Cry Me A River

Chapter Twenty Eight - The Beach

{Dakota}

Five Months Later (Day of Graduation)

Soft waves lapped against the shore, the bright sun dancing on the water.

"So, how are you doing?" May wondered, sticking a bookmark in her book and closing it. I shrugged in response. "Okay, well why aren't you swimming? You love the beach." I sighed.

"I feel weird. None of you guys have seen my scars from the incident," I told her honestly. "Not even Landon." 'The 'incident' is what we've been referring to the shooting as ever since it happened.

"C'mon. I bet it makes you look badass," she pushed. I shook my head and she sighed, defeated. "I'm going to swim." She pulled off her tank top, exposing a simple blue bikini top, and headed down to the water, joining everyone except Elle. She moved away a week after the incident and only I had heard from her recently, and was explicitly instructed not to tell anyone, especially Pierce, except Landon.

"Hey, you comin'?" Landon asked, jogging up to me, the water glistening over his bare chest. Damn, my boyfriend is hot. I shook my head. He dropped onto his stomach next to me, looking up and searching my face. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I just don't feel like swimming," I lied, giving him a tight smile. He sighed, propping himself up on his elbows.

"I know something's up, Kota. You've been acting weird and really distant ever since the incident, and if it's me... if you're angry, I understand," he told me. I shook my head.

"It's not you, Landon, but why haven't you said anything? If you thought something was wrong?"

"Because I don't want to push you away."

"Lan-"

"No, just hear me out. You've been with me through unimaginable things. I mean you were shot and you're still with me. I just worry that you're going to rethink everything, and realize I'm not what you want. And as for your scar..." he explained.

"How'd you...?" I trailed off. I haven't told him anything, and I didn't see May say anything to him.

"I can read you like an open book, Dakota Miller. It's all in the way you act. You usually don't care around me, but lately... you've been less inclined to do anything that may result in losing items of clothing... and as a guy, I tend to notice those things," he explained. I cracked a smile and rolled my eyes. He pulled up the side of my shirt, exposing the bullet wound with a short scar running across it.

"Landon," I warned. He ignored me.

"You're beautiful, scar or no scar," he said, placing a kiss on it. Then he began moving up, saying something in between each kiss. "You have an amazing sense of humor." He kissed above my belly button. "You've put up with me for months." He kissed the top of my chest, pulling my shirt over my head as he lowered me onto my back on the beach towel. I wrapped my arms around his torso as he kissed my neck and then the edge of my jaw, pulling back to look at me. "Did I mention you're beautiful?" I smiled, which caused him to smile. "And you have a gorgeous smile."

"Shut up and kiss me," I ordered, resting a hand on the back of his neck, tangling my fingers in his hair. He chuckled against my lips and pulled away. "What?" His laughter died down and he searched my eyes. I looked right back into his blue ones.

"You're just amazing. And I really like you, Miller," he answered. I laughed.

"I really like you too, Hudson."

"Good, now let's go swimming," he replied. Getting off of me and helping me up. He grabbed my hand, lacing our fingers together as we headed down the beach to the water.

**************

"Ahh!" May and Grace screamed as Dillon and Pierce splashed them. Andi had moved toward Landon and I to escape the water fight.

"See? No one said or noticed anything," Landon whispered in my ear, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my shoulders, his deep voice sending a shiver down my spine. I rested my hands on his forearms and leaned back into him, the icy water gently washing against our legs.

"Say anything about what? Dakota's scar?" Pierce questioned, coming up next to us. Landon pulled an arm away from my grasp, punching Pierce, hard, in the arm. "Ow! Sorry. Damn. Protective much?"

"Very," Landon replied, moving to stand next to me with an arm draped over my shoulders.

"My hero," I joked. He grinned and I kissed his cheek as I wrapped my arms around his waist.

"Have either of you heard from Elle?" Pierce wondered, glancing over to May, Grace, Dillon, and Andi, who had joined them a second ago. The four of them were pretty much attacking each other. Landon looked to me and I gave him a subtle shake of my head. He sighed. I feel bad for keeping Pierce in the dark about Elle, but it isn't our choice, and I know it's affecting Landon as well. He doesn't like lying to Pierce.

"No man. Sorry," Landon lied, pulling his arm off my shoulder and crossing his arms.

"I mean she just left," Pierce mumbled. "I can't believe she never said anything." Elle told her parents about the pregnancy last week, and after the two of them had a very long talk, they basically handed her a wad of cash and kicked her out of the house. I offered her a room with me for awhile, until she figured things out, but she turned it down. She's headed to New York, which is where Michael, Landon's older brother lives. He called him when we learned where she was going and asked him to keep an eye on her when he gets home. He's still in town, and thankfully she told me she'd keep in touch. She had enough credits to graduate early, fourtunately, and she told me she talked to Pierce about the pregnancy, but I don't know what he said. 

"I'm sorry, Pierce," I apologized, for more than he knows.

"It's fine, just frustrating," he replied.

"We should probably go, guys. We graduate in a few hours," May said, the four of them wading their way over to us.

"Yeah, and I promised my boss I'd stop by work real quick and help him out," Landon told me. I nodded and he grabbed my hand as we all headed back up to the beach towels we'd spread out earlier. I pulled on my tank top and wrapped a dry towel around my waist while Landon helped Pierce clean up the rest of the towels.

"I'll see you later," I said, giving Landon a quick peck on the cheek and grabbing my bag.

"Hey, hey. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't walk you to your car?" he asked. I chuckled and he followed me out into the parking lot.

We reached my car and I unlocked it, throwing my stuff into the passenger seat and facing my boyfriend.

"Don't get too caught up at work. You still have to show up to graduation, you know," I reminded him. He nodded.

"I know, I know. I'll be there. I have a feeling it's going to be a good night," he responded. His blue eyes sparkled with mischief and I grinned.

"I'll see you tonight," I told him, resting my hands on his chest as I went up to kiss him. He kissed me back, placing his hands on my waist, gently shoving me against the back door of my car. I ran my hands through his hair and rested my arms around his neck. He slipped a hand under my tank top, his rough hands making my skin burn like fire.

"We should stop now, or I'm pretty sure we won't," he said breathlessly, pulling back. I nodded, giving him one more long, sweet kiss before getting in my car and heading home to shower and change.