Breathless

Chapter 5

3 weeks later

"I don't care about you! You're so self centered and disgusting!" I scream at him, and clench my fists angrily.

It's only been 3 weeks, and Landon and I are already fighting. We are fighting about Crystal. Landon made her and her boyfriend break up, somehow. Then he instantly came crawling to her, and he actually had the nerve to ask her out.

This is getting ridiculous. Crystal and I have just recently become friends and she is the only one I can really trust here in Hawaii. I get that she likes Landon and all, but her boyfriend meant so much to her. They got into a fight and she called it off. Almost instantly, Landon comes crawling over to her, asking her out on a date. This made me absolutely furious at him. He just wants her for his own benefit.

"I'm not self centered and disgusting!" Landon snarls, clenching his fists. He takes a step towards me, and I stand my ground. He continues, "You're just jealous!"

I squint my eyes at him. Jealous? "Why would you think that I'm jealous?"

He smirks at me, and replies with a forced laugh, "Your jealous because Crystal is prettier than you!"

I don't say anything. It is true... Crystal is prettier than me. But why would I be jealous about that? I'm not. He is just making it sound like I am. I do feel a little intimidated around her, but not a single trace of jealousy. Everyone knows I'm not pretty.

We glare at each other in silence, our faces inches apart. Landon's face is pink and growing into red. I'm pretty sure my face is pale, because I feel sick. I'm sick of us fighting over everything.

Landon's breaths seemed to be growing heavier, and he shifts his position, which makes him even closer to me. I could feel his breaths on my face.

I suddenly grow really nervous, and I play with the end of my frayed jacket sleeve. I can feel my heart pounding in my chest. His glare softens, and he examines my face. He lifts his hand up, and I flinch. Was he about to touch my face? He quickly brings it down and his glare returns, harder than ever. What made him so mad, all of the sudden?

"You know what? I hate you." Landon whispers to me, and I shudder. He backs away from me, and continues to talk, "You are the disgusting one. Your so fat, your breath smells like fish all the time," he doesn't seem to notice me flinching at his insults close to tears, because he is in so much rage, "You have the worst acne I have ever seen, and your nose is huge. You're just so.. ugly." Landon scrunches his face at me, as if I were a cockroach in his food.

I can't take it anymore. It seems like his hobby is insulting me until I feel like crap. It always has been that way, ever since he became popular. When I was the popular one, we were still best friends. I made sure that no one ever hurt him in any way, and we always had our own table. That was the reason why my boyfriend decided to destroy my reputation of being popular. He thought that Landon and I were growing too friendly. Maybe he was right. I'm glad he did something about it because I can't ever see myself with Landon. He's too cruel. Especially now.

I feel tears spill down my face. They won't stop. I feel terrible inside. I've always been insecure. Landon always knew what I was most insecure about, and when we were best friends he would compliment them.

I feel really self conscious all the time. And he knows this.

My arms are wrapped around my body, and the tears keep spilling out. I don't dare look up. Landon is probably really proud of himself for making me cry.

I manage to sputter, "I.. I just want you to be careful around Crystal. Sh-she's really sensitive. I don't feel like you're right for h-her." I wipe my eyes, and take a deep breath. More tears spill out, and I take this moment to run.

I run out of the hotel room, into the lobby, and out to the exit. I need my space. I'm sick of everything happening. I'm sick of being vulnerable. What led to him calling me ugly? We haven't been fighting this bad for the entire 3 weeks, and suddenly this now happens, as quick as ever. Landon knows how absolutely insecure I am. I always have been, and when people finally started giving me attention at school, I finally became happy. I know I'm not the skinniest person, and I know my face isn't perfect. Landon didn't have to point that out. I was perfectly fine keeping those thoughts locked up inside myself.

Of course, when I finally make a friend here, Landon just has to go and ruin it. I have a feeling he made Crystal and her boyfriend fight on purpose. Whenever he likes someone or something, he always has to go and get it.

I run into the beach, and I feel the familiar feeling of sand hit my feet. I started to appreciate this feeling after we finally went snorkeling. That was the best thing that happened so far these 3 weeks. Besides becoming close friends with Crystal. I thought she would stay away from Landon, considering how much I told her about him.

I slow down into a walk and see the beautiful, clear blue water. I watch it crash onto the shore, and people surfing along the waves, others making sand castles or playing in the water.

I stand there in silence, watching the water. I put my hands in my jacket front pocket, and I feel my hair whip around my face because of the wind. My loose clothes sway around me, and I taste the saltiness on my lips.

A few weeks ago, I remember telling Landon, "I'm going to prove to you that not all girls like annoying, stupid idiots such as yourself. It will be my goal here in Hawaii."

Did I fulfill my goal? I don't like Landon. I don't hate him, like he does me, but I don't think I really fulfilled it. It's not the end of our trip, though. Not by far. We still have 3 months.

I close my eyes and enjoy the wind.

"I'm sorry." I hear Landon's voice whisper next to my ear, and it makes me jump. I open my eyes, and see him standing next to me.

He clears his throat, and I see his eyes red and swollen like he was crying. Crying? No. Landon never cries.

"I'm a jerk. I didn't.." He looks down, his hands also in his pockets. He clears his throat again, and continues, "I didn't... mean anything I said." He looks up at me, and it looks like there was hope in his eyes. Like he really wanted me to forgive him.

I continue staring at the water.

"What happened to us, Paige? Why do we keep on fighting?" Landon whispers, and I could feel his gaze.

I take a deep breath. "You. That's what happened to us. You wanted to be part of the popular crowd, because I finally got kicked out of it. Then, because of how popular you wanted to be, you decided to make my life hell. That's why my parents wanted us to go on this trip. They wanted us to mend our friendship."

Landon doesn't say anything, but I could literally feel him examining my face.

He says with confidence filling his words, "I won't go out with Crystal if it makes you unhappy."

I look at him, and sure enough, he's staring at me. I say, "You know what? Just do whatever you feel is right."

With that being said, he pulls me into a hug.

____________________________________

I will post who is playing Landon in the next chapter.

I also have a question for you. Who do you think should play Crystal's role? Leave a comment of an actress you would find suitable. And allssoo if you forgot; Crystal is their instructor for their entire time in Hawaii. She showed up in the previous chapter and she is going to be one of the main characters. I'll be introducing even more characters in the upcoming chapters, so stay tuned.

~Ellie