Stick Around ✔

𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘦 ~ 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴

~𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩~

Suddenly, I begin feel out of place sat there—pretending like I fit in with all these people who have known each other all their lives...I've been with them, what, three, four days?

I don't fit in. I should just leave now.

Silently, I stand up and pace out of the movie theatre, up and out onto the top deck.

The sky's dark, cloudy and scattered with a couple of stars. It's peaceful; the only sound is the lapping of water against the sides of the yacht (the movie theatre is sound-proof, apparently).

I breathe in, and breathe out.

A song floats into my head...it's 'Scream it Out', by Ellie Goulding—a song on my iPod, one of my many favourites.

I think I'll let fate just take me home,

'Cause over pain, love is outgrown

I've never won a fight to understand,

I just move as my heart commands...

But what is my heart commanding? That I stay here a while longer, or that I head home?

There's nothing keeping me here in California, so why am I so torn about leaving it?

Well, 'nothing' isn't exactly the right word; there's the sea, the waves, the gorgeous scenery...Ed and his friends.

They don't need you. A voice whispers cruelly inside my head, you're just a tourist to them...someone that the son of a millionaire has just decided to let tag along for a couple of days until you're gone, or until he finds something better to do with his time. Don't you see that? They don't need yo—

"What're you thinking about?" Ed interrupts my self-depreciating thoughts.

"How none of you really want me here." I blurt out against my better judgement; I was planning on staying quiet, saying I was fine.

"What're you on about, Skye?" I can hear the frown in his voice as he comes to stand beside me. "Of course we want you here. I want you here, screw what Maddy thinks. I don't care about what she thinks, and neither should you."

"It's not just Maddy." Wrapping my arms around myself, I glare at the horizon. "I'm just a tourist. I'll be gone in a couple of days, so thanks for letting me tag along with you and your friends, it's been great. But don't worry, I promise I'll be gone soon...I can leave tomorrow if—"

"Skye, shut your beautiful mouth and just listen to me for one second." Ed cuts me off, dragging my attention to him, "I'm not just letting you 'tag along'; I want you here. I'll show you how much I want you here."

He places his hands on either side of my face, tilts my head up to his and lowers his lips onto mine. I wrap my arms around his neck, standing on my tiptoes so I can continue kissing him. His lips are soft and taste like salt water and the ginger beer we were just drinking and the Doritos we were just eating.

I'M KISSING THADDEUS REILEY!!! I want to scream it out, but I want to kiss him more than I want to make that announcement to the whole of California, so I don't.

Scream it out, out
I won't let you down, down
So scream it out, out
I won't let you down, down...

Sending sensual shivers racing across my skin, he slips his tongue into my mouth, and I involuntarily moan against his lips as his strong hands grip my waist, moving me closer to his body.