Second Time's A Charm

Eighteen ♡ | "I Never Wanted It To End"

The Date, Part Two:

We walked hand in hand along the shore of the beach as the sun finished setting.

There was hardly anyone here and the few that were, were on the complete opposite side of us.

The cool ocean breeze grazed my skin with each moving step and I felt at peace without a worry in the world, like this was where I was meant to be.

"Today was amazing!" I said as I looked at Carter beside me.

"It was."

"Want to sit?" I asked.

"Sure."

We both sat down side by side in the sand facing the ocean.

"Do you remember the first time we met?" He asked.

I laughed at the thought. "Of course I do!"

It was the first day of sophomore year during Leadership. It was a particularly windy day and our group was outside making posters for the back to school dance.

One of them started flying away and no one wanted to help Carter chase after it so I did. We desperately were trying to catch it for a good five minutes until we finally got it.

"What a way to meet! Remember when you tripped trying to catch it?"

"Yeah, but remember when you fell?" I laughed.

"Touché."

"Can you believe we're going off to college soon!?" I asked. "It's so surreal!"

"I really can't believe it, and we'll be going to the same college!" He exclaimed.

Carter's top choice, along with mine was UCLA and he'd applied there too.

"That's if I get in..."

"Have you met you?" He asked incredulously. "Of course you'll get in, we'll both get in. We just need to think positively."

"You're right."

"Like always."

"Let's not push it." I said, lightly shoving him.

"Ouch!" He sarcastically whined.

"I don't know about you but I think it's time to go for a swim, don't you agree?" I asked, as I got up from where I was seated in the sand.

"I definitely agree!" He said. "Race you in?"

I quickly removed my top and shorts to only be left in my bathing suit while Carter removed his shirt as well.

"On the count of three!" I declared.

"One!"

"Two!"

Before I counted to three I sprinted off toward the water leaving Carter behind.

"Cheater!" He called out as he ran to catch up to me.

"But I won!" I smirked.

I started swimming out further from the shore when I felt a force start to push me down into the water. I took a quick breath before I was completely surrounded by the ocean.

I came up for air to see Carter shrug his shoulders and swim further away from me.

At this point it was pretty dark so the only light we had were the rides and shops from the boardwalk reflecting onto the ocean, but it was enough.

I swam closer to him and started splashing as soon as I was in reaching distance.

He spoke in between being hit in the face with water.

Splash. "Okay!" Splash. "Truce!"

I laughed, giving one last splash before stopping.

He joined the laughter.

We both stopped and he looked at me.

I chuckled under my breath and was about to ask why he was looking at me like that before he spoke.

"Come here." He said.

"I'm already here!" I giggled, gesturing with my hands of how close of proximity we were to each other. If I reached my arm out I could touch him.

"Closer." He said with a smile.

I moved in a little and he wrapped his arms around my waist under the water, bringing me closer.

He moved his hands up to either side of my face and pulled me in for a lingering kiss.

I reciprocated, wrapping my arms around his neck.

Time seemed to stop as we stayed afloat, being illuminated by the array of lights.

And I never wanted it to end.