It's a Love-Hate relationship

CHAPTER 26: Her fangs are still in her mouth

Ear-splitting. Everything is so loud that it takes me a good two minutes to close my eyes and bring my hands to my tortured ears. It isn't very cold and that just makes this whole swim-in-the-night thing easy. Maddie and the rest of the guys surround me, talking amongst themselves about anything and everything.

My eyes are currently fixated on the far end of the lake. A part of me longed to reach out there and let my curiosity get the best of me to discover what could be there. It's dark out there – I could only see black water – but the lights hanging on the trees framing the lake, illuminated the area we are swimming in. We aren't that far from the bridge and luckily, there aren't any restrictions on swimming at night.

My legs move slowly underwater and my arms flail gently to keep me floating. I don't pay much attention to what everyone is so excited about – I guess it was the alcohol that got to their head plus the fact that they would have a little extra fun this weekend.

In terms of sex, I mean.

Moving tents will be a nightmare.

I'm not that intrigued, it beats me, and instead of bothering at all to engage in conversations that mainly involved gossip and frequent flirting, I gaze longingly at the lake and sky simultaneously. The sky is clear and purely magnificent. The little stars covered it all the way down as I could see, the beautiful constellations scattered all over the dark background. The lake glistens in the light moonlight that managed to peek from the very few clouds which annoyingly only covered the moon. The ripples and waves aren't that strong as I see and it's serene all around us.

For once, I seem to be forgetting everything and everyone, all my worries and anxiety becoming obscure and emanating from my mind as of the lake is capturing them and keeping them away from me. I close my eyes and savor the moment, rare moments like this to be cherished.

I liked the loneliness the lake offered, I think. It's not the quiet and sometimes unbearable loneliness I had over the years. No. it's a calm loneliness – I know I sound senseless – one that I wouldn't let go for even the slightest bit of company. I could stay here all night watching the stars move slightly according to the figment of my imagination. I could watch them bring out a different and alluring shimmer to the sky. I could just be all alone.

As much as I love my peace and few moments of solitude, a deep voice breaks my reverie and I flip my hand in defense, a short gasp escaping my moist lips.

"Ow." Caleb rubs his nose slowly, his eyes narrowing at me. I manage to laugh a little, thinking of how funny it is that I hit his nose every time we meet.

"Your hand seems to be having an eternal bond with my nose." My stomach churns at his words and a foreign feeling settles at the pit of my stomach. I gulp at his shirtless form – he resembled a Calvin Klein model – and how the moonlight hit his caramel skin at the right places. His dark hair rose in spikes and small beads of water drizzled down next to his ear, tracing the outline of his sharp jawline as they ran down his neck and finally immersed into the water. His shoulder blades move along with his hands underwater and with every move, his peeking biceps retract. I shake my head, cursing myself for ever admiring his body.

"You should stay away then if you don't want to get hurt." A whisper escapes my mouth. I don't want to get close to anybody, it doesn't work that way for me. Why? I have no idea. Why does it feel like I said too much? Did I? I look at him and there it is – the intrigue, the slight concern and...pity?

Almost pity.

"I wish I could." A similar whisper, the same tone I used a few seconds ago and I'm left a little astounded. I shiver a little, probably due to staying in the water for too long. Caleb's eyes point at me, poking my conscience, asking the meaning behind my words. I want to look away; my mind pulls the strings like a puppeteer. But something in me is frozen, urging me desperately to look into his grey ocean as if it'll wash away all my problems, all my fear, and pain.