Someday The Waves ✔ *Wattys15 Winner*

Chapter Fifteen

"It's hotter than the pits of hell right now, and you're wearing more clothes than I own!" he laughed, flicking water at me.

"I hadn't anticipated this." I replied, spreading out my palms to catch the sprinklers fresh outburst. "If I'd have known I would have brought my costume."

With a shrug of his shoulders, Noah playfully attempted to pick me up, his strong arms wrapped around my hips as he tried to lift me off the soaking grass.

"Wait, stop!"

"Never!"

"We're going to fall!" I screamed, my hands slipping off his stomach as I struggled to wriggle free, my whole body feeling like it was on fire. Not from the rays of burning sunlight this time but from the desire of having him against me, his lips close to my neck and my chest beating between his.

"I think we are already falling Scarlett."

The muddy pool beneath us did nothing to soften the blow as we both slipped and fell fast. Tangled up in arms I had longed to twist around my own, and with our thighs firmly pressed together, I felt the pain sear up my back.

"Sorry!" Noah laughed, turning his face towards me as I winced in sharp, agony.

"Not sure I can move." I whispered. "Anything."

As I shakily pulled my arm away from his, to steady myself against the wet grass I heard Lily bounding over, giggling.

Noah rolled over, and tried to help me up but the weight of us both was enough to send him slip sliding back down. He was stuck, with me.

"You almost broke my back!"

"Didn't mean too." he said softly, smile wide and genuine. "You might need to roll yourself onto your front and get up on your knees."

"Yeah, I'll try that." I replied, sarcastically even though I had already started to test his advice. Slowly rising back on my feet, I saw Lily gently hit Noah and tell him off for hurting me.

"I'm okay, honestly. Just winded a little. Might have broken a few bones but all good." I joked.

"You want to play tag?" Lily asked wide-eyed and expectant.

Rubbing my back and politely declining, I told Noah I was going inside to get changed and inspect the damage to my aching body.

"Will you sit with me at dinner time Scarlett?"

Giving her a gentle hug, I nodded and promised I would braid her hair after a quick freshen up. With a smile that was almost brighter than the sun, Lily happily squeezed me back before springing to life, to run off and enjoy the forbidden sprinkler some more.

I passed Grace on the landing, after I'd hauled myself up the rickety stairs and she told me I had grass blades on my face, sneering loudly as I shut the bathroom door.

Cleaning myself up to remove the dark make up that had smudge beneath my eyes and the soil and dirt from the yard on my face, I watched through the small porthole window Noah chase Lily around the yard.

It was a joy to see him smile and laugh and even though I didn't like the pain that came from it, toppling over with Noah had bought us closer together than ever before. Literally.

Back bruised or not, it had left me feeling brave and bold, enough so that tonight would spell the end of my internal struggle to skip over the friendship line and tell him how I didn't want to languish behind it anymore. I wanted to be on the other side and I hoped he'd feel the same.

Because friends didn't hold each other close and act the way we did. No friend had ever looked at me the way Noah had, his eyes always locked to mine and his lips always fixed in a smile.

Taking the stairs quietly, I heard Jacob and Lily race around the kitchen, their playful steps hard against the wooden flooring. Then I heard Mrs Allen, tell Noah it was so nice to see him happy. As I approached the door Lily asked him if I was now his girlfriend, her tiny voice so hopeful it made my heart want to burst.

"No Lily, we're just friends." he answered, all too confident for my beating chest to bear. "Why do I have to keep telling everyone that, huh?"

"But whyyyy." Lily moaned, feet stomping up and down.

"Because we just are." his voice was low, shattering any previous declarations of mine to be bold and brave, strong willed and tough.

The words sunk deep, like someone had pulled the blinds down.

The line repeated over in my head.

"Just friends."

. . .