Liz's POV
A couple of days had passed since Nick arrived at our home. He was still as closed off as in the beginning but he wasn't being a complete jerk the whole time; which I appreciated because I think I might have slapped some sense into him if he kept it up.
I had-- I don't know how-- talked him into letting me give him surfing lessons today which is why he was all geared up and ready to go while I led the way out into the beach, quietly may I add.
"Are you alright?" he asked while we walked side by side, surfboards in hands, stepping on warm golden sand.
"Fine" I answered shortly. I didn't use an angry tone or anything, it was just plainly said.
"It's a fact that at least 99% of the people that say they're fine are actually lying and definitely not fine" he commented in a matter of fact tone that really bothered me.
"Since when are you such a smartass?" I questioned.
"Since I was born" he replied without missing a beat. I looked sideways at him and there was ghost of a smile in his lips. Then before I could look away, he glanced my way and caught me staring. Too late I looked away, a blush creeping up in my face.
"You do that a lot" he said softly, almost if debating if he should have said it or not.
"What?" I asked confused.
"Blush. You do it a lot. Almost everytime I look at you" he stated boldly.
Crap, he noticed.
"So what's your point?" I asked slightly annoyed but more at myself than him-- not that he would know the difference.
"Uh nothing, I'm just letting you know that you do it often. If we were friends and actually got along I would find it endearing" and with that he marched ahead of me by himself, leaving me behind turning a brighter red than I had ever been in possibly my whole life.
What the hell does that even mean? Why do I react this way to this guy? He's a jerk!
I stomped after him, deciding not to over-think stuff. That's when people come to stupid conclusions or make stupid mistakes. Something I'm not fond of.
Once we neared the ocean, I watched as Nick walked closer but now slower, almost as if unsure. Probably having second thoughts about the whole surfing thing.
"I wouldn't blame you if you changed your mind. Surfing it's not for everyone. Surfing it's for the daring. The adventurous".
"You saying I'm not daring or adventurous?" he questioned, looking back at me with an arched eyebrow.
Is it bad that I thought it looked kind of sexy? The expression I mean.
What am I thinking?!
"Uh, I'm not saying that at all. You just don't look like the type of person who likes 'the rush'. Having adrenaline coursing through your veins, while you feel like you're on top of the world and there's nothing you can't do" I bit my lip after saying that just because he got this far away look, almost as if going back to a good memory. Then he was back and smirked.
"You don't know anything about me. You might be surprised at what I could do" then he got in the water without any hesitation.
I was left there wondering what on earth could he mean by that; then I snapped myself into reality and followed him into the water. I was going to teach him how to surf; at least that's what I had planned.
Nick's POV
I was not trying to annoy her when I told her about her blushing, I really wasn't. It kind of just slipped; and once it was out well there was nothing I could say to take it back so I just kept my cool. I didn't have to look at her to know she'd be blushing intensely after this. The thought made me smile.
I know I had no reason to like the fact that I could make her blush without trying, but it didn't change the fact that I enjoyed it anyways. Hey, I'm only human. I'm still a guy. Yeah the girl is not really my type; she's too outspoken and then there's the various tone of colors in her hair which really bothers me because I like the natural look better but... I had to accept that she was still an attractive girl.
Her deep brown eyes looked so awake, and there were innumerable emotions swirling in their depth. You could read those eyes like an open book. I just wasn't interested in knowing what was going on in her head; I feared I might actually care and that's something I don't need right now-- or ever for that matter.
Once in the water, Liz told me I should just lay on top of my board and paddle farther into the sea where we would wait for the right moment, and the right wave. She said I would know in my gut when the right one comes, that it's basic human instinct-- It sounded even cheesier when she said it.
After a couple of failed attempts, I was frustrated, annoyed, and about to give up.
"It'a alright Nick. You didn't really expect to be able to ride a wave on your first tries did you? Surfing takes practice, patience and perseverance. The three Ps, as I call them" Liz said with a warm smile. I watched her for a moment, the way the sunshine hit the right side of her face, accentuating her sun kissed skin. Her lips looked a bit darker because of the salty water but still plump and perfect in size. Her wavy hair was wet and wild framing her face.
She was still looking at me, her eyelashes brushing her cheeks with every blink while her dimpled smile hung naturally while she talked.
God.
"I'm sorry what was that?" I asked, shaking my head to clear away those crazy thoughts. What on earth was that?
"I said you don't need to worry. We can come practice everyday until you get better" she repeated for me; but she was watching me curiously, probably trying to figure out why I had been so distracted.
If she only knew....
But it's all crazy though because I don't like her. At all. She's not my type. I just probably been under the sun for too long.
Yeah that must be it...
"I think I've had enough for today" I mumbled letting out a breath.
"Oh, okay" she answered with disappointment in her voice. I closed my eyes and started paddling away from her. I didn't need to see her face, especially if the expression was going to be disappointment because I didn't want to keep going with her lessons.
I was so caught up in myself and my thoughts that when I realized Liz was yelling my name, it was too late. I had barely turned my face around when the wave swallowed me in.
I started struggling, trying to push myself out of that vicious swirling hole created by the wave but to no avail, it kept dragging me back in it and I couldn't resurface no matter how hard I tried. I found myself running out of air and I started to panic I had lost my board during the whole ordeal and I was thinking about how pissed Liz was going to be for me losing it when unconsciousness started claiming me.
Just in time I felt someone grab my arm and pull me up and out of the water. I breathed in the air, filling my lungs with it until I was satisfied. I coughed up salty water while I groaned. Then I noticed I was laying face up on dry sand. I let my gaze search around slowly and found Liz staring down at me with a concerned expression.
"I'm sorry, I lost the board" I said apologetically.
She actually smiled at this while I just felt even more confused.
"It's fine Nick, it's just a board. Your life it's more important. Plus, the ocean will push it back to shore. If it doesn't well, whatever. There's more where that one came from".
Her head was bowed down to look at me. I was still laying on the sand, I felt so exhausted I didn't want to get up. While I looked up at a smiling Liz, I found myself smiling too before I reached up with my hand and brushed a finger along her jaw. Her eyes widened but she didn't back away.
"You are really pretty. Have I ever told you that?" I asked.
I saw color brightening her cheeks and I smiled wider.
"There's that blush again. I'm becoming very fond of it" I said with a laugh.
Liz bit her lip while she looked away for a moment and then looked back at me. My hand was know cupping one side of her face and she placed hers on top of mine before she closed her eyes. Then she opened them again and gently took my hand away from her and gave it back to me. I tilted my head to the side to watch her better.
"I think you hit you're head Nick" she said with a serious expression.
"What? No, I feel fine" I said grinning.
"First of all. You never grin and say nice things to me. Second, you avoid any type of physical contact with me, and third there's blood on your forehead" she mumbled.
My hand reached instinctively to my forehead and my fingertips came in contact with a liquid substance. I brought my hand down to see that in fact my fingers were covered in blood.
I let out a heavy breath.
"That explains a lot" I muttered, and saw her trying not to smile.
"Yeah, it does" she said a little bitterly.
"Now let's go get you fixed up and call someone to check you up" she announced while starting to help me up. Putting my arm around her shoulder while grabbing my waist as well. I tried to take some of the weight off her but not much, I was feeling dizzy and lightheaded.
We then started making our way back to the beach house, slowly.
"I still think you're pretty though" I said with a grin and I watched more color rising in her cheeks.
That will never get old.