11k <3
P E A R L
What the hell were they doing here?
Even though a nudge of disappointment sunk in my chest from the absence of Zion's lips on mine, I grinned confusedly at the sight of our friends.
They stood on the sand, watching us with towels in their hands and swimsuits on.
River wasn't there, though, and I assumed he was with his daughter back in town.
I noticed Gabriel was standing a bit further from them, watching the waves absentmindedly.
"Should we pretend we didn't hear them?" Zion whispered into my ear and held onto my waist tightly, reluctant to let me go.
I chuckled, "Too late, they already saw me looking at them."
He groaned lowly, leaning his head down so that his lips were skimming the spot below my ear.
"All your fault," His sly whisper was laced with humour, and I felt his lips curve upward against my skin.
The butterflies in my stomach continued to flutter for the longest time, and when he finally pulled back, he couldn't stop smiling.
"We still need to talk," I told him, planting my hands on his shoulders to balance myself as another wave pushed gently around us.
"I know," He nodded, not letting my words make his smile falter.
We would talk about where our relationship was going. I sensed he still had a lot to say, and I would listen. He would listen, too, when it was my turn to speak.
"They're going to have a lot of questions," I murmured, darting my gaze to the group of four.
They were already settling down on the sand, enjoying the sun rays that glowed on their complexions.
"You don't have to answer any of them if you don't feel comfortable," Zion's thumb caressed the side of my waist, just as he did the last two times he had me in his arms.
I sighed, and turned my gaze to Zion when Nicandro looked our way.
"You always do that," I murmured to him as he continued to soothe the skin of my waist.
"Do what?" I felt his voice reverberate from beneath my hands as I held his chest.
"You're touching my waist. You do it every time you're holding me," My face began to heat up, and I knew it was from his heated gaze.
"Do you not like it?" His touch faltered, hovering over my skin instead of touching it.
"No, I do like it," I chuckled, admiring the bare minimum when he stopped to see if I was uncomfortable. "It makes me feel safe."
"I'm glad," He dipped his head, resuming to caress my skin with his eyes watching the light waves surrounding us.
Zion appeared in deep thought for a moment before lifting his eyes to meet mine.
"You can always tell me when you don't want me to touch you, and I won't. You can tell me at any time, and I'll listen to you. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable around me, mi perla," His eyebrows drew together.
"Same goes for you," I replied.
He nodded, and I watched the sun brighten the dark brown shades in his eyes.
"We should get out of the water before they attack us," I told him.
Zion agreed, and a few moments later, we were walking side by side back to the dry sand.
"Well, if it isn't Pearl and Stone," Nicandro drawled, making his way over to us.
"Your humour concerns me," Zion grimaced.
"So does your inability to take a damn joke," Nico shot back and was about to embrace Zion in a hug, but Gabriel pulled his shoulders back.
"Go get me food," Gabby ordered Nicandro around and flung an arm around Zion's shoulder, dragging him away. "It's been a while since I've seen you at a beach."
His voice faded out as he walked Zion away from us.
"He's going to look back and ask us for help in three, two," Just as Nico was about to say 'one,' Zion slanted his head back to us and flipped Nico off.
I laughed, and slapped Nico's back gently.
"It's okay, buddy. You'll get your alone time with Zion later," Turning my head to face Nicandro, I watched as he grimaced at his friends walking away.
He shook his head, sighed, and turned his attention to me.
"That was his first kiss," A small smirk grew on his lips, and his cheekbones protruded slightly.
I went quiet.
"I don't have experience with girls. I mean, I've only been on two dates - years ago -"
One would assume that he'd at least kissed someone on those dates, but I shouldn't judge him about it regardless.
I was just worried about what he thought about it.
"Ever?" I found myself questioning quietly as I looked away, letting the wind rake my hair.
I internally cheered when my hair covered some of the redness on my face as I gazed at the ocean, away from Nicandro.
"Yes, ever," Nico chuckled. "Don't think too much about it. It looked like he enjoyed it."
I sure hoped so.
My first kiss ever was with Alec, and it was super awkward. The least I wanted was to make Zion feel that way.
"I need to ask you something, though," Nicandro stopped walking beside me, and by the time I darted my attention back to him, the heat in my face had almost cooled down.
