A/N The result of studying for 5 minutes, then facebooking/fictionpressing/youtubing for 30 minutes, rinse and repeat. Enjoy :)
Her fingers grazed against prickly coral as the tide pulled her shivering body under. Sophie didn't know what drowning felt like, but if she could describe her sinking heart and swelling lungs- drowning seemed like the best fit condition. And those were all the symptoms right?
Kai was sitting at the edge of the pier, and with a flick of his wrist, a stone hopped five times across the water. His pale blonde hair was dripping, and his naked chest glistened like glitter against the twilight backdrop. Sophie waited until he grabbed one more rock from his diminishing pile before she approached him. She felt her cheeks set aflame as irritation crept in her veins. Why hadn't he invited her to go swimming? It wasn't like her morning had been terribly eventful. But she brushed it off when Kai didn't greet her with that goofy grin she was so familiar with. He shook the water out of his hair like a disobedient puppy.
The ocean droplets splashed onto her wrist. He hadn't noticed her yet.
Sophie thought her heart would burst right then and there, it was pounding so hard, her insides racked. "I'm moving to Arizona," she finally burst out.
In her head she imagined that he would start crying, or even beg her to stay- but all he did was pick up another stone and toss it into the ocean. She anticipated the going-on-his-knees part that played several times like tangled cassette tape in her head the night before, but of course, he didn't do anything even remotely close to begging. "I heard the weather was nice over there," he said, without even a glance.
She fingered the lacy skirt of her dress, silently praying that she wouldn't cry. "I'm leaving tomorrow, I just thought we could um, hang out one last time before I start packing."
Kai clenched his fist around the last stone, "I think I'm busy tonight." And with that, he carelessly tossed the towel around his shoulder and started to leave.
Sophie disregarded the tears that were threatening to slip and she shoved Kai squarely in the chest. "Why do you have to act all tough like you don't care? You're a real jerk you know that?"
Kai staggered back with an angry expression forming on his face. He narrowed his eyes finally met her gaze, "You're the one who didn't tell me that you were moving in the first place! I had to hear it from Alex- why the hell did Alex know before I did?" he cried out.
Sophie took a step towards him, "Why does it matter? At least he cared enough to not be an asshole!"
"Great, then why don't you call Alex up and spend your last day with him instead?"
She pushed him again with all the power her arm could muster. Kai stumbled backwards, completely losing his balance at the edge of the boardwalk. Before he fell over, he grabbed Sophie by the hand dragged her into the water with him.
They plunged beneath the sea with a splash. Sophie wildly waved her arms to reach above the surface. She gasped for air as she began to swim towards the shore. Once Sophie felt the sand underneath her soles, she stomped across the beach, despite the broken seashells that were cutting into her skin. If anything, that boy was going to buy her new flip-flops.
As she fumed, she suddenly felt a sharp pull at her arm, and she found herself wound into Kai's body. His skin was sticky and he smelled of sweat and sea salt. Kai was squeezing her so tightly that it hurt, but he felt warm against the thin fabric of her dress. "You can't leave," he panted heavily, "Not yet." Sophie broke away from his grip.
"I-I don't want to," she said numbly.
"Then don't. We'll get married so you'll be forced to stay here," Kai grinned. Sophie felt her throat close up at his words, she was almost dizzy.
He raised his eyebrows in bemusement, "Jeez, I'm only kidding Soph! You should've seen your face," he teased.
Sophie swallowed then grit her teeth, "I know that," she snapped and turned away from him.
He reached out to pull her closer towards him, "Come on, I'm sorry about earlier okay? I was angry about you leaving. You're my best friend, Sophie," he said apologetically.
"Not anymore," she huffed. She wasn't going to forgive him that easily. Kai forced his lips out into a stupid pout. She tried to keep a straight face, but he looked so dumb that she couldn't help but crack a smile. His mouth stretched into a wide grin.
"See? I knew you couldn't resist all this," Kai gestured to himself playfully, which in turn earned him a whack on the head.
Sophie rubbed the goosebumps that were forming on her arms, "Can you be serious for once?"
"I am being serious; let's make a raft and float away together, just you and me. We'll fish for food and eat raw seagull like true sailors- it'll be amazing," he said zealously.
"You're impossible," she bristled and started to walk past him.
"No wait- stop. I'll be serious," Sophie let out a sigh, but spun around anyway, "When you get a boyfriend in Arizona, call me whenever you need someone to beat him up. Because I wouldn't want you to hurt your pretty little hands, so I'll do it, free of charge," Kai spoke with surprising sincerity.
She almost laughed, "What makes you so sure that I'll find a boyfriend?"
He ran his fingers through his hair, "Jeez Soph, I know you don't see this, but all the guys would die just to stand next to you." She noticed that he looked almost uncomfortable.
"Uh huh, you're a real charmer," Sophie said sarcastically, but she was blushing anyway. "If you're trying to flatter me now, you're a little too late," she waggled a teasing finger at him.
"On second thought, maybe you should marry me after all, so that way, I'll be able to make sure that you'll never get hurt," he tapped his chin with his index finger.
She felt her toes curl in her sandals, "Hah, knowing you and your over-protective attitude, you'd probably keep me locked up in a padded cell."
"The safer the better right?" Kai smirked as he looped two fingers into the woven leather wristband around her hand, "Hey, isn't this mine?"
Sophie didn't reply, she could admire his face forever and she wouldn't mind. She had forgotten that she was wearing the bracelet that she had shamelessly taken from his room a couple days ago. She wanted something to remember him by, and maybe it counted as stealing, but she didn't care. The fact that she wasn't going to be able to see his sun bright smile anymore was starting to sink in.
Kai dropped her hand and turned his head to face the horizon, "You can keep it." The breeze picked up and whistled in their ears. "You know- I really did like you."
She dug her finger nails into her elbow. "Oh yeah? When?" she tried to sound nonchalant, but her heart was breaking.
"That time when we were seven, and I got a splinter from trying to climb the coconut tree so you took out your entire toy doctor kit to 'save me'," Kai simpered. He tapped the center of his palm.
Sophie rolled her eyes, "I never would've guessed," she said dryly.
Kai looked at her, "Okay- you got me. Remember that time when I was drunk from a party, and you took care of me all night because I couldn't even stand up straight?"
She remembered. He had tried to kiss her that night, but he was intoxicated, and she couldn't let him do anything he would regret later.
"Yeah well, I wasn't really that drunk," he let out a tense laugh.
Sophie's face flushed as the corners of her lips curled upwards,"You asshole! Do you know how heavy you were?" she cried out as she lifted her hand to push him. Kai grabbed her wrist, but instead of letting go, he held it in suspension. She widened her eyes, and began to feel self-conscious.
His expression softened, but he still refused to tear his gaze off of hers. "You drove me crazy," his eyes fluttered slightly, "You still drive me crazy," he mumbled so softly that she wasn't even sure that she heard him say it.
She waited, but he didn't lean in any closer. His bright eyes looked scared, almost cowardly even- and she hated seeing him like this because it wasn't like him. Kai suddenly dropped her hand, "I'm sorry. I'll miss you. Remember to wear sunscreen," and he touched his lips on her forehead before he started to walk away.
Sophie rubbed the skin where he had kissed her, then she finally crumpled up and allowed herself to cry.
A/N An attempt at a cute moment- or rather, one filled with unintended sexual tension now that I look at it again, ah crap :S Either way, review? :D