𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐆𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 with soft and mature themes.
College senior Sierra adores her best friend Brian, but he inadvertently thwarts her love life on occasion. She didn't expect to meet Nick that night, but they quickly fel...
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"Oh my goodness, it's amazing outside."
Barefoot, hair loose, and in an ethereal, white dress: Sierra stands on the balcony, tipping her face toward the sun.
"Mmhmm," I agree, sticking my head out, "Be out in a sec."
I relieve myself in the bathroom, then wash my hands. The water rushes for too long as I scrutinize my reflection. This month aged me as I burnt the candle at both ends. "Gross," I murmur, probing the prominent bags under my eyes. The scruff on my jaw begs for a trim, and so does the space between my eyebrows.
I flip the still-running water off and twist the cap off the mouthwash. The familiar menthol burn reminds me of staving off coffee breath from late-night study sessions, and I tense at the memory of missing my sunshine for most of December. Never again.
These shoes and my wrinkled shirt need to go. I discard the t-shirt on the bed and kick off my shoes on my trek to the balcony, sliding into one of the wrought-iron chairs. "Whatcha feel like doing, sweetheart?"
Traffic whizzes by, sounds of radios blaring as they zip past. A bright red umbrella towers over the table, casting a scarlet glow over my skin.
Smack dab in the middle of it all is two things. The massive oceanfront dotted with people carrying coolers, stretching out on their colorful beach blankets, and diving into whitecaps of waves. And her.
Sierra glances over her shoulder, smiling down at me, those sparkling eyes creasing in the corner, and my heart gushes. I'm the biggest, sappiest idiot for her.
"My goodness, you're the cutest." Beaming, I bite my lip and pat my lap. She sinks to sit, wrapping her arms around my neck, inspecting my eyes and stubble before I nuzzle her chest.
Involuntary moans of satisfaction escape my throat when she softly scratches her nails against the back of my head. "You look worn out, baby. Would you like to take a rest?"
I nod and don't say anything when she tows me by the hand inside, snagging her book off the tabletop, then belly flops onto the soft white sheets before flipping over, grinning as I laugh.
The bed dips as I brace my palms on the edge and crawl between her legs. Encircling her waist with my arms, I rest my head on her stomach. Between the white-noise hum of the fan, and her slender fingers tousling my hair, I conk out right away.
***
Distant sounds of traffic and John Mayer reach my ears before I realize where I am. Brilliant strokes of lavender and cotton candy streak through the spectacular stretch of blue sky out the open door to the balcony as the sun slowly plummets toward the ocean floor.
And yet the award for most beautiful sight goes to...
Sierra winds a section of thick hair around her curling iron across the room. I rub my face, trying to get my bearings, drawing my knees up toward my chest. "Hi, pretty girl."
