Page 130 of The Perfect Spiral
“That was a close one!” I mumble to myself, adjusting my top.
“Not close enough, unfortunately,” Knox comments. I slap his arm, giving him a stern look, but he just laughs it off. I glance over at Andy and Kyle, where she’s perched on top of him, legs wrapped around his waist. He’s whispering something against her lips, making her smile and throw her head back in laughter. I can’t help but wish I had that with someone.
When you’ve just broken up with someone, all you see are couples in love. Like the ones out in the distance, practically dry humping each other in the water, sucking each other’s faces off. That’s a bit much.
All I can hear are the sounds of laughter and the waves crashing further out. It’s so serene. This is what I miss about this place.
The wind blowing through your hair, the sun beating down on your skin, the spray of seawater when people run by chasing each other.
“What’s on your mind?” Knox breaks the silence between us. I shake my head, looking out at the sea, then turn to face him. My eyes widen at the sight of the girls crowding the beach behind him.
He follows my gaze, then shrugs his shoulders. “Doesn’t that bother you?”
“Yeah—” he admits, looking down at his feet shuffling in theshallow water, “but I ignore it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s flattering and all, it’s just... I’m not interested.”
“Knox, you could have any woman on their knees begging for you to look at them, and you’re not interested?”
“Nope, I only want one woman, but it’s complicated.”
“Why do you keep saying it’s complicated? What’s so complicated about it? Just ask her out, I’m sure she’ll say yes. You’re making it complicated.”
“It’s complicated because... look, she’s not like normal girls. She’s....” “She’s what? Why are you so afraid of asking her out? Lots of girls pine after you—”
“Not her, that’s why... I like her—”
“Alex!!” A familiar voice calls out. I see a flash of blonde hair and a blue bikini. My best friend, Hannah, is making her way towards me. “Hannah!” Andy and I shout in unison. She navigates through the crowd, hopping over the small waves until she reaches us. She pulls me into a hug, and we jump up and down together, our laughter echoing across the beach.
“Look who’s here!” she exclaims, her face lighting up at the sight of them. She rushes over to embrace Kyle, then Knox. “I swear, the death glares I got just from hugging you two!” she teases Knox, playfully poking his chest. He rolls his eyes and saunters over to me, standing close.
I glance up at him, offering a reassuring smile. “We can talk later if you’d like,” I whisper. “I don’t want to pressure you into anything, but sometimes you’ve got to take the risk. If you like her enough, she should be worth it.”
His smile is warm as he looks down at me. “She’s definitely worth it.” His words send a slight twinge through my heart, but I’m happy he’s found someone he likes.
“So guys,” Andy begins, addressing the group, “Kyle and I were thinking we should chill tonight at the house after dinner and play some drinking games. What do you think?”
I shrug, not particularly caring what we do. I’m here to relax. Hannah gives a thumbs up, her fatigue from the journey evident.
Hannah takes off, sprinting towards Noah and Adam to join their antics. Kyle and Andy return to the sand, hand in hand, navigating their way through the large crowd that’s gathered, waiting for Knox to make an appearance.
As time passes, the crowd grows larger and closer, making me feel a bit uneasy.
“Want to swim with me?” Knox asks, and I agree. We head out to the deeper part of the ocean, splashing and playing around.
A few minutes later, a familiar blonde calls out Knox’s name, and my heart leaps into my throat. Fuck, why is she here? Is she stalking him? So much for a quiet day at the beach.
“Is she following me?” Knox mumbles, and I stifle a laugh.
“Knox! Fancy seeing you here!” Lauren swims over to us, and I avert my gaze to the open ocean. This is so awkward.
I tread water, making circles with my arms and feet. I should just drown right now. It’s tempting.
“Hey, Lauren! Yeah, what a surprise. What are you doing in Savannah?” Knox asks, his face a mask of skepticism and irritation.
“You’re not going to greet me properly?” she pouts.
Knox swims over to her, giving her an awkward side hug. Please let there be a big wave soon so it can take me back to the shore or drag me out to sea. Anywhere is better than here.
“No silly, where’s my kiss?” she asks mid-hug.
