Page 79 of Losing Faith

“Want to swim?” I glance over at Lisette, but she only shakes her head. I nod in return before pulling my shirt off. Stripping down to my underwear, I slip into the pool and as my body cools down, the pressure in my head eases.

I sit at the bottom of the pool for a few seconds, soaking in the quiet. When I breach the surface, I shake my hair out before swimming to the edge.

I feel Lisette watching me, and when I steal a glance at her, she simply smiles at me as she sits with her feet in the water.

“What?”

She shakes her head. “You’re nice to look at.”

I feel a blush cover my face and her smile widens. Stepping in front of her, I rest my arms on either side of her. “How much do you like your outfit?”

Her brows furrow as she looks down at her baggy clothes. When it clicks in her head, she looks back up at me. “Don’t pull me in there.”

I grab her waist but she inches backward. “No, seriously. I really don’t have it in me to wash my hair and Ihatepool hair. Please don’t.”

I leave her be at the sincerity in her voice. “At least take these off.” I tug at her sweats she pulled up to her knees.

She looks down at her legs, her shoulders slouching.

I almost ask her what’s wrong before a smile is forced on her face. “Just say you want to see me in my underwear.”

I roll my eyes at her, a smile tugging at my lips. “I really just wanted to rest my head on you without getting you wet, but I’ll let you continue to believe I want to see you naked.”

“I appreciate that.” She nods as if she really is grateful. She toys with the drawstring of her pants, her eyes low. “You don’t get to see them, though.”

I hold her waist, a smirk on my lips. “Please?”

She only shakes her head, her smile gone.

Immediately, I move my hands from around her. “I’m sorry.” I take a step back, remembering she doesn’t want to be touched.

She shakes her head at me. “No, it’s okay.” Her eyes land on her pants again. “I just… don’t want to take them off.”

“Okay.” I nod in return. “I was only teasing. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”

A smile touches her lips. She holds her hands out to me. “You don’t have to be so far.”

I take her hand and she rests it around her waist again. “Why are you having a bad day?” I keep my eyes on her, rubbing her leg, but she winces. My eyes snap down to her thigh and through her sweats I can feel something wrapped around her thigh… a bandage.

She keeps her eyes to the side as she slightly pushes my hand off of her.

We’re quiet before I find my voice. “When was that?” I ask gently.

She keeps her face turned to the side, remaining so quiet, I think she isn’t going to answer. “Yesterday,” she answers after a while, her voice just above a whisper.

“I was with you yesterday.” This wasn’t there and she said shewasn’tcutting herself.

“After I got home…”

I look between her eyes, her words from before about having a hard week loud in my head. “You’re lovable.”

Her brows slightly furrow as she glances over at me.

“At apple picking you said you felt unworthy of love.” I gently rub her leg. “Don’t let your dark thoughts consume you. You’re worthy of everything life has to offer.” I watch her carefully and after a beat a small smile touches her lips.

“Thank you for saying that.”

I keep my eyes on her before nodding in return. Wrapping my arms around her waist, I rest my head on her lap, careful to avoid her cut and she immediately runs her hand through my curls.

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