Bad and Broken (H.S)

Chapter 4

Diving under the monstrous wave gave me a sense of peace despite the chaotic surge of water rushing over me like a washing machine. It pulled at my legs on the way through, but I managed to avoid being caught in its wrath.

When I came up for breath I was next to Harry who had a mischievous smile on his face.

"I've always loved the ocean." I declare, wading over to him, gliding through the deep, dark blue.

He nods, but he is still smirking at me, like he knows something I don't.

I dip under the water to smooth back my hair and ready myself to dive under another oncoming wave, and that is when I realise my bikini top was pulled down in the previous powerful wave, exposing my entire chest to the world.

Of course the jerk wouldn't even tell me. I swore under my breath and hastily corrected the swimsuit. Too ashamed to look Harry in the eye, I caught the next wave into shore, careful this time to check all the right body parts were covered.

+++++

All of us spent the sunny afternoon mucking around in the waves, then relaxed on the beach with a few beers and ciders that the boys - Liam and Harry - brought along in a cooler.

I don't usually drink, besides from at the occasional party, but one or two drinks couldn't hurt. Plus, I needed alcohol to lift my spirits and rinse away the day's completely shameful situations.

We stretched out under the setting sun, gazing at the array of pink and purple cotton balls streaked across the sky.

Liam seemed to have gotten over his bad mood and introduced Lei and I to Cara and Gigi, the two girls who looked like models. Unfortunately, they both had somewhere to be that night and couldn't stay. They seemed nice enough, but were extremely flirty, and they seemed to take a liking to Harry, not that I cared in the slightest.

He was attractive, no doubt about it, and if I looked like those girls and had their confidence I would be flirting with him as well.

Another of liam's friends who spent the afternoon with us was Zayn. He was relatively short for a grade 12 guy, and nowhere near as muscular as Harry, but he was one of the nicest guys I had ever met. He was always asking how I was doing when I saw him around school last year, and genuinely meaning it as well.

So the six of us; Me, Leila, Niall, Liam, Harry, and Zayn sat on the sand watching the waves roll in and the tide rise. Chatting about the holiday break, future plans and other meaningless topics.

It was Leila who first suggested the idea of a road trip, with the six of us. I enjoyed the idea but brushed it off, knowing it was meaningless and would never actually happen.

"Maybe in the next holiday break?" Niall said. Liam didn't look too happy, judging by the scowl on his face that had reappeared. The rest of the group jumped onboard with the idea, perhaps getting a little carried away with plans seeing as the next holidays were ten weeks away.

"Let's drive to Sydney! Or Melbourne! Melbourne is beautiful, we have got to go there. Or somewhere with beaches? Broome!" Leila shouted, rapidly firing ideas.

"We can't just drive from Melbourne to Broome Leila, calm down, they're so far apart." Niall replied, a slight smile on his face while he watched Leila intently.

"We can do whatever we want." Liam snapped sharply. We all turned towards him at the same time, wondering what had gotten into him today. "What?" He almost yelled, referring to us staring at him.

"Dude chill, turn that frown upside down." Harry smirked, trying to stir his friend up.

"Fuck off man." He growled, Harry's smirk just grew. Did he ever have any other facial expression? Maybe the wind changed when he was smirking one day, freezing his face like that forever.

"Well anyway, would we be camping or hiring a van for this trip?" I interrupted, uncomfortable with the tension in the air.

"I think we should take a big camper van that has beds and a kitchen and stuff, we can just live in there for two weeks." Zayn always sounded serious when he talked, with a echoing deep voice.

"Glamping!" Leila exclaimed.

"Glan-ping?" Niall questioned.

"No glamping - glamorous camping." She giggled.

"You made that up." Niall laughed.

"I did not! It's a word." Lei leaned into his shoulder as she laughed.

I noticed Liam out of the corner of my eye, he turned away from the exchange, watching the water.

The last light was almost disappearing from the sky, soon it would be time to head home. It was a school night after all, I almost forgot.

"Elli." Harry whispered to me as the others laughed at Leila's 'made up' word. I simply looked at him, waiting for him to continue. "Walk with me?" He smiled and I saw how straight his teeth were close up. So perfect, what is this guy? A robot?

I looked again up to his eyes, realising what staring at his mouth might hint at.

"I guess so." I shrugged, I few drinks had minimised the embarrassment I should have been feeling. Also, who knows if this would be the last chance I would have to redeem myself? He got up and I followed after him towards the waters edge. "I've got to be back home soon though." I added quickly.

"It's alright I can drive you if you want."

"No way! Not on that motorcycle!" I cringed, already picturing a crash in my mind.

"You're safe with me, I promise." He stopped walking and held me back by my hand so he could look into my eyes.

"I hardly know you, but thanks." I blurted out, and quickly averted my eyes to the sand. He sighed.

"Yeah... I suppose." He replied. I pulled his left arm towards me to check his wrist, his watch said the time was 8:00, Hardly late, but my mum would be expecting me back. I was mainly looking for a reason to escape this awkward situation before I started rambling.

"About that road trip, I hope that does happen." He said. Truthfully, I agreed. It would be fun, not only because I was with all my friends but I would also be with Harry, who has proved to be a pretty entertaining guy after our chats on the beach that afternoon.

"Me too... Those pretty girls before, will they be coming?" I asked shyly, unsure wether I should be asking incase my tone offended him.

"I'm not sure, if you want them too I suppose-"

"No!" I basically shouted, before having time to stop the flow of words. "Shit, I mean, um-" I truly had no control over the stream of words that fell out of my mouth. "About before, why didn't you tell me my top was down! That is seriously pervy!"

He frowned and took a step away from me.
"I should have told you, I kind of just... froze? You're more beautiful than you think." He smiled, in what I believed was a genuine way. slightly embarrassed, I stepped away from his intoxicating gaze and turned my back, leaving him standing there as I continued on along the waters edge, so he couldn't see my giddy grin.