𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐄

[𝟔] 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭

"What's the magic word?" He repeated. I quickly murmured my answer and tried squirming away. But again, he held me tighter.

"What was that, Gracie?" He asked. That was the first time he'd ever called me that. It sounded cute coming from him so I gave in, smiling brightly. Why was I so happy over something so insignificant?

"I said pretty please." I grinned. He smiled down at me, eying my lips. When I saw he started leaning in, I pinched his back. I couldn't kiss him, if that was even what he was going to do that is.

"Yeah?"

"Mhm." I hummed, nodding. Stop being so smiley you clown.

"Okay, I forgive you." He declared, letting go of me. I instantly missed the heat he gave off, it was getting dark now and with that, it was getting cold.

I raised a brow at him. "You forgive me? What do you have to forgive?"

"One," He spoke, putting out his finger. "for leaving me for the sharks when you were 'drowning'."

I rolled my eyes at this. "There aren't any sharks here, dork."

"Two," He put out another finger. "you did the very bad finger."

"You flip me off all the time."

"I'm still talking." He shushed me.

I rolled my eyes as he continued. As he listed random things, some that I don't even remember happening, he looked so happy. His teeth peeked through when he bit his lip.

Sam seemed to be on top of the world. Like right here, right now, was all that mattered to him. He kept looking around like he was afraid he'd miss something in this memory he was trying to memorize. He didn't want to miss a thing. And honestly?

Neither did I. I was having fun for the first time in forever and not feeling guilty about it.

"Hey, Sam?" I spoke up. We were both laying on beach towels, waiting for Tahlia to come back with the extra towels so we could dry off and go in.

"Hm?" He hummed.

"I like you a lot better when we're friends. It's nicer and more fun this way. So, I want to say thank you." I said softly.

"I like me a lot better when we're friends too." He slumped as he spoke those last words. He sighed, his forearm hung over his eyes as he started thinking. I might not know about what, but I did know he was thinking. He's always thinking, as am I.

I subconsciously rest my forearm over my eyes. I'm so so tired.

🌊

I'm drying my hair when there's a knock on the bathroom door.

"Yeah?" I called out.

"Are you decent?"

"Not morally, but I'm wearing pants if that's what you mean." I could just hear him roll his eyes. Tahlia read that to me this morning and now I couldn't get it out of my head.

"I'm coming in."

"I'm coming out."

"No, you're not," Sam spoke, coming into the bathroom.

"No, I'm not," I admitted, passing him the towel I was drying my hair with. He started to dry off his hair too, the towel ruffling as he did so.

"Do you like our room?" I asked him, genuinely curious. Sam was probably the pickiest person I've ever met and if he's going to be staying with us I wanted him to be as comfy as possible even if that meant I wasn't.