The Summer to Remember

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Anthony:

Things got better. Slowly, but surely, things did get better.

Between our stops in West Virginia, Kentucky, and North Carolina, things started to get back on track. The awkwardness faded, we started having normal conversations again, and were almost back to being normal best friends. Like it almost never happened. And I was really glad, because back when lost my temper in Delaware, I was really scared things never would be the same.

Sure, there were still times when I would catch him crying in the hotel bathroom or obviously upset over something I said, but I'd basically gotten used to it by now. He needed time to recover, and I got that. It was just so ironic that I was pretty much over my breakup right when he got into a similar situation.

So, that was when I knew things were starting to shape up.

Of course, until the infamous night in Myrtle Beach.

*

We arrived at our hotel at about two in the monring, and despite the long car ride and it being so late, I was as wide awake as ever. And I think Ian was too, because he was talking a lot and didn't swerve the car clear off the road while he was driving.

Our hotel was actually pretty nice. Our room was on the first floor and had this cool sliding glass door revealing an entrance directly onto the beach. It was raining right now, unfortunately, or else I would have gone out and chilled on the beach for a while, because he doesn't love laying on the beach at two a.m.?

I stood in front of the glass, watching the rain drops slide down the surface, trying to make out the beach in front of me but only seeing darkness. Ian came and stood next to me, and then did something that actually surprised me.

He slid the door open, and ran straight out into the pouring rain.

"Ian!" I called from the open doorway, shocked.

There was no answer, and I rolled my eyes a little, then without even thinking, ran out after him, smiling a little when I was instantly drenched by precipitation.

"Ian!" I yelled into the darkness, my eyes slowly adjusting. "Ian!"

I ran along the sand, my feet sloshing against the muddy substance, laughing and feeling like a little kid. I ran straight down to the shore, shivering as my feet hit the sea, then spun around, calling Ian, but he was nowhere in sight.

And just as I was about to run the other way, I felt a strong pair of hands on my back, pushing me forward.

I tumbled over, landing hard into the ice-cold water. I jumped out and shivered, screaming a little. I looked around in all directions, then sprinted towards a running dark shadow to my left.

"You know I'm faster than you!" I called out, gaining ground on him with every step.

And then soon enough, I was right behind him, to which I took the opportunity to leap out and tackle him to the ground, landing hard on top of him. 

"Ah, fuck, you douchebag," he groaned in pain, wrestling to escape from under me.

I just pushed down on him harder, refusing to let him wriggle out. I'm not sure why, but I was just having too much fun with this.

Eventually, he gave up, laughing, and then time seemed to stop. My soaking wet body pressed up against his, the rain splashing all around us, the perfect peace in the air, his crystal eyes illuminating through the darkness, my face only inches from his...

And then I did it.

I'm not sure why I did it. Maybe it was because it was after two a.m. and I couldn't think straight, or maybe it was the fact that it was the perfect time, but I did it.

I kissed him.

I just leaned down, closing the gap between our drenched lips. And at first, he didn't move. He must have been so shocked, so confused, because I sure as hell was. And then, once he realized what was happening, he started kissing back, gently tangling his fingers in my hair and smiling against my lips.

And even though I didn't fully understand the situation, I just knew it felt right. And I think I liked it.

We kissed for a while, our bodies getting covered in sandy slush, and then after our lips seperated, I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what to say. I didn't know what to think.

So I got up and ran in the opposite direction.

A/N: lol yeah here's the intense chapter I was talking about oooh cliffhanger but yeah hope you enjoyed :D And btw yes I was sobbing yesterday bc the Ianthony moments in the livestream let's not bring that up again ._. See ya latah c: