Beautiful Sin [ ON HOLD ]

Chapter 29.

The air inside my inflated lungs remained captive as I held my breath. The coldness of the water embraced my barren skin like ice on a glacial land, sinking deep into my bones leaving a numbing feeling in its wake. The noise around me seemed distorted, muffled and all my ears could register was the sound of me sinking.

White noise.

Seconds ticked away as I allowed my body to drift aimlessly inside the murky waters like a lonely raft. Eyes pinched shut, drowning memories humming inside the hollowness of my thoughts.

I was drowning. Drowning inside fragments of her lingering beauty, drowning inside the mellifluous dose of her voice , losing my sanity in what could've been and what almost was. When my eyes crack open, the scorching glares of the midday rays rushes through, blinding me . The ball of fire punishes me like a hot rod. A splash is heard from a distance followed by cheerful laughters echoing afar.

The sound of my name startles me as I divert my attention back to where I was.

Lucas had invited us for a pool party, just our small circle of friends basking in each other's welcomed company. Drawing myself out of the pool, I settle at the edges, feet dipped inside the blue-like waters . I watch as Vi chases Todd with a water gun as he shouts in protest , jets of water stabbing him with each shot Vi shoots from it. I try to surmon a smile but to no avail.

I missed Teresa.

Maybe absence does make the heart grow fonder. I never believed in wise sayings and proverbs but with this particular saying, my opinions briefly shifted.

" Yo Levi!" Lucas' voice retrieves me from my sunken mood. Standing not three feet away was the aforementioned, beer in hand. Not that that surprised me ,he was an avid drinker and I was considering an intervention for him to discuss his drinking problem.

" Where's your new girlfriend?" A playful smirk danced on his lips and soon enough, everyone is staring at me with teasing eyes.

" What are you talking about?" I asked in a purposeless voice , already feeling  exhausted by the conversation.

" Violet told us," Ava chirps back followed by her high pitched giggle that used to be  infectious but as of now, it seemed to irritate me. Everyone was. I just wanted to be alone if not for Aaron dragging me out of bed and out of the cozy yet depressing walls of my bedroom.

" Told you what?" I went in a bored expression.

" Oh don't play dumb!"

" I'm not,"

" So there's no Gemma?" Vi teases, aiming her water gun at my face before shooting a good amount of water into face ,some rushing into my eyes and nose.

" Violet!" I yelled, getting up abruptly before snatching the gun from her grip.

" Hey give that back!"

" No way! " I shouted, holding the gun above her head which seemed to bother her considering my towering frame.

" Why are you being so mean to me!" Jumping on her tippy toes, violet tried to snatch the gun.

" Because you shot me with water and because you told everyone about Gemma!"

" So there is a Gemma?" Todd chimed in, a grey towel in hand, dabbing his face with it.

" Does it matter?" I scoffed , letting my guard down and giving Vi her gun back before she squealed in triumph as though she won a trophy.

Settling back to the edge of the pool, my face softened to a melancholic state as I thought back about Teresa. Gemma was the least of my worries, in fact, I wanted to end our unintentional relationship. I was looking at a possible sex detoxification from my body, abstain from it, become pure , rid all poison that ran inside my vein. I wanted to be a whole new being.