Chapter Two: The Reservoir

I'm sinking. Into the darkness. All I can see is the bubbles floating upwards. I feel calm. Then suddenly I feel something jerk me. I break the survice to see Soul next to me. Our boat speeding further and further away from us.

I wake with a start. I look around to see no one near. I am alone.

"It's about time you woke up. I've been doing all the work around here."

"Soul?"

"Yeah. That's my name. Gosh what's your deal? All that sea water get to you yesterday or are you not as smart as you think you are, tiny tits?"

I frown. I was definitely not dreaming anymore. "Shut up you asshole. And what do you mean you've been doing all the work?"

"Well how 'bout you get off your ass and come see for yourself."

I ignore his tone and walk outside of our shelter to see that there is a fire going and multiple fish being cooked. There are also some coconuts and bananas. As well as what looks to be an attempt at a manmade raft.

"What's that?" I ask, pointing to the makeshift raft.

"Why do people think you're smart?"

Maka chop*

"Ow! What the hell, man. Gosh it's a freakin' raft, what's it look like?"

"A mess. There's no way that'd hold anyone."

"Oh I'm sure it'd hold you up just fine. It's not like you're weighed down with a chest or an ass or anything."

My attempt at hitting him was thwarted by Soul grabbing my wrist, pulling me close to his face in the process. This was the first time a actually felt threatened by him. Scared even.

"Look, princess. I don't appreciate being hit constantly. After all, I am the one that saved your ass from falling overboard. I could've left you out there to be shark bate. But no, my dumbass decided to be nice for once." He throws my arm away from him harshly, making me stumble. "So you should start being greatful to me," he finished.

I stand there for a bit. Rubbing my arm where he's grabbed me. "I'm sorry. I guess I should thank you."

"You know that doesn't count as gratitude. You actually have to thank the person. Not just think about it."

"Okay! Thank you! You happy now?!"

"Not particularly. Because we are still stranded on and island, if you haven't noticed."

I have to walk away from him. I sit down near the fire and stare out into the embers. The rain has stopped and it is rather sunny out. I take a look around. Nothing but blue waters and the jungle behind our camp site. I can see a spear-like piece of wood in the sand. I'm surprised that Soul did all of this. He's the dumb, slacker in school. Who'd have thought he'd actually be able to do anything on his own, especially of this stature.

"I actually am able to do things you know." Soul mumbles. I hadn't realized he had sat down next to me. He was poking at the fish that was cooking over the fire.

"How did-"

"You wouldn't be he first one to think that I'm just a good-for-nothing loser."

I didn't know how to respond to that. So I just sat there. We sat in silence for a long while. It was kinda nice. Even when the fish was ready, we ate in silence. It was... kind of nice. Soul was the first to break that silence.

"There's a little reservoir behind those rocks over there," he all about whispered. "You know... if you want to get cleaned up and stuff. T-the sun is setting high so I was planning on taking a soak myself."

It was the first time I had ever seen Soul be so awkward. Was he nervous? Why? "You wouldn't mind the company?"

"You're all I have on this island." He stared at me intensely as he said this. "I don't mind."

Soul gets up and reaches out his hand to help me up as well. He doesn't let my hand go once I'm up though. He stares at the light bruise that was starting to form from where he grabbed me earlier. He slowly rubs his thumb over it. It sends chills down my spine. Was that arousel? I shout at myself. What the hell, Maka!?

"I'm sorry." His apology throws me off guard. Completely derailing my previous feeling.

"It's okay."

He drops my hand and starts to walk in the direction he pointed at a moment ago. I hear him mumble, "it's not okay."

We get to the rocks. There really is a little pool of water back there. I dip my toe in. "Oh! It's rather chilly."

"Yeah," Soul grunts, "that's why I thought it'd be nice for this time of day. It's too hot to be on the sand," he says during the process of taking his shirt off. Have I really never seen Soul with his shirt off? Oh my god! What is wrong with me? It must be adrenaline from our situation. There's no way I'd be falling for Soul, of all people.

