Water and Earth (The Four Elements: Book 2) (ON HOLD)

Chapter Thirteen: Seaweed Chips

A few minutes later, Kai swam out of the kitchen holding a tray of seaweed chips. Wait, seaweed chips?!

"E, you really should stop being grossed out by these..." he muttered.

Kayla held in a giggle. Is he scared of seaweed chips? If he is, that is just plain funny!

Kayla, please just... shut up. I averted my eyes to the ground, with my cheeks blushing a slight shade of red. Kai really should have asked me first what we wanted to eat.

"How can you merfolk be able to sit on rocks with these tails? My butt already hurts just a few seconds in on them!" Amaya complained in pain as she sat down hard onto one of the chairs.

Brandon sighed. "This is just how they live and if you're also wondering about how the mermaids put on make-up, you have to ask a few of them on what they use because make-up on land will be immediately washed off by the water here. Anyway, why am I saying this when it is not important to the quest at all?"

The rest of us shook our heads at the conversation as Kai served each of us a bowl of seaweed chips.

"I never tried these before, but I know these are authentic so I have a good feeling that I'll like them," Chelsea smiled and tried a bite.

"How is it?" Kai asked.

She took her time savoring the taste before giving her opinion. "This is very good Kai, thank you! Do you have a recipe by any chance?"

"Unfortunately no. I'll only share the recipe with Allurai when we get married," he chuckled. "You can come back here anytime just to have them."

"That's great," Carter smiled in behalf of his girlfriend.

Kayla tried a bite of one of the chips. Elias, try it!

Not happening, Kay. I scooted a few inches away from the chips while staying close to Kayla, who seemed to be enjoying them no problem.

She raised an eyebrow and seeing my refusal, she hovered one chip in front of my mouth.

"Kayla, I'm not telling you again," I warned. I also blushed like a tomato because I feel everyone's eyes on me right now.

"Please?" she pleaded, inching the green stuff closer to the opening of my mouth.

I tried thinking of alternate excuses but I know it isn't possible because Kayla has some mind-reading abilities too so, it is better to just see how it tastes like. "Fine."

I didn't bother grabbing the chip from her with my hand but I did with my mouth since her face is very close to mine. As I chewed, saltiness overcame my taste buds and it was the great kind. In other words...

"I regret not trying this the first time but to be honest, it is very good!" I smiled.

"Yay, Elias!" Kayla beamed at my words and expression and stole a kiss off my lips.

Hey! I exclaimed in my head. What makes you think you can do that?

She was silent in her response and I sensed that she might have thought that she had done something wrong just by kissing me.

It's okay Kayla, come here. I dragged her over to sit on my lap and this time, I was the one who stole the kiss off her lips.

Carter, Chelsea, Brandon, Amaya, and Kai were looking at us like we were some crazy lovesick puppies.

"Should we leave them alone?" Kai offered.

"Yes, if they're going to be like this for the next few minutes." Carter nodded. Since when has Elias been very flirty to Kayla? Probably werewolf instincts maybe?

I swear Carter, that is the umpteenth time I heard anyone else, including me, say that phrase. I thought with annoyance as my response to my best friend's internal thoughts.

* * *

"Hey Elias?" a voice that I love so much called out softly as I slept. I opened my eyes to see Kayla lying across my body with her face close to mine.

"Hey," I whispered. "Did we fall asleep in the living room?"

"Yes, we did. I pretty much assume that everyone else retired to their rooms early because they were..." she trailed off and blushed.

"Heh, no need to blush. They were probably too grossed out by us cuddling each other while they were eating the chips," I chuckled. "What time is it?"

Kayla was wide-eyed in surprise. "How am I supposed to know it?"

"I'm just kidding with you. Any plant, person or animal affiliated with the water can tell the time without having to go outside of their hideout and looking up to the surface." I chuckled.

"Elias!" Kayla rolled over so that her back is laying down on my front. Then she crossed her arms.

"Come on Kayla, have some fun!" then I tickled her on the side.

"Haha Elias... please... haha... stop!" Kayla tried to jerk away from my fingers but I got her surrounded. Soon, we were up and swimming again in the cove, trying to chase and tickle each other while the others were asleep.

* * *

A/N: I pretty much decided that everyone should just have fun in this chapter so that is why I incorporated the fact that Elias is afraid of seaweed chips until he tried it lol xD Also, I wanted to stray away from the quest a bit because my inspo is so low :P Anywho, school has taken over my life already so probably expect the next chapter to come out 1-3 weeks from now :3