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Hidden
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Chapter 28: Hidden (Aaron's POV)
"Aaron, no," she huffed, sitting at the foot of the bed and staring at me.
"Why?" I asked. "What's wrong with this?" I looked down at my clothes.
"What's wrong is that you're going to the beach, not to a... I don't even know. This is too formal. And please, you have got to stop wearing black for the time you're in Hawaii. I mean, I'm all for black, but not here."
I stared down at my clothes, then looked at her green dress. It stopped at her shin, had a slit in one leg, and had tiny white flowers printed all over it.
"You know what, move. I'm going to pick your clothes."
"No," I scoffed, still standing in front of my suitcase.
"Yes," she said mockingly, slipping past me. She pushed my suitcase open and sighed, staring down at it. "Almost everything in here is black."
"I like black, don't you?"
I'm pretty sure it's her favorite color. Black and red.
She glanced at me. "Not in Hawaii. Ah, here." She grabbed a white sleeveless tank, a light blue, loose button-up, and a pair of black shorts, tossing everything to me all at once. "Go change."
"Vanessa—"
"Now. Or we'll be late again and today, it's going to be because of you. Oh, by the way, swim trunks and towels in the bag," she replied, pointing to where it sat on the bed as she slipped into the same sandals as yesterday.
I grabbed the black swim trunks and took a towel from the bathroom, placing both items in her knitted back. After that, I changed. I came back out, throwing my clothes on top of my suitcase.
I'll fix those later.
"Are you happy yet? Can we go now?"
She turned to look at me. She looked from my face all the way down to my feet and then back up slowly. She chuckled softly. "You look fine, don't worry. Almost younger."
I pulled my shoes on.
"And that is the first time I've seen you in shorts since the summer before your graduation," she pointed out.
"Yeah well, I've hardly been to a beach since then. And when did you see me then?"
"At that pool party at someone's house, I can't remember who it was. Are you ready?"
I stood up, pocketing my wallet. "Yeah, let's go."
We went from there to the lobby and luckily, met the crowd. That meant we were just on time. Once downstairs, we found out the cars we got yesterday weren't just rented out for yesterday, but the entire trip. So, we all took the same cars and followed the first and leading car which was Judith and Davidson's because they also asked for a hotel driver who could show us around so we don't get lost.
"Did you put sunscreen on?" we asked in sync. I glanced at her before looking back at the road.
"Uh, yeah. I did while changing, did you?" she replied.
"No."
"You can put it on when we get there."
The beach, as it turns out, was not the beach right near our hotel, obviously, otherwise, we'd be walking there, not driving. It was another beach nearby, this one less crowded because it's used mostly for water sports activities, not swimming or relaxing by the shore. Once we parked the car and entered the beach, we followed our hosts to a little straw hut at one end of the beach.
Hawaii Waterway Sports, here we are.
The man running the counter, who I'm guessing is a manager or owner of some sort, welcomed all of us before explaining what would be happening. "You can see, there are four small ships by the shoreline there. Left to right it goes one to four. On ship one, we will have..." And he began announcing the names.
Vanessa and I were sharing a ship with Lyla, Zach...
"And Mr. Nick? All five of you are on ship four. And that's all, you can all head over now, there will be two instructors and one supporting staff member who will remain on the ship. You have water, bathrooms, and changing rooms on the ship itself. Good luck, enjoy!"
Everyone started walking, buzzing with excitement. From the looks of it, two of the ladies from the married couples that were invited would not be swimming, and neither would one of the men. Apart from that, it looked like everyone was here to snorkel.
Vanessa and I trailed behind the others. "Do we really have to let Nick on that ship?" Vanessa asked.
I looked down at her, amused.
"I mean, can't we just push him onto another one?"
"I don't think so," I replied, shaking my head softly, chuckling.
Once we got to the ship, Lyla was helped up first and then Vanessa. Zach followed and then before I could, Nick cut in. I sighed and climbed up last. "Getting on the ship first doesn't win you a medal, Nick," I mumbled, my shoulder bumping against his as I went and sat next to Vanessa.
"All right," one of the instructors sang. "We will start the ship now. You can move around, that is okay, just be careful and stay away from the railings." He pointed towards three steps that led to a room inside. "Inside we have a bathroom, changing room, and water is in the icebox right here. Whoever would like to change first, go ahead."
"Mind if I go first?" Nick asked.
"Go ahead," Lyla shrugged and then turned back to resume her conversation with Zach.
The ship started up with a loud whirring from the motor and then we started moving, our ship following the other three ahead of ours. It was a small ship, almost like a yacht. Just cheaper than one.
Vanessa pulled her hair back into a bun, a few small pieces still flying in the wind. She tucked them behind her ear and looked past the railing at the waters we bounced and floated on.
"You look worried," I pointed out.
"I am, a little," she mumbled.
"You're going to be fine, Vanessa."
She didn't reply.
"Vanessa."
She turned to me.
"Trust me. I'll be right there with you."
"Yeah well, what if we both drown?"
