2:00AM (h/s)

One

I tried not to fall asleep as I laid on the sand that was still warm from the heat of the sun during the day and listened to the sound of the waves lapping against the shore.

That was my favourite time of day, when nobody was around to tell me what to do or what to say. I was my own person, free to walk, skip, dance along the sand as I pleased.

Until that one night.

The sound of soft footsteps startled me and caused me to sit up quickly as I shook the sand out of my hair. I subtly looked around to try to identify where the footsteps were coming from and that's when I saw him with his long, brown, messy hair. In a word, he was beautiful.

He stopped briefly when he saw me, surprised to see someone else on the beach so early in the morning. "Hello there" He said with a naturally raspy voice.

I looked him up and down before responding. He had a creased white shirt on with dark blue shorts.

"Hi" I said quietly, for one reason or another unable to find the words to say anything else to him.

He stretched his hand out towards me as he sat down beside me. "The name's Harry"

I smiled politely whilst shaking his hand, secretly annoyed that he'd interrupted the peace and tranquility of my nightly routine. "I'm Joalinne"

His eyebrows raised as if he was deciding what his opinion of my name was going to be. "That's different" He replied finally. "So what do you like to do?"

I thought for a second before realising I don't actually do anything. "Um, not much actually" I paused to look at him but his face showed no emotion as he stared out to sea and towards the island. So I continued, "I'm pretty boring"

His face of stone broke as he smiled and chuckled, it was music to my ears. "So let's make you more interesting then" his voice sang to me.

My heart began to race.

"Umm...how?" My voice cracked as I spoke, despite my best efforts to avoid it.

Harry went quiet while he was thinking, though judging by the smirk that appeared on his face, he didn't need to do much of it.

"Let's go skinny dipping" He suggested, more as an announcement than as a suggestion.

I snorted with laughter. "Are you insane?"

"No" He said firmly as he stood up. "Come on Joanne, don't be so boring". He smirked again before pulling off his t-shirt in one smooth movement.

My mouth hung open for a second until I composed myself. "I'll have you know Harold, my name is Joalinne". I paused. "And I'm not going skinny dipping with you".

He pouted at me before pulling down his shorts and boxers then running and diving into the sea without a saying a word.

I gasped, covering my eyes for no apparent reason considering I'd already seen the unseeable.

I sat there for a while just watching Harry swim around, pondering what he'd said to me about being less boring as I fiddled with the bottom of my night dress. Before I knew it I was stood up, pulling off my nightdress and underwear before slowly (but boldly) striding into the sea to join Harry.

I had no idea what I was doing but at least I'd be less boring.

Harry was just standing waist deep in the water in the moonlight, staring up at the moon. My presence distracted him and he did a double take once he'd noticed that I was standing there naked beside him.

I slid my arm around his waist, my heart beating almost out of my chest.