Eastmarch Beaches, Meritas City. October 18th, 2014, 19:30

  Elena had grabbed us each a drink from a little beachside cafe while we walked, but while I’d been sipping from it now and then and giving token one- or two-word answers when she spoke, I’d not been able to focus.

  Everything about me just felt wrong.

  My skin felt super-sensitive against my sweater, my skirt felt like it was exposing my legs even more. Even my power felt out of step with the rest of me, like my bones were writhing and shifting under my skin.

  My mind was loud, too busy, Jessica’s words were playing on a loop in my head, as loud as the moment she’d said them to me.

  “You tangle with a couple of no-name super-criminals and nearly get mulched?”

  “You don’t make any sense to me.”

  “How long’s it going to take until you accept that?”

  “-so, I guess it depends if you want to watch something new or old.” Elena said, cutting through the noise in my head, “I’ve always dug how charming the older films are, y’know?”

  I looked up, slowly snapping out of my own head for a second and meeting Elena’s eyes. She looked like she was waiting for a response.

  “W-what? I-I’m sorry, Elena, I-I think I just-”

  “You doing ok?” She asked, looking worried. “You’ve been real quiet.”

  I looked back at her, feeling cold. I must have looked pretty bad if she was asking so bluntly.

  “Y-yeah!” I said, fast, “J-just…nervous about swimming, s-sorry.”

  Not technically a lie; I was nervous about that. But it wasn’t the main problem.

  She smiled at me, leaning back and taking a sip. “It’s all good. I was just saying when we get back to mine, if you’re still coming over after this-” she said, gesturing towards the beach, “-what Code Seven film should we start with?”

  Man, she really loves those films. I thought to myself.

  “I-I guess I…first one?”

  Elena grimaced a little bit. Was that a bad choice?

  “It’s aged badly but…sure.”

  I nodded along, trying to stay as upbeat as I could as she kept talking. But again, Jessica’s words kept playing in my head, over and over.

  I’d been so happy all day, and then she had to come along to-

  “Oh shit.” Elena said, jumping up. “We might wanna change now, those booths are gonna be packed.”

  I looked over, watching people slowly crowd towards the booths. There were so many of them, and I had to go out in a swimsuit in front of all of them?

  20:00

  I felt like a baby deer taking its first steps as I shakily walked out of the changing booth and onto the pebbles of the beach.

  I was trying to keep myself calm, and I’d put a towel around my shoulders to keep them covered. It really wasn’t helping.

  As I walked down the beach, trying to find where Elena was, I kept fidgeting with this swimsuit. It was a plain, black one-piece, and felt like it was clinging to me in all the wrong ways, highlighting my lanky and boney body.

  The beach was beautiful, starting with pebbles at the top by the changing booths, before gradually sloping down into sand like a gradient, ending at the sea. Some people were already swimming in the sea, which seemed insane to me given that it wasn’t that warm and how dark it was; I looked up, and could see a few floating drones in the sky, emitting light around the beach and over the water.

  Sure enough, it was packed. Elena had said that these shows always had people swarming the beach and swimming in the sea as fireworks were launched from a little boat just off of the shore. There were enough people that I could, hopefully, blend in.

  I was scanning the beach frantically, trying to find her while desperately looking away from anyone who looked at me. I didn’t want anyone else to see me, to somehow recognise me. Honestly, it was taking a lot to not just run away and never come back.

  Eventually I caught a glimpse of her, already changed and sitting by the shoreline, a towel laying flat on the sand a few feet behind her. Where I was all edges and nerves and felt like I wanted to run away if someone looked at me funny, she was all confidence and soft curves, and she rocked her swimsuit. It was a two-piece, jet-black with an orange trim, and it clung to her frame perfectly, practically shining under the light of the moon. Her dark hair was tied back in a ponytail, loose strands tickling her cheek. She was just sitting there like she owned the place, letting the waves gently crash over her.

  It took every ounce of willpower I had to not just stand there and stare at her.

  She turned to smile up at me as I approached, adjusting my swimsuit for what must’ve been the fifteenth time in a minute.

  “You coming in, dude?” She shouted, “Or are you just gonna stand there looking like you’re about to pass out?”

  “I-I’m thinking ab-bout it.” I muttered.

  “Passing out?” She grinned.

  “T-The sea.”

  “...What, you're scared of the water or something?” She asked.

  “N-No!” I answered, a little too loud and too quick. “It’s just t-that I uh- I can’t-”

  Elena turned to face me fully, her eyes narrowed.

  “I c-can’t…swim…” I admitted, my voice quiet, my feet practically glued to the pebbles.

  There was a long pause as Elena just…stared. I knew it was stupid; everyone I knew as a kid knew how to swim. I just never had.

  “...Really?” She asked, sounding surprised. “You’ve thrown yourself from two different buildings and gotten mauled, but you can’t swim?”

