1.1 Undertow
For some girls, it was a sandy walk under the moonlight, holding hands. For others, it was a swim. The water was just right, and the not-so-secret cave was truly magical.
Something about Lover’s Beach brought out the truth and I had always wanted my fairy tale, too.
I’d seen one of my best friends fall in love at our high school prom, under the cheap sparkling disco ball. She and her sweetheart had taken a thoughtful moonlit stroll days before, half-joking about nothing happening. Everybody knew they were already perfect.
My other bestie had her heart stolen underwater years later near the same beach, saved by a scuba god. Not really a deity, but the guy turned out to be some hot shot bad boy, and I’d seen enough of him to know he looked the part. Thumbs up from me.
I’d gone only once, and went home by myself in the weak moonlight.
At least he was nice enough to wait until we were alone, so he could come out to me as gay. I couldn’t be mad at him for his honesty, but I was so hurt that I wasn’t sure I’d ever want to see him again. For me, it was a very sudden rejection.
Then everything started making sense the longer I sat there, and I ended up feeling worse.
So I left for college without ever wanting to see the stupid picturesque beach again. That one surprise ruined my inner romantic, so maybe that’s where I picked up my sarcasm, and it kept me from socializing beyond my dorm and a few classmates.
I buried myself in chemistry for the next three years as I juggled which specific I’d want to get into. Two different books were open on my desk at any given time.
Right now, Biological Chemistry Today was on hold while I managed the behemoths inside the pages of a borrowed copy of Psychedelics: All You Need To Know. Last week, it was two different books on extractions and infusions compared to lab-created molecular copies of the active ingredients; one was for it, the other was skeptical…
A soft knock at my door interrupted the note I was currently writing. It was too early for the party to be over, and I wasn’t about to let my skanky roommate take over the place just to fuck.
I sighed.
I probably would have no choice, if she did. I needed silence to work.
“What, party too boring, Bonnie?” I said with a twisted smirk, looking up.
Almost had a heart attack at he vaguely familiar face. My doorway said he'd be taller than me by a few inches.
Fresh, dark jeans and a zipped school hoodie, but still a devious fall of dark hair around his lively green eyes and a glint of metal in his ear. Like he was only somewhat trying to blend into this crowd.
Except the crowd was elsewhere.
My face was a question, but my words were flat: “Oh. You’re definitely not Bonnie.”
One of his glinting emeralds winked at me, hand pointed at me like I’d nailed it, and I wasn’t sure if I liked or hated the fact that he just walked in and reclined himself on my bed.
“Trent. We’ve had a few classes together.”
Those polished emeralds looked over my work quickly while my own eyes stayed expectantly on his well-groomed face.
He whistled quietly. “That’s some heavy shit you’re messing with.”
“And so you’re here because…?” I prompted.
He smirked at me. “You’re the chem major.”
My expression was unimpressed.
“And you’re on my bed without homework of your own. My roommate’s not here for your pleasure, so unless you’re here to talk science, the door’s right there.”
His face looked like I’d just told him a secret.
“Have you ever even had a taste, a singular taste, of any kind of fun?”
I sighed, almost groaning at the implications, and stood up, but he smoothly straightened up on the bed. Legs sliding on either side of mine, hands grabbing my fingers just strongly enough to give me pause.
I wanted to pretend he was into me, but come on.
“You never go out,” he said softly, eyes curious. “Top of your class, always on about formulas and shit… You’re telling me you just sit here all day and read? And sober?”
His hands had fallen away when I didn’t move, and I started feeling like my old self.
Wanting to be touched, hoping I’d get beyond a brush of lips or holding hands. He wasn’t pushing me, but he was close and I was liking the attention.
“Life’s not all about chasing highs,” I said quietly.
He watched my lips form the words and my heart beat faster as he mouthed, “I know.”
Truth be told, if he wasn’t here for my roommate and he didn’t have anyone else I’d consider-
Then I kicked myself.
Good looking guy like him was probably taken and looking for trouble, or gay as fuck, with my luck.
I gave him a look that said he was pulling some kind of prank, and I’d let it slide if he gave up.
“Also, I’m not at the top of my class.. Now if you’re looking for Bonn-“
He shook his head with a grunt like he was saying No, the flash of annoyance in his eyes shutting me up when they focused on mine.
“Stop talking about that girl, I’m right in front of you.”
I was taken aback.
Everyone came in for Bonnie’s Bitties. Damn near trademarked.
“Yeah, just you,” he said, hands curling around mine, pulling me closer. The the side of his mouth pulled up with a sexy half-grin. “In the name of science, if you want.”
One of my eyebrows picked up, but I neared my face to his slowly. Just waiting until he’d call his own bluff.
“Uh-huh. What kind of science? Does your girlfriend know?”
Any minute now…
His fingertips trailed up my arms, gaze falling again to my lips.
“I’m actually painfully single, and I’m about to find out if you like this biological cocktail of mine.”
I was about to laugh and pull back, but his fingers wrapped around my arms and he moved forward to close the space between us.
My amused hum vibrated along his lips, and he replied by giving me delicious nibbles, eyes still calm and focused.
My laughter quickly faded into a moan, hands holding onto the bottom of his arms. Oh, he’s serious. Okay...
He sighed, hands moving to rub when I started kissing him back, easing around behind my ribs, over my shoulder blades, as mine moved over his solid sides, each of us looking at the other like one would back off.
Then his hands at my back started pulling my chest closer to his so my center of gravity weighed us down.
I caught myself on my palms and he let me break the kiss, the two warm spots of his hands sliding down over my waist. His thumbs brushed forward over my hips, and the pressure shocked me on the inside.
My boobs settled on his chest, and I knew he could feel my hard nipples through all the fabric, because they seemed to harden even more as soon as they touched his surface.
