Masterpiece | Christian Akridge

1.5

Tanner

The next morning I woke up alone, because Christian had left my tent earlier in the morning as the sun was rising, and I fell back asleep.

My phone, which was almost dead now, had some notifications. I opened it and saw it was three messages from Christian, and I read them.

Crustacean💘: im using my shitty wifi hotspot so idk if you'll even get this before you wake up but

Crustacean💘: i want you in every way possible. i want you when youre sick and gross, i want you when youre sad, and i want you when youre happy. I want you in the morning and at night. I want you when i make breakfast or when you burn your cupcakes. I want your cold hands in mine. I want you in my arms and next to me in bed. I want your amazing lips against mine. I want to watch movies with you and build cute little forts. I want to lay on the hood of my car with you under the stars. I want to spend holidays with you. I want you, and only you. It took me so long to figure out.

Crustacean💘: i never planned on liking you this much but my feelings for you are totally insane.

My stomach felt like it was doing back flips, and my cheeks were hot as I stepped out of my tent into the fresh morning air.

"You've only been out here for a second and you already have a sunburn?" I heard Jack joke as he reached inside the cooler. I rolled my eyes and he tossed a water bottle at me, which fell to the ground because I was not prepared at all.

We both just stared at it on the ground, too lazy to bend over and pick it up.

"Why are you fucktards staring at a water bottle?" Michael asked, showing up with Carson already fully dressed.

"What are we doing today?" I asked.

"Going on the trail to sightsee, then coming back and swimming." He replied.

We all turned to look at Christian's tent when we heard it open, and he stood up, stretching his arms out and yawning.

As he stumbled over to me and kissed me on the forehead, I tried to hide my blush from the recollection of memories from last night and Carson laughed.

"You two look terrible, did you not sleep good?" she asked in all seriousness after.

"Oh," Michael started, smirking at us. "I'm sure their sleep was just dandy."

I wanted to punch him. Jack and Carson stared between us, confused looks written on their faces. Me and Christian glared at him, while he smiled knowingly at us.

"I'm gonna go change now." I said, turning around and pulling my duffel bag from my tent.

"Me too!" Christian exclaimed, grabbing his and taking off to the restrooms. I sighed, throwing my bag over my shoulder and trailing after him.

"Don't jump his bones." Michael muttered as I shoved past him.

-

The shower was cold and smelt like lake water, but at least the temperature woke me up a bit.

I put on my bathing suit, a see through mesh t-shirt, and shorts. I exited the restrooms and waited outside of the men's for Christian.

"You look ravishing today." I heard him say suddenly after he popped around the corner and engulfed me into him.

"I look like shit." I said. He let go of me and grabbed my bag from my hand.

"And so on your good days you're even more beautiful than you think." he smiled.

-

Christian

I pulled Tanner into a hug and felt her melt into me.

"You look ravishing today." I said, taking in her appearance.

She said she looked like shit, and I don't understand how she could ever think that. I wish she could see herself how I see her, the view is so much better from the other side.

I carried our bags and she skipped ahead of me childishly.

I want her to be mine. And not in the simplest of ways. I want every essence of her being. I want to experience the beauty that is Tanner Jo Mancari.

We have come a long way since the day we met, I'll admit. It was so easy for me to fall for her, although it took some time and myself trying very hard for the feeling to be requited on her part.

I've been hurt in the past, so I wanted to be 100% sure that this was going to be something that would last before I made her officially mine. The waiting on my part has been excruciating, but she probably hasn't even noticed.

I believe in love, but I am also too scared to let the word come out of my mouth in front of her. I have repeated it in front of the mirror many times, trying to find the best way I can say it.

Should I just blurt it out? Or should I
write a whole damn monologue? This love thing is hard.

I am out of her favor in where I am in love. Because I am not sure if she feels that strongly yet.