Chapter Sixteen
Mercedes looked around the beach as she sat on one of Brady's boards on the sand. She spotted Landon walking up the beach and waved. He waved back.
Once closer, he approached her with a smile. His black hair blew in the wind and his tan looked even deeper in the setting sunlight. Standing up, Mercedes smiled back and brushed the sand off the back of her shorts.
Landon walked right up to Mercedes, put down his board, and opened his arms, pulling her into a huge hug. Stunned at first, Mercedes then wrapped her arms around him and hugged him back. It was a hug that somehow seemed to lift all her sorrow and burdens off her heart for a few seconds.
Quietly, Landon whispered in her ear, "It's so good to see you, Ceds."
"You too," she replied with a smile as she rested her head on his shoulder.
Breaking apart, there was a short awkward silence. Landon broke it by asking, "So you wanna surf?" He looked at the board on the sand then up at Mercedes.
Mercedes bit her lower lip, as she was somewhat unsure of herself. Slowly shaking her head yes, she sighed. "Yeah, I guess it's about time."
Landon smiled and took off his t-shirt and put it down on the sand. Picking up the piece of wax Mercedes had brought to the beach, he began to wax both of their boards.
Mercedes slowly pealed off her shorts and tank top to reveal her black boy short bottoms and hazel green halter bikini top. She starred out towards the ocean as many thoughts ran through her mind.
After finishing waxing the boards, Landon picked up Brady's board and handed it to Mercedes. Then, he tucked his own under his arm.
"Ready?" he asked her as he took two steps in front of her towards the water.
With a sigh, Mercedes shook her head and the two headed down to the water.
Once in the water, Mercedes watched a few waves roll in and by. After a few minutes in the water, she began to catch a few waves. She was very tentative to surf at first. Landon sat on his board and watched as he gave her words of encouragement. Words she needed to hear to get that inner peace and calmness back within soul. After surfing for a bit, Landon and Mercedes sat her board as they watched the sun set over the water. Mercedes sat in front of Landon. Leaning over her shoulder, Landon whispered to her, "It's almost as beautiful as you."
Mercedes continued to stare out at the sunset for a few seconds, extremely flattered at what she just heard. Although the radiating setting sun hid the color, she knew her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment. Then an arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer. Looking over her shoulder back at Landon, she locked her hazel eyes with his dark brown. Managing a small smile, she watched as Landon's face came closer to hers.
Not knowing what to do and panicking, Mercedes turned her head back towards the horizon. Landon looked down at the dark blue water and grimaced a bit. Knowing that she hadn't really meant to pull away and did so in awkwardness, he tried to push the feelings of rejection away. Again, he leaned in to whisper in her ear.
"Ceds, I've had my eye on you ever since the first day I met you. Your dark hair. hazel eyes. deep tan. gorgeous smile. great personality. I was hooked," Landon spilled his heart out. This was the moment he had been waiting for. To tell her his true feelings over such an amazing setting was perfect.
Staring out towards the vast ocean before them, Mercedes looked down as she fidgeting with her fingers. "Landon. I'd be lying if I told you that I didn't have my eye on you either. But." she nervously tried to explain.
"Mercedes," Landon interrupted as she gently pulled her chin for her to look at him. He gazed into her eyes and then leaned in to kiss her, which she accepted and kissed back.
Mercedes looked around the beach as she sat on one of Brady's boards on the sand. She spotted Landon walking up the beach and waved. He waved back.
Once closer, he approached her with a smile. His black hair blew in the wind and his tan looked even deeper in the setting sunlight. Standing up, Mercedes smiled back and brushed the sand off the back of her shorts.
Landon walked right up to Mercedes, put down his board, and opened his arms, pulling her into a huge hug. Stunned at first, Mercedes then wrapped her arms around him and hugged him back. It was a hug that somehow seemed to lift all her sorrow and burdens off her heart for a few seconds.
Quietly, Landon whispered in her ear, "It's so good to see you, Ceds."
"You too," she replied with a smile as she rested her head on his shoulder.
Breaking apart, there was a short awkward silence. Landon broke it by asking, "So you wanna surf?" He looked at the board on the sand then up at Mercedes.
Mercedes bit her lower lip, as she was somewhat unsure of herself. Slowly shaking her head yes, she sighed. "Yeah, I guess it's about time."
Landon smiled and took off his t-shirt and put it down on the sand. Picking up the piece of wax Mercedes had brought to the beach, he began to wax both of their boards.
Mercedes slowly pealed off her shorts and tank top to reveal her black boy short bottoms and hazel green halter bikini top. She starred out towards the ocean as many thoughts ran through her mind.
After finishing waxing the boards, Landon picked up Brady's board and handed it to Mercedes. Then, he tucked his own under his arm.
"Ready?" he asked her as he took two steps in front of her towards the water.
With a sigh, Mercedes shook her head and the two headed down to the water.
Once in the water, Mercedes watched a few waves roll in and by. After a few minutes in the water, she began to catch a few waves. She was very tentative to surf at first. Landon sat on his board and watched as he gave her words of encouragement. Words she needed to hear to get that inner peace and calmness back within soul. After surfing for a bit, Landon and Mercedes sat her board as they watched the sun set over the water. Mercedes sat in front of Landon. Leaning over her shoulder, Landon whispered to her, "It's almost as beautiful as you."
Mercedes continued to stare out at the sunset for a few seconds, extremely flattered at what she just heard. Although the radiating setting sun hid the color, she knew her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment. Then an arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer. Looking over her shoulder back at Landon, she locked her hazel eyes with his dark brown. Managing a small smile, she watched as Landon's face came closer to hers.
Not knowing what to do and panicking, Mercedes turned her head back towards the horizon. Landon looked down at the dark blue water and grimaced a bit. Knowing that she hadn't really meant to pull away and did so in awkwardness, he tried to push the feelings of rejection away. Again, he leaned in to whisper in her ear.
"Ceds, I've had my eye on you ever since the first day I met you. Your dark hair. hazel eyes. deep tan. gorgeous smile. great personality. I was hooked," Landon spilled his heart out. This was the moment he had been waiting for. To tell her his true feelings over such an amazing setting was perfect.
Staring out towards the vast ocean before them, Mercedes looked down as she fidgeting with her fingers. "Landon. I'd be lying if I told you that I didn't have my eye on you either. But." she nervously tried to explain.
"Mercedes," Landon interrupted as she gently pulled her chin for her to look at him. He gazed into her eyes and then leaned in to kiss her, which she accepted and kissed back.
