Mixed Up // Harry Styles

Twelve

                                              CHAPTER TWELVE

     “I’m feeling slightly uncomfortable with covering my eyes,” I comment and shift in the car seat as Aaron turns the car engine off.

     I hear a soft rustling of a bag to my right and then the click of the car door opening and closing again, my own door on my side opening and Aaron pulling my hands away from my face.

     He smiles at me, holding my hands in his as he guides me out of the car, revealing a Tesco carrier bag full of junk food from behind his back. I giggle and turn my attention away from him and to the scenery surrounding me instead.

     We were at the beach, Brighton beach to be specific, and the pier to the far left of us.  My eyes scan the endless ocean, watching the wave’s crash onto the pebbles marking the end of the land, some of them being drawn out to sea. It’s still bright out, the sun only just beginning to show signs of setting but not yet close enough to be sunset.

     Aaron blocks my view by standing in front of me and shaking the bag gently in front of my face to catch my attention.

     “Are you hungry?” He questions, swiping away the stray hairs flying in front of his face.

     I nod my head eagerly and follow him down to the steps to the beach where we sit watching an old couple walk along the sea front happily hand in hand.

     “I reckon they’ve been married for 67 years,” I guess and look to my left to see Aaron smiling back at me.

     “Really? I only think 50 at least,” He replies and opens a packet of crisps, offering me some but I refuse.

     “So tell me about yourself.” I switch the subject completely, studying his face as he concentrates on something far out to sea.

     “Well, I’m twenty-four if you were wondering my age and I’m from Glasgow.” He tells me and I listen out of curiosity and it dawns on me that I don’t really know anything about him.

     “My parents split when I was young and my dad moved to London so I’ve recently moved in with him to pursue a boxing career.”

     “At least your life is interesting compared to mine,” I mutter and sigh, leaning over and dipping my hand into his packet of crisps to steal a few.

     “Come on, you must have something fun to share,” He encourages.

     I bite my lip and shake my head, “Not really.”

     “Then tell me some simple things about yourself.”

     “Well,” I heave a deep breath. “I’m nineteen, a journalist and I only moved to London for reasons I can’t share,” I explain myself using little detail.

     “I have a younger sister and two brothers which are older,” I continue. “I don’t see them much, they all live up north whilst I’m stuck down here.”

     “I know the feeling,” Aaron adds, snaking his arm around my shoulder and tugging me closer, allowing me access to rest my head into the crook of his neck.

     “Maybe we should go swimming?” He suggests, moving the conversation on quickly.

     I snap back into a sitting up straight position and stare at the water in front of us, grinning like a Cheshire Cat.

     “Let’s do it.”

                                                               *

     “Why did I agree to this,” I mutter to myself as Aaron approaches me, splashing another great amount of water in my direction as I do the same back to him.

     I giggle as I repeatedly send waves of water in his direction, drenching him head to foot.

     “Enough enough, Stop!” He pleas, chuckling as he gets closer, taking hold of my hands and stepping even closer to me.

     The water swirls around my knees as he takes another step, forming small ripples in the water.

     He towers high above me, looking down towards me whilst I look up at him. I bite my lip, my eyes searching his as he searches mine. Reaching out, he tucks a section of hair behind my ear and moves his hand to caress my cheek, his thumb stroking it calmly as he inches his face closer to mine, using his hand to guide my face up to his.

     He stops just as our lips are about to meet and I allow my eyes to flutter shut.

     “Please…just kiss me,” I beg, longing to feel the sensation of something new.

     He doesn’t hesitate and his lips crash against mine, applying light pressure. Both his hands slowly move down my body to rest on my hips, pulling me closer so I bump up against his chest. I lay my hands gently on his chest and tip-toe to gain slightly more height although it proves ineffective.

     We pull away at the same time, feeling breathless and completely blown away yet neither of us saying a word, just letting our eyes search for answers from one another’s expressions and detaching our hands from one another’s bodies.

     “I’m beginning to feel a bit cold standing in the water.” I break the silence.

     “Me too,” He agrees, taking hold of my hand and leading me back to the spot on the beach we had only just shortly left for the moment.

     “Can we go on the pier?” I plead, full of hope.

     He smiles back at me and nods his head, quickly gathering our things and racing back to the car to put everything away before taking a long stroll in the direction of the pier.