Chapter 173

Chapter 173
Chapter 173

In the beach

Alex’s POV

The most beautiful work of nature was just in front of me. I stared, mesmerized at the large expanse of water that stretched endlessly. The air was cool and moist.

I could not resist taking a deep breath, marveling at how fresh and good the air was.
The shallow part of the water sparkled with golden sand that felt soft under my feet.

It was beautiful.

No, almost magical, with the calm and quietness of the whole place.

A small gasp slipped from my lips before I could stop it, and I felt Andrian staring at me while curving his mouth knowingly.

"Like it?" he asked, his voice softer now.

I turned to him, unable to hide the small smile tugging at my lips. "It’s perfect."

Andrian’s gaze softened. "I knew you would."

For a moment, we just stood there, letting the ocean breeze wash over us. Then, before I could react, Andrian started removing his clothes.

“Hey…what are you…?”

My voice trailed off, as he now stood only in his boxers. I suddenly felt hotness spread throughout my cheeks. I tried to look everywhere but his waist area, but my eyes kept darting to him anyway.

The way his v shape curved from his stomach, going lower into his boxers.

Suddenly, I felt a tap on my forehead, I shook my head to see andrian looking at me amused. “Is like you spaced out”.

“Huh…I, noo I didn't “ I stammered, completely guilty at being caught ogling him like a horny bitch.

As I tried to snap myself to reality, Andrian grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward the water.

“Noo,” I protested, but he still held on,

"Come on," he grinned. "Live a little, Alex."

His words made me stop. For a moment I had a nostalgic feeling of when I had tried my first cigar, and he had said the exact words to me. My pause sealed my faith, as he dragged me forward, both of us running straight into the waves.

The water was cold, freezing is the actual word to us for it. My teeths clattered from the cold, as I immediately folded my hands to stop my trembling body. To my surprise, andrian was in the water, with nothing except his boxers, but he wasn't affected by the cold.

Andrian laughed, his laughter sounding like pleasant music to my ears. I couldn’t help but grin at him like a fool, despite my anger at my clothes being wet now.

Andrian was watching me, his eyes filled with something I couldn’t quite name. Then, with a mischievous glint, he suddenly splashed water at me.

I gasped, staring at him in betrayal. "Oh, you did not just do that."

He smirked. "What are you gonna do about it?"

I didn’t even think. Nor did I consider that I was still shivering from the cold. I just lunged.

The next few minutes were a blur of laughter, splashing, and playful shoving. Well andrian doing the shoving while I suffer the full brunt of his actions. At one point, Andrian grabbed me by the waist, lifting me slightly before dropping me back into the water.

The nerve of this guy.

I swore revenge, but honestly?

I was having too much fun to care.

I had never laughed hard like I did for the past five to ten minutes of us playing in the water.

By the time the sun started to set, we were both exhausted, soaked, and lying on the cool sand of the beach, trying to catch our breath.

Andrian had brought a makeshift mat, spreading it out on the sand so we wouldn’t be sitting directly on the damp shore.

The sky had darkened into a deep navy blue, stars beginning to dot the sky one by one. The waves had quitted, only their rhythmic soft sound filling the air with serenity.

I found myself staring upward, feelings of contentment swelling in my heart.

Beside me, lay Andrian, he was equally tired but he hardly showed it. Andrian let out a relaxed sigh. "You’re quiet."

I glanced at him, my voice softer now. "Just thinking."

"About?"

I hesitated for a moment before finally asking, "Do you remember the camp?"

Andrian turned his head toward me, his expression unreadable. "Of course I do."

I swallowed, my fingers absentmindedly tracing patterns on the mat. "When did you find out?"

The air between us shifted slightly.

I wasn’t sure why I brought it up now, but maybe it was because this moment felt calm, peaceful and oddly familiar.

Andrian was silent for a moment before he finally spoke, his voice quieter than before.

"The night in the forest… you asked me who i liked.?"

I turned my head to look at him, my eyes curious. I remembered that night vividly, the question had come out of my mouth like a dam, and before I could close it, it was already late. But andrian being ridiculous as he had always been, said it was me to tease me.

“I remember you teasing me…”

“It was not a Tease Alex” he said, and for the first time. I saw something raw in his eyes.

Something real. My heart race increased.

“I had meant every word I had said that night Alex. You were the person I was referring to too.” andrian said, staring down at me with an intense look.

That was when it hit me. “His description that night, it had fitted perfectly. The blue eyes, the way he had sounded. I could have seen it. Could have noticed the glaring message he was trying to pass.

But no. I had waved it aside, it was a ridiculous idea then, and I had believed that.

But now, I see it in his eyes. And it was so clear and burning.

But why had he left…

We had planned to meet, before saying goodby

“But you left, before I stood under the tree for hours, but you were nowhere to be found.”

Andrian's expression changed, I thought he wouldn't answer, but he suddenly did.

“My driver, he came very early. Saying there was an emergency. That was why I left without saying goodbye.”

A lump formed in my throat.

"Then why did you act like you hated me? The first day in school…" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Andrian let out a humorless chuckle. "Because I didn't know how to handle it. I know that it might sound selfish , yes but then I was scared, and afraid and insecure.”

Andrian rant out, while clenching his hands hard.

I hesitated.

Now?

Andrian sighed, running a hand through his hair. "And now?. Now I don't care about what people say again…, I am following my heart, and I couldn’t be happier.

I swallowed hard. His words hit me hard, like a truck full of catties. I didn’t know what to say or do to his confession.

The silence between us stretched for a long period of time. It was a comfortable silence, which I embraced with open arms. We stayed under the night listening to the sound of each other's breathing.

The stars above us continued to twinkle, but at that moment, the only thing I was truly aware of was the boy beside me.

The boy I had once hated.

I had thought he hated me.

And the boy I wasn’t sure I could ever stop feeling something for.

“It's late Andrian” I suddenly said, going to stand up, but andrian stopped me.

“Relax Alex, nobody is ever coming here”

“What did you say?”

“It's a private property…” He said, having a slight change in his expression. But i still pressed on,

“Whose?”

Andrian hesitated, but after some time, he answered.

“My mother's”