Fall

Chapter 26

I watched Harry from where I was sat on the blanket. Legs crossed, leaning back on my hands stretched out behind me. My eyes trailed up and down his back profile.

I could see his back sucked moving under his shirt, his biceps straining as he threw the pebbles across the water.

He turned back to me cheering with his arms in the air when he managed to skid one furthest across the surface, jumping 4 or 5 times before disappearing into the water. I smiled, laughing at his child-like nature.

His smile was crooked when he stopped cheering and he took a few steps towards me, gesturing his hand to the water welcomingly.

"C'mon, I'll teach you," he insisted.

I pushed myself up and walked over to where he was already bending down to pick up a pebble. The one he brought up was smooth, flat and round.

"Okay, so what you got to do is," he started, taking his stance behind me, placing the pebble in my hand. "Hold it like this."

He used his hands to position the pebble between my fingers so that the flat side was fading up. I watched how his fingers worked, how the veins in his hands moved when his hand moved. It was so fascinating.

Just seeing our hands together made me realize how much different we were in terms of size. He was so tall and lanky and I was short and dainty. His hands were big and rough and mine were small and soft.

He could cup my whole hand in his if he tried.

"Alright, now," he started again, positioning my feet and my hand. "Make sure when you throw it, you keep the flat side up and you don't want to chuck it. Throw it low and flat so that it skims across the surface. Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, you try," he said, taking a step back.

"This is going to be so bad," I laughed.

"Do you want me to help you?"

"Yes please."

He stepped forward and placed his hand back on mine, bringing his chest flush to my back. I felt my hot cheeks demanding to be felt but I tried my best to ignore the burning sensation.

Slowly, he brought my hand backwards, before throwing it forwards forcefully, the pebble slipping from my fingers. I watched as it bounced 3 times across the waters surface, small ripples emitting from each hop.

"Good job," he smiled pleasingly, stepping back again.

"I'm a natural, aye?" I joked and we both couldn't help but laugh.

"Definitely better than me. You'll have to teach me your ways."

I punched him in the arm lightly, but he just continued to smile at me, finding myself becoming distracted by his darn dimple.

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"Do you want to go for a swim?" Harry suggested, gesturing at the lake behind him.

My eyebrows pulled together and I peered around him at the icy water. The wind had picked up and bit but the sun was now sat in the centre of the sky, burning down on us.

"Uh, I didn't bring any swimmers." His face fell a bit. "I didn't think we'd be swimming."

"Oh, that's alright. Maybe another time..."

His mouth twisted a bit as his tongue played with the inside of his mouth. He shoved his hands into his pockets, reaching one of them up to run through his hair.

I noticed that was a sign of frustration.

I felt bad for not being able to get in and swim with him. It would've been fun.

"We can still swim." The words tumbled out before I could stop them and I soon found myself scrambling to my feet and carrying myself towards him.

His eyebrow raised in confusion, obviously oblivious to this new side of me. I would never usually suggest anything like this. But there was something about Harry. Something that made me trust him enough.

I smirked as I brushed past him, starting towards the water. My hands were shaky as I pulled my jacket off my shoulders and dropped it beside me. I looked back at Harry whose eyes had widened and was watching me closely. I suddenly felt much more nervous than before now with his eyes watching me carefully. I tried my best to stop my hands from shaking too much and to ignore the churning of my stomach.

I brought my nervous hands to the hem of my shirt and slowly started to lift it up my body. I would never usually do anything like this. I was always so self-conscious of my body. But right now, I felt like I needed to get in that water with Harry and this was the only way.

I felt Harrys eyes on me as I pulled my shirt off my head, leaving me in my plain black bra. I was actually doing this. I turned my head over my shoulder and saw that Harry's eyes had grown, scanning over every part of my bare back.

"Are you going to join me?" I smiled innocently.

And soon enough he was pulling his shirt over his head and fumbling with his belt buckle just as I was wriggling out of my jeans. When he was left in nothing but his black boxers and I was left standing in my matching black underwear, toes wriggling into the grass, I smiled back at him.

"Race you in."

I started running for the lake, hearing Harry close behind me. I couldn't help but laugh as he had already caught up and was running past me. I stopped just in time to not go over the edge but watched as Harry was already jumping off and into the icy water. I laughed loudly as he surfaced, mouth open in shock and darkened hair dripping down his face.

"Oh my god that's cold!" He exclaimed, trying to be serious but we were both already laughing too hard.

I was too distracted by my own laughing that I hadn't noticed Harry had died down his laughing and was watching me. His eyes trailed down my torso and down my legs. I was used to Jye seeing every part of me, but it was different with Harry. I felt nervous standing in front of him like this.

But I had to remember it had been my crazy idea after all and it should feel the same as wearing a bikini.

"Get in here!" He demanded, smiling like an idiot.

I bit my lip and shook my head, stepping away from the edge.

"You little-" he started, but was too busy rushing towards the edge of the stream to finish.

I squealed as he pulled himself out and didn't hesitate in turning around and running away. I should've known he was too fast for me and would catch me in an instant.

I felt his wet arms wrapping around my stomach, causing me to squeal again at the icy water that splashed onto my skin. He was too strong for me to get away and he had a tight grip around me. I felt his hard stomach pressing against my back as he lifted me off the ground, my feet kicking as I yelled out playfully.

"It's so cold!" I shouted.

I threw my head back onto his shoulder and laughed as he carried me back towards the lake. I could feel the water in his hair dripping down onto my neck and face. My skin felt icy from the water and the cold wind blowing by made it worse.

"Please Harry! I'm sorry, I don't want to go in!"

"Hey, this was your idea. You asked for it," he smiled.

With my head rested back on his shoulder, I turned my head and looked up at his face pleadingly. His eyes were diverted to my chest where my bra was exposing the top of my breasts, but he quickly pulled them away. I felt my cheeks flush and finally I felt him lower me onto the ground keeping his arms around me.

"Please no, it's freezing!" I pleaded.

He just laughed and with both of his arms clung tightly around my waist, he jumped forward over the edge.

"Harry!" was all I managed to get out before my body was engulfed in the numbing water.