Ghost Kisses (Complete)

Chapter 8: The Discovery

An image of a glistening hunk surfacing from the tides greeted Lexi at the beach. She decided to take a stroll at around 5:30 am where the sun is about to greet the early birds. 

Thinking that everyone was still asleep, she made the escape. Clad in pink robe over some cute lingerie and with her hair pulled up in a messy bun, Lexi looked virginal while she walked along the shore. Her eyes tried to figure out who the hunk that has been basking in the rising sun was.

The man took a plunge and mysteriously disappeared thereafter. Lexi looked around in hopes of finding the stranger but to no avail. 

Realizing that she might be looking for a needle in a haystack, she resigned and sat on the shore instead. The morning sun has fully risen and is shining beautifully upon her silken skin. She closed her eyes while loving the feeling of the fresh air on her face and the wind blowing through her hair.

Little did she know, Cole swam up to the farthest part of the beach and secretly watched her from afar. After a few, he felt a sudden kick on his stomach when Lexi laid on the sand. Thinking that she fainted yet again, he rushed to the scene with his half-naked body still dripping with sea water.

He kneeled down in front of her and leaned his wet head on her chest to listen to her heartbeat. Feeling the mist on her face, Lexi opened her eyes and threw a wide-eyed stare at the culprit. She was petrified thinking that the man was armed and was planning to rape her.

"Please spare me. Do what you what but please don't kill me! Please!!!!" Lexi pleaded thinking she'll be molested and murdered. She looked around and found no one in sight except for this guy who's almost on top of him. A perfect crime, she thought!

"Hey! Lexi...Lexi stop! It's me, Cole!" he jolted upon hearing her pleas. "I'm not gonna hurt you, OK!?"

Lexi relaxed a bit but her heart was still beating loudly. "C-Cole? Is that you? I-I mean, were you the one swimming earlier?"

"Yes! It was me! I was already walking ashore when I noticed you're down on the ground. Man! I thought you fainted again!" he shook his head in nervousness.

Lexi sat up.  She's more calm now than how she was a couple minutes ago. She started a joke to ease the tension.

"Did I scare the shit out of you?" she asked then let out a giggle after. 

"Hahaha funny! But seriously, if I was a crackhead, I would have hit on you. I mean, what were you thinking lying on the sand with nothing but a flimsy fabric on?" Cole took a quick  side ward glance at her. Admittedly, if she was a stranger, it would have been love at first sight. But they are childhood friends for heaven's sake! 

"R-Really? I mean, do I look awkward?" she started to sound timid.

"N-No, that's not what I meant." he smacked his forehead in dismay "What the heck am I saying! You're beautiful!" then mumbled  "God you're heaven sent!".

Little did Lexi know that Cole had a crush on her since they were in elementary school and is very much updated with Lexi's social media accounts. Yes Lexi knows that they're virtually friends but she barely sees him post or react or actually do anything online. He was a perfect example of a 'secret admirer'.

"I'm sorry?" Lexi clarified when she missed that last few words he murmured.

"H-Huh? Mmmm, how has everything been since we left Pleasant Plains? I bet a lot has changed!" he deliberately tried to divert the discussion to something else.

"All's well. Everything's good except for a few." she didn't wish to elaborate. From what she knew, Cole is still clueless about her condition as he wasn't around when their folks were talking about it.

"Well, that's good to know. I w--" he got interrupted by a loud enthusiastic call from her baby sister Maddie. They haven't noticed it but they have been talking for an hour now.

"Hey you lovebirds! Time for breakfast!" she jokingly remarked.

The two looked at each other and smiled awkwardly. Cole stood first and offered his hand for support.

"Haven't noticed the time." he said while scratching his head.

"Well, there's been a lot to catch up on, right?! And Oh! By the way, what's with the letters!?" she teasingly asked him.

He smiled and did a quick monologue in his head. 

A love letter perhaps?