Sunsets and storms ✓

Chapter 20

MATTHEW

After two days of rain the sky finally cleared up. It's a hot and humid day and I'm glad I get to spend all day at the beach, having a swim when it gets too hot. When it's weather like this back home all you can do to make it a bit bearable is stay inside and turn the AC on. Having the beach and the ocean within a mile is amazing.

Logan and Evan decided to hit the gym this morning but I couldn't be bothered. Colin, another friend of Megan has some equipment set up at home and told us we could come by anytime to work out. Back home I'd work out maybe twice a week, but I'm on vacation, so no gym for me. I'd rather spend my time with Megan anyway.

Waking up, feeling her body next to mine, my arm still around her waist. I slept like I haven't in years. If I ever even slept that well. There's something about having her with me. I can't even describe how she makes me feel. I feel as if she understands me, even if I don't say a word. The only people I've ever told about my family were Evan and Logan since they witnessed part of it. But she understood. She didn't ask for more, she accepted what I wanted to tell her and didn't pry to know about the rest. The way she held me last night when I couldn't fall asleep. That's something only mum ever did for me when I was a kid. She cares for me, like not many people have in my life. And just like that I knew that I never wanted to go without her in my life.

My attention gets drawn to Megan as she gets up and walks to the ocean with the other girls. It isn't the first time I see her in her bikini but god damn. My swimmers grow a bit tighter as I watch her. The way her butt looks in those bikini bottoms as she walks. I cannot stop myself from staring. My mind wanders to all the things I want to do with her. Having slept next to her last night, feeling her body against mine. It just made me think about her, about us differently.

Andrew and Niko are talking about something but I have no idea what is being said. Megan still has my complete attention. The way she moves, how she laughs at something that is said. The way she rolls her eyes when someone says something stupid. How she can roast someone completely with just a few words.

Someone tapping on my shoulder gets me out of my dreaming about Megan. I see Andrew next to me, Niko walking to one of the beach bars.

"I need to ask you something. It's about Evan."

This might get interesting. He and Maya went home late last night, so I guess nothing happened between him and Evan after all.

"I'm just going straight to the point. Is Evan gay?"

"No." His face falls immediately. "He's bi. Haven't you seen him flirt with girls?"

The relieve on his face is worth gold.

"I won't ask you to tell on your friend, but do I have a chance with him? Is it worth trying?"

"I think so. I can't look into his head, but from the way he behaves around you, yes you have a chance. Just promise me one thing. Be careful with him. His past two relationships were pretty awful. A girl broke up with him as soon as she found out he was bi, and a guy ended things because Evan didn't want to hide their relationship."

Niko comes back with some cans of coke and the girls get back from their swim. Everyone sits together and plans to go out in a few days are being made. Having Megan sit next to me, my mind is slightly preoccupied and most of the conversation slides past me.

"Go on a walk with me?"

Megan looks up and nods. The others didn't hear my question but they don't seem to be too surprised when we walk off with the two of us. We throw our cans in the bin and we walk along the ocean. Our feet occasionally getting wet as the water moves up the beach.

"The first time I saw you was when you walked into the room at that party three years ago. You were smiling but for some reason I could tell it wasn't real. I could sense you didn't really want to be there. I wanted to know why you were feeling like that and make you smile. Truly smile."

I tell her about that evening and how I felt to see her leave and not see her again for three years, no matter how often I tried to find her.

"I couldn't believe it was you when I saw you in the house. From our first conversations I felt it again. I felt that connection we had three years ago. For a while I thought it was just in my head. The last few days you showed me that it wasn't just in my head."

Come on Matthew. Just do it. Just ask her.

"Megan, I want to be with you. Will you be my girlfriend? I know it's soon, we haven't even gone on a date or anything but..."

Well, that's one way to shut me up. Her lips leave mine only seconds after, leaving mine cold.

"Of course I will, you silly. I don't care about how soon it is. It just feels right. But you can still take me on a date. As your girlfriend."

God. I cannot even describe how hearing her say that one word makes me feel. I don't think I'll ever get enough of it. I kiss her again. Softly, reminding myself that we're at the beach and most people would probably not appreciate us making out out here.

Smiling we pull apart and with those same smiles on our faces and our fingers tangled together we walk back to Megan's friends. 

AN - I loved writing this chapter so much. Let me know what you think!