"Yeah?"
I watched the wind ruffle through his blonde hair, appearing lighter in the sun beaming down on us.
"You're fine, right?" His deep blue eyes peered into mine. "I mean, your memory. Is that recovered?"
He paused, drawing his eyebrows together at the realisation of his words.
"I know I have no right to ask you that, but do you remember?" His voice was quiet.
"What happened that night? Yes, I do," I nodded, blinking warily at his question.
He nodded back, releasing a sharp breath.
"Why?"
"You're safe here," Nico's eyes softened on me. "With us. Edvany and Teagan wanted to make sure you were alright, and I had to drag Gabriel along, but we both care as well. We're all here for you, okay?"
My heart warmed at his kind words.
"Okay," I replied, giving him a small smile.
"And-" He cleared his throat, suddenly appearing unsure. "I'm glad you made it past that night. You were pretty shaken up when you bumped into me."
That was right. Nicandro was the first person I bumped into after Iris pushed me to safety.
I chuckled lightly to ease the nerve-racking tension between us.
"Yeah, I must've looked like I was on crack or something," I tried to joke.
He didn't laugh. I thought he held back a wince, and I assumed I did look like I was on crack.
"Zion went to the hospital a few times to try to get a word about you, on how you were doing," I'd never seen Nicandro sound so thoughtful. "I asked him a few times, too, to see if you were okay, but- I didn't even know you or your family, who waited by your side twenty-four/ seven, so it seemed a bit weird."
My breath got caught in my throat. I had no idea they worried that much about me, and it made me feel so grateful for them.
"Thank you for caring," Were the only words I could manage.
"Yeah, it was hard not to, with Zion constantly up my ass about it," He joked, nudging his shoulder with mine.
Chuckling softly, I continued walking, and Nico followed beside me.
"Let me give you a quick run-down on Zion Oceans," He leaned down to me, muttering softly so that Teagan and Edvany - who were laying on their towels - wouldn't get the chance to hear.
"Okay," A burst of excitement shot through my chest at the thought of learning more about Zion.
"He likes sushi and hot-tubbing any time. His hobbies include cooking and cleaning for his two evil sisters," Nicandro spoke so confidently, it took me a while to realise he was quoting the Magic Mirror from Shrek.
I shoved his shoulder playfully and scowled at him.
"Tell me," I ordered, and he snickered loud enough for Teagan to hear.
She lifted her head from the towel she laid face-down on and winked when she saw me. I rubbed my eye subtly with my middle finger, and she did the same before resting her head back down on her towel.
"Okay, here's the real deal," He sobered up quickly. "When he cares for someone very deeply, you'll know. His love language is physical touch, and words of reassurance. If he's that comfortable with someone he loves, he'll always be honest, even if it's brutal."
I nodded, listening intently to his words.
"Zion used to be obsessed with basketball. I think he still is, but he's not as enthusiastic about it as he was before the whole Rob Frankston thing," Nico's words faded out a little.
Rob was the guy his ex-girlfriend cheated on him with. The rough edge in his tone told me he must've still been hurt by it.
"He lost a scholarship because of it," He sounded genuinely guilty, but covered it up with a shrug. "But he's trying to make up for it by studying super hard. Zion wants to try to get an academic scholarship to whichever University will accept him."
In other words, Nico was telling me how extremely hardworking Zion was, and I admired him for it.
"He's extremely fond of his siblings, but I'm sure you already knew that since you were the first to know about his tattoos," He side-eyed me with a faint grin on his lips.
I smiled wider, finding it a privilege to already know something about Zion. His fondness for his sister and brother made my heart warm.
"He even bought them a dog last week," My eyes widened at Nico's words, laced with amusement. "A Goldendoodle. John named him Bucky."
I gaped at the mention of dogs. A special place in my heart was reserved for them. They were too precious for this world.
Nicandro chuckled softly at my awe and looked toward Teagan and Edvany as we finally reached them.
"Hello, pearly," Teagan smirks up at me.
"How did I not know you were all coming?" I leaned down to Edvany, who had her eyes closed with earphones plugged into her ears.
Her tight coils framed her face as she faced the sun, laying on her back, soaking in the light summer breeze.
"We wanted to surprise you," Teagan replied. "Did it work?"
