Mercy

Chapter Thirteen

Harry shook his hand in his hair, pushing the curls back away from his face again. "I didn't lie. I told you...people just assumed --" I interrupted him.

Sighing heavily, I rolled my eyes. "I know that. But I really hope you're not lying to me." My tone was serious, lacking the hatred and the teasing that it's usually dripping in as if it was dunked in the water like Harry's ass will be in sand when he loses this bet.

Harry looked at me, and by my own judgment I could tell he was just as serious. "Why would you be upset? I thought you didn't give the slightest fuck about me?" 

A heavy breath escaped me as I felt myself shiver in the cool water. Maybe I should have kept that to myself? Great, I sighed again. Letting my hand run through the water, I reluctantly spoke -- not being able to look at him because my feelings weren't something I shared often. "I just...It'd hurt if you were lying to me. Because...I believed you."

"I'm not lying, Serenity. I know it looks bad, the shit you hear and the things people say, but I'm not like that." He assured me quietly.

The atmosphere went from childish bets to frustration, again to teasing and shifted to something I hated more than my flats; personal, deep conversations. "I hope not," I said quietly. I heard him sigh loudly, shifting in his seat before he stood up. I thought he was going to leave until he stood there for a few more seconds.

Reluctantly and hesitatingly, he jumped into the water. He rose to the surface, hair in his face, soaked and now a darker brown. I impulsively held my breasts behind my crossed arms, now really regretting I ever took off my top just to tease him. I didn't think we'd be having this conversation right now. He swam towards me, pushing his curls from his face when he was about twelve inches from me.

I felt myself grow strangely hot in the water as I felt his hands snake to my waist, holding me there beneath the water. It was like my body was a hot air balloon. Hot up top and cooler down at the bottom. My toes were cold, my face hot. I felt nervous suddenly, looking into his crystal, pale green eyes. In the moonlight a shadow cast over his face a bit, and I gradually began to fall in love with his deeply defined jaw.

He didn't get too close up in my face, which I'm glad for. "I'm not lying," he said slowly. "I...I like you, Serenity. I know I'm a little complicating, we're complicating, but I just want you to know the truth."

"Why do you like me? I was a bitch to you from the beginning." I told him, trying to find some reason behind why he likes me. Maybe if it's not a good enough reason I could easily get over this tiny little spark of emotion he gives me.

Harry shrugged, a slight curve in his lips -- a lazy side grin. "That may be true, but I rather be with someone spontaneous and crazy rather than someone who bores me with books and homework. I have no clue what you're gonna say next, and that excites me a little. Maybe in more ways than one."

I laughed a little at his small joke. His words got to me so deep, like cutting through a crusty, old, nasty cake and somehow getting to the soft, sweet, gushy middle. My cheeks blushed brightly and proud, unashamed of the way Harry grinned when he saw the shade of my usually light pink cheeks turning darker.