  “Y-Yeah I…I just never learned.” I responded. I felt myself blushing as I looked away; of all things to feel ashamed and embarrassed about.

  Elena laughed, pushing herself up before stepping towards me.

  “So that’s why you were being so weird earlier.”

  “I wasn’t being w-weird…”

  She scoffed. “Dude, you were totally being weird.”

  I turned to look at her again. She was looking up at me, that smile still on her face.

  “T-This was a bad idea.” I said, starting to turn away.

  “Oh no you don’t.” She laughed, “We’re doing this.”

  “B-but your shoulder-?”

  “Don’t use me as an excuse, I’m fine.” She said, grabbing me by the hand. That made my heart skip a beat as my breath caught. “Come on, I’ll show you the ropes.” She pulled me along towards the water.

  “I just- I-I don’t think I can-”

  “We can just stay in the shallow bit, no pressure.”

  “You s-sure?”

  “‘Course I am. I’m a great teacher.”

  I nodded slowly, letting her guide me in. I gasped as my feet touched the water, which was way colder than I expected. With each step in I got more and more used to the temperature as the water got further and further up my legs, but I still felt shaky.

  “See, that’s not so-”

  As if to prove Elena wrong, the second the water got around my midsection, I slipped on the sand beneath my feet; I flailed, trying to keep my balance, almost toppling over. Elena grabbed me, laughing.

  “Oh my god you weren’t kidding.”

  “S-shut up,” I gasped, clutching onto her arm. “Y-you said you would help!”

  “I am helping!” She giggled. “Now take a breath, and just lean back a little, ‘kay?” She turned to look at me. My legs felt unsteady and shaky, like a baby deer.

  Her smile was so warm, so sincere.

  “N-Now w-what?” I asked, trying to keep myself upright; just standing still shouldn’t have felt this hard, but it was like I was fighting for my life.

  “Now,” she said, smirking softly, “We’re gonna try and get you to float.”

  I felt my blood run cold. “I-I don’t know if I can-”

  “Hey now,” she said, closer. “Everyone can float. Anything goes wrong, I’ve got you.”

  I nodded.

  “Just lean back a bit, ok? Treat the water like… like you’re laying on a bed.”

  I leaned back a little, my body rigid like a corpse.

  “There we go,” She murmured. “Now, move your feet off of the ground.”

  I let out a squeak. “I’m g-gonna sink!”

  “If you do, I’ve got you.”

  Still tense, I tried to kick my feet off of the ground. Almost immediately, I tipped back too far, my head going under. Water immediately shot up my nose and stung my eyes as I felt myself flailing and choking. I managed to pull myself up, spluttering and spitting out water as I tried to pull myself up.

  “Shit, Skye! You okay?” Elena asked, grabbing onto me and helping me reorient.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  “N-No!” I gasped, coughing. “That was awful!”

  “You’re good, you’re alright.”

  “Y-You said you’d have me!” I coughed.

  “I did! You just…went down way quicker than I was expecting.” She laughed.

  I glared at her through my water-streaked hair as my vision came back, my eyes still stinging. I stepped back to the shore before dropping down, sitting just where the water met the sand; it was still cold, but I was adjusting as the waves occasionally lapped over me.

  “T-This is why I don’t swim.” I murmured.

  “Come on, it's fine. We can try again another time. Let's just chill, ‘kay?”

  She plopped down onto the beach next to me, lying flat on her back. I couldn’t stay mad at her for dragging me down here.

  I felt my eyes wandering over her as she laid there, over her legs, her stomach, her chest, her face. She was so beautiful, and it was like she was made for the beach.

  “God this is nice.” She said, eyes closed.

  I was glad she felt that way, but I didn’t. I felt tense. My heart kept feeling like it was about to leap out of my chest.

  “You’re awesome, you know that?” She said, turning to look at me.

  Jessica’s words rang in my head again, louder now. They made Elena’s compliment sound hollow.

  “I-I don’t…I don’t feel ‘awesome’...” I murmured.

  Elena’s face fell.

  “What? Skye, you’re like the coolest person I know!”

  “Come on,” I scoffed, turning away. “Y-You’re just saying that.”

  There was another pause as Elena sat back up, looking at me. I was still turned away, I couldn’t meet her gaze.

  “What’s going on, Skye?” She asked, her voice soft as she placed a hand on my shoulder.

  I paused, before pulling my legs up to my chest. There was so much on my mind, thoughts feeling like they were crashing into each other.

  “J-Jessica, she- while you were gone- she-” I said, tears welling up in my eyes.

  “She what?” Elena asked.

  “S-She said that I’m a m-mess, that w-we shouldn’t have n-needed Red to come and s-save us if we were really heroes.”

