Alice
"Tyyyyyyyyyyyyllllllleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer!" I whined. Here I was, looking sexy and hot in my pink bikini and Tyler's too busy reading that stupid book again!
"Tyler, at least put the book away for just a second so you could comment on how I look," I whined some more. He sighed and actually put the book down. He gave me a once over look and said, "You look hot."
My heartbeat went racing. I didn't expect him to compliment me so honestly. Now my face was growing hot. I don't know what to do. How do I react to that? If it was someone else who gave me such a compliment, I'd just be myself and say "Of course" or "Why thank you." But I seem to have forgotten how to speak the moment he said I looked hot.
"Tha---"
He's reading again!!!
"Since when were you ever a bookworm!?" I said in irritation.
"He's not," Evan answered for me a little nervously, "but when someone suggests something interesting, and if he likes it, then he won't stop until he's done."
I groaned in irritation. How can you choose a book over me? It reminds me of how I'm never anyone's priority. I'm nothing but a...
You take care of her, I'm busy with my work. I can't take up any more distractions. I already have enough to deal with....
A nuisance.
"Alice."
I blinked in confusion, and was startled to find Tyler's face so close. He was staring at me intently, his emerald gaze giving me goosebumps and causing my entire being to be painfully aware of him. He was wearing nothing but some khaki shorts, leaving his abs in full display. His blond hair was sexily messed up and...
"Hey," Tyler suddenly said, losing patience and stretching my cheeks. "I hate it when you make that face," he said with a frown.
What was he talking about? "What face?"
"Nothing," he sighed. "Anyway, stop bothering me. Go build sand castles with Nash or something," he grunted before lying back down next to Evan who despite his earlier comment about the heat, had already fallen asleep.
"How can you choose spending time with Evan rather than with me," I huffed.
Ever since that certain night where he was almost intimate with me, he hasn't responded very much to my teasing and taunting. It was down right annoying to be ignored. And that's what he's been doing to me since!
Just look at him! He's smoking hot and delicious! I haven't kissed him since...when was it again?
Oh no! This is terrible! I can't even remember the last time I kissed him! I need to kiss him again!
I plopped down next to him and waited for an opening.
"What?" he asked without looking.
"N-nothing," I said looking away. Dammit. It's hard to catch him off guard.
"Whatever you're planning, just stop it," he muttered. "I will bury your head in the sand if you don't listen to me."
I gulped. Okay, this'll be risky.
"Hey Ty, I just wanted to ask you about..."
"Hmm?" he looked and at that exact moment I seized his lips and ran away laughing triumphantly.
Behind me, I heard Tyler roar my name.
I laughed even more. That's right Tyler. Pay attention to me and only me.
"Forget the head. I'm going to bury you entirely!" he growled.
"Only if you can!" I sang happily.
It was getting harder to keep running because of the sand, so I quickly escaped in the only safe place I knew. The sea.
As soon as I was in the water, I turned around and grinned happily. Tyler was glaring daggers at me from the shore, looking menacing and terribly hot. If only I could get him into the water...
"Come back here Alice!" he yelled, making other people look in his direction. Ha, as if he'd care about the attention he's attracting.
"Don't wanna," I answered him.
"Come on Tyler, you should really try getting in the water, it feels real nice," Naomi said next to me. Since when did she...?
West scoffed, standing next to Tyler with hands on his hips. "You're just hiding from me Naomi. Get out of the water. I already told you that you look great in that bikini."
"Sh-shut up!"
Seriously, having the two brothers stand next to each other in all their half-naked glory can be too much for the public. Some were already starting to recognize West from all his rare photoshoots. The magazine came out the other day and West bought a copy because Naomi was in the cover. Naomi was too embarrassed to even look at it.
"Unlike Tyler here, I'm not afraid of water, kitten~" he said scarily. He suddenly went in the water and was now making his way toward us.
"Get Alice too!" Tyler called out to his brother.
"Sorry bro, Alice is your problem. Naomi is already a handful," West said.
"Eeep!" Naomi began desperately swimming away.
"But it's just Naomi!" Tyler said. "She should be easy!"
