❝Emerson Baldwin has self diagnosed himself with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
He hates anything that has to do with a) disorder. b) feeling out of control in any way. c) stepping out of his comfort zone.
So when his friends somehow talk hi...
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Water splashes onto Emerson's cheeks as Rhyme jumps off of the small boat and into the water. Wiping it away, Emerson laughs. Looking around, he takes in the clear blue water and the cliffs nearby. The reefs of Lawa' i Beach is apparently a good place for beginner snorkelers which is perfect for him and his friends.
"You going in?" Rosalind asks him with her goggles securely on her face, the snorkel dangling from the side of the strap.
He offers her a small smile. He still hasn't spoken with her about what happened but, as soon as he saw her drive up on her motorcycle, he knew she was in no mood to discuss it. Maybe it's best that they act like it never happened now that she knows he doesn't feel the same way. It might be less humiliating for everyone involved.
"On the count of three?" He asks her and she smirks slightly, nodding. They count to three aloud before leaping off of the side of the boat.
Still, Emerson has to remind himself not to panic every time his skin touches the salt water. Kicking upward, his face is exposed to the humid air and he fights to keep afloat as he coughs, laughing when Rosalind comes up, her goggles filled with water.
"I still can't believe you're doing this. You're a completely different person than the guy who landed here a week and a half ago." She laughs, splashing water his way with a teasing smirk.
"People change." Is all he says before swimming over to the reefs, lowering his goggles from atop his head to over his eyes and nose, placing the mouthpiece between his lips. She follows him but he doesn't look back, feeling hesitant with her flirty behavior. He assumed she got the message considering his feelings but now he supposes he was wrong. Maybe he'll have to speak with her after all.
Diving beneath the clear blue water, he keeps the long snorkel above him as he stares down at the colorful reefs and corals, fish swimming calmly beneath him. When he comes back up, Claire is by his side, her short hair slicked back with water and curtained around her face.
"Isn't this amazing!" She laughs, her eyes squinting as she smiles. The sun has begun to color her cheeks and freckles have begun to form over the bridge of her nose.
Emerson grins, feeling happy with her beside him, seeing the same thing as him and experiencing what he's experiencing. "It is, isn't it? I can't believe I would have missed out on this."
"Sadly, you've missed out on a lot over the years." She says carefully with a sad smile before adding, "But we can make up for lost time when we get home."
"I'm down for that." He replies before diving back under the water, blowing air through his snorkel and waving at Claire who floats a few feet from him. She quickly points to an opening in the cliffs and he shakes his head. Pulling the mouth piece out, she mouths trust me and he finally nods.
