Two Weeks to Fall in Love

5. Two Weeks to Live in the Strangest World

After much internal debate, I sat down on the warm sand and undid my shoe laces.

Though I wouldn't admit it to him, Noah was right. The desire to dip your feet into the water was almost a compulsion once you were on this secluded beach, enjoying possibly one of the last days marked by warm sunshine in this late autumn weather.

I pulled off my shoes and set them neatly down on the ground before stretching my toes in the sand. The tingling feeling was both refreshing and odd, something I loved about sand beaches. Digging my hands into the sand, I grabbed a handful and let it trickle through my fingers until I had only a few colorful shards of glass in the palm of my hand.

"You coming, Fox?" Noah yelled, standing in the water with an infectious grin on his face.

I smiled back, pocketing the remaining shards, and stood up. "Guess I am, Archer."

My feet sank into the warm sand, a pleasant feeling spreading through me as I approached the water. However, as soon as my feet dipped into the sea, I jumped out and shuddered.

"Noah, it's freezing!" My tone was full of accusation as I glared at him.

"Whoops, sorry?" His aloof smile clearly stated that he was anything but.

He'd made it seem like the water was made of the same sunshine that reflected against its surface, but it was far from it. In fact, the temperature of the water was more like what I imagine you'd encounter at the arctic pole.

"You sure don't sound sorry," I muttered, knowing full well that I'd dip more than just my toe at that point. Moving back into the sea, with just the top of my foot dipped in, I shot him an accusatory glare.

"Guess you got me there, Fox." Noah looked at me with childish wonder. "But, why not make some new memories. Even if they're sour ones." He mimicked his mocking face from earlier before his face spread into a smirk almost as dazzling as the water beneath us.

My anger had started to melt and I clenched my toes, focusing on the feeling of the fine sand beneath my feet. The refreshing water was now a welcome reminder of what was important; that I shouldn't be swept away by his contagious attitude. It was a wake up call from his siren song.

"About those questions..." I said, trying to glance at him through my eyelashes and get the topic back onto what mattered -- interrogating him.

"I could tell you weren't convinced," he said and chuckled, as he walked deeper into the water. 

It was bewildering, how carefree he was acting when in my mind there was so much at stake. Like people's hearts.

"Look, two weeks is a short time. I don't think a couple of questions can make you fall for someone." I regretted the accusatory tone of my words as soon as they slipped my lips.

"And you think taking months and months to date someone just to realize you're not compatible, is the right move?" His matter-of-fact tone was almost infuriating, more so because in a way he may have been right. It's not like I was an expert in love. But then at the same time, considering he had dated so many girls and yet broke up with them after such a short time, I didn't exactly think he was either.

"That's not what I'm--" I tried to argue but Noah raised his hand to interrupt me, clearly not finished with his little TED talk moment.

"It's exactly what you're saying." There was a bitter smile on his face as he dipped his hand into the water below, "It's attraction, your brain's chemistry telling you oh wow, this person is so hot, and you're drawn to them, so you want to be around them, want to date them. Whether you're actually compatible just falls into second plan until it's already too late. In the end choosing who to love based on attraction can only lead you to trouble. Or do you disagree?" He challenged, raising an eyebrow as he walked closer to me through the water, sending ripples my way; ripples in more ways than one.