West glanced with a wicked grin, "Oh she is anything but easy." With that, he disappeared into the water and I heard a scream from somewhere behind me. "Come back here Kitten! Or else I'll strip you in the water!"
"You wouldn't!" she screamed.
"Try me!"
I envy them...
And then out of the blue, something hit me square in the face. "Argh..." I looked down to see a toy shovel floating in the water. Looking back at Tyler, I saw him grinning victoriously. "Gotcha~" he said.
I frowned, then resumed grinning. "You still haven't caught me sweetheart~"
He glared at me and then linked his hands behind his back, looking so effortlessly sexy as he gave me a loop-sided grin, "Nah, hitting you is enough, darling. Now I'll let you have your fun. Alone. While I go spend time with my dear best friend, Evan."
"WHAT!?" I said. "You can't do that! Hey! Stop! No, come back here! You said you were going to bury me in the sand!"
"I gave up," he said as he kept going toward Evan.
"Don't give up just like that!"
"But I already did," he said happily.
"You suck!"
"I don't care~"
Gritting my teeth, I grumpily swam away. Dammit, he really knows how to piss me off. Fine, I'll just try having fun without him.
Easier said than done.
I ended up floating really far. But my body wasn't the only one wandering the sea, my thoughts had chosen a much different place to wander into. Being left alone always darkened my mood. It feels awful when I'm left alone. The silence has always been a constant companion to me, whether at home or in school... It's the only thing that keeps me company.
As the seconds ticked away, I started to forget everything again...
The cooling feel of water calmed me down. I've thought many times while staying under water..."what if I decided not to go back to the surface...?"
A wry smile touched my lips. Dying had never been scary. I spent countless days in the pool back home, staying underwater to watch the beautiful sun rays pass through the liquid to touch the cold pool floor. I liked sitting on the floor of it because it was difficult to keep myself from floating up. I hated floating back up for air, it ruined the peace I managed to make underwater.
Closing my eyes, I inhaled as much air as I could before letting myself slowly sink. Seawater hurt my eyes but I refused to close them... the sky always did look prettier from down here...
Alice
I blinked underwater, bubbles of air escaping my lips as I tried going back up to the surface. The voice was like an electric shock to my entire being.
Breaking out of my own personal prison, I gasped for air while my eyes stung with salt water and tears.
You have really nice eyes, Alice. They're just like chocolate.
I laughed. Those were the words of the little boy I fell in love with. I looked up while my tears continued to stream down my face. I really hate myself for being like this.
Honestly, I remember not liking Tyler when I first met him. Even though it was when we were very little, I remember it perfectly. I was disgusted by his chocolate covered face, wondering why I was supposed to marry a chocolate slob. But every time I came to visit, he'd take my hand and play with me. He loved my eyes and he even kissed my hand while pretending to be a prince saving princess Chocolate.
He was just adorable.
But I also remembered the time I cried so hard when I had to leave for home. It was the time no one was talking to me at home. Mommy and daddy were already giving each other the cold shoulder and they often forget I'm even there. I would sit in that house for hours while watching television and reading books. I had no one to play with, and the housekeeper and maids were always so busy, plus my parents didn't like it when I associated with servants. I'd get punished for disturbing their work and they'd pretend I don't exist which was just another excuse to continue ignoring me.
I clung to Tyler, pleading to let me stay longer, telling him that I didn't wanna go back. I was crying so much that I was ruining Tyler's shirt. I told him that I love him, that I need him. I was so desperate back then that it was hilarious. Of course Tyler would shove me away. He always hated it when I was so clingy, plus he was more of a child than I ever had the chance to be. He lived in a warm environment. He was loved. I only felt loved when I was with him, and visiting him had always been the only thing I looked forward to in my little life. He never would've understood. So when they finally got me off of him, I stopped crying. I found it useless to tell him anything more. I let myself be stirred away, but not before seeing Tyler frown at his shirt and then smile at me while waving goodbye.
My parents weren't really bad people. They were bad at being parents. But I didn't really know that back then. I thought I could make them look at me, see me, acknowledge me if I did very well in everything, but after years of trying I realized it will never work.
