This Girl

Chapter 49: Like a Hurricane

I'm so startled I drop my towel and the locket. It lands on the ground with a bang. The sound brings me back to life. 

What the actual nugget farts?

What is happening?

How is this happening?

This cannot be happening!

My heart keeps pounding against my chest and I turn to look behind me, as though he might be there. He's not. He's carrying on as he usually would down at the creek. As though everything's normal.  As though everything is fine. Everything is not fine. 

I bend down, picking up the towel and locket. I stare at it. Is there a chance that he didn't know what the locket contained? He can't have. Right? 

I turn the locket over. There's a picture of us engraved on the pack. Not in colour, just etchings of our faces, smiling brightly together. I stare at the picture, tracing my fingers over his face. I thought this locket was expensive, I just didn't know how expensive. 

I start walking towards the creek again, clipping the locket back onto my neck and shutting it. I walk back down to the place in a daze.

Does he love me?

No. Damn. Way.

Damn, I have so many questions. 

I emerge into the clearing and see him sitting in the sand, playing with the sand and some sticks like a four-year-old. He looks up.

"Naw, C'mon," he whines. "I liked you better in a bikini."

Usually, I would shove him.. but not now. I nod awkwardly and sit down on the grass. I start twiddling with my locket, but then remember what it contains. I awkwardly put my hands down at my sides, playing with the sand. 

"Well," he says, looking suspicious. "Let's eat."

I nod and he pulls out two sandwiches, two Fanta's and two cupcakes Felecia and Mum made. 

"Alex-" I start. 

"Eat some!" he says shoving a sandwich straight into my mouth. I laugh, which makes me want to cry at the same time. We eat out meals in silence until Alex finishes, wrapping his arms around his legs and looking up at the sky. 

"It's so beautiful," he whispers. 

"Yeah," I say quietly. 

"Just like you," he says. Almost too casually. Without looking at me. I look down at the ground and play with the sand. God, I'm hysterical. He looks back to me, placing a hand underneath my chin gently. "Is there anything wrong?"

"No," I say quietly, shaking my head. 

"Then why would be waste the perfect opportunity to go swimming?" he asks happily, standing up and offering me a hand. I take it, setting down my half-eaten cupcake and standing up. Thank God I still feel like eating. 

WARNING: FIFTY SHADES OF GREY IS COMING UP. SKIP IF YOU'RE INNOCENT AND EASILY DISGUSTED... SKIPPPPP.

We walk into the water. Alex dives under and comes up, shaking his head like a dog. I smile a bit.  He walks over to me. 

"C'mon Nat, what's up?" he asks. When I don't reply, he takes me by the hands. "Do I have to dance with you to make  you happy?"

I roll my eyes. He starts moving our hands back and forth slowly. "Do do do do do do," he sings slowly, playfully. I try to roll my eyes but a smile gets in the way and I give up. He grins and starts moving our hands faster. Then he pulls me into him and wraps an arm around my waist, the other still holding my hand.