Temporary [H.S. || A.U.]

Chapter 40

*Please read the author's note at the end of the chapter!*

Hot stuff
I need hot love
Lookin' hot stuff
Wanna have hot love

I forgot how tiring shopping can make a person. I don't understand why it has that effect on people, but it does. So when we all got back from the mall a little while ago, Grayson and I took a cat nap on the couch in the living room area.

We were so tired that we just didn't feel like walking up all the steps to the third floor to get to our room. So we settled for snuggling up together on the couch. I was kind of surprised we both fit comfortably, since I'm a tall guy. But Grayson is small and us laying on our sides and spooning worked out.

We were woken up from our nap by Karen, Grayson's mum, telling us that lunch is ready. It was a later lunch than normal. I guess everyone who went shopping took a nap as well.

After lunch, Grayson and I decided to go down to the beach for bit to collect some seashells. We both decided to wear our new frog bucket hats that we got at the mall earlier.

Seeing her happily skip around the beach in the orange frog hat and her bikini as she carried around a bucket to put seashells in made me feel happy. I love the lightness that Grayson carries. It's infectious.

It's so infectious that it really has me loosening up and feeling more comfortable. She really is starting to rub off on me. I even agreed to taking a picture with her in our hats. I didn't even think about how I wasn't wearing a shirt in the picture to cover up my body. I was just simply okay with it. I guess reminding myself that Grayson thinks I'm attractive is helping me feel less insecure with my physical appearance. But those feelings of insecurity won't go away for a long time, I'm not naïve to think that they will just up and vanish so quickly.

I did get a little insecure when she made the photo of us her wallpaper on her phone. Probably because other people can see that. I know she thinks I look okay. Others might not, though. But like I said, those insecurities won't vanish so quickly.

Now we are sitting in the sand, right near the shore line, soaking up the sun. Our feet are resting in the wet sand and every time the water makes its way to reach our feet, it tickles our skin and has our feet gradually sinking deeper into the sand.

Looking out at the waves that are glistening under the sun, taking in the scent of the ocean breeze and the sounds of the seagulls chirping, I start to feel sad that our trip is coming to an end. I'm not ready to leave this little bubble of The Hamptons that Grayson and I have been living in these past two weeks. "I wish we could stay here forever." I hum softly.

I feel Grayson reach her hand out and grab hold of mine where it is resting in the sand. "I know." She sighs, leaning her head on my shoulder. "I feel like we've been living in an alternate universe bubble. It's like I've completely forgotten about our lives back in the city."