So I just stopped. I didn't go to school, I didn't have many friends to begin with because I was too focused on one thing only, and that was for my parents to at least say something about me. Sure they'd throw in a compliment here and there, a reminder, a warning, a word of affection, but they were empty. They were too focused on hating each other to even notice the first time I tried drowning in the pool. I had spent hours there, but the housekeeper saved me and I made her promise not to tell my parents, telling her that it was only an accident and I really just fell asleep.
My parents finally paid attention to me. They often just fought about whose fault it was that I turned out to be such a problematic child, and they took turns trying to convince me to go to school. At first I thought I'd prolong this and make them come to me some more, to pester me, talk me into going back to school...but then I realized that I didn't want their attention anymore. Something I've yearned for for years was now at my hands and yet I didn't want it. So I went back to school for them to leave me alone. I was pretty quiet and unfriendly when I went back so, the silence in my life continued.
I never did stop wondering what Tyler could be doing. I asked myself questions about him everyday.
My masters made my days more fun when I wasn't going to school. They were fun, awesome, and cool. They never really asked me about my parents, I imagine they knew considering how they always know everything. I got them to keep track of Tyler for me, but the information was costly. They always made me run several errands for them before they finally tell me something about Ty.
I started swimming back to the shore after I was done crying.
Honestly, I feel even more stupid now.
I swam back slowly. I didn't know where I had drifted off so I'll have to find my way back to Tyler and the others. How long was I gone anyway?
My feet touched the warm sand and as I began to try and find my way back, two guys blocked my path.
"Hello there cutie," one of them said. "You alone? Why don't you---"
Cutting them off sharply with cold glance, I walked away angrily, dodging other guys that tried to hit on me. Honestly, men can be such disgusting monkeys when they're trying to get a girl. Even---
"Where the bloody hell have you been!?"
I blinked in confusion. Tyler was suddenly standing right in front of me, sweating and out of breath. Where'd he suddenly come from? Why does he look so tired? He must've been having fun with Evan. It's annoying how he can spend so much time with a stupid sleeping sloth while he can't seem to stand my presence.
"I was just... swimming," I answered. I didn't bother acting all cheerful and happy. I'm already tired as it is.
"You disappeared you moron," he growled shaking me. "I kept calling for you but you never returned to the surface. I couldn't find you."
I blinked. "What are you talking about? Why are you mad? Stop sounding like you were worried."
"I was worried, damn you!" he snarled.
"Why?" I asked incredulously.
"Why?" he asked, eyes blazing. "I thought you drowned that's why!" He brought his hand to his face and groaned. "I shouldn't have bothered."
"Yeah, you shouldn't have," I agreed with a wry smile. Oh Tyler, sometimes I hate how you can break through all my defenses so effortlessly.
He seemed to be deliberating something before making a sound of great frustration and turning away from me to mess up his hair. I wonder how long I was gone... did he really search for me that much? That's so sweet of you Tyler. When was the last time someone came looking for me? It feels painful to be shown such concern if one doesn't really mean it...
And yet why can't I still give up on Tyler? He doesn't like me the way I like him. We might have been close before but not anymore. He just puts up with me, 'cause no matter how short his temper is or how violent he is, he's kind. He lets me hug him, bears with my clinginess, and lets me stay by his side. He's really...
"Why were you crying?" he suddenly said.
"What?" I said quickly, forgetting to put on my mask and hiding the truth. It was a defense mechanism. Lying came as a second nature to me. Touching my cheeks I just felt them wet with seawater from my swim. I chuckled. "They're not tears Ty. It's just water. Why would I cry anyway?"
"You're a terrible liar," Tyler suddenly said. "Were you that upset over me ignoring you? Pssh, as if you'd cry over that."
"I didn't cry!" I snapped, surprised I lost control with him again.
"You're eyes are red," he pointed out.
"That's just because I've been in the water too long."
"No, I'm quite sure you cried."
"What makes you say that!? I didn't."
He sighed. "This better work West..." he said in a soft grumble.
