Broken

Chapter 16

"I can't do this Harry."

I looked up in frustration, the fishing line wrapped around my hands. I had worked on it for twenty minutes and had no luck stringing my pole. He chuckled and set his own pole down, walking over to take the pole and the line gingerly from my hands.

"Don't laugh at me." I muttered, crossing my arms and squinting at him in the sun.

He looked up from his work, untangling the line. "I'm not laughing." He gave me a grin. "Promise."

The sun reflected off of his eyes and the green was nearly glowing. He wore a snap back backwards on his head, holding a knife between his teeth. I watched him string, hook and bait my pole and he handed it back to me, tending to his.

We had been out on the boat for nearly two hours. It was his dads and it was a nice day, so we made an activity out of it. He pulled out a can of soda from the ice chest behind him, cracking it open. I watched him place it to his lips and take a drink. He set it down beside him, stretching out on the bench, his arm covering his eyes.

"Why didn't Jean come?" I asked, fiddling with my pole.

"Didn't want to I guess." he shrugged. "She's not one for being out in the sun for very long, no matter how tan she looks."

I laughed at this, the breeze sweeping the sound away, dipping down to gently kiss the waves below. The boat rocked gently, the pull of the ocean calming me.

"So what is up with you two?" I asked.

"I guess we're a thing now." he replied, sitting back up to check on his line. "It's good really. We've been friends for awhile and we know practically everything about each other. So it should work."

My eyes scrunched up slightly. "It sounds like you're trying to convince yourself."

He messed with his reel, turning to look at me. He gave me a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Just trying to figure out if it's really the right thing."

His words held weight, one that I could feel pulling me toward him. I nodded and looked out onto the water, trying to find answers in the deep blue.

"Aren't you going on a date tonight or something?" he asked, casting his line out again. I watched it fly and hit the surface with a plunk.

"Yeah I do. It's kind of weird."

"Why, because he's a stranger?"

I rolled my eyes, giving him a look. "No, that's not why. I haven't been on a date in a long time."

"Well," he said, concentrating on his bobbin. "that's crazy. Anyone would be a fool not to ask you out."

I racked my brain for words as I processed his. I opened my mouth to speak before he jerked his pole back, reeling in a fish.

"Aha!" he exclaimed, holding up the wriggling body for me to see. The skin glinted in the sun, casting a rainbow like sheen on the scales. "I am the fish mater!"

It slipped out of his hands and flopped onto the deck. My laughter echoed through the air as I watched him slip and slide desperately trying to catch it. He feel to the deck with a thump, grasping the fish in his hands. He stood up quickly, holding it out in from of him.

"Bloody thing." he mumbled, tossing it back into the water.

"What, you aren't going to keep it?" I joked, still giggling.

"He was too much of a fighter for my taste." He took another drink of his soda, putting in his sunglasses. "Besides, I heard you can tune a guitar but you can't tuna fish!"

I stared at him as he gave me a cheesy grin, spreading his hands out, waiting for me to laugh. When I didn't he gave me a look and stuck out his tongue. "Jerk."

I laughed then, loving the face he made. "Oh now you laugh, I get it." He grinned. "I need food."

He stood and made a move toward the cooler when he turned. I leaned over to see what he was looking at and gave him an amused smile. His hook was attached to the seat of his shorts, the pole on the other side of the bench. "It looks like my ass is on the line."

I threw my head back, my stomach clenching as I laughed. "Okay, that was funny." I told him.

"Yeah yeah, thanks. Now come help me get unhooked will you?"

I stood up and walked over to him, reaching behind to take the hook out. It was snagged on a piece of fabric. I gripped the hook and went to pull it out when he shifted, snagging a loose thread and pulling it out.

"Hey watch it Styles." I said, looking up at him. "Make another move like that and your pants will come unraveled."

"Well if you wanted to see my bum you just had to asked." he replied, smirking.

I raised an eyebrow, pausing my motions. "Do you want the hook off or not?"

He grinned sheepishly. "Continue." he said, looking forward and standing still. I unhooked the metal, holding it up for him to inspect. "That could've impaled me."

"Don't be a drama queen." I retorted, shaking my head.

"Oh I am no drama queen."

"You are too."

He lurched forward, wrapping his arms around my torso, holding me close to his chest.

"Put me down!" I struggled, his fingers digging into my side.

"I will toss you overboard like that fish if you don't apologize." he threatened, a devilish smile crossing his face.

My jaw fell open, my eyes widening. "You wouldn't dare."

He leaned over the rail slightly and I gasped, wrapping my arms around his neck. "Scared huh?" he challenged.

"If I'm going down, you're going down with me." I shot back, determined to win this.

"Wherever you're going can't be that bad." he said, his tone softening. My fingers gripping his shirt released and I pushed away from his embrace.

"Like you could do that." I laughed uneasily, trying to keep the mood light. I glanced down at my watch, giving it a second chance when I realized the time. "I've got to get home to I can get ready."

"Aye aye captain." he said sarcastically, packing up the stuff and going to sit behind the wheel. The wind blew through my hair as the boat cut through the blue water like glass, the sun beginning to sink lower into the sky. I looked back at him, his long fingers curled around the wheel, his eyes fixed in the ocean before him, his jaw set and clean. He looked confident and in control.

We docked and he hopped off onto the wooden deck, extending his hand. "M'Lady."

I slipped my fingers into his and jumped down, landing safely on my feet. I slung my bag over my shoulder, my fingers messing with the strap.

"Thanks for today." I told him. "It was really fun."

"Yeah it was." he said, smiling. "Now go on your date. But tell him I'll kill him if he breaks your heart."

"You wouldn't even hurt a butterfly Harry." I reminded him.

He grinned and shrugged. "He doesn't need to know that."

I shook my head and turned on my heel, heading down the dock.

"Ill sea you later!" He called. I got to the end of the dock and turned to look at him. My lips curved when I saw him wrapping up the rope beside him, laughing at himself. No matter how dorky he seemed, he could teach the world a thing or two.