𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 | 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘦 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘭✔

18. Falling for you was the easiest thing

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⭒ Charlie watched as his girlfriend tipped her head back and laughed.

Azara had insisted now that everyone knew they were dating that there was no problem going outside for their dates. So here they were, on a picnic date. A beach picnic date, to be precise.

Which Charlie found a little amusing given the fact that Azara was deadly afraid of open water, Thalassophobia, which was a very hard word to remember. Since Azara refused to go within ten metres of the ocean, they had set up their picnic rug and items as far back as they could and close to the life houses since, in Daniella's words, anything could happen.

"We could have gone on a picnic somewhere else, you know?" Charlie said, looking at his girlfriend, who was sitting on the farthest end of the rug. "We didn't need to come to the beach."

"I wanted to come to the beach though," Daniella said, slightly pale as she gazed at the ocean in front of her. "It's pretty to look at."

"It's not like you are going to go in the water, baby. Can you even swim?"

"No. The ocean, as terrifying as it is, provides the best white noise when reading."

"You forced me to drive you to the beach so you can read?" Charlie deadpanned.

"Yes, also because I wanted to have fish and chips!" She grinned.

"We could have had done this at your place," Charlie said.

"We could have." She shrugged slightly before giving him a cheeky grin. "But then I wouldn't get to see you without a shirt."

Charlie snorts. "You're ridiculous."

"You mean, I'm a genius."

Charlie shakes his head, still laughing. This girl was going to be the death of him.

"Aren't you going to go and swim or something?" Daniella said as she reapplied her sunscreen.

"You want me to leave?" Charlie said, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, no. If you swim, you're going to get your hair wet, which gives me an excuse to run my fingers through it, duh. So, off you go. Shoo."

Charlie raises a brow at her. "You know you can touch my hair anytime you want, right? You just have to ask."

Daniella sniffs as she looks at him. "Yeah, but is your hair ever wet? Didn't think so. Shoo."

She starts giving him little pushes towards the direction of the ocean. Charlie laughs, raising his hands in surrender and getting up.

"Okay, okay. I'm going."

"Try not to die!" Daniella yells out after him.

Charlie turns towards her, walking backwards; he throws her a mock salute before turning and running directly into the ocean. He stays under for a few seconds before he comes back up.

Pushing his now wet hair away from his face, he looks for his girlfriend and can't help but snort when he spots her. Her face is pale and her hand is over her heart as she searches for him.

Charlie sees her physically relax when she finally locks eyes with him. Her hand falls from her chest and colour returns to her face as she smiles and waves at him.

She was everything to him. He loved everything about her. Wait. Oh.

He watches as she slightly pouts as he doesn't wave back and feels a flutter in his chest. He quickly shoved his head underwater again. He loved her.