It Began In Italy | ✔️

Chapter Nineteen

The water is warm and lush against my skin as I break for the surface. Luca was right, it hits just above my waist. It wasn't a great idea for us to jump in, seeing as it was pretty shallow, but it went smoothly - despite all odds.

Nico pulls me towards him and, out of instinct, I wrap my legs around his waist. "We shouldn't be doing this... you're leaving," Nico whispers, finally coming to his senses, and I look out to the rest of the ocean. Vernazza is simply a dot in the distance.

Water surrounds us completely, in every direction - unsettling me in many more ways than one.

Looking back at Nico, I give him a small smile. "I know," I say with a sigh. "But not for another two weeks." He laughs. Nico wades through the water, pulling me with him. I hold on tight to his shoulders as the water ripples around us with an approaching wave. "Let's not think about it."

"I don't want to think about it but the longer you stay in denial, the harder it will be to come to terms with it," Nico shrugs and I consider dunking him under. The thought puts a smile on my face.

"Come to terms with what?" I ask as I sift my fingers through the small dips and curves of the ocean.

"The fact that no matter what distance is put between us, we'll still feel that invisible pull. Whether you are right next to me or thousands of miles away, so you may as well give in to your desires whilst we still have the time. Or you'll regret it."

"It's hilarious how you think that I will-" I'm cut off when I'm pulled off of Nico and dunked under the water. Immediately breaking for the surface, I turn to see the culprit with a wide smile on his face. Matteo. My nose stings with the water that went up it from the complete unexpectedness.

"Oh, sorry, I thought you were Nico," Matteo says in the most unconvincing tone ever. Nico laughs behind me and I consider throwing him a glare, but I'm too focused on the man in front of me.

"Oh, it's okay," I smile before lunging toward him. But, he grabs my wrists and I end up pulling both of us under. When we come up, both of us are laughing and Matteo's brown hair is now black as he shakes his head, the water from his hair spraying everywhere.

"That was a decent try," Matteo laughs and I throw him a mocking scowl. "The essence of surprise heavily lacked though, I saw you coming from a mile away."

"Of course you did, that explains why you still went under," I joke but I squeal when two hands meet my hips and I'm thrown into the water. What are their obsessions with almost drowning me?

The culprit was Nico this time. "Is this attempt to drown Heidi day?" I ask and Nico, yet again, laughs.

Everyone gathers around, laughing and chatting. The sun shines down on us, although the sea does wonders in cooling me down - despite its warm temperatures.

At one point they brought out a ball and started playing some game that I couldn't quite grasp the rules of. It felt like I was a child again, playing throwing games in the playground.

It was an odd feeling - nostalgia.

Soon we got back onto the boat and continued our way to the island. I thanked the breeze as it flowed through my hair and dried my bikini. There's nothing worse than wet clothes.

Things were weird between Nico and me on the boat ride. We both kept finding ways to touch each other. Whether that would be Nico's knee resting against mine or him reaching out to twirl a piece of my hair between his fingertips. I couldn't help but continue thinking about what he said. The fact that no matter what distance is put between us, we'll still feel that invisible pull.

As soon as my feet hit the soft, yellow sand, I was in awe. The island was only quaint but it was still beyond beautiful. Palm trees bedeck the land, birds chirping - hidden between the leaves.