"Yes, it did," I yanked an earphone out of Edvany's ear, and she snapped her head toward me, opening her eyes.
The frustration in her eyes faded when she saw my face and almost tossed herself on top of me.
"Finally, we were waiting for your make-out session to finish," She grabbed my face in her warm hands and inspected my face.
"What?" I narrowed my eyes on hers sceptically.
"Nothing, just making sure you didn't fall out of love with me," Edvany flicked my nose, and I slapped her hand away.
"Don't worry. I think she knows how to balance between you, Teagan and Zion-"
I didn't let Nicandro get the last sounds of Zion's name out because I threw a soft punch to his shoulder, and he almost fumbled on the sand.
Edvany laughed and returned to her spot next to Teagan on the sand.
"How are you here?" I snuck a quick look at Ms Mac and the others further down the beach.
"We're only here for a few hours then we'll leave," Teagan said. "It's Saturday, and she can't kick us out. We didn't come on school terms."
"Smart," Nicandro remarked before glancing behind me. "Dumb and dumber have returned."
"Looks like they're looking for dumbest," Edvany teased, gazing up at the clueless fool.
"Yeah," He smiled, then paused.
Nico's smile faded when he realised a short moment later that she was talking about him and turned to Edvany menacingly.
"There sure is a lotta water around us, Edvany," He was quick to snatch her phone from beside her. "Sure hope your phone doesn't get drenched."
Her dark eyes narrowed on him when he took a few steps back. "Oh, hell nah, boy, you better not."
Before we know it, they were off running along the sand, Edvany cursing his name like a new language and Nicandro cackling every chance he got trying to catch a breath.
"What in the Nicandro fucked up world did he do now?" I could hear the amusement from Gabriel's voice as he spoke from behind me.
I turned to him and found Zion beside him, his eyes already finding mine.
"Took her phone," Teagan answered for me.
"That explains it," Gabriel perked his head to them at the same time as Nicandro came running behind him.
He used his best friend as a shield against a raging Edvany.
"Alright, pretty boy, you had your fun," She held a hand out, standing in front of Gabby. "Now, gimme."
"I don't think so-"
"Nico, move, wallah, or I'll go all Rocky on your face," Gabriel deadpanned, spinning around to find Nicandro.
He rolled his blue eyes and sighed.
"Even River would've been more fun than you, and that says something," Nicandro shoved Gabby's head away and reluctantly gave Edvany her phone back.
"How long are you staying?" Zion asked them.
"For a few hours," Nicandro replied glumly.
And they stayed, and we all talked for ages, letting the warmth of the sun and friendship glow around us.
I managed to stay within Zion's reach the whole time, and when he wasn't in some way touching my skin, he was looking at me.
Watching me from time to time, he made sure I was okay and felt like I wasn't in danger.
I didn't think I was.
But after getting a few looks from Gabriel, I felt my heart weigh down in my chest.
I couldn't tell what he was thinking, but I knew the look in his eyes. I saw how sunken in they were and how his skin would pale a little when he let his thoughts drown him.
So when it came time for them to go, he didn't even glance my way.
And when everyone was making their way to their motel rooms as the moon had taken its place in the sky, a haunting feeling washed over me.
After I had a shower, Zion got in next, leaving me alone in the room, letting me suffocate in my thoughts.
I felt a large weight press on my shoulders when I just let Gabriel leave without speaking to him. He seemed so troubled, and I wanted so badly to comfort him.
Heaving a deep breath, I stepped out of my room and walked to the railings, leaning my arms over them and just listening to the waves crash along the shore.
I shouldn't have stepped outside at all.
My heart wrenched when I felt something cold press against my back.
The chilling click of a gun sounded through the air, and I felt my back grow tense at the feel of someone's warm breath brushing close to my ear.
"Hello, old friend."
I could recognise the rough, chilling sound of her voice anywhere.
Zandra Tellini.
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a/n: okay, so I know I left on a cliffhanger, but this time, I really gotta take a break and actually study for my finals bc I know absolutely fuck all.
I'll probably update again at the end of next month (November) if school doesn't completely drain me.
I just realised how bad this cliffhanger is omg hehe help
reminder: you cannot control everything. stop draining yourself over something you have no control over.
have a great day/ night <3
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