I'll be your mirror (wlw, teacherxstudent)

chapter 16

Alicia's pov:

"Yes. Kiss me, baby."

I can't believe this is finally happening. I should've said no but I just couldn't.

A soft breeze blew, carrying the scent of salt, tousling Maya's hair. With slightly trembling fingers, I moved my hand to tuck the few strands of messy hair behind her ear. Maya's hold on me tightened and I could feel her heart pounding, even with the voice of the waves around us, just as mine. I leaned in, my eyes fluttering shut, and for a brief second, I hesitated. What if this tarnishes our bond?

But then Maya closed the distance, her lips meeting mine in a gentle yet electrifying kiss, leaving all the worries aside. My breath hitched and senses overwhelmed with the softness of her lips, the taste of saltwater and something that I've never felt before. Something I only feel when I'm with Maya.

The world seems to pause. The ocean's sound growing distant, as I melt in the kiss. I'm feeling everything that I've ever felt, all the longing and uncertainty that has led to this perfect moment. I've dreamed of this. This is so much better. I could kiss her forever.

Our first kiss was in the fucking ocean.

Breathless, I pull away slightly and she chases my lips. I chuckle softly making her pout. I place a quick kiss on her lips, fading the pout away and replacing it with the smile I love so much. Our foreheads touch and I whisper, "I've waited so long to do this."

"Me too, baby." She murmured, her voice barely more than a breath. "Me too."

A laugh leaves my lips, when I look around us. We've been washed away towards the shore, the water just below our waists. Weirdly, I'm not scared of it anymore.

"The water's homophobic." She says, rolling her eyes, making my laugh louder. She tilts her head with a smile making this moment all too perfect. Is this really happening? Did we just kiss?

Maya traces her fingertips on my arm, reaching for my hand and intertwines our fingers, kissing mine. She guides us back to the rock where our stuff was layed out, our hands swaying back and forth and a trail of footprints being left behind us on the damp sand.

We settled onto the blanket, Maya laying close to me. I lean back on my hands, letting out a content sigh. The mix of orange and pink hues paint the sky, with the soundtrack given by the waves. This feels like a movie, a really good movie. I glance towards her, seeing a smile spread on her lips as she watches the sun slowly dip in the horizon.

"Isn't it beautiful?" She says.

"It is," I reply, though my eyes never leave her. "But you're even more beautiful."

Maya blushes, her shy eyes meeting mine as she moves closer, our shoulders touching so that I can feel the warmth of her body. "This is my first time being at a beach here. The last time was in India." She says.

"Did you visit often before?"

"Everyday. I'd sit on the rocks and watch the sunset everyday, like this, with baba or Ree- my friend."

I reach out, brushing a strand of Maya's soft hair and ask, "What was her name?" Her eyes meet mine and I smile with a nod, hoping to make her feel less tense.

"Reema," Maya replies. I nod, silently asking her to continue and she does. "We were friends before anything, childhood friends. We grew up together in our area. It was a close knit locality. Everyone knew each other. And because I was the youngest and the fairest, everyone babied me, even the kids who were just a year or so older than me would pinch my cheeks. But Reema wasn't like that, she was a tough one. She didn't really care about anyone or anything. Before, when I was new there, I'd invite her to my house, like the other kids. She'd come and sit with us but wouldn't play with me. She didn't even come to my birthday, for years, until I was I think in fifth grade, that's when we grew close."