Well guess who's back from her unspoken hiatus? Told you guys I'd never give up on you.

I highly advise you to put on your most calm, romantic playlist for this. You're in for emotiooons.

Isabella's POV

The walk down to my cabin was a quiet one, with Phineas simply walking beside me in silent consideration and me coming back from the shock of almost dying; again, how did I manage to do that?

The Caribbean night air manifested our situation- silent, calm, peaceful. But at the same time filled with colors, emotions and winds beyond the wildest of imaginations, and so it created a combination of confusion and variety. So many different options to focus on, each so unlike the other it's difficult to know what to choose; what to concentrate on and contemplate.

When we reach our respective doors I cast a glance at Phineas from the corner of my eye, managing a small smile. When I speak up, my voice is low and raspy, "Thanks for being there tonight and, you know- not letting me die." I chuckle slightly at the last statement and how ridiculous it sounds.

Phineas chuckles too and looks at me with a smile, "Of course. You'd do the same for me. At least I hope you would." He looks down and feigns confused betrayal, making me laugh even more. It's odd how I'm laughing so shortly after a near-death experience, it really is. I guess you need some way to cope with the shock.

I carefully grab the handle of the door and push it down, never breaking eye-contact with Phineas. "Good night, Phineas. I'll see you tomorrow? Maybe we could try the waterslides you've been going on about?" I say, half joking- half serious. Phineas' eyes light up in excitement and expectation.

"Really? You want to do that?"

"Well, not really; but I can take one for the team."

"Hilarious. How can one not love waterslides…"

With one last smile in his direction, I enter my room; it's dark, silent and holds a thick atmosphere of emotions the moment I step into it. Emotions hard to fit into a room so small, making me dizzy and distant. With shaking hands I reach down to unstrap the heels from my feet and toss them aside. Now soundless, they pad across the carpet and carry me to the bar where I pour a glass of red wine, then I walk into my bathroom. I put the glass down and inaudibly remove the arms of my dress and let it slide down my body, pooling at my bare feet before stepping out of it. I walk up to the mirror and remove my jewelry, then carefully slide out of my underwear.

One step, two steps, three steps into the raised jacuzzi and I sit down peacefully, turning my upper body towards the big window behind me; the window mirroring the ocean mixing with the sky in its explosion of colors. What they say sure is true- there's nothing like a sunset in the Caribbean.

I sigh and put my arms on the edge, resting my chin on them. I look to my left, at the empty space beside me. There's nothing like a sunset in the Caribbean… and having somebody to watch it with.

Carefully, I reach out to open the window and secure it. The humid southern air hits me straight in the face, along with the smell of salt and sea carried by the comfortable breezes. I stick out my head and look to my left, then my right, up and down- nobody else. A relaxed smile sets upon my lips as I put up my left knee on the edge of the jacuzzi and stand on my tiptoes on the right foot, now being able to put my elbows on the windowsill, closing my eyes.

The only sounds audible are an occasional seagull or two, along with the sound of waves crashing against the boat. The breeze seeps in through the raven-strands of my hair, whisking them over my face in calm movements. This moment- this peaceful, out-of-this-world moment; why can't I stay in this place forever? Why would I have to go back to reality, where only complications and misery lie? No, torture aside and this place in the front of my mind- this is where I always want to be.

….

I open my eyes, along with the knowledge of that staying out of reality for too long creates false pictures of how life should go by; cry it away, clean up your mess, learn from your mistakes- move on with experience and a heart lighter from leaving the past behind. This is reality, and it's complicated.

Maybe I do need somebody to go through it with, and not only somebody to boost my confidence or make me look better when walking beside me in the hallways. Maybe what I need is somebody with the courage to stand up and tell when the hell I need to sit down.

I don't know what happened on that deck tonight, but I know it felt good to have his eyes look back into mine; to look into blue pools of wonder. It felt good to lose myself in them, it felt good with his arms around me; I felt safe.

Phineas' POV

My discarded blazer lays neatly on my bed, and my undone tie rests around the neck of my white shirt, the sleeves on it rolled up to my elbows. I look to the watch on my left wrist- 3.30pm. Mom came home hours ago, so I can't risk waking her up by screaming in confusion and agony. Instead, I walk up to the window and silently open it to let in the dark night.

The ocean below reminds me of her eyes. The warmth of the wind feels the same as it did when it touched her skin; it had disheveled her hair. She'd looked so out of place, so confused. As if all that bound her still to this world was the sound of my voice. And it was beautiful, and she was beautiful.

I run my hands through my hair with a frustrated groan and look to my right; Isabella's window, I've figured. It has to be. Will it reveal something, like the window of realization it could be? Probably not. Like Isabella, I bet the blinds are down, and they open only when the sun shines the brightest outside. But, when is that? When can I see beneath her shallowness and beauty?

