Thin Lines

Swim

Xela

"What?" I turn and say innocently, trying my absolute best to throw him off. He narrows his eyes at us, "What were you two talking about?"

Nikos laughs, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

I wanted to slap him. How could he make Ryder even more suspicious when I am over here panicking to try and be normal?

"You're insufferable" Ryder mumbles, "And Lopez wants you at the docks."

Nikos nods and gives me a look, that I ignore. How would I be able to explain everything to Ryder? It would ruin everything.

His relationship with Nikos would be gone, his relationship with me would be gone, and where would I go? Back to my moms? He is all I have, as pathetic as that sounds.

"Do you like the place?" He asks, walking close to me and pulling me in right, planting a kiss on my forehead.

I nod, "Angelina is really nice. She showed me where everything was"

He smiles, "Was anyone rude to you?"

I roll my eyes, "I can handle myself, you know." I tell him. He smirks, "I know you can, I was just checking."

"So I was thinking....dinner tonight?" He asks me. "I was actually going to go clubbing tonight" I mess with him, watching his eyes narrow. I laugh, "I would love to go to dinner"

That's how I ended up at a gazillilon dollar restaurant trying to find an item below $100.

Ryder kept reassuring me that he didn't care how expensive of food I wanted, but I still picked the cheapest thing on the menu: a salad. Truth be told, I hate salads, but it was only $108 compared to the $200 steaks and fish.

"I didn't know you ate salads" Ryder commented. I shrugged, "I can be healthy every once and a while"

He gives me a skeptical look, and observed as I started eating the salad. "You not going to put dressing on it?" He motions towards the small dish full of sauce, I assume it's Caesar sauce.

I look at my dry salad and give him a 'duh' look, "Of course I am."

Ryder pulls my plate away from me, nearly causing me to choke on my salad. "What are you doing?" I say, my words muffled since my mouth is full.

He slices his steak in half, plopping it into my plate, then he scoops half of my salad into his plate.

"Eat" he points to my plate with salad and half of a steak on it. I shake my head, "You can't just do that." I cross my arms and lean back in my seat. He rolls his eyes, "Tell me you weren't drooling over my steak from the second they dropped it at the table."

We ate for the next hour, and I was full from the steak, salad, and cake that Ryder ordered. Who would have thought the big bad gang leader had a soft spot for chocolate.

After dinner, Ryder and I found ourselves walking up the beach, our shoes in our hands and the full moon illuminating everything around us.

"I have something for you" Ryder says, reaching into his pocked and pulling out a small box.

"Ryder you don't have to get me anything" I say, loving how cute and nervous he was to present me with a gift.

He hands me the box, "I wanted to."

I hesitantly open the box, it killed me when I saw a small heart necklace, engraved on the back of the heart was 5/7/20.

"That's the date of when we met" he fiddled with his hands, looking down. He is so freaking adorable when he is nervous like this.

"Four months ago today" I smile at him, handing him the box and turning around, lifting up my hair so he can put it on me. I feel the thin silver chain wrap around me right then fall loose around my neck when he clasps it.

"Thank you" I turn to face him, embracing him into a hug. I feel his hands tightly wrapped around me, almost like he didn't want to let me go. I didn't want to let him go either.

Deep down I was terrified of how attached I had become to not only Ryder but his whole family. I try to act like I hate my dad, but I don't. Blake and Denny are like my brothers and Ryder is well...you know.

I suddenly got a brilliant idea, pulling away from Ryder. I reach behind my back and slowly pull the zipper of my silk forest green dress down.

His eyes widen, then he smirks, "Are you trying to seduce me on the beach? I've never had sex on sand before, actually"

I roll my eyes at him, dropping my dress and kicking off my heels. "And you won't. At least right now you won't" I tell him, turning and running into the water. "Are you serious?!" He yells after me.

Once I'm in the water, it's freezing. What else would I have expected from California in November?

"Come in you wuss!" I yell out, floating on my back and looking at the stars, instantly finding Aliza, Penny, and I's star.

I can hear water splashing next to me, and till my head to see Ryder, who looks like he is freezing his butt off. I laugh at him, his arms wrapped around himself and goosebumps all over the tops of his shoulders, which is all that is above water.

"Are you not cold?" He says, his teeth chattering.

"It's not that cold. You're just dramatic."

His head goes underwater, causing him to disappear since I can't see anything below the surface. He's gone for around thirty seconds before I start to get worried.

Suddenly I'm scooped into his arms, letting out a scream of shock. "That's not funny, Ryder!" I condescend him, lightly hitting his shoulder.

"Were you scared?" He cooes, leaning in, close to my face. I'm about to talk when a painful shock hits my left calf, making me jump.

Ryder instantly looks worried, "What's wrong?" He asks, still holding me in his arms. Pain is searing through my leg, "My leg..." I say, holding it above the water.

Red markings cover my calf, barely visible in just the moonlight. "Jellyfish" Ryder mumbles.

Ryder walked me to shore, then set me on the sand. I became aware of the fact that I am just in underwear and a bra, and Ryder is in just boxers.

"I'm going to have to pee on you" he says, dead seriously. I freeze and stare at him, "Excuse me?!"

"It helps jelly fish wounds"

I move my leg away from him, "No way in hell am I letting you piss on me!"

He glares at me, and I stare right back, "No." I say sternly. He reaches for his phone and presses a few buttons before pressing it to his ear. He talks to someone for a minute then stands up, putting his shirt on and pants, and helping me stand up. He hands me his black jacket to cover myself a little bit.

He then picks me up bridal style, "I can walk" I argue as he walks us up the beach. He doesn't respond, and I just tuck my head under the crook of his neck, allowing him to carry me.