Falling Away #Watty 2023

•Chapter 43•

I GAVE HER A BRIGHT smile which deflated into a frown when my eyes met Liam's. It was obvious he was getting uncomfortable around her, but she didn't notice. She was too happy to see the changes that were developing in her boyfriend.

"Nice to meet you, Liam," I said, feigning another smile. "You have similar features to someone I once knew."

Liam stared at me for a moment, then turned to Mackenzie. "Babe, let's go get some snacks. I'm hungry."

Mackenzie nodded happily. "Are you guys coming along?" she asked.

"No, I'm fine. I want to see how this match ends," I replied.

Layla stood up. "As long as there's chicken and chips, I'm coming along." She turned to me. "Are you sure you don't want to come?"

I nodded.

As soon as they left, I brought out my phone and scrolled through my messages. I typed a message to Gemma.

Gemma: Hey, how's things going over there?

A message from my sister pop up on my phone screen.

Ashley: Sorry, it been long I chatted you. I've been busy lately. How's Columbia? Is Mackenzie nice to you?

Zoey: Good, Mackenzie is a nice person and I love my new environment.

"I think you should tell her," someone said.

I looked up and saw Dylan standing opposite me. He took a step and plopped down in the space next to me. "Mackenzie needs to know you and Liam used to be together," he continued.

"I see no point. I'm not getting back with him. I'm over him," I replied.

"It doesn't seem that way to him," Dylan said. "I hope this doesn't cause issues in the end. I care about Mackenzie a lot, and I wouldn't want to see her get hurt."

His words made me pause and consider the potential consequences. If Liam eventually breaks up with Mackenzie, it would really hurt her, and I might not be able to forgive myself.

"I don't want to talk about it," I mumbled slowly.

"You know what?" Dylan said, standing up. He took a step down before stretching forth his hand to me. "I think we should go have some fun. I know of a place that might help take your mind off things."

I smiled. "Okay." I took his hand, expecting him to let go, but he didn't. He hauled me toward himself, our faces inches apart. I could feel the warmth of his hand on mine, along with his breath. Our eyes locked, and soon I felt my heart thumping in my chest.

I was transfixed, dazzled, and bewitched for a moment.

"I think we should go," I mumbled, trying to break away from his gaze.

He stepped back a little, his hand reaching into his pocket. "Yes... let's go."

We walked down the bleachers together and headed to his red convertible car parked in the farthest corner of the parking lot. He opened the door for me to enter and closed it gently. I took a deep breath as I watched him walk over to the driver's side.

The ride was a weird and calm one after Dylan started playing the music. He went silent, and I didn't intend to say anything either. I focused my gaze on the exterior part of the car, hoping it wasn't some sort of crazy wood hideout he was taking me to. But as the car pulled into a small parking lot that was almost occupied, I wished it was a wood hideout.

A brown picket fence surrounded the entrance of the reserved spot with little red roses, making it look like a perfect spot for a dinner date. A cool breeze brushed my hair to my face, and I parted it with a finger, tucking it behind my ears.

There was a huge pool in the middle of the surroundings, and people were everywhere. Girls and boys were all in bikinis, sipping cocktails and enjoying the cool water.

"This is where I go on weekends to relax, meet friends, and enjoy some alone time," Dylan said as we walked further into the place.

"Wow, it's cool," I smiled. Two girls sitting by the pool waved at me with bright smiles, which I returned almost immediately.

"Would you like to swim?" Dylan asked as he took off his shirt.

"It's been a while since I've done that, but..." I shrugged. "I think I want to."

He grinned, rubbing his hands together. "Let's play a surprise game."

I laughed at his sudden weird gesture. "Don't tell me you're planning to push me into that pool unaware. I'm not really a fan."

He laughed, shoving his hand into his hair to give it a slight ruffle. "You're so smart. You know what... I think we should both dive in simultaneously."

"No way," I waved my hand in disapproval. "I'm not really..." Before I could finish talking, he grabbed my hand, pushing me along with himself into the water.

The coldness of the water caused me to scream out loud. "It's so cold! Do they put refrigerator water here?"

He grinned. "Yes, that's the fun of it."

My jaw dropped. "Who the hell..." He cut me off again by pulling me to himself, taking my hands and placing them on his shoulder.

"Just hold on to me," he mumbled. "You won't feel the coldness."

I was freezing; the coldness of the water was almost paralyzing my body. I held onto his body firmly, my hands wrapped around his shoulder. "I'm so not comfortable with this," I chuckled.

He laughed. "Well, it's your first experience. I do this almost every day. And now it's different, I'm with someone who's a first-timer."

I laughed, our faces inches from each other. I could feel his breath as he wrapped his hand around my waist. For a mere second, everything around me halted as he leaned in and kissed me.

"Hey, you guys are getting hot!" someone shouted.

I looked up and saw Liam and Mackenzie standing close to the pool. Layla and Mackenzie's jaws dropped, and I quickly pulled away from Dylan's hold. Liam stared at me with a frown as I found my way out of the pool.

Thanks for reading ✨ please vote ⭐ comment... and share ↪️