"What are you talking ab---"
Tyler cupped my face and glared at me intently. "What?" I asked cautiously. Was he going to headbutt me!? West never gives decent advice to his little brother! He's half the reason Tyler turned into such an unpredictable person!
But then... he kissed me...
"Nnh!"
His lips moved naturally, erotically. He felt so hot and so soft that I turned to jelly. His heat, his scent, his touch, it all felt so overwhelming. And the fact that this was Tyler, MY Tyler, made everything ten times more impossibly good. I felt his hair tickle my face as the kiss continued, causing my brain to become temporarily unable to function properly.
And things only got worse when he licked my bottom lip...and suddenly sucked on it.
My knees gave in.
Tyler caught me instantly. My breath came in short pants while his wasn't too affected. His face was a bit flushed though, but I'm sure mine is way worse. I could feel my face and entire body radiating heat. Dammit.
I still couldn't think properly by the time we reached West, Evan, and Naomi. Wait, how did we even get here? We were just kissing a minute ago...right? God. We were actually kissing. Kissing. Was it real? Hold on, is someone talking to me? Naomi? I'm sorry... I can't understand what your saying...Stupid Ty. How can you affect me so strongly? Why do I love you so damn much?
How am I even able to stand? I don't think I have any strength at all.
I looked around and saw West smirking while holding baby Nash who was kicking happily in the sand. Naomi was looking at me worriedly, the stuff she was saying were still not sinking in. Evan was snoring away under the umbrella, but this time there were silly doodles on his face, and Tyler was...
Huh? Where was Tyler?
"I'm right here idiot."
I didn't know I said that out loud...
I jerked my head up and saw Tyler sticking his tongue out at me. "If I knew that you'd become this much of a mess, I'd have never done what I did."
"What did you do?" asked Naomi.
"None of you're business," Tyler huffed. "This is your fault West."
"I have no idea what you're talking about little brother," West smiled and proceeded in helping his son bury himself.
"West, make sure sand doesn't get into his eyes!"
"Yes dear."
"Wait...what are you doing up there?" I asked dazedly. And then reality dawned upon me. Tyler was carrying me....like a bride!!!
"!!!"
"What?" Tyler grumbled leaning down and narrowing his eyes at me, "I won't know unless you tell me."
"What are you doing!?" I asked, sounding just as flustered as I felt.
He rolled his eyes at me. "Carrying you, obviously."
"Why!?"
"What is wrong with you?" Tyler asked. "One minute you're clingy, annoying, and ruining my life, and the next thing you know you're pushing me away, acting indifferent, and now you're acting disgustingly shy."
"If y-you find it so disgusting then p-put me down!" I said. This is not good. I'm in Tyler's naked chest wearing nothing but a sexy bikini piece and he's holding me! I know I've been flirting with him, continuously making advances on him but that's because I want his attention! I know he has absolutely no interest in me and he probably think I'm such an annoying pest but...
"Hey, I don't know what crazy shit you're thinking in your head again, but just stop it," he suddenly said.
"Wha---"
"Or else I'll drop you right now," he grunted.
"What face was I even making?" I said.
"A sad one. You look...depressed," he frowned.
I just stared at him.
"Can you walk?"
I blinked and realizing this could be a once in a life time thing only, I shook my head frantically. He rolled his eyes and started making his way towards where Evan lay sleeping. As Tyler started lowering me, I asked, "Was the kiss really West's idea?"
"Yeah, he convinced me you were sulking somewhere in the sea and made me feel all guilty and shit," he grumbled as he settled me down.
"He t-told you to k-kiss me like that!?"
He thought about it and shook his head slightly, "He just told me to give you a kiss. But I'm the one who thought about licking your lips and sucking---"
"Staaahhhhp," I said. I couldn't take anymore of it if he tells me how we kissed in such a way. Besides, how can he even say it so damn casually!? Why am I the only one getting embarrassed and flustered here!? "Wh-why d-did you do those extra actions...?"
"Hmm? I dunno. Guess it's 'cause you taste good."
I stared at him.
And stared.
And stared.
"Can we do it again?"
And of course he says...
"No."
Figures.