NOT GIVING UP ON FOREVER

Chapter 53

The sea calmed down completely when they reached the beach. There was almost no wind, and the moon was shining at full strength, letting everyone know that she was the only queen of the night. Teo stopped the BMW right in front of the beach and seemed to be right in the center of the bright moonlight.

They just sat in silence for a few minutes. The night was so enchanting that the words seemed to ruin this magnificent idyll if pronounced, and the couple knew it.

After a while, Anna finally spoke:

"What an alluring, magnetic night, Teo, isn't it so?"

He looked at her and said:

"Like you."

Anna flushed and looked down.

"I wrote a song for you. And now is the right time to perform it." With these words, he climbed into the back seat to get a guitar.

"A song?! For me?" she glanced incredulously.

"For you." Teo smiled and ran his long, graceful fingers along the strings. "And now you'll hear it."

"Teo, I..."

But Anna did not have time to finish the sentence. A lyrical melody poured over her. Teo, as if knowing what effect his voice had on her, used it to the maximum. His chords were mesmerizing. Anna didn't know how to react, how to listen, how to breathe. It filled her with so many emotions. They were so different, fighting among themselves, that even the night could hardly hide the internal conflict from detection. But Anna tried to focus on Teo, how amazing he was, how talented, how... in love...

He seemed to be really in love with her. Every note, every chord showed his feelings with such force and pride that Anna was afraid to mess up this perfect picture somehow. But treacherous thoughts rushed into her head uninvited, tearing her heart apart.

She tried to hide the little tears running down her cheeks. She was thinking about Randall. It would seem that the longer Teo sang, the more her heart ached for Randall. How was that possible? How could she love Randall so much? Why didn't his action kill her feelings? Why now, sitting next to the perfect guy, she was thinking about Randall? Why were the lyrics associated only with him? Why was she looking at Teo and seeing Randall? What did Randall do that was so special to sink so deeply into the very depths of her soul?

Teo finished and smiled. An alarm immediately replaced his joy when he noticed that tears were flowing down Anna's cheeks.

"Anna? Are you okay?"

Suddenly Anna burst into hysterical laughter. Not to spoil everything, she jumped up abruptly, threw herself on Teo's neck, thanking him for the beautiful composition.

"This was unbelievable!" she exclaimed, not knowing why she was laughing.

Teo was confused, but he didn't resist the hug.

"Did you like the song?"

"Sure! And now—to swim!"

"What?"

Anna, still laughing, ran across the sand towards the sea.

"Anna!" Teo shouted after her, leaning out of the car. "Anna, what nonsense, what are you doing! Ice water, Anna! Come back now!"

Anna heard nothing. She laughed and ran to the water. Teo followed her with quick steps.

"Anna, stop it! Come on! Don't get into the water!"

As soon as she reached it, Anna threw herself into the water. Her body seemed to be pierced by thousands of needles, but her soul felt so good. She did not laugh anymore. She cried loudly. The sea swallowed all her sobs, and even she could not hear herself crying.

"Anna! You're so silly! What a kindergarten!" Teo walked into the water and, grabbing the girl in his arms, dragged her from the icy water.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed him and laughed again.

"You smell like fish!" he winced. "That is disgusting! Yack!"

"Really, what horror!" she laughed. "Look, I'm covered in scales!"

"What a clever deed!" Teo pinched his nose and kept moving back to the car. "Today, you sleep on the mat in the corridor! You should have thought of diving at a time like this!"

Anna laughed and stuck the sleeves of her pullover, soaked in the fishy smell, up to his nose.

"You will walk next to the car as a punishment for your frivolity," he grumbled as he opened her door. "Stop now! Take that shirt off before you sit down!"

"Miserable whiner!" the girl laughed, pulling off her sweater. "Is that better?"

"Much... better..." he commented, stopping to look at her naked body with no sign of underwear.

Anna threw the wet jacket in his face and ran into a joke fight. Barely disarming her in the backseat, Teo covered her entire body with kisses. He didn't go on, didn't hint at anything. He just enjoyed kissing her endlessly. Kiss her everywhere. Where he couldn't before. Where he always wanted.

She responded to his every touch, moaning, saying his name. His touch aroused her, and she wanted him. But every time she took the initiative, the brain seemed to stop her, and she was glad that Teo was not moving to the next step.

"Anna, you smell awful," calmly noticed Teo.

"Thanks," she smiled.

"I can't take it anymore, honey. It's horrible."

"It's all right, darling. I don't like you either."

After exchanging kicks, they moved to the front seats and drove home. The moon was the only witness to everything on the beach.