Another Wave of You ✓

29 • Safety Net

     He sighed in relief, resting his forehead on hers again. "Thank fuck."

     But El didn't feel the same solace. Having just kissed him and admitting her feelings aloud meant she had to make a choice — a choice she had to make, but a choice she wasn't ready for. A choice that, in all sincerity, absolutely terrified her.

     And then there was the guilt ensuing every bit of her bone. The thought of being unfaithful ruined her; how would she feel if Travis did what she just did moments ago? Her chest immediately constricted, but not for the obvious reason.

    "I need a moment to think," she whispered.

    "What more do you need to think of, El?" His tone was pleading, and it was damn understandable. They'd finally found each other, so why was she still pulling away?

    "I want to do this right." She swallowed, looking up at him, still around his arms. Stars, it felt so good. He felt so good against her. It took every ounce of her willpower to step away. "And there are things I need to do, Theo, before that happens."

     Silence. Then his eyes cleared.

     He slowly exhaled, his breath tickling her cheeks, before releasing his hold on her, his touches slow and lingering. She felt cold at his absence; she wanted so badly to return to his arms again.

    He skimmed his fingers on her cheek, softly, gently.

   "Take all the time you need, okay?" he murmured, eyes flickering over her face. "Whatever you decide, I'm with you." He swallowed and closed his eyes shut, as if his next words truly pained him. "Even if that kiss was all we were ever going to get."

     Her eyes were red, his pain mirroring hers.

     Not knowing there was much more pain to come.

***

     El sat at the same spot she did the first night she met Theo.

     The wind blew strands of her hair, and the sunflowers drifted, one by one. She didn't bother picking them up. She just watched them as they silently fluttered away — lost in the sand, lost in the sea.

     The last remaining fires of the festival still raged behind. Anchor's had finished their part, so there was no one left in or near the shack, meaning that El was all alone.

     But she still heard footsteps approaching.

     It was Daisy.

    "Hey, you okay?" she asked, dropping on the sand beside her and tucking her knees up.

     El couldn't find any words.

     Daisy bit her lip at the stillness. "I saw it, you know," she whispered. "You and Theo together. I saw everything."

    She let out a strangled choke. "You must be disgusted by me right now, are you? What we did was wrong. What I did was wrong."

    "Oh, it was definitely wrong," Daisy agreed, and that confirmation only gave a painful pang to her chest. "But in a way, at the same time... I've never seen something so right."