𝓜𝓲𝓷𝓮

24| ethereal

D I A N E

My eyes flew open, and I sat up in bed with a start. It took me a moment to remember where I was, my mind still foggy with sleep. But then the memories came flooding back, and I was filled with a mixture of shame and regret. How could I have done what I did last night? I thought as I buried my face in my hands.

My heart raced as I took in my surroundings. Looking down at myself, I was barely clothed, my clothes scattered on the floor around me.

I pushed the sheets off of me and sat up, looking around the room. Luka was nowhere in sight.

I hurried into the bathroom, dampening a cloth with warm water and using it to wipe the grime from my face. I glanced around, searching for any clean clothes I could find. After a moment of rummaging through the closet, I managed to locate a hoodie and a pair of sweats. They weren't ideal, but they were better than what I was wearing. I slipped them on, hoping they'd hide my disheveled appearance.

I emerged from the bathroom, stepping into the chilly air outside. The sky was gray and overcast, and a light wind blew across my face. I stuffed my hands into my pockets and began to walk, trying to clear my head. My thoughts were racing, but I couldn't seem to focus on any one thing. It was as if my brain was on overdrive, swirling with a jumble of ideas and emotions.

As I walked, a nagging feeling lingered at the edge of my consciousness. There was something I couldn't quite remember, something that seemed important. It was like a memory that was just out of reach, or a thought that I couldn't quite grasp. It bothered me, this feeling of something being just out of my grasp. What was it that I couldn't remember? I racked my brain, trying to recall, but it was no use.

I kept walking, my mind still troubled by the nagging feeling that something was missing. As I rounded a corner, I spotted a familiar figure ahead of me. I squinted, trying to make out the person's face. It was a man, shirtless and drinking from a cup. As I drew closer, I recognized the man as the same one I'd seen at the bar last night. I tried to push the memory of our kiss out of my mind, but it kept coming back.

I approached him slowly, until I was standing beside him. He didn't seem to notice me at first, but then he turned and looked up, his green eyes meeting mine. "Good morning," I said quietly, and sat down next to him. He didn't say anything, but I could tell he was aware of my presence. We sat in silence for a moment, the only sound the lapping of the waves against the shore.

"It's truly something special," he agreed, taking a sip from his cup.

The lake was a deep, brilliant blue, the water so clear you could see the rocks on the bottom. It was surrounded by green trees, their leaves rustling in the breeze. The sky was a clear, vivid blue, with only a few wisps of white clouds. The sun shone down on the lake, its rays reflecting off the water. The trees seemed to lean over the water, as if trying to get a closer look. The entire scene was serene and breath taking, a perfect picture of nature at its finest.

I was dressed casually, my black t-shirt a stark contrast to the bright blue sky above. The sun was already hot, and I could feel a slight sheen of sweat forming on my skin. I was glad I had chosen to wear sweats instead of jeans, the lighter fabric keeping me cool. Even though I was hot, I couldn't help but feel a sense of peace as I took in the natural beauty around me.

"It's ethereal,"  I closed my eyes, letting the sun warm my face. I felt a sense of peace wash over me, the troubles of the world seeming far away.

"Just like you," He said, his green eyes landing on me.

I opened my mouth to say something, but he cut me off. "I know what you're going to say," he said, his tone soft but firm. "But you don't have to say it. I like you, and I don't want you to feel bad about what happened." His words caught me off guard, and I struggled to find the right words to say. "I'm sorry,"

He smiled, "Don't be."

"Let's do something to cool off, shall we?" he said, his voice light and playful. "Like what?" I asked, a bit curious as to what he had in mind. Without warning, he grabbed me and pushed me into the lake, my clothes immediately soaked through. I came up sputtering, my hair plastered to my face. "You jerk!" I yelled, my anger quickly giving way to laughter.

"You started it," he said, a mischievous glint in his eyes. He splashed me again, and I retaliated, laughing all the while. Soon, we were engaged in a full-on water fight, our laughter echoing across the lake. It was the most carefree I'd felt in a long time, and I was thoroughly enjoying myself.

He was laughing too, and we both ended up in a fit of giggles.