach house. She was known for throwing the most bizarre parties. I was shocked Rosie got us invites, as Maddison was very picky with her social circle since she was famous and all. But anything was possible with the social butterfly of a friend.

Rosie told us the party was at seven and that Noah and I were totally going. She wasn't taking no for an answer, and we weren't really objecting. I asked her to send me the address and disconnected the phone hurriedly. Noah was doing unimaginable things to my body.

He latched his lips onto mine as soon as I finished the call. "We're going to a party," I spoke in between kisses. "Hell yes," Noah whispered as he nibbled and licked away. He laid me on the bed, and he went on top of me, kissing me everywhere.

We were interwoven- our bodies molding perfectly. We made out and explored each other from head to toe. My body was so responsive to his touch. I exploded like the fireworks on the fourth of July without taking my clothes off.

...

7:28 PM

Such a strange thing to admit, but I was always envious of the girls who sat on the passenger seat singing along to the radio while their boyfriends drove them around. On July fourth, 2013, just for a few minutes, I was those girls.

My window was rolled down, and my hand was sticking out, feeling the wind against my skin. Noah had his shades on and was driving with only his left hand as his right hand was sitting in the center console, entwined with mine.

He was so hot. We were so hot. I loved my life.

We parked and walked hand in hand toward the group of people setting up a bonfire. The sun hadn't set yet, and there weren't many people on our side of the beach. Chris spotted me first and elbowed Rosie. She sat her drink on the ground and bolted toward us.

"Robbie!" she yelled, hugging me tight, almost choking me. We hugged like we hadn't seen each other twenty-four hours ago. "You must be the Noah." Rosie let go of me and hugged Noah.

Noah laughed as he pulled me to his side. "Robbie?" his brows furrowed in confusion.

"That's also my name," I whispered, leaning closer to him.

Chris came forward and shook Noah's hand, hugging him and patting his back. "Hey man. Good to meet you."

Nick just completely ignored Noah's existence and smiled at me. "Hey princess." He tipped his beer bottle back and gulped.

I shifted uncomfortably and gave Nick a small smile. It was very clear that he was tipsy. Noah's jaw clenched, and his hand rested possessively on my waist. The vibe turned sour quickly. Chris and Rosie gave each other a strange look as they led us to the bonfire.

Rosie handed us drinks and introduced us to Maddison and the other guests. We stood there for a while, talking in groups before Chris took Noah away to help with the fire. Rosie and I joined the girls in the kitchen, who were supposed to be making drinks and dips.

Noah and I had bought some chips for the party, but we had forgotten them in the car. I walked out to get the car keys from Noah so I could bring them in. I spotted him sipping beer with Chris, invested in a conversation like they had known each other for over thirty minutes.

I walked to them and hugged Noah from behind. The sun was setting, tinting everything orange. It was magical. He turned to me and pulled me to his front. It was his turn to hug me from behind.

"Miss me already?" he asked, leaning into my ears. His hands were on my shoulders, and my hands were on his arms.

Chris chuckled from beside us. "Man, I thought me and Ro were sappy. You guys get the fucking crown."

Noah smiled and kissed my cheek. "I'll be anything she wants me to be."

Chris cackled, and I reddened. "You're so cheesy, Noah Thompson." I said, holding back my laughter. Noah's chest shook behind me.

We stayed silent, rocking back and forth as we watched the sun sink deeper and deeper into the ocean. It was scenic. Everything was beautiful. The world was colorful with him.

"So beautiful." Noah murmured as he kissed my hair.

After we admired nature, I grabbed the keys from his pocket and went to the car to get the chips. The parking lot was quiet. Humming a random tune, I clicked the button on my car keys and unlocked the doors. I carried the chips with both hands and nudged the car door closed with my hip.

As I turned around to walk to the party, I spotted Nick leaning on a car parked next to mine. He was staring.

"Hey" I bobbed my head.

"Princess," He spoke, exhaling smoke out of his mouth.

"Nick, you really should stop calling me that." I walked away.

His strides matched mine as he walked next to me. "Why?" he took the chips from my hands and carried them for me. "Because your pussy ass boyfriend can't handle some competition?"

I stammered, "There's literally nothing to compete for. I love him, and I don't even know you."

Nick shook his head in disappointment and grunted. "He makes you cry." His tone was deprecating.

"I cry because I care." I walked faster.

"That's some toxic shit." He spat.

"I have the healthiest relationship with him."

"I think you're too fucking naïve."

"I don't care what you think."

Nick walked in front of me and blocked my way. "You deserve better. Much better than that fucking asshole. He's going to break your fucking heart and leave you for a stick thin model with double Ds."

I was seeing red. "Fuck you, Nick." I pushed his chest. "Get away from me."

