APOV.
I come here every summer . I come with my father. He comes for the fishing and I come for the quietness, and, well, to be honest, I come back every summer because of him.
We have come here every summer since I was 12. Back then I was interested when Dad said he wanted to take me fishing. I loved spending time with him; it was all the time I really got.
I live in California, with my mother. She and Dad divorced when I was 7. Neither of them ever remarried or even tried to move on; I always hoped they would get back together. What child doesn't want their parents happy and together? Anyway, I'm getting off track.
The first time I saw him, my God. My heart had never beaten so hard and fast in my life, the butterflies that filled my stomach felt like knives. I actually felt kind of weird peeking at him from my father's boat, under my very huge sunhat. But I couldn't take my eyes off him.
Even now, at 18, those summers had become the highlight of my life.
I nearly talked to him once. It wasn't on purpose. I embarrassingly fainted and fell into the water.
2006, 2 years earlier.
I had just turned sixteen and I was excited. I had finally come into my curves. I actually had breasts now. They were not overly huge, but enough that the boys at my high school had taken notice. I had spent the whole day before shopping with Maryanne to find the perfect bikini. We wanted something simple, yet something that showed off what I had. I ended up with a midnight blue bikini that was perfect against my pale skin.
The morning my Mum dropped me off, I quickly ran to the bedroom that Dad had set up for when I visited. I slipped on my bikini under my clothes so he wouldn't see.
He saw when we got there though. It was quite funny, actually, to see my father turn beet red in embarrassment at how fast his little girl had grown up.
I asked to stay on land that day. I wanted to try and sunbathe, to give a tint to my light skin. Dad was more than fine with that. But he insisted I cover up. I did, until he left.
I pulled a chair from the porch that wrapped around the house, and dragged it to the edge of the lake. I put sunscreen on, put in my ear buds for my IPod, lay down, pulled my sunglasses down, and closed my eyes. I was never one to have the volume too loud; so it didn't surprise me when I heard a loud splash.
I opened my eyes to see the most beautiful thing in my life.
It was like a movie; all slow motion. His head breaking the surface, water flying from his honey coloured locks. I felt my mouth fall open in shock and I couldn't move it, as if I was frozen.
Before I knew what was happening, I was getting out of my chair and my feet were walking me toward him. He turned at that moment, as if he knew I was there. I stopped again. His chest looked like it was carved by angels. Soft muscles, bulging lightly in the right places. I followed the light coating of hair that led into his board shorts. Then nothing but black.
I felt him carrying me back to my chair. My face nestled against his soft chest. He smelled divine, like hay on a hot summer day. I wanted to wrap myself around him. He gently put me back on my chair. I opened my eyes and met the brightest brown eyes I had ever seen. They were hypnotizing.
"Are you gonna be okay?" His voice was liquid.
I couldn't even speak. I let out a squeak and nodded.
He smiled a bright white smile at me, and I may have died a little. We just stared at each other. I couldn't see anything but him. After a while he shuffled awkwardly and blushed.
"Have a good day darlin'." And he walked away.
LoLD
Every year after that it was the same. Although, sometimes, I would get shy and watch him from my window. Don't get me wrong. I was no stalker. I was just enamored with him. It was like he actually glistened in the sunlight. Okay, maybe I was actually in love with him, even though I had never talked to him.
So, here I was, coming here for what would probably be the last time. I would be graduating soon, and I needed to use my summers for things other than swimming and perving on boys, or boy to be more specific.
"Honey, come in and put your stuff away," my Dad yelled from inside.
"Okay. Hold on." I looked out across the lake, trying to get a glimpse of him anywhere, but I couldn't find him. I sighed and made my way inside.
I trudged up the stairs with my suitcases, dumped them on the floor, and flopped down on the bed. Great. He wasn't here.
I stood up and opened my suitcases to change into my bikini. I thought the red was perfect on me. Another new suit for, another summer.
I slipped it on, grabbed my towel, and made my way to the lake. My clothes could wait to be put away. The sun was perfect in the sky; burning brightly, but not too bright to blind me.
