Claire fell, the concrete around the pool eroding away beneath her foot. She felt panic consume her, limbs thrashing as she tried desperately to swim towards the surface. Her foot caught on something, kelp of some sort latching onto her leg. Something cut through the water like a knife - a tail, a huge, powerful tail swimming around her. The thing - whatever it was, stared at her through the sea weed, and she let out a scream as she met the creature's gaze. Arms pulled her against a hard surface, and the next thing she knew she was breathing in air, her lungs hacking up salt water as she collapsed against Ray's body.
He set her down on a lounge chair, his eyes meeting her's briefly in his frantic stare. His hands moved all around her, trailing from the back of her head, down her arms and onto her abdomen. She coughed up more water, and his fingers pressed against her cheeks as he forced her to look at him. She gave him a slight nod of her head, bewildered at his actions towards her. She could dully hear the commotion around her, but it wasn't until Haley grasped her arm firmly in her hand that she came to. Ray's eyes were still checking her over and over again, and she couldn't help looking over Haley's shoulder for his reassuring gaze.
Her grandfather told Haley to take her home, and even as Haley led her towards their house, she could not stop herself from sneaking glances at Ray. He looked perplexed, as though something we're bothering him, and his chest heaved in exhaust from the exhilaration of their impromptu swim.
That was the first time Claire had ever felt something like that. The twisting of her stomach, the safety of another's arms. She felt as though her head were spinning. She was yet to be sixteen years old, she was just going into sophomore year of high school. She felt so young around everyone else, her naivety and small frame setting her apart from others. But Ray's touch had ignited a flame within her that she could not explain. Even as Haley's hands dried her off with a warm towel, she could not focus on anything but the frightened look in his eyes when she had begun to cough up water. He looked worried for her, and perhaps she was reading into it, but she could've sworn there was panic in his eyes, as though he wished to never see her like that again.
But she was probably reading too much into it.
Ray leaned back in the hot tub, Cecelia's purposeful touching becoming unappealing to him. He saw how mean she was to other girls, particularly Claire and her friend Haley. He wasn't even all that sure why he had agreed to go out with her tonight. He was going to ask Claire's friend Aqua. Aqua was sweet and bubbly, and she was his age. Claire was not his age. There was almost a three year difference between the two of them, and he knew he could never take advantage of her obvious crush on him. He truly felt something for her, he wasn't sure what it was at the moment, but it was different from any lust he'd felt before. It had been there for a while, since he laid eyes on the petite girl.
He was interrupted from his thoughts by Claire herself. His eyes widened considerably, he had not expected to see her there. Here, at a senior party, with alcohol and drugs and boys that would surely take advantage of her nativity. He began to pull himself from the hot tub, she spoke frantically of him breaking Aqua's heart. He'd never meant to hurt Aqua, but when she failed to distract his thoughts of Claire he knew she wasn't the answer to his problems.
He rounded towards her, and soon her finger was pointed at his chest as she tried to make her point. She glared into his collarbone, the top of her head not yet reaching his shoulders. She was scared to be here, that much was obvious. Her eyes were wide and frightened, and her hands shook as she spoke. He had to get her out of here.
But then came Cecelia's voice from behind him, "Hey Nate, the little girl wants to go!" She shouted towards Nate. Ray's eyes widened as he realized the meaning behind her words. It was too late, Nate's arms through her over his shoulder and into the pool after. As soon as she was released into the water, Ray's fist met Nate's face.
Nate doubled over, clutching his nose in his hand. "What the hell was that for, man?" He demanded, but Ray's fury was too hot and coursing to answer his question. He dove in after Claire, finding the girl thrashing under the surface as he had the last time they were in this situation. He carried her soaked frame against his chest as she began to cough, stepping around Nate's crippled frame.
He adjusted her against him, clutching her shivering body to his chest. "She can't swim, you ass." He muttered lowly, before carrying her out of the house. She began to hiccup, her throat raw from the screaming she did before being thrown into the pool. He opened the door to his jeep with one hand, gently setting her into the passenger seat. Her brown eyes met his blue ones as he shuffled around the back seat in search for a towel.