I walked around him to make it to the back door, but he dropped the chips and grabbed my hand, pulling me to the wall. He held my chin in his other hand, and his face inched close to mine. So uncomfortably close.

"I am looking out for you!" His breath reeked of all kinds of drugs, and his eyes were glimmering. "I fucking care for you!" His hold on my wrist was cutting off my blood supply.

"Let go of me, Nick." I said in my calmest voice.

Nick looked me in the eye for a few seconds and withdrew my hand with a huff. He walked backward and shook his head. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but he will break you and I'll be the one to pick up the pieces." Without breaking eye contact, he walked further away.

My heart hammered; my wrist throbbed.

Picking up the chips from the ground, I walked to the kitchen. Everyone was chattering and busy. No one paid attention to me. I placed the items on the table and went to the downstairs bathroom.

I locked myself in and stared at my unkempt appearance. I tamed my hair and ran water over my hands.

I joined the crowd like nothing happened.

The fire was ready, and everyone had gathered to sit. Noah had saved a seat for me by the fire and I cuddled into him, his arm on my shoulder, my hand on his knee. He was roasting marshmallows, Chris was handing drinks, Maddison was giving out orders, Rosie was looking up games to play on her phone, and some people I didn't know were setting up the speaker. Nick was nowhere in sight.

The fire had been burning for almost an hour. We had eaten, conversed, and played games. But I had no recollection of any of it. My head was still in that parking lot. The fireworks had been going off every once in a while, and people were dancing and taking pictures- partying, being young.

Noah and I were just latched onto each other, sitting silently, staring at the fire.

"Three things you'd bring if you were deserted on an island." Noah broke the silence, "Has to be from your room only."

"My brain is too stunned to answer this question."

"That brain can do anything, under any circumstances."

I smiled. "Okay, which room? My room in Jersey or here?"

He pointed his finger to the sand. "L.A."

"Can I pick my toothbrush even though it's in the bathroom? Because, while one might argue that the bathroom and bedroom are separate rooms, mine is en suite. So technically, my bathroom is in my room and since my toothbrush is in my bathroom which is in my bedroom," I took a breath, "I could list my toothbrush as the item from my room that I'd bring with me if I were in a deserted island."

Noah threw his head back and laughed, spilling his beer accidentally. "Okay smarty pants." He sat his drink down. "What else?"

"Hmm," I tapped my chin dramatically, "Am I supposed to take only three items? Because let's say I take a pack of Crayons. While it's one item as a whole, it has 24 pencils in it, so technically, I would have 26 items in total."

"Why would you even need Crayons?"

"I don't. Just hypothetically." I rolled my eyes. "To understand the question better."

"If it's packed, then it counts as one." He dropped his head down and sighed. "Don't over analyze the question, baby."

I nudged him. "Mer, I like it more when you call me Mer."

He smiled and leaned down to give me a kiss on the cheek.

"May?" Noah gasped, picking my hand up and looking at it in horror. "What happened?"

"Oh, nothing." I took my hand back and hid it under my thighs.

"This isn't nothing. What the hell happened?"

Nick's grasp was tight. It had left a grab mark on my wrist. Noah's eyes turned feral, and he stood up from his seat. "Tell me, May! Fucking tell me!" his voice was shaking, and people were starting to look at us.

I stood up and held his hand. "It's nothing, quit it, Noah." I said, nervously glancing at the people.

"Did he do this to you?" He cooed, bringing my hand up to his face.

"Who?"

"Nick." He said, calmly. His hand was stroking my shoulder, giving me chills.

"He's drunk-" I started speaking, but Noah was already gone- marching to the house.

"Noah," I yelled as I ran to keep up with him. But my small legs and sprained ankle were of no help.

Noah walked straight into the beach house. I trailed behind him, yelling out his name. Chris and Rosie spotted me and followed along. Chris put two and two together and ran to Noah.

Nick was out back, smoking a joint.

Noah went straight to him and punched him somewhere in the face.

Nick fell to the ground, holding his mouth.

Noah jumped on top of Nick and hailed his fist back to throw another punch.

Chris got there in time and pulled Noah away.

Everything was a blur.

I was shaking. Rosie was hugging me. Nick was spitting blood. Noah's vein was throbbing. Thankfully, there weren't many people out to witness the chaos.

"Touch my fucking girlfriend again and I'll fucking kill you," Noah spoke. He wriggled out of Chris' grasp and walked to a hunched-down Nick. "No, I'll fucking kill you if you as much as look her way, you fucking asshole. You don't want to mess with me." He finished, shoving Nick to the ground.

Nick's eyes were on me. Apologetic and pleading.

Noah strode toward me, took my hand, and walked away. We walked to the beach and sat on the shore. He was so angry; his body was vibrating.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked, picking up tiny rocks and throwing them into the water.