"Hey! What the hell!," I shout. Soul had thrown his clothes at my face. It took me a moment to realize it was his shorts and boxers that I was holding in my hand. My face goes bright red from embarrassment. That quickly turns to annoyance. "Why the hell do you think it's okay to just strip in front of me?! Is that why you asked me back here? Oh, you've been almost 24 hours without having banged a girl so you have to go for me. Is that it? Well excuse me for believing your nice crap earlier!" I throw his shit on the ground and turn to walk away, but Soul grabs my ankle before I could even take a step. I look down at him. The water is way too clear. I have to look away. Oh my god! He's well endowed.

"First off, I am not trying to have sex with you. Not exactly anyways. Two, I took my clothes off so I didn't get them wet. I'm not jumping in here fully clothed. That would be dumb." My cheeks are burning. "And I only threw them at you because you were spacing out about my muscular physique and I thought it'd be funny."

"Excuse you!" I shout. "I was not-"

"Don't play dumb, bookworm. I know when someone is checking me out."

I shake my foot in an attempt to get him off of me. Feeling his strong hand touching my skin was not helping the situation right now.

"Hey," he gently coaxes me out of my thoughts. "I wasn't trying to upset you. Please just come in. I'm tired of arguing with you."

He releases my foot. I go to put my foot in but then remember what he said about the clothes. Should I just strip to my underwear or completely like he did?

"Will you turn around while I... um... you know..." Soul splashes the water around a bit and he turns away from me. I decide to strip completely. Bras take forever to try and I don't want to be without underwear. I drop my clothes down next to Soul's and slowly wade into the water. Once I'm fully under I stammer, "you can turn around now. You know, if you want."

He turns around with a smile on his face. A smile that disappears when he notices I'm covering my chest with my arms. "Why are you covering your chest? I mean it's not like there's much there to see anyways, but..."

"Why? Do you want to look to something?"

He just shrugs and slides down into the water more, resting his head on the side of the pool. We sit in silence. His eyes are closed so I eventually lower my arms and just stare out into the sky. It's so calm out here. I hadn't realized I had said that aloud until Soul's quiet, "yeah, it really is," broke the air. I look over to see that he is staring at me. I quickly try to move my hands up but he grabs both of my wrists. When did he get so close?

"Please don't. I don't want you to feel uncormfortable around me." He lowers my arms. I feel very exposed. My cheeks are pink. He's staring very intently into my eyes. I am literally sitting a pool, naked with Soul Evans! The situation reminded me of something he had said earlier.

"What did you mean when you said 'not exactly' earlier?"

"I was wondering when you were gonna catch that," he says around a huge smile. "I-I have always been a horn dog. You know that. But I have always sort of had a thing for you. You were practically unattainable at school. And I admire your tenacity toward everything you do." He pushes a strand of hair behind me ear. He rests his hand there, on the side of my face. "I have to ask... have you ever... you know... slept with anyone?"

If my cheeks weren't red then they sure are now. I turn to look away. "I-I-I," I stammer, not knowing how to respond to his question. I haven't even kissed someone let alone what he's asking!

"Hey," he grabs my chin and forces me to look him in the eye. "So I'm gonna take that as a no. You don't have to say anything." He slowly moves his thumb across my lower lip. I let out a small moan. Oh my gosh! How embarrassing! I pull away. There's a look on his face. I'm not entirely sure of the emotion. It's almost as if he's completely surprised by something.

"Have you not even kissed anyone?"

I look down at my hands under the water. I can't face him when I eventually say, "no." There is utter silence for a beat until his heavily laced, "oh..." We sit without a word for a minute or two. And then all of a sudden he places both of his hands on either side of my face, turning me to look him him the eyes.

"I can fix that," he said quietly. "You know... if you want me to."

My heart is racing. "I-I..." I stammer. What do I do! I take a few deep breaths. I am tired of being a goody-goody virgin. "O-okay." He seemed surprised for a second, but then a shit-eating grin spreads across his face. Oh God. What have I gotten myself into?