Liam and I stand side by side, drenched, across from Sarah and Jackson.
"How dare you? Why do you have to ruin everything?" Sarah screamed around Liam, her hands were flying in the air, tears formed in her eyes.
Liam tried to speak, but Sarah continued, "And you! We have the rule! You were MY friend, but obviously I am not enough. I am NEVER enough!" Her tears flowed down her face. My heart felt like I was being stabbed with a knife.
My mouth opened, but no words spilled out of my mouth. Jackson reached for Sarah's arm, but she pushed him away.
"You could sleep with anyone, Liam. ANYONE! Why do you always have to take my friends away from me?"
"Sarah, you are still my friend!"
"Shut up! You literally only care about yourself!" She was wiping one tear after another, and starting to gasp for breath between words.
Liam stepped towards her, but she threw her arms again, "You have taken everything away from me, and for what? Someone to fucking hook up with?"
Liam stopped in his tracks, "I love her."
My heart stopped. Sarah's heart stopped. Jackson's heart stopped. All of our mouths fell open, and our bodies were tense.
"You love me?" I felt my rib cage tighten as I tried to breathe.
He turned to face me and took my hands into his, "I have never felt the way I feel about you for anyone else. I don't know what love is, or how it feels... but you are the closest thing I have ever been to it."
His eyes were pure. His hands began to sweat, and his skin went ghost white. He was nervous, and I hadn't answered him.
"I think I love you too."
I had almost forgotten that Sarah and Jackson were in our presence until she stepped beside us, "Wait, you like love each other?"
Liam put his arm around my waist and pulled me close, "She isn't a hook up, Sarah. We haven't even hooked up. I care about her, and I don't want to lose her, but she doesn't want to lose you."
Sarah's eyes moved from Liam to me, "Is that true?"
I nod, "I haven't slept with him, I would never do that to you. I have been trying to tell you that I have feelings for him, but I was too scared of losing you. You are my best friend."
Jackson cleared his throat, "It's true. We weren't really dating the second time, but I can confirm that they really do care about each other. I can also confirm that Emilie would never hurt you on
purpose."
Sarah stood stunned, but she didn't look angry anymore. She wiped the past few tears from her eyes, "I don't want to lose you either."
"Do I have to chose? I want you both..." I feel my stomach flip as I wait for her answer.
She shook her head, "I need some time, Em. I don't know how I feel about it."
Sarah turned on her heels and walked down the dock, Jackson joining her as she passed. Once the were out of sight, Liam picked me up and wrapped my legs around his waist.
Our noses were touching, "I love you, Emilie Jones."
I looked like a complete goof as I smiled so big that my cheeks began to heart, "I love you back, Liam White."
"Your clothes are soaking wet."
"Yours are too."
He sat me back down on my feet and pulled his shirt over his back. My heart sped up at the sight of his shirtless torso. He had abs that were chiseled by God himself.
"Your turn."
I was thankful that is was dark outside, hopefully he couldn't see the blush running across my face. I keep telling myself it's the same as a bikini... it's the same as a bikini... I cross my arms across my body and grab the hem of my shirt on each side. Slowly pulling it over my shoulders and my head, my hair fell in front of my face as I tossed it to the ground. His hands ran around my waist to my back.
"You are beautiful," he pushed my hair out of my face, "So beautiful."
My heart rate picks up as his fingertips trace across my back, and my collarbone. He steps away and unbuckles his pants. They slide down to his ankles.
He steps out of them and slides the away with his foot, "Your turn."
I close my eyes and unbutton my top button, but his hand stops me, "I will help you." He moves my hands behind his neck, as he unbuttons my pants and slowly pushes them down, helping me pull one foot out and then the other. I tell myself again, it's the same as a bikini... but the realization that I am standing in my bra and underwear cause my cheeks to burn. But instead of focusing on me, I take advantage of the fact that Liam is also standing in his underwear.
He picks me back up, wrapping my legs around him once more. This time, with less barriers.
"Now I really don't want you to go home."
"Now I really don't want to go home."
He kisses me, and my whole body goes weak. His arms hold my body weight as he walks toward the end of the dock. Our lips never separate, and he jumps off the edge, sending us both under the water again. This time, it wasn't as cold, even though we were more bare.
His fingers unhook the back of my bra and it slips off my shoulders, he throws it onto the dock.
"Can we stay here forever?" I touch my nose to his, chest to chest, arms around each other.
He leaned up and kisses the tip of my nose, "That would be my one wish."
After almost an hour of alternating responsibility of keeping us afloat while we made out and explored each other, I could barely move my legs to keep us above water.
"I think it may be time to go."
The moon shone over the water just enough to reflect a shimmer across our faces. Liam's eyes lit up like fireworks, and his skin glowed. I don't think I could ever get tired of looking at him.
He helped me up into the dock and I threw my shirt on. He grabbed his pants. I looked at my phone for the first time since we arrived. I had missed 32 calls from Jackson.
"What the hell?" Liam turned his phone screen to show me 27 missed phone calls from Sarah.
Only one voicemail was left on my phone. We stood close and held the phone between our ears, at maximum volume. The voicemail came through the speaker:
"GOD EMILIE PICK UP THE PHONE THERE HAS BEEN AN ACCIDENT, THE AMBULANCE, AND POLICE," police sirens whaled in the background, "PLEASE PICK UP THE PHONE!"
We both gasped as the voicemail came through, and we both mumbled, "Sarah."