Swimming Lessons | AI

Chapter 8

Ashton's POV

We finally made back to Raegan and Hailey's dorm after convincing Raegan to miss her class. I could tell she was really upset by it by it but I was happy she decided to go back to the dorm. I took a seat on the chair in front of the desk across from where Raegan and Hailey sat on the bed. The dorm was kind of plain aside from a few pictures hanging up. I always imagined dorms being decked out in pictures of home, family, and friends left behind like you would see in the movies but I guess it wasn't always the case.

"Well this is home," Raegan says shifting on the bed and crossing her legs.

"How are you feeling?" I ask her with a smile.

"Better than the last time you saw me. I'm not really sore anymore, my cuts are healing, and the bruises area nearly faded." She replies. "I really appreciate what you did, saving me and everything. Most people wouldn't have done what you did."

"What happened to put you in that situation?" I ask Raegan but Hailey spoke up instead.

"I talked her into coming into the water. That was the first time I've convinced her to come to the beach since she moved here. I was just trying to get her to have fun because she hardly ever leaves campus."

Raegan rolled her eyes obviously annoyed with her best friend's answer. "I leave campus. You're making me out to be a hermit, which I'm not. I think Ashton's thirsty, can you go get him a pop from the machine down stairs?"

"Fine," Hailey says mumbling as she rolls off the bed and leaves the room leaving Raegan and I alone.

"Why did you come find me?" She asked me not making eye contact but instead staring at her hands as she picks are her nails.

"Because I wanted to get to know you," I answer her honestly.

She looks at me with confusion. "But why?" She asks and then I just shrug.

"I'm just curious who the person is that I saved, is that weird?"

She shrug and repositioned herself on the bed letting her legs go from crossed to dangling off the edge. "I guess I just find everything weird anymore. Nothing's been the same since the accident. People look at me differently."

"It'll die down after a while." I tell her but it was as if she really wasn't convinced it was going to happen. "So out of curiosity, what happened in the water?"

"The waves and current got to me. I've never step foot in the ocean until that day and I guess I just went our deeper than I should have." She flips her dark hair off her shoulders, takes the hair tie off her wrist and then twists her hair up in a messy bun. "What were you doing out there?"

"Surfing with my body guard Landon. I was little further down the beach where it wasn't busy. I heard all the commotion and went and checked it out. That's when I saw you being pulled under." I watch her shift uncomfortably. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah it's just something I don't particularly like talking about. the exacts of what actually happened anyways."

"We can totally talk about other things, like what do you study?" I ask her changing the subject.

"Right now, Human Biology. I'm preparing to get into Medical school here hopefully next year if I get accepted. It's the whole reason why my family and I moved. Usually my father just flew back and forth occasionally for work, but since I got accepted they decided to just move close by."

More questions started flooding my brain. "Where are you originally from?"

"Omaha, Nebras-" Raegan starts to say as there was a bang on the door startling us both.

The door opened and Hailey appeared holding a can soda. "Sorry I nearly fell, but anyways, do you know a Landon?" She asks handing me the soda.

I nod, "Yes why?"

"He's standing outside the door. Who is he?"

I roll my eyes. "He's basically the body guard. Let him in." Hailey peaked out the door and waved him in. "You found me." I say admitting defeat to him as he came in looking completely irritated with me.

"You have to stop sneaking away. You know, if you just asked we could have arranged all of this." Landon crosses his arms. "You're about to be late for your next interview."

I let out a long groan as I stood to my feet. It's always something getting in my way and cutting my time short every time I get a moment with her. "Maybe you can stop by our hotel sometime before we head out for a couple weeks? You can meet everyone and we can hangout without any interruptions?" I say to her and she nods. "Do you have a paper and pen?"

Everyone looks around them but it was Hailey who handed me the items I requested. I pass the can I was holding over to Landon as she before taking what she was handing me. I was slightly hesitant as I quickly jolted my number and hotel down but I didn't want to lose her again. I folded the paper and held it out to Raegan. Her lips curve into a smile as she accepts it.

"I'm serious, come by the hotel. After our interview today, we have a few days to just relax before we go home for a few weeks. Just give me call when and if you decide."

"Okay." She spoke softly as she put the paper in her pocket. "I'll see you around, I suppose."

I smile before turning towards the door and following Landon out. I wanted to ask for her number but I didn't want to be too invasive because I wasn't sure what she really thought of me. She wasn't like everyone, as in she remained calm and didn't really act giddy or freak out around me like most non famous people do. In a way it was like a breath of fresh air and I was still curious about her. I just hope she'll contact me now.

A/N: I had every intention of posting this earlier this week but I didn't have the attention span to sit down and finish it until now.  Please vote if you like it.