Why me, of all people? Why did I have to be the one to move in across from her, why did I have to be the compassionate one who ran after her after her humiliating breakup? Why did I have to be the one she was paired up with in history-class? Why does she have to be so imperfectly perfect with her monstrous personality? Why does she always have to look like the devil in an angel's disguise? Why did our worlds collide?

…..

Why was I the one to fall so hard for it, for her?

Isabella's POV

3.30pm and I'm outside, walking on the deck, dressed in nothing but my short velvet-robe and a pair of fluffy slippers; that's when you know just how messed up your mind and heart is. I take each step carefully up to the front of the boat, passing two or three drunk people looking me up and down- maybe the robe wasn't a good idea for a night-stroll on an unguarded boat. But honestly, I just feel so empty and full at the same time, my choice of clothing wasn't priority number one when going out.

I carefully grab the railing with both hands, sliding my hands along it. Even though you can barely see the ocean, you can still sense it. I'd know I was on the very edge of the boat even if I was blindfolded. It clears your mind, somehow, standing here. Considering sleeping wasn't an option, this seemed like the clearest choice for a cliché moment.

Even though I no longer dare close my eyes this close to a railing, I know I don't need to; I can see him before me anyway. I feel his hands grab mine in the wind, I feel them running up my arms, kneed my shoulders and continue down to my waist.

How can something so absent feel so present?

The truth is laid out so beautifully before me, yet I cannot reach for it; it's the only distance I have left between security and reality. I need to keep my hands to the railing, where the promise of this security is certain.

I slowly let go of it, letting myself return to reality. I then turn on my heels and start walking back towards the cabin for the last sleepless hours before dawn arrives. I absorb every step I take, trying to make the walk back as slow as possible. I chuckle slightly; I'll miss it. The feeling of knowing who I am and what I want. It's like I'm walking away from it and with that, I walk slowly down the stairs and into the isolated corridor.

The sound of my two feet are the only things audible in the dark hallway where my door is located.

Until suddenly, they're accompanied by another pair of feet leaving a room. A room beside mine.

Despite the darkness, I can see his eyes examine me- search for any signs of this not being real. But it is, and the silence emphasizes it. My breaths suddenly hang heavily in the air, along with his twice as heavy gaze. I'm suddenly much more aware of everything- my state of clothing, his disordered look, the heat hanging in the air- it's unmistakable. My control for everything dissipates along with his.

I couldn't care less about it, the moment his lips are on mine, and they bring the light with it, the fireworks. It fills me up, drags me closer to the edge as I push my hands up against his chest and drag them, slowly up around his neck. His hand finds the back of my head and he buries it in my hair, the other one enveloping my waist tightly as he presses me into the wall and holds me there, tightly against him. I shouldn't, it shouldn't feel right at all. But it does, nothing has ever felt more right. His breath is hot against my skin as he lets go for a split second, before diving back at another angle, molding his lips against mine and biting suggestively on my lower lip.

I can't suppress the surprised, content moan from escaping me at his boldness and his presence, so close and so real. My arms roam his shoulders and down his arms before going back again and up in his hair, holding it tightly as if trying to hold on to reality. I kiss him with fervor and with passion I've longed to let out for so long, not only with him- I've longed for this feeling over someone, the feeling of not getting enough and the feeling of recklessness. His hand disappears from my hair and goes down on my upper back as he pushes me up slightly against the wall, and his other hand goes dangerously lower over my hips. Appreciatively, I drape my left leg around him, leaving off an alarmingly high slit up my thigh from my tied robe and pulls him impossibly closer with it.

He groans into the kiss and quickly abandons my upper back, his right hand now caressing up and down my outer thigh- down to graze the back of my knee, then up, up, up until there's little space left between my leg and my hip. His touch sets my skin on fire, as his lips set my soul on fire. Therefore, the pause in which he releases them leaves a whimper on my lips; it's quickly replaced with a low moan however, as he goes down and leaves passionate, moving kisses down my jaw and neck. My head falls back against the wall in a low hum, allowing him more access and my hands press him closer.

Despite the bliss quickly taking me over, I can't help but think it in the back of my head; "This isn't right, get off of him! Find your self-control, don't let this be another road to hurt. Find somebody you know won't stick around- so that you won't be the one leaving him and putting another reason to hate yourself onto the list."

I quickly open my eyes with a gasp as realization dawns upon me. Play on the safe side, Isabella. Don't do it like this.

I hesitatingly remove my leg and push myself down onto the ground again. With fast, firm hands I thrust Phineas away from me and pant hard, just like him. His passion-filled eyes catch my broken ones, and they slowly find their way back to reality.

I bite my lip carefully and shake my head as I look down on the ground, not wanting to see his eyes when they look at me with probable betrayal. Great, the last straw is most surely drawn; prepare for him to now permanently neglect you, Isabella.

But I'm trying to protect you.

I run off to my room with tears welling up in my eyes, leaving a confused Phineas behind.

No, I'm just trying to protect myself…