Two Worlds Crossed

Chapter 26

RACHEL

While I sat on a pool chair and watched Ezra doing a few laps around the pool, I was trying my best not to pay attention, but it was hard not to; how can someone look so good underwater. "Are you going to come or just watch me?" He calls out, swipes his hair away from his face, smirks. I shrug my shoulders, as I don't want to get in, especially with him in it; I mean, it's not like he has diseased or something. I used to love swimming ever since I was little, and I was in the swimming team in school until my mother Raven almost drained me for something I didn't even do; I could've died, luckily I didn't. After that, I stopped going in the water because of him and my fear of water.

"Raya? Come on, the water feels so good? Are you afraid?" Ezra shouts out when swimming closer to me. I smile and shake my head.

I know you're not a mermaid, so you have no excuse.

Ezra jumps out of the pool, walks to me, "Are you shy around me?". I laugh, take off my shoes until I notice he begins to watch me by every move I make. The way he looks at me, though my curvy body, nobody has ever made me feel this way, just a look. It's weird but a good weird, "Can you please turn around?" I ask nicely, back away from the edge, "Why?".

What? No.

He arched his eyebrow, "I think you are," he seduces me by brushing my hair away from my neck, leans in, " You can't lie to me, you are too good for that," he places a kiss below my earlobe. As an electrical feeling goes through my body, he lifts the bottom of my dress to my thigh, "What are you doing?" I say when placing my hands on his broad shoulders.

I'm taking this off of you, can I?

I look down, then towards the pool, "Can you please turn around?" I silently ask. He bends down to eye level to see the sadness in the eyes, "Not until you tell me?. I stay silent. "I'm afraid of the water because.." I begin to speak, but I don't know what to say. He steps closer to me and places his hand on my cheeks, " You don't have to be afraid to be open with me. I won't judge," he says, pressing his forehead against mine. I slowly nod, "M-My mom almost drained me for nothing," I stutter words as falling pain and tears though eyes to down my face, " So that's why I don't go swimming anymore," I say breathless, almost feeling a panic attack coming.

Hey, Hey!

Ezra pulls me in closer towards his soaked chest, "Do you want to talk about it?" he questions, goes to the towel racks, and starts to dry his hair. I nod and start taking my shoes; I glance at the water, so calm and peaceful.

*Flashback*

While finishing my last lap in the pool, I sit on the edge of it to catch a breath until hearing stumbling footsteps behind me, as I'm about to look who see there's, and it's my mother drunk once again today; as I look in her eyes of evil and sin, I know she's mad, but I'm innocent. She comes closer, grabs my hair, and suddenly all I can feel is water being filled in my lungs. I try to push myself up, but she's using all of her force.

*Back to reality*

Ezra slowly lifts my head, " I would never hurt you because without you, I'm like a empty body without any soul. I promise you I will hurt or leave you," he yells out, pressing his forehead against me." You can't promise something that you can't keep," I answer in one breathe, walking away and looking at him from a distance, but he takes my hand to guide us towards the pool stairs, "Let's just take this one step a time."; I wanna hesitate at first, "Can you help me with my dress," I ask, turning around and feeling an electrical feeling as his finger reach to the zipper, pull it down, and drops.