  “That fucking bitch.” Elena hissed, “Don’t let her get to you.”

  “But s-she’s right about me, Elena.” I said, “I’m only here b-because I got lucky. My powers are f-freaky, people look at me like I’m a- like a m-monster. And I-I can’t even be a p-person properly.”

  I just kept going. It all came out of me, like a dam bursting.

  “I c-can barely talk without t-tripping over my own words,” I said, my voice shaky as if to prove my point, “E-everything I say and do, I run it through my head a thousand t-times and it still comes out wrong. I worry about everything, all the time. I think everything’s going fine, and then all it takes is one thing - a stupid comment, a look, a mirror - to ruin it and make me miserable again. I-It’s like I...”

  I choked up, the words catching in my throat. I was trying desperately not to burst into tears.

  “I-It’s like I can’t ever be happy without some catch.”

  Elena shuffled closer, almost touching me. She looked heartbroken. “Skye, I…”

  “A-And look at me!” I said, sobs creeping through as tears poured down my cheeks. “I’m all gangly and b-boney, like some f-fucking scarecrow. I-I’m just this awkward, ugly, fucking freak-”

  “Skye, stop!” She snapped, making me jump, “Don’t talk about yourself like that!”

  I turned to look at her, realising that her hand was brushing against mine under the waves.

  She grabbed my shoulders and looked me dead in the eyes. “Fuck whatever Jessica said, you absolutely deserve to be here. You’re so, so sweet and kind, and you care so much about people.”

  I scoffed. “That’s a low bar, Elena.”

  “And look how many people can't get over that bar.” She said, gesturing widely. “Fuck sake, look at Jessica!”

  I laughed through a sob. I had to admit, she had a point.

  “I just…” She sighed. “You’re so much better than you think. You nearly got yourself killed against Slaughterhouse just to keep Jessica safe. Fuck sake, you got your arm mauled and you kept fighting, then you were more worried about me!”

  I didn’t respond. I just watched her as she spoke, feeling tears build up in my eyes again as I heard the waves roll over the sand.

  “You’re not a freak, Skye, and you’re definitely not ugly.” She paused, then, “God, you’re so beautiful, and it kills me that you can’t see that.”

  Something trembled in my chest. Did she mean that? Was she just being kind? I felt my heart hammering in my chest like a hammer; she was close, really close. That fluttery feeling in my stomach was back as I looked into her eyes, worse now.

  “E-Elena I-I-” The words got stuck again, I looked away, embarrassed.

  I heard the first firework shoot up into the air with a whistle.

  There were a thousand things I wanted to say to her all at once, every single one of them lodging themselves in my throat, and I didn’t know how to say any of them.

  The firework exploded with a bang, lighting up the sky in a bright yellow, the sound almost deafening.

  “Skye, what’s-”

  My mouth moved on its own, the words tumbling out.

  “I-I think I’m in love with you.”

  As the explosion died down, I froze as I realised what I’d said.

  I hadn’t meant to say it; I didn’t think I was ever going to say it.

  But more words kept pouring out.

  “I-I mean- you’re just so c-cool and c-confident, and every t-time I’m w-with you I f-feel safe and like I can b-be myself and-” I could barely talk, and my nerves felt like they were wrapped tightly around my throat, making it even worse. “Y-you’re so fucking pretty and I just-”

  My hands shot to my mouth, like I was trying to physically shove the words back in. I wasn’t moving, I was barely breathing. Elena wasn’t reacting, she was staring into my eyes, mouth agape.

  Then-

  “Oh my god, Skye…” She gasped.

  I froze. I felt my heart sink like a stone.

  She doesn’t feel the same. I thought, feeling like everything in my mind had shattered like glass.

  Of course she doesn’t. Why did I think she would?

  I felt tears pouring from my eyes.

  “No no no- f-fuck- sorry just p-please forget about it. I d-didn’t mean it, I just-” my voice broke, I started sobbing. I scrambled to my feet to leave, turning away from her, ready to run.

  “Skye, wait. Skye-!” Elena shouted, shooting to her feet.

  Another firework exploded.

  “I-I’m sorry-!” I sobbed back as I stepped away from her.

  One single thought sounded loud in my mind: I can’t face her again, I’ve ruined everything-

  She grabbed my hand. I stopped dead in my tracks, turning to face her.

  Both of us stood there for a moment, staring at each other, not saying a word. She was just looking up at me, holding my hand tight.

  Then, she started laughing.

  Then she kept laughing. Harder and harder, until she was almost doubled-over. She looked up at me, wiping tears from her eyes between giggles. Her warm, amber eyes stared up at me, the smile still wide on her face, softer than before.

  “W-Why are you laughing at me?” I asked, my voice cracking again.

  “I’m not-” She said, between laughs. “It’s just- It’s because you-”

  She stopped, trying to compose herself, but she couldn’t stop herself from giggling. Now it looked like she was blushing.

