Elysium(second book in Ambrosia)

A Different Mind

"You're not allowed to be here," he said, sitting next to me.

"I'm not?" I replied, looking at him. My feet dangled over the edge of the jetty, brushing the water.

"No, but now that I'm here I'm sure its fine," he shrugged.

I laughed and shook my head. "One of these days you'll get me in trouble."

"I most definitely will," he chuckled.

I smiled at him, then realized we were leaning closer to each other. I cleared my throat, blushing.

He watched me, then started unlacing his shoes.

"What are you doing?" I asked, looking up at him.

"What does it look like? I'm gonna swim," he replied, peeling his shirt off.

"You have swimming trunks on?" I questioned, looking up at him with a puzzled expression.

He laughed and shook his head. "No."

"Then what are yo-hey!" I protested, turning my eyes away as he unzipped his jeans, pulling his jeans off. He had trouble getting one leg off and hopped on one foot.

"Watch out dummy! You're gonna fall!" I said as he cursed, still struggling with his jean.

"Oh? And how would you know that? Are you looking?" He smirked.

I blushed a deeper red. "No!"

"You were!" he laughed.

"I may seen a small bit," I admitted, blushing.

He laughed, tossling my hair.

"And?" he laughed.

"All I can say is that I never took you for the kind of guy to wear red boxers," I said, barely suppressing my laughter.

"There's a lot you don't know Princess," he smirked.

I opened my mouth to reply when I heard a splash and ripples tickled my ankles.

"Such a hothead," I muttered, waiting for him to surface.

I waited a minute. Then two. Then three. But he didnt surface.

I panicked and my eyes darted over the lakes surface.

"Percy?! Percy where are you?" I yelled, preparing to stand up.

Something suddenly grabbed my ankles and I screamed.

"Gotcha!" Percy laughed, swimming out from under the jetty.

"You jerk," I muttered, pulling my feet out the water.

"Aww don't be like that Princess," He laughed,"Come swim with me!"

I stopped, looking at him.

"I don't have a swim suit and I'm not swimming naked."

"It's not naked. It's in your underwear," He shrugged.

I considered what he'd said, then narrowed my eyes at him.

"Fine but you have to turn around," I said, grabbing the bottom of my shirt.

He rolled his eyes but turned around and I quickly pulled my shirt.

I unzipped my jeans and pulled them down until I stood in nothing but my underwear.

"I'm coming in," I said quietly, sliding my one leg off the jetty. The other one soon followed and my feet planted on the ground. It wasn't as deep as I'd originally thought, only reaching up to my chest.

"See? Not so bad, now is it?" he asked, already smirking at me.

"It's cold!" I protested.

He sighed looking up as he if he were saying, What are we going to do with this girl?

"There is no making you happy is there?" he asked.

I laughed, shaking my head.

He moved closer suddenly and I felt my breath catch in my throat as he stared into my eyes.

"We'll have to change that," he whispered, putting a hand on either cheek. He pulled me closer slowly, until our lips meet. My eyes widened in shock as he suddenly kissed me, but soon enough my arms were clasped at the back of his neck and I leaned into the kiss.

I closed my eyes, enjoying the feel of his warm lips against mine.

He pulled away after a minute and I smiled. He tucked a piece of hair behind my ear and stared into my eyes.

"Did that change anything?" He asked, as if he were out of breath.

"Yes," I breathed, leaning in as he kissed me again, his blue almost black eyes shining warmly.

"What're you doing? You've been staring at that thing for an hour," Lowell said, sitting next to me.

"I have?" I asked looking up.

"Well not an hour, but forever," he shrugged.

"Forever Lowell?" That's the best you got?" I said raising my brow.

He smiled and shook his head as I laughed.

My laughter died down as I looked back at the necklace, the stone onyx.

Lowell watched me. "You miss him don't you?"

I closed my eyes sighing. "Is that so wrong?" I asked opening my eyes and looking at Lowell. His reassuring smile met my eyes and he shook his head.

I leaned closer to him and he hugged me, my head buried in his chest. "You loved him Amb. And that's never going to change. No matter what you do."

"Did you ever love someone before you met me?" I asked suddenly, looking up him.

He smiled and shook his head, his blue eyes shining. "No Amb. I don't think I did. And I don't think I'll ever love someone as much as I love you."

He kissed my forehead and I felt hope reassuringly fill my chest as I snuggled closer to him, the necklace long forgotten.