You And I

Chapter 11: Unspoken Moments

After settling into the cottage, we all ate together and played some games. The energy was light, and we were all having a great time. A few moments later, Mei turned to me with a bright smile and asked, "Wanna go down the slide with me?"

Without hesitation, I nodded. "Sure."

We made our way to the tall staircase leading up to the top of the water slide. The climb felt long, but the anticipation made it exciting. Finally, we reached the top, and with a shared glance and a rush of adrenaline, we slid down together. Laughter filled the air as we hit the water at the bottom.

"That was fun!" Mei exclaimed as we waded to the shallow end.

"Yeah, it was," I replied, still catching my breath, feeling the thrill of the moment. We walked back to the cottage, the sun warming our skin, and sat down to rest.

For a moment, there was silence. I was about to say something when she spoke first. "This is fun, right? Finally meeting up with everyone after a long weekend."

I turned to look at her, my heart doing that thing where it skips a beat. Our eyes met, and I could feel a tension building. I quickly looked away, pretending to focus on something else. "Yeah... it is," I managed to say. "I'm glad you're having fun."

A few minutes passed before she softly added, "Yeah... I'm having fun whenever I'm with you."

Her words hit me like a wave. I felt my face heat up and my thoughts raced. I didn't know how to respond. Did she mean it like that? Or was it just a casual statement? I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but no words came out. I was completely caught off guard.

Mei must have noticed my reaction because she quickly turned away, awkwardly grabbing a drink. "I wonder where Yvonne and Ryan are right now," she muttered, trying to change the subject, probably embarrassed by her own admission.

I stayed silent for a moment, still processing what she'd said. It was so casual, yet it felt like something more. My mind was spinning, but I knew one thing for sure-this day was already turning out to be unforgettable.

We both sat there, quiet, my mind racing, still processing what Mei had said. "I'm having fun whenever I'm with you." It echoed in my head, and I struggled to find something to say. After what felt like an eternity, I finally forced the words out.

"Me too... I've had a lot of fun with you," I replied, my voice awkward but honest.

She gave me a small smile, her eyes warm, and tossed me a drink. As I caught it, I noticed her hand lingered for a second longer than usual. For a moment, there was this quiet understanding between us, the air thick with something unspoken but undeniable.

Before I could say anything else, Yvonne and Ryan came back, their faces immediately lighting up with suspicion. Ryan didn't waste any time.

"Whoa, what's going on here, Levi? You two look like you've seen a ghost." His tone was teasing, but there was that familiar glint in his eyes.

I quickly defended myself, "What the hell are you talking about? We just came down the slide and rested."

"Is that all?" Yvonne chimed in, her eyebrow raised in a way that only made me feel more self-conscious. Mei, thankfully, jumped in to back me up.

"Yeah, we just went down the slide and took a break here," she said, her tone casual but I could hear the slight nervousness beneath it.

Yvonne wasn't convinced. "Mmm, just resting, huh? That's all?" Her voice was dripping with playful suspicion.

I groaned, trying to laugh it off but failing miserably. "Come on, guys. Why are you so suspicious? It's not like I'm gonna do anything to her."

"No one said you would," Ryan shot back, laughing with his usual mischief. "But hey, you seem a little defensive there, Levi."

I rolled my eyes, faking a laugh. "Whatever, man."

Mei, still smiling, took a sip of her drink, but I could see a faint blush still lingering on her cheeks. As the conversation shifted back to lighter topics, I couldn't help but glance at her. She was doing the same, and for the first time, I felt like there was something more between us than just friendship, something deeper growing with each moment.

Later, we decided to head for the pool to cool off. Yvonne and Ryan raced ahead, leaving Mei and me walking side by side. The sun was beginning to set, casting a golden glow over the water. As we reached the edge of the pool, Mei turned to me, her voice soft.

"Thanks for today, Levi. I really needed this."

I looked at her, caught off guard by the sincerity in her tone. "Yeah, me too," I replied.

The tension from earlier was still there, but it felt... lighter now. Like maybe we were both starting to understand where this was going, even if neither of us was ready to say it out loud.

Ryan splashed us from the pool, interrupting the moment. "Hey, lovebirds! You gonna join us or keep having a romantic walk by the pool?"

I laughed, shaking my head, "You're impossible, man," and then jumped into the water, Mei right beside me.

As the day came to a close, and we were all drying off, I caught her looking at me again, her smile softer now, almost knowing. Maybe things would be different after today. Maybe this was just the beginning.

Before we left the resort, we all gathered at the beach to watch the sunset. The sky was painted in brilliant hues of orange, pink, and purple, a perfect ending to an already amazing day. Mei stood next to me, her eyes reflecting the vibrant colors of the sunset. I could feel my heart racing again, but I played it cool, enjoying the moment of calm.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, we all said our goodbyes. Yvonne and Ryan left together, still teasing me under their breath, but this time I didn't care. It had been too good of a day to let their jokes get to me.

Once again, I offered to walk Mei home, and unlike the last time, she didn't refuse. We walked in comfortable silence, just enjoying each other's company. As we approached her house, I realized how much closer we'd grown, even in these small moments. She smiled softly before heading inside, and I watched her disappear behind the door, feeling like my heart was on fire.

When I got home, I dropped my bag and immediately jumped onto my bed, bouncing up and down, unable to contain my excitement. I screamed, "Hell yeah! Best day ever!" I was so lost in my excitement, I didn't even hear my mom until she barged into my room, glaring at me.

"What's with all the screaming? Stop it, I'm trying to watch my show!" she scolded, clearly annoyed.

"Sorry, Mom," I mumbled, lowering my voice. But even as I settled down, I couldn't stop smiling, replaying every perfect moment from the day over and over in my head.

I grabbed my phone, and without thinking, sent a message to the group chat: "Thanks, guys. I had fun today." I didn't wait for their replies, setting my phone down, feeling content. As I closed my eyes, drifting off to sleep, the last thing on my mind was Mei's smile, and I couldn't help but feel that this summer was going to be unforgettable.

For the first time in a long while, I slept peacefully, with nothing but happiness swirling through my dreams.