This Love, This Hate (A Lesbian Romance)

TLTH Chapter Thirty-Four

A/N: I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry for how long it's been! My health is really kicking my ass and I've had to travel a lot for doctor's appointments and things but here is an update FINALLY and I am for sure going to be posting one more chapter tonight, if not more. I love your comments and thoughts so don't be afraid to share what you think and even any ideas for the story you might have! I really enjoy hearing form everyone :)

This Love, This Hate

Chapter Thirty-Four

"I know what everyone needs! Let's all go to the beach!" Zoe mimicked in an irritated, uncannily close interpretation of her mother to Malarie as they sat at the edge of the boating dock, toes dangling in the slightly chilled water.

"It could help. Brings back memories, if anything else..." Malarie trailed off, glancing down at their knees, hers dainty and pale while Zoe's were scarred from various sports related injuries and rough housing and her left knee was completely canvassed by a collage of plum, blueberry, and banana inspired shades from her PCL injury from the accident. They'd sat together on the edge of the worn, wooden dock of their lake back home countless times since they could walk, and even before. It held so many memories of ruffled swimsuits, laughter, and familial bonding, not to mention an escape from the pace of their lives despite whatever happened to them and their small family. The old planks beneath them were not the same, but held a certain nod to the one they'd grown up running and diving from. "And at least you're to the point where you're done splinting, wrapping, and elevating. Now you just limp and need to strengthen your knee back up. You're getting there, if that's what's got you upset."

"What has me upset is Paul being here." Zoe snarled, as if it had been written in stone before her twin's eyes.

"Let's give him one shot. One. Okay?" Malarie bargained.

"In my mind he's already had one and decided to fill up on soup and breadsticks instead." Zoe snapped, looking out ahead of them where Easton, Raine, Missy, Jesse, Paul, and their mother were hopping waves and laughing together.

"Fine, then two shots. He doesn't get three, because for us that's never been a charm." Malarie corrected, wrapping an arm around Zoe's waist and inching forward, "Let's join them, okay? We can have a good time with our friends and our mom, if anything else."

"I haven't seen a real smile or laugh from mom that wasn't because of something we did in ages." Zoe agreed, sliding forward into the water with Mal. They waded out to where the others were, making time so Zoe didn't over-do it with her knee and squeezed each other's waists before separating.

"Hey," Zoe purred, coming up behind Raine and pulling her as close as she could and sighing at the gentle collision, "I've missed this."

"I've missed you." Raine replied, giggling as a small wave came and they hopped up together in unison. It felt so good to have Zoe around her in a good mood rather than her being full of pessimism in regards to her recovery or full of bitter hate for Paul. It'd been two weeks since she'd uttered the three magic words to her beside her family's pool, and she'd chosen to pretend as if she'd never said anything out of the ordinary whenever Raine had tried hinting at talking about it. Did it mean she hadn't actually meant it or wasn't ready to accept it? Or worse, was it because Easton was in town? She still hardly knew him and wasn't sure she liked how close to Zoe and Mal he was. Was he really worthy of all the trust they had in them?

"I've been right here. What are you talking about?" Zoe challenged, twirling Raine to face her and searching her eyes.

"I'm just saying I miss being close like this." Raine back-peddled, slightly alarmed by the anger and accusation in her eyes.

"Meaning what exactly?" Zoe clipped, her eyes as sharp as sapphires.

"Zoe, come on. Don't do this right now." Raine sighed, gasping slightly when Zoe lifted her for an unseen wave.

"Tell me." Zoe snapped.

"You've been distant, okay? I don't know why, but you have." Raine gave in, looking over at Missy with slight urgency as Zoe rubbed salt from her eyes.

"Raine, here comes a huge one! Come on!" Missy squealed, rushing towards her and grabbing her hand to twirl her around to face an enormous wave. They both hopped up as it collided with them and laughed together as it lifted them far above the sandy bottom and gently lowered them back down. Before Raine could thank her or even catch her breath, another huge wave came, carrying them higher and farther out.

"Woah, you got this?" Easton asked, helping lift Zoe as the second came to them, momentarily shielding Raine and Missy from view.

"Sorta, thanks." Zoe replied as the wave passed. Easton wrapped an arm protectively around her waist, preparing for more now that the waves seemed to be larger than she could really handle with her bummed knee.

"Is everything alright with Raine?" Easton asked delicately, knowing exactly what a touchy subject that could be at times, especially lately.

"Apparently I'm distant? I don't know." Zoe clued in, rolling her eyes and preparing to face an even bigger wave coming towards them in the distance.

"Hm." Easton replied, unsure whether advice was really welcome at the moment. Judging from her stiff, careless demeanor? Not so much. The two of them watched in slightly tense silence as the wave crashed towards Raine and Missy, who hopped up to meet it with incredible height and ease and giggled as it sent them down and right into another colossal one.

"Cheerleaders." Zoe scoffed with a genuine smile as she and Easton hurdled over it with much less seamlessness. Beside them, Jesse was full of laughter, flipping onto his back to face the second and Paul and Mrs. Farr glided over them together, all smiles.

"What is it?" Easton asked, taking note of the light in Zoe's eyes as their feet touched the ocean floor once more.

"Does...does he really make her happy? I feel like I'm not the most objective third party." Zoe asked with uncertainty with her eyes still glued on Paul and her mother. It took Easton a moment to answer, as he was taking in the pair as well, watching as Paul chuckled with her, tucking her hair behind her ear and picking a stray piece of seaweed off her forehead, causing them both to crack up. Both couldn't help but notice the light in Mrs. Farr's eyes as she looked up at him, resting a hand thoughtlessly on his shoulder and spoke to him in words they were too far away to fully catch.

"You know, I may not be either but I've been watching how he is with her and how they are together since I've got here and I really think he cares for her and that yes, he definitely makes her happy," Easton decided while they continued to watch them, neglecting to see the large wave coming at an incredible pace just a few feet away, "Can you honestly remember the last time your mom was happy like this with any of her parade of men? I don't think I can."

"I'd love to keep brushing him off, but you're completely right." Zoe allowed, turning to face him again as her mom and Paul prepared for the still unseen wave.

"That does happen sometimes." Easton teased with one of his signature huge, heartwarming smiles.

Suddenly, Raine and Missy's excited screams pierced the air ahead of them and the water rapidly was sucked from around them for the wave from just beneath their shoulders to their waists. Easton quickly spun Zoe to face him, pressing up to him chest to chest and tightly wrapped both arms around her as solid as iron bars and jumped as fast and as high as he could to face the tumultuous water as it clapped against them. Zoe wrapped her arms around his neck, holding her elbows as tight as she could and ducked her head down into the nape of his neck, wincing as they leapt into the air and then fell back. Easton's muscular legs flexed and urgently sought solid ground as he pushed themselves back into an upright position, and his feet found the sandy bottom once more. Once the water had stilled, both of them were gasping and their muscles were aching from how tightly they'd been clinging to each other.

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