Tempest // n.h. HOLD

a

His blue eyes that once seemed to shine as bright as the sky now seemed like a dark night lake. If you looked into his eyes for too long then you'd start to feel as if you were swimming in the navy blue liquid.

He looked sad, some might even say depressed, but yet he still wore his lazy, half smile.

"When we're here let's pretend we don't know each other, let's pretend we are strangers who are just in love." He proposed.

"I know we only met but let's pretend it's love." I softly sang his song.

He chuckled. "Yes. Let's just pretend the world doesn't exist. Let's just pretend it's us and this beach."

"But what happens when you have to leave?" I fiddled with the sand to keep the tears in my eyes.

"Then I leave and when I come back we meet right here at this exact same time." He picked up my hand and intertwined his fingers with my own.

"Promise?"

"I pinkie promise." He said, wrapping his pinkie around my own.

"Okay." I whispered, foolishly believing him.

"Tempest, I lo-" But I didn't want to hear the rest. I ran off into the water and fell backwards, letting the waves engulf me in chilling hugs.

I held my breath and kept my eyes closed as I let my mind wander. The feeling of sadness that I've suppressed arose in my chest and filled my whole body, leaving my insides cold. The feeling of being ignored caressed me as the feeling of loneliness cloaked me like a soft cashmere blanket.

My lungs were starting to burn a bit and I started to feel lightheaded, but just as the pain started two strong arms pulled me up out of the water and held me.

Air flew into my body, making me feel refreshed and renewed.

I coughed a bit as Niall pulled back. "Why do you do that? Why do you try to drown?"

"Because it's makes me feel alive to know that once my lungs start to burn and my head feels light that at any minute I could die. It makes me feel alive knowing that I'm so close to death yet so close to life." I explained with my limp arms still wrapped around him.

"Why didn't you let me finish?" His voice cracking at the end which made the lump in my throat recur.

"Because I don't want you to say that you love me when you'll leave. When you say you love someone then they get attached and when they get attached they get hurt. When we're on this beach, when we have no past I am not attached to you. Don't say you love me unless you'll stay." I said, barely above a whisper.

My head rested on his chest causing me to feel him breath in and out in a rhythmic fashion. I could hear his heart slowly thump and his breath become uneven as he processed what I had said. "Temp, you know I never want to leave you, I just-"

"Have to. I know, I know. I just wish that you'd stay for more then a month or two."

"I'm working on it."

We walked out of the cold water, shivering, clinging to each other. Quickly we wrapped a blanket around our bodies and sat side by side.

Moments passed by with no one saying a word. I made a pact with myself to not think unless I was under the water so I just sat there, looking at Niall with tears slipping down my cheeks.

He whipped them away and smiled which turned into a frown. "Don't waste your precious tears on me."

"It's not really my choice." I said, taking in every feature he possessed.

I looked over his freckles that I've mapped in my mind. I looked at his chapped, quivering lips and remembered how soft they felt against my skin. I looked at his eyes and remembered staring at them for longer then is socially acceptable the first time I met him. I looked at his rose-tinted cheeks that I love to kiss every night. I looked at his messy use-to-be quiff. I looked at his arms, felt his embrace and tried to capture the moment and preserve it in my mind for when he left. I looked at him and just fell in love again.

"When do you have to leave?"

"Shh. I'm trying to preserve you in my mind. Don't talk." He said, kissing my forehead.

"I love you, Niall."

"I lo-"

"Don't say." I mumbled as I re-laced his fingers with mine.

"Why can you say it?" He asked, confused.

"Because I won't leave." I fiddled with his fingers to keep from crying again.

I gave up and threw myself on him. I cried and I hugged him, but I didn't think of anything else besides the fact that he will be leaving soon. I didn't think of anything else besides the fact that I will have to pull myself up out of the water. I didn't think of anything else besides how mesmerizing he smelled. I didn't think of anything else besides him.

"I'm sorry," He sighed, rubbing circles on my back. "I'm sorry for putting you through this, I'm sorry for falling in love with you, I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. I know I'm not," I whispered against his lips before kissing him. I held my lips there for awhile as he held me, holding my hand as we laid on the cold sand. "I wouldn't change a thing."

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OMG I LOVE THIS. -A x