"I highly doubt that."
Nick came back out, asking, "Who's next?" Lyla went inside while Nick came and sat on the other seat next to Vanessa, looking over the railing.
"Maybe I shouldn't snorkel," Vanessa sighed.
"Are you scared of the ocean, Vanessa?" Nick jumped in.
She turned to him, answering half-heartedly, "Yeah, kind of."
"Oh, you shouldn't worry. We'll take care of you."
"Yeah. Aaron will, I know," she smiled and then turned back to me, whispering, "Sorry, but I can't handle him." Lyla came out and Vanessa stood up. "I'll be right back." She took the bag with her and left.
Nick and I stared at each other for a minute. "What do you do, huh? Train your girlfriend to a be bitch to me?" he asked, lifting his brows.
"No. She does that all on her own. She doesn't like you."
"Probably because of some bullshit you told her."
"It's not that hard to believe. Have you met you?" I shrugged, resting one elbow on the railing. "And I don't have to tell her anything. Vanessa doesn't like or dislike people based on my opinions. She just doesn't like you."
"For no reason?"
"Maybe she thinks you're a dick."
"Why would she think that?"
"Maybe because you are?"
"You're an asshole, Aaron," he scoffed.
"That's a compliment coming from you."
He stayed quiet for a minute. "But you got lucky with a girl like her. I like her, she's nice. A good fit for you, actually. Looks like you met your match."
I stared at him in confusion.
Well, how do I tell him that she's not actually my girlfriend?
"Whoever's next, head on in."
Both Nick and I looked over at where Vanessa stood. I blinked, staring as she went and sat next to Lyla while Zach went to change. I blinked a couple more times, just gawking at her. Her hair was still pulled back in the bun but her green dress was replaced by a dark pink and orange tie-dye bikini with matching bottoms and a matching tie-on that she had knotted around her waist. I felt myself swallow as she set her bag down.
How did I not know she looked like that?
She was, undoubtedly, really fucking beautiful. Especially sitting there, with her face lit up from the sunlight bouncing off everything, with the bright blue waves behind her as she smiled. She looked pretty. Every inch of her, every curve on her, every little freckle, every beauty mark. Vanessa took care of herself, no doubt. I don't know how much time she had, but she took care of herself physically. Her legs were toned, her waist was naturally cinched in, her stomach was flat but not too flat with a single line running down the middle and the tiniest hint of abs.
Fuck. Me.
She sat next to Lyla, both of them talking and looking at the water.
"Man, I hate you," Nick huffed, turning and staring at the water.
I kind of hate me too. Because she's my girlfriend right now when she's really not. She's mine but... she's not mine at all.
"Aaron, all yours, man," Zach said, coming outside.
I walked to Vanessa where she held out the bag for me, flashing me a smile as I took it. I went inside and into the tiny changing room. I slid off the button-up and then pulled the tank over my head, dropping both in the bag. I traded my shorts for swim trunks and then tucked them into the bag as well before going back out, running a hand through my hair.
Vanessa's back was to me, she was standing alone now, staring at the water. Zach and Lyla were talking, Nick was still seated.
I walked over to her, her bag in my hands. "Hello," I said, nudging her shoulder and standing beside her.
"Hey," she mumbled without turning to me.
"Vanessa, stop stressing yourself out. If you really don't want to snorkel, you don't have to. And if you do, then have a little faith in me and the instructors here. You know how to swim, you'll be just fine. We can even stay near the boat."
"It's not about staying near the boat," she groaned softly, turning to me. "It's..." She blinked, her eyes falling lower. She opened her mouth to say something but no words came out, so she closed it back up. Her eyes lifted slowly from my abs, up to my chest, coming back to my face.
I lifted a brow, flashing her a smirk. "Like what you see?"
"Put sunscreen on," she mumbled, going back to staring at the water, turning her face away from me.
I smiled to myself in amusement, setting the bag on the free seat and taking out the sunscreen.
"I had no idea you looked like that under all those button-ups," she muttered, glancing at me as I rubbed sunscreen on my arms.
"No?"
"No. You've kept that hidden all this time?"
She seems really surprised. Not to mention, flustered.
"Hidden? You saw it in college, it's not that different."
"It is majorly different," she whispered. "You didn't have tattoos in college."
I lifted a brow, catching her staring yet again. "Why? You like tattoos, Vanessa?"
Her eyes cut back up to mine. I waited for an answer but her reaction more or less gave it away. The flush in her cheeks, the way she avoided eye contact. "Yeah," she mumbled, "actually, I do."
"Well, I replied, handing her the sunscreen. "Then I'm glad I have them."
She stared at me in surprise.
"Can you get my back?"
"Uh, yeah, sure."
I turned around, biting the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling again.
God, what the hell is happening to me? Since when do I bite back smiles because it makes me happy that I made Vanessa blush? Something is seriously wrong with me.
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Chapter 28
it is so freaking difficult finding good beach outfits for men on Pinterest like what the actual fuck
next chapter: trust