I did a running jump from end of the pier and flew in the water. I loved the water. It was like everything was getting washed away, all the decisions made over time. It was just me and the water.
After some time in the water, I had a strange feeling I was being watched. I got out and looked around but saw no one in the vicinity. I shook my head and made my way inside, drying myself as I went.
JPOV
She plagued my dreams. My every thought was consumed by her. The first time I saw her creamy skin, I thought I had died and gone to heaven and was staring at an Angel. The sun was creating the perfect halo around her. Her long, black hair shined in the sun and all I wanted to do was run my fingers through it.
My life changed that day. I always came back here, every summer hoping to catch a glimpse of her beauty.
Some higher being must have had pity on me, because I saw her. Like it was meant to be. At least I believed it was.
She was so beautiful. I was mesmerized by her. I thought a swim might be the perfect opportunity to see her and I was right. When I caught her looking, I might have done an internal fist pump. I saw her dark brown eyes travel along my body and could do nothing but stare straight back and take her in. Soft curves in all the right places, lean, smooth legs, and yeah, I checked out her boobs, I am a guy after all. I saw her eyes travel to my shorts, and then she was gone. I couldn't believe she fell in the water.
I ran over than faster than ants at a picnic, picked her up and cradled her to my chest. I carried her back to her chair. She felt so right in my arms. I swear she nuzzled against me too.
I asked if she was okay, but I got no answer from her. Maybe she had water in her throat or was just embarrassed. She let out the cutest squeak I had ever heard.
I gave her my signature bright smile that my Mumma said 'would have the girls fawning one day.' I think this one already was.
She stared at me and I was helpless to look away. I wanted to look into her eyes for hours. She made them light up with laughter. I wanted to introduce myself, but all of a sudden I couldn't speak anymore. I shuffled on my feet, blushed, which I never do, and walked away without a word, not looking back. I felt like an idiot.
I caught glimpses of her throughout the years and she continued to get more and more beautiful. This was the last year my parents and I were coming here. They wanted to sell the vacation house and find a closer vacation spot. And then I would be off to college and they didn't want such a big spot sitting here going to waste. It sucked. This was where I saw her. Where, I fell in love with her. Yeah, I did. How could I not?
"Jasper, can you lock the car, for me?"
"Sure thing Dad." I looked around taking in the summer sun and air. I really love it this time of year. I really did love this time of year. I felt a soft hum in my heart, turned, and was met with her. She was dipping her hair in the water; it fell around her in soft wet waves. I desperately wanted to smell it. I saw her start to turn around and quickly ducked behind the car like an idiot. Now, all of a sudden I was shy? Real manly, Jasper. I peeked over the hood and saw her walking away. I breathed a sigh of relief.
I needed to clear my head. I checked to make sure my cell was in my pocket, and made my way down the dirt road to the little diner that had been there for as long as I could remember. I just needed to breathe, get a drink, and calm down. Then I would go back, and hopefully resume my stalking…Again.
The bell dinging over my head felt like home. This place was a part of my childhood after all.
I made my way to the last stool on the counter and let out a heavy sigh as I sat down. I was perusing the menu when the bell over the door dinged. I sat up straighter. That same low hum in my heart, started again. It felt like fire was burning on the back of my head. I turned to the door and before I knew what I was doing, my feet were already leading me.
"Hi." Her bright smile was brilliant and lit up my whole world.
I opened my mouth and words actually came out. "Darlin.'" I added a little twang to the word.
"You sure have me no problem keeping me waiting for you."
"I'm sorry. I didn't know what to say."
"How about I start?" She held her hand to me. "I'm Alice Brandon."
"Jasper Whitlock." I took her hand and put a light kiss to it. She blushed.
"Well, Jasper, we have a lot of catching up to do." She smiled.
"That we do."
She started walking toward the door. She looked over her shoulder and winked. "You coming?" She held her hand out.
I stepped forward and took it without hesitation. "I'll follow you anywhere, darlin'."