Opal Waters | ✔

Chapter 15

"Well, don't do it," He mumbled. The moonlight cascading over his face, showing every small detail so perfectly. I shook my head, turning to look at him. I was confused to what he was referencing. Me leaving? He just told me how he didn't miss anything about his own commune but I shouldn't leave mine.

"Why?" I question. Hopefully he would be able to give me an actual answer, and if it meant something I would stay. All he needed to do was tell me he needed me here and I would stay. But I wasn't needed by anyone but myself and that feeling ate me up inside.

"It's not worth it," He mumbled heading up the sand. He was walking towards the parking lot and that drove me crazy.

"Where are you going?" I quickened my pace to keep up with him. Something about this boy drove me crazy, I wanted to follow him. I wanted to be with him, and I wanted him to need me.

"To get ice cream, what do you think I'm doing?" He chuckles shaking his head to ruffle up his hair. I tug at my own, it cascading over my chest and shoulders in waves of white knots. It didn't bother me though.

"Ice cream?" I question, mostly to myself. It's been so long since I had last had it. My heart sank in my chest as I realized I'd avoided it all these years. My father had taken me out to get it before he turned abusive. It was an apology for missing one of my softball games. I'd never play a sport again after that. "I don't remember much about ice cream," I added to the confusion.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Damien questions, looking at me like I was an alien on this planet. I felt like an alien on this plant.

"Nothing," I mumbled. Tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. I followed him the rest of the way to the parking lot. He walks towards a black car, parked perfectly in a spot. He quickly jumps under it, fiddling around with a few things before hopping back up.

"How about we walk?" He mutters. I cock my head to look at him. What did he mean? Was this not his car?

Before I could even answer he was strolling down the sidewalk, his hands in his pockets. Whistling a soft tune, he carefully landed each step in between the cracks. I shook my head realizing I was yet again chasing after him as we head further away from the commune. I wondered if they would notice we were gone. Curfew was an hour ago. I figured if we were already late then there was no reason to worry about it.

The walk was quiet. People were bustling to their next locations, the girl was drunk, walking with their shoes in their hands, their hair curled on top of their head in beautiful falling masterpieces. I shook my head realizing I'd never tried that hard to look good in my life, it was always my friends that would push me to look better, to wear eyelashes, curl my hair, wear revealing clothes.

"Stop staring," Damien whispers after we walk past the second set of girls dressed to the nines. I let out a gasp turning to smack him in the chest.

"What are you talking about?" He rolled his eyes chuckling slightly.

"I've seen you look at every one of the girls, are you interested in them?" He teased.

I didn't want to answer. I had no clue how to argue with him. He made me feel things that I had never realized before and this drove me crazy. I shook my head, looking down at the sidewalk as we continue to walk. Hopefully, we would be at the ice cream place soon.

That we were. Damien opened the doors for me and as soon as we entered the building I wrapped my arms around myself, the cold air leaving goosebumps trailing along my skin.

Damien leads me up to the counter and quickly orders to ice cream cones. I cock my head to look at him. Craning my neck since he was a few inches taller than me.

"Sorry, I figured since you were insane and hadn't had ice cream in forever I would just order for you," He shrugged his shoulders waiting patiently for the girl to hand us the ice cream. I mumbled thanks turning to take a seat at one of the closest booths.

Once the cones were safely in our palms to be devoured we were on our way walking back down the sidewalk. Talking about nothing, but the simple love of the ocean. I'd bother him with a few questions of his family, in which he would try to ask me the same. We seemed to fall into this perfect little world of not talking about anything important, but still feeling so engaged in the conversation we never wanted to leave.

His dorm room wasn't too far from mine, and he left me standing like a dummy at my doorstep. Leaning for a kiss that would never come. I mentally cursed myself for being such an idiot, allowing myself to fall for someone who didn't truly like me back. My fingers brushed over my lips, was I really that bad of a kisser that he didn't want to kiss me again?

He whispered goodbye before wandering through the hallway, heading to wherever he needed to be. I unlocked the door, gathered my thoughts and collapsed on the bed.

My mind wandering over everything and anything it could get its beady grasp on. My heart racing in my chest as I realized tomorrow I would have to face Asada. To tell her I lost my necklace and spent too much time looking for it.

But as the ice cream settles at the bottom of my stomach I roll over, glance at my phone, and allow myself to fall asleep.