Nineteen: MTOABB

MTOABB

Splashing water against each other, I watch as Brody and Chloe dance with the waves in the ocean. The sun, a bright yellow, scintillated on the love they displayed and all I could do was sit, and envy for such a bond.

I had already joined them for a few rounds of beach volleyball before deciding to soak up the sun instead.

"Why come if you're not even going to get close to the water? I ask him. His eyes darted away from his phone and are now staring at me.

"I'm keeping you company," he says.

"You've been on your phone the whole time we've been here."

He switches off his phone and hands it to me.

"Why are you handing it to me?" I ask, confused.

"So that way, I'm no longer on my phone - problem solved." He smiles.

I grab his phone from him and place it in my beach bag.

"What now?" He asks.

"First, we need to get you into the water," I say, standing up and pulling his arm with me. He stands up, removing his shirt and I stupidly stare.

"You aren't shy to be caught staring, now are you?" He shakes his hand in amusement.

"Who? Me?" I smile, dragging him to the water.

I run in, but he pulls himself back. I turn around, giving him a questioned stare and he points to his eyes.

"I have contacts in," he says.

"And?"

"Why don't you go in and I'll stand here by the shore - watching you," he says.

"Watching me? Creepy, but I sort of like it," I smile, moving closer to him and further away from the waves that are now subtly crushing at my bare feet.

"You're rubbing on me. Now I'm speaking without thinking first."

"I should do more rubbing then."

"Why aren't you swimming?" He asks.

"It won't be fun without you, so I don't want to go in anymore," I tell him and he nods. We start walking back to our little spot.

We sit there in silence, watching the scattered litter of people.

"Why do girls feel comfortable being close to bare here, but anywhere else they seem so uncomfortable?" I ask him.

"It's only comfortable because everyone else around them are also wearing clothes that are close to bare." He shrugs a bit unsure.

"You are always saying all the right things. Are you reading some book I do not know anything about?" I ask jokingly.

"If that was the case, then I would wish to have had that book a long time ago," he says.

"Why? Tell me."

"There's not much to say."

"Then what was that last night - with you and Holly?" I ask.

"Nothing," he says, putting his shirt back on.

"It's always nothing with you, when won't it be?"

"Someday."

I gaze off into the ocean of bodies until I spot Chloe and Brody kissing like it was their last time - it somewhat was, Brody leaves for New York tonight and who knows when he'll be back.

"I want what they have," I whisper, more so to myself than to Gome who seems to follow my stare.

"When Zack and I got together, I swore it felt right, not because I was different but because together we were different, you know?" I ask.

"No, I don't know." He shakes his head.

"I have somewhere to be, so let me drop you home. Brody will drop Chloe home," he says, already standing up.

Very unsure of why there was such a shift in his tone, but I don't question it. I grab my towel and beach bag and follow right behind him.

My Type of a Bad Boy

I'm not sure if I said something wrong _Rossita

It seems like a habit of mine to stay up this late - tomorrow I got class, but here I am still awake and messaging him, although I doubt he's still awake.

My phone starts ringing and I quickly surge to grab it.

Instead of it being Gomes's name on display, Zack's name stares back at me, waiting to be answered.

I answer the call, unsure of what to say from there.

"Hi?" He lightly chuckles on the other end of the call.

"Did you think I would answer? Have you seen the time?" I ask, just spitting out the first thing that crossed my mind.

"Should I answer this, because you did answer the call," he says and somehow it has got me missing him.

"What do you want?" I ask him.

"Wanted to make sure that you're okay."

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Right," he says.

"Are we done here?"

"The hostility I'm getting from you Rose," he says, taken back from my tone and even I was too.

"It's weird knowing that you're no longer my Zack," I say.

"I want us to try again."

"No you don't, stop trying to suck me into your 'Zack land'. If you're not certain it's me, then it's not me," I spat out angrily.

"Rose--"

"Don't 'Rose' me, I no longer find it appealing. I actually didn't in the first place." I roll my eyes realizing that I deserve better - any girl deserves better.

"What now?" He says.

"We...we try to be friends?"I ask unsure.

He sighs from the other end of the call,"okay."

I end the call, falling back on my bed, but this time more pleased with myself. Gomes would be proud.

Zack called and I told him I don't want to be with him anymore _Rossita

This time my phone lights up to a response from him.

As long as you're happy _Gomes

Are you still with Molly? _Rossita

Why did I even bother to ask - did it matter? -- what if he replied with a ‘yes’, then what? I didn’t think this clear enough and I wasn’t ready to be embarrassed again, not right now, and especially with him.

No _Gomes

What happened? _Rossita

Did I really care for what led to their break-up?

All I wanted to know was how could I go about changing the status of our friendship.

Is that what you really want to be talking about right now? _Gomes

And this is the moment that makes me feel safe to let my heart go there with him. A guy that can read you like an open book, although you have a deadlock on it.

I want to know what it feels like to be your Molly _Rossita

You don't need to be Molly _Gomes

Yeah? _Rossita

Yes. Now go to sleep, we have school tomorrow _Gomes

Okay. Night, Gomes _Rossita