why she burned

The waves crash relentlessly against my legs. The dirty seawater is chilly, however, that doesn't cease me from going farther into it; it feels like bliss especially at this time of day, for it's profoundly sunny. Soft, slimy substances, perhaps jellyfishes or hard shells glide over my legs. It feels tremendously absurd and dirty, but this also doesn't make me want to get out of the salty seawater.

Instead I go farther to where you're standing with your back facing me. Slowly and with a lot of power I walk - half swimming - towards you. You look in peace as you stare ahead of you, and I can't help but wonder why. You seem to have lost your bearings because you don't even hear me approach. I place my left hand on your right pale shoulder when I'm standing behind you, which feels warm and sooths my cold, toned hand with the perfectly manicured nails.

At my touch, you snap your head towards me and grin as you wrap your strong, muscled arms around my slim waist, pulling me closer and in front of you. "Where have you been?" You ask, leaning closer so that our foreheads touch. "Well," - I hold onto your forearms as I looked into your blue eyes - "if you hadn't walked so far into the sea, I would've reached you earlier," I say annoyingly, rolling my big brown eyes.

"Well." You copy me. "If we weren't standing so far into the sea, then others would have bothered me and then I couldn't have done this." You have a deeper tone in your voice now. By brushing your nose against mine, you cause me to bite my lip shyly. When your soft lips touch mine all replies jump out of my mind and wave away with the water. All is forgotten, except for us and this special moment.

I wish I have the capability to freeze time so this split second can last for eternity. But the ending of this pure and real connection and a million others to come after this are inevitable. There are more to come, though; this one isn't the only one and that is keeping me going. I will later realise how clueless I am. How naïve I am and how stupid I am.

As you pull away you hum contently, making me chuckle at the ridiculous dreamy look on your face. The way your deep blue irises swim and golf around like the dirty seawater. The way your rosy lips turn up into a lazy smile. The way your crooked nose scrunches up and your eyebrows slightly go up.

"What are you staring at?" You ask, giving me a frown momentarily. I stand on my tippy toes to brush away the lock of curly blond hair falling in your eyes.

"I'm just looking at you," I drawl as I cock my head to the left slightly. "Got a problem with that?"

"As long as it is me your pretty eyes are drawn to." You shrug as you smile contently, whilst tapping my nose. Simultaneously, you tighten your hold on my waist and intertwine our hands. I shake my head at you and look at our joined hands. It feels so natural. I don't even stop to think about how my small hand fits perfectly in yours. How yours covers mine completely. How your skin tone is in contrast with mine. How yours is much manlier than mine, you can overpower me easily, but I'm not scared of you. I know you won't hurt me; I trust you and you aren't that kind of man.

"I love you," I whisper softly, and I love you more with every heartbeat. Your lips turn into a smile. It's a smile only you can muster; it's the smile you give when I say that. It's that special smile that has butterflies swarming up in the pit of my belly. It's that unique smile, which makes my heart race and my mind come up with incoherent thoughts. You know, our story is one filled with love.

"I love you too, my sweet Zaina," you say as you kiss me on my temple. You mark me; stain me, like a permanent marker. I sigh contently, tightening my hold on you and placing my cheek against your warm chest. I hear your heart beat and I feel mine. Our hearts beat together to create a simplicity metronome.