Sunkissed Serendipity

Chapter 56

Julian

It's been over a week since Isla and I became an actual couple. So far, it has been amazing, and I still cannot believe that we are together. But we
were, and it felt really good.

I'm smiling at her now from my beach chair, as she was saying something to me. She was smiling, excited at the story she was sharing with me. I reach out and wipe a curl off her face, and she grins wider at me.

"Ew," I hear from beside me, and I try not to roll my eyes. Jack gets up from his spot next to me and says, "I'm going to go swim before I throw up from... well, you guys."

I turn to him, crossing my arms across my chest. "What do you mean?"

Jack rolls his eyes, and it dawns on me then that this is my little brother, growing up so fast. Soon, he will be like me, a teenager with a lot of normal tendencies. I can see it, and for a second, it makes me sad. I didn't want him to grow up, but that was not in my control. He scrunches his nose up, shaking his head as he says, "You guys. You're so much."

"We didn't even do anything?" I ask, confused as I glance at Isla. As far as I know, we haven't kissed at all today in front of him.

My brother sighs, "So you think? It's weird being around this much... happiness. I'll see you guys later."

"You're weird," I say in retort as I watch my brother turn around and head off to the water. I laughed, watching him leave and then turn to Isla. Giving her an apologetic smile, I say, "Sorry, I had to bring Jack today."

"Eh," she says, brushing it off. "I know he isn't a bother. It's nice to hang out with your brother anyway."

"Yeah, but," I say, a slow grin taking up my face as I extend a hand out toward her. Grabbing her hand, I say, "But I wanted to be alone with you today."

I watch as she makes larger, a glint in her eyes as she says, "Yeah."

"Would've been nice to do things without my brother gagging, huh?" I say with a laugh, and she nods. I kiss her on the cheek very quickly and pull away. As I sit back in my seat, I keep a hand in hers, and I cannot help but rub the back of her hand. It's comforting for me. I look out at the water and see where my brother was swimming close to the shore. Pointing to him with a nod of my chin, I say, "Hey, what was up with my brother today?"

Isla sits up in her seat abruptly, and I glance at her. She places her hands over her knees and says, "You know."

I squinted, trying to figure out what she was talking about. She flushed brightly as she said, "Jack told you, didn't he?"

"Told me what?" I ask, genuinely confused. "Jack didn't talk to me today."

"Then..." she trails off, looking at Jack then. She just watched him for a moment before turning to me. I'm looking at her, confused as to why her mood had suddenly shifted. She turns over to me and quietly says, "I did something."

"Hm?"

She shakes her head, tucking her hair in her ears, and shamefully looks at me. She is already apologizing when she says, "I'm sorry, Julian. I didn't mean to—well, I did, but I didn't mean for it to go that way."

I stared at her, at how she was tripping over her words. She was scared, I realize now. She looked afraid and was acting anxious. I reach out and place my hand on her knee, jolting her up to look at me. Rubbing my thumb against her smoooth skin, I say, "Take a deep breath for me, won't you?"

She does what she is told, but I can still see the afriad look in her eyes. Her eyes were lighter here in the sun, and I could see how she was having trouble keeping eye contact. Giving her a firm nod, I say, "Good. Now why don't you tell me exactly what happened?"