How To Drown Colin McKinin | ON HOLD

4. body warmth through laughs

C O L I N

In an effort to calm my nerves of the dark, Wonder decided that the best thing we could do was play a game.

There had been a moment of silence that swirled into awkwardness but ceased when she had opened her mouth, "Colin, I have thought of the best, more stupid game ever."

I watched from the stairs, head on hand as Wonder heaved open the metal door that concealed the equipment and started rummaging through the equipment loudly. My eyes had adjusted to the darkness and I could surprisingly see quite well.

Wonder's hand shot out triumphantly, her small fingers gripping a tennis ball with pride.

"That's what you were looking for?" I gave her of astonishment glance before adding, "How did you take that long just find one tennis ball?"

She huffed before saying sourly, "I'm not a sporty person, Colin."

I scoffed, taking her hand to heave me off the steps, "You take PE!"

"And you flirt with every girl and still don't have a girlfriend," she turned to me with a cheeky smile before adding light heartily, "Some things will forever be a mystery to all us."

Maybe our hands lingered together too long but when she let go to half skip, half jog to the centre of the gym, I found interest in just the little things.

My eyes followed on the way her swirled when she turned to look at me, before I met smile — so bright, even in the dark.

"The game is, I throw this up and even though we can't see shit, we both have to try catch it. Whoever catches it, wins." Wonder gave me a quirky smile, the wrinkles around her eyes causing me to pause down on the last step.

It was then, I knew her hand had lingered for too long in my own because I wanted to play the game, I wanted hear her laugh.

I wasn't okay with that.

"This is stupid," I pointed out, walking closer to her frame than I meant to, "You and I are going to collide and one of us is going to break a nose."

Wonder's hand was below her chest, almost between her legs as she paused, ready to throw the ball as high as she could, "Hopefully, it's you because I've already got a fractured nose."

W O N D E R

Colin's soft, blonde hair tickled my ear and somehow, tucked itself around curve of my neck. I could smell the shampoo he used and it was oddly addictive; a heady, masculine musk.

It was a comfortable position, lying next to each other's heads as we stared at the roof in silence. Our bodies laying in the opposite directions, I listened to him breathing.

It was oddly calming but more comforting than anything else. Comforting that he hadn't told me to sit with him but rather it was a joint decision.

Comforting that he didn't touch but rather talk.

"You know you elbowed me in the nuts when we dived for the ball?" Colin said casually, his arm brushing my own when he went to run his fingers through his hair.

"I know." The words lingered momentarily before I added with a chuckle, "Why else would you lay sprawled on the ground groaning?"

The gym was cold and as much as I wanted to be wrapped in warmth, Colin's arms weren't an option.

"You're not very good at saying sorry, you know that?" Colin turned to look at me, blue ocean like eyes peering with a calming gaze, waiting for me to turn and look at him.

His eyes reminded me of a storm at sea. Where waves prod at each other, starting a war beneath the depths but there was a motion of calmness, fluidity within the storm.

I stayed focused on the roof above, we weren't meant to be nose to nose. He didn't know me, he wouldn't want to stay if he did. To save him from that mistake, I kept my gaze focused ahead.

"I don't hear it that often either."

The comment came out more harsh than relaxed as I intended it to be but the calmness that surrounds our bodies didn't change.

He kept it calm.

"Well." The was pause as he turned back to the roof, "I'm sorry for hitting you the face, think I forgot to say that."

I turned to face him, knowing he wouldn't look at me, wouldn't see how much I wanted to be held.

"Sorry for..." I grinned, "Taking this long to show you all this amazing-ness."

His laugh warmed my chest.

"You mean all this sass." Colin turned to look at me and I gulped quickly, flicking my head back to the roof — wondering if he had noticed the change or not.

The air thickened when I didn't answer, maybe he wanted me to continue but nothing came to mind. I was pitch blank and only turned to look at him when he's breathing stop.

His eyes widen when he realised I'd heard the hitch in his breath, we stared at the each momentarily before Colin grinned.

"Sorry, I had a fleeting moment of panic that you fell asleep." Colin looked at my eyes fleetingly, scanning each one for a second, "Gave me a fright — being alone."

I licked my dry lips as I fell in love with the calming nature of his voice, "I understand, being alone but still next to a body."

—

Enjoy my lovelies...

How did you feel about this chapter? She has so much in her than you believe. Do you want mood boards for these characters?!