Noah kept quiet for a little while, breathing in and out in a controlled rhythm. He held my hand and interlaced our fingers. "Be my girlfriend." He whispered.

It was dark out, but there was enough light from the moon and dying bonfires to make out his features. "I meant talk about what just happened, Noah."

"I have wanted to punch that fucker since that day he commented on your picture. So, I am not sorry. I'd fucking do it again."

"I don't like this, Noah. You shouldn't go around punching people. Especially when I was in the middle of explaining what happened to you."

He pulled my hand to his chest and clenched it. "Tell me he didn't hit on you. Tell me he didn't make a move on you." Bringing my wrist to my eyes, "Tell me he didn't do this to you."

I stayed silent.

"I will do it again." His jaw muscles tensed. "I am not going to apologize for loving and protecting what's mine." His voice cracked.

I nodded and squeezed his hand. He opened his arm and pulled me into a hug. I huffed out a subtle laugh and turned my face to the water in front of us. My hero, I thought as we gazed at the sparkling water, silently.

When I was seven, my family and I went to Atlantic City for our annual vacation. My brothers and I were playing frisbee on the beach while our parents took pictures and videos of us. My eldest brother, Liam, had thrown the disk a little too high, and it went flying to the sand near the water. As I ran to grab it, one of my brothers started choking.

I didn't know what was going on as I was intently focused on retrieving the frisbee that was floating away. I knew how to swim; I loved swimming. But when the riptide swept me away all so suddenly, I couldn't even move my arms. I tried to scream for help as I was being dragged further and further away from my family. But the water kept getting in my mouth, and the waves kept slapping me everywhere.

At some point, I had tried to flail my arms and signal for someone, anyone, to come and get me. But everyone was too busy living their lives. My vision turned blurry, and I started seeing brown. The water rose and engulfed me once and for all, and I sank deeper. My lungs were gasping for air, and I could only hold my breath for so long.

Once I inhaled the water, I felt my body tense, and within seconds, I lost consciousness. The next thing I knew, I was on the shore coughing out water surrounded by so many people.

I survived. But my parents carried the guilt forever, and I hadn't been near water since then.

So, when Noah pulled me up from where we were seated on the sand and walked me close to the ocean, my heart plummeted. I clasped his hand with both my hands and dragged my feet along the sand.

Noah looked at me playfully and bent down, giving me a loud smooch on the lips. We walked closer to the water hand in hand and stood on the shore. The water was washing our feet, and adrenalin was washing my blood vessels.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, tightening his hold on my hand.

"Talk about what?"

"Why you're scared of the water."

I shook my head. "I am not scared. I just fell out of love with it." Kicking some rocks with my foot, I continued. "I nearly drowned when I was a kid. I haven't been in the water since."

"Do you miss it?"

I nodded half-heartedly.

Noah traced figures on the wet sand with his feet. "Do you want to love it again?"

I shrugged.

"Do you trust me?"

I knew where he was going with his questions. And yet I jumped into it willingly.

"I do."

"Okay. Come in with me. I got you."

I got you. He got me.

Noah brought our clasped hands to his lips and kissed my knuckles.

He put one step forward, and I followed his lead. "Not too far, though." I whispered.

Noah echoed my words and walked me further into the water. The cold water submerged my feet, then it slowly crawled up to my legs, then to my thighs. Noah held onto me like I was his lifeline. He clutched my hand between both of his, and we kept walking until the water was up to the hem of my shorts.

I was shivering, but not because I was cold. I was scared to death. Noah pulled me in front of him and brought both of my hands to his shoulders. He scooted close to me, leaving his hands on my waist. We stood there gazing at each other, silently.

The current rose and came toward us. It nudged us, moving us a little. Noah's hands tightened on my waist, and he smiled at the worried look on my face. "I got you." he whispered.

My heat leapt.

Noah picked me up and wrapped my legs around his waist. The fireworks were still going off. The water was making relaxing sounds. Noah and I basked in each other's presence.

"Did you fall back in love with it yet?" he asked.

"I am in love with you." I replied, staring into his eyes. Noah's jaw unhinged, and a wave of emotions ran through his face. I leaned down and kissed every single one of them. 

"Hypothermia kills, so unless you're trying to be the Romeo to my Juliet, let's get out of here."

...

a/n- Guess who has flu-like symptoms. 🙂👍

I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, this was all my jelly brain could conjure up this week. I promise to keep hydrated and serve a better chapter next week. Thank you for keeping up with me! 💗

Obviously, ya'll know that things will NOT keep being lighthearted. The harder chapters are looming. So, brace yourselves.

Also, a million thanks for reading, voting, commenting and staying in touch with me. Stay safe and healthy! 💗

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]