What would you do if you couldn't have the person you're in love with?
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Charlie Landon had her future worked out until her mother died in a freak shark attack. H...
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STARS
Thursday the 23rd of November
The salty ocean water swirls around my body as I charge through the rustling waves. Clusters of bubbles float past my vision as I dive deeper in pursuit of a small bluefish. Noah yanks on my ankle and I resurface.
His brown hair is slicked back and water droplets splatter into the ocean. He wraps his arms around my waist and I pout.
"Can I help you with something? I was in the middle of befriending a fishy."
"I'm sorry." He chuckles. "What was his name?"
"Him, hey? What if the fish was a girl? Or maybe it doesn't identify with a specific gender."
Noah shakes his head and I laugh. I leap into his arms and wrap my legs around his waist. His hands trail down my back and hook under my bottom to hold me upright.
I run my fingers through his wet hair and Noah wrinks his nose. He shakes his head and cold, salty droplets cascade across my face.
"Ah," I gasp. "What was that for?"
I push hum away, but his arms tighten around me. I slap the water and he laughs. Noah brushes his lips across my neck, under my chin and to my lips. I melt against his warm lips because I have no will power.
His lips travel back down my neck and across my collarbone. My head rolls back and I moan.
"Can we please stay here forever? It'll be you, me and the world as our oyster."
"We could live off the land and build a house out of sticks and mud," he teases. "We could even forage the land for nuts and berries."
"Noah." I sigh. "We don't have to worry about being caught or what people will think. You're not my teacher here, you're just Noah East." The man I'm falling in love with.
"I hate the situation we're in, but we don't need to run from it, and it won't be forever. Once you've graduated from high school, we'll get through it together."
"Are you worried about what people will say?"
"I just care about you."
"You're not worried people might think you seduced your student?"
Noah bursts into laughter. "I think you seduced me, little miss, not so innocent."
"Since you're the person in the power position, they'll think you're the one who seduced me. I will be slightly offended because I can corrupt myself, I don't need a man to do that for me."
"That's true." He chuckles.
I slip into the water but Noah pulls me back. I wish he'd stop doing that, let me swim in the ocean of denial for a little longer.