  Why is she blushing? I thought.

  She finally stopped laughing, wiping a tear from her eye. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh. It’s just…

  “J-just what?” I asked.

  “Well…”

  Another firework exploded, bright blue.

  “I love you too, Skye.”

  I felt my brain stop dead in its tracks. I couldn’t think, I just stood there with my mouth open for a few seconds until-

  “Wha-?”

  “Yeah, dumbass.” She laughed. “I’ve wanted to say something to you for ages, dude.”

  “R-really?” I asked, my brain still reeling.

  “Didn’t you hear me a second ago? You’re beautiful, Skye, you’re amazing!”

  I couldn’t process any of it, like my brain was refusing to accept it. Was this real? Was I dreaming?

  “W-why didn’t you say anything before?” I squeaked.

  “Well,” she said, blushing brighter, “I was gonna tell you when you came up to my dorm on the first day, but then you got up and bolted.”

  I cringed. It felt like I was going to explode.

  “T-that was when I realised-” I said, my cheeks burning.

  “I knew it!” Elena shouted, cackling.

  I held my face in my hands, groaning.

  “But I couldn’t think of the right way to put it.” She said, sheepishly, “I uh…also didn’t know if you were into girls or not.”

  “I-I didn’t know if you were…”

  “Well, now you know!” She said, laughing again, “But yeah, I’ve…I’ve been feeling the same way for a while now, Skye. God, I’m so glad you got there first”

  I realised we were just staring at each other, standing there on the sand as another firework exploded with a flash of orange, bathing us in light. She was still smiling, that warm, confident smile.

  She reached a hand up to my cheek, brushing some of my hair out of my face and wiping a tear from my cheek with her thumb.

  “Hey, Skye?” She asked, grinning.

  “Y-Yeah?”

  Another firework exploded, a massive burst of bright pink lighting up the sky.

  Then she pulled me in and kissed me.

  My heart skipped a beat as her lips met mine. My breath hitched, my legs turned to jelly, and my heart felt like it was trying to break out of my chest. I stumbled back in the sand before my foot gave way, toppling and landing flat on my back with an embarrassed squeak. Elena yelped as she tumbled down with me, landing right on top of me with a soft thump.

  We laid there in a heap for a moment, her weight pressed gently onto me as I laid flat on my back in the sand.

  “Oops, sorry,” she giggled, snorting a bit, her face now inches above mine. “You ok?”

  Blushing bright red, I just nodded. My brain felt too frazzled for words.

  She put her hand on my cheek. “Good.”

  Then, still smiling, she leaned down and kissed me again. This time, I kissed her back, slowly and gently, closing my eyes and letting the world around me fall away until it was just the two of us. It was warm and soft, sweet; a little sandy, a little salty from the sea spray.

  But I didn’t care about that. It was perfect, like nothing else in the world mattered aside from the two of us as the fireworks flashed and cracked in the sky. It felt like a weight had lifted from my chest, a weight that I didn’t even know I’d been holding onto. Everything else - my anxieties, Jessica’s words, everything - faded away from my mind. For a few blissful seconds, this beautiful, perfect kiss became my whole world.

  I wanted nothing more than to live in this moment forever.

  Eventually, she pulled away, staring down at me, still giggling.

  I was breathless. She just smiled down at me, still only a couple of inches away from my face. She looked flushed too, but she still looked beautiful, her eyes bright like the fireworks above us and that warm grin still present on her face.

  “Hey, scaredy-cat,” She grinned, her voice soft and low.

  “H-Hi…” I whispered, dumbfounded, before covering my face with my hands. I must have looked ridiculous. My cheeks were flushed bright red, my eyes still watering, my hair was a wet mess.

  But that didn’t matter, not right now. She didn’t care that I looked a mess, that this whole thing had happened by accident.

  I let myself smile; a wide, warm, happy smile.

  “T-thank you…” I said.

  “Don’t thank me, dummy. You’re the one who started this.”

  “Yeah I-I guess…” I whispered, smiling as she climbed off of me.

  We both sat back up, sand clinging to our skin in patches. As soon as we were upright, she scooted over before leaning against me without hesitating, curling up against me and resting her head against my chest. I wrapped my arms around her immediately, pulling her close, her warmth coursing through me.

  We sat there on the beach for what felt like forever, wrapped in each other’s arms, watching the fireworks light up the sky in bursts of all kinds of colours. I let my head rest against hers, nuzzling into her hair. I could feel her breathing in time with me, feel her weight against me; like a reminder that this, all of this, was real.

  I didn’t feel awkward or anxious. I didn’t feel ugly or freakish. This felt natural, like we were always meant to be like this.

  For the first time in a long time, I felt incredible, like nothing anyone said could ever get me down again.