He draped a beach towel around her shoulders, rubbing up and down her arms to keep her from the cold. She smiled gratefully at him, and he clenched his jaw at the thought of Nate and Cecelia in his mind. Her smile dropped from her face, and she gently rested her hand on his arm. His eyes darted to her face, and she slowly slipped her fingers off of his skin. He stared at her for a long time before walking towards the drivers side. He hopped in the car, clenching his fists in an attempt to contain his anger. It failed, and his steering wheel took the beating he presented it with as he slammed his fingers down on the material.
She flinched, and he stopped immediately, his hands reaching for her face. He cupped her cheeks in his palms, and she looked at him with wide eyes. "It's nothing that you did," He promised her, following her line of thought. If possible, her eyes widened. "I'm just mad about what they did to you." He said in a voice so low it was almost a snarl.
She shook her head, "No, they didn't know I couldn't swim, it wasn't their fault." She said, before slumping into her seat. "I shouldn't have come in the first place." She finally muttered. His eyes stay trained on her, a frown ever so present on his face. She ran her hand through hair, shaking out the wet strands with her fingers. His hand suddenly enclosed her wrist, and the next thing she knew his lips were centimeters away from her own.
His breathing had increased considerably, and she could feel his warmth through the towel draped around her body. He moved just the slightest bit toward her, licking his bottom lip quickly. She could feel her eyes widen, and his stare flipped back and forth between her lips and her gaze. "Tell me to stop," He whispered, his voice hoarse. "Tell me to stop right now and I will." He breathed out.
She leaned forward this time, and then his lips had captured her own. Her hands shook, and she wasn't sure if it was from the cold or from the boy who had moved from his seat and was practically laying on top of her. She ran her fingers through his hair, and a particularly harsh tug on his scalp had him making a noise from deep within his throat that she could compare only to a growl. His lips tasted like the ocean - salty and addictive. Her heart was racing in her chest, and she could hear the thrum of her pulse in her ears. His hands trailed over her waist, a shudder arising from her as he ghosted over her rib cage. His mouth moved from her own to trail down her neck, and only then had she noticed her embarrassing panting as she struggled to keep her breathing constant. His teeth scraped against the hollow of her throat, and he released a satisfied hum as he stared down at her. She didn't have time to ask what his smug grin was about before his lips were bruising her own again.
He was the one who finally broke them up, gently pecking her lips one last time as he pulled away. She frowned and tried to capture his lips, but he pulled himself away with a low chuckle. "I want to continue, trust me I do, but I have to get you home." He told her, resting his head on her shoulder as he shifted so he was fully in his seat again. Her fingers moved in his hair one last time, before she detached herself from him completely, and he let out a harsh breath at the loss of contact. He kissed her shoulder before turning his attention to the car, putting the key into the ignition and starting the car. He reached over with his right hand, taking her hand from where it was sitting on her knee, ad intertwining their fingers. A blush appeared on her cheeks, and he pretended not to notice.
The drive back to her house was quick, and the sun was starting to set just as he pulled into the driveway. He hopped out of the drivers seat and made his way around the car. Even when she is sitting in the passenger seat of his jeep while he's standing out of it, he's still just an inch taller than her. He leans in for a kiss, but she makes it more of a peck. "I don't want my grandparents to see," she tells him against his lips. He nods in understanding, he wasn't sure how her family would take to their employee making out with their granddaughter.
She ran towards the house, offering him a small wave as she opened the door to the house. He pulled out of the driveway just as she got up the stairs and she heaved out a breath as she wondered how she was going to come p with an excuse for Aqua and Haley. She shook her head, walking towards the bathroom take a quick shower before calling them. She couldn't avoid them forever.
She moved her damp hair out of her face as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her cheeks were flushed, and she ran her fingers over her lips as she remembered the kisses he had bestowed on them just minutes ago.
The next thing that caught her attention was the circle of purple flesh on her neck, just under her chin. Realization hit her like a wave - he had given her a hickey.
ok so this is my new story about a dorky movie that i watched while babysitting about a flipping mermaid like im a seventeen year old girl writing about this lmao but this is gonna be a story story with chapters and stuff so look out for my next update y'all xoxo