To say I was nervous would be an understatement. Practicing in front of the mirror was no help at all.

I decided to finally go pick her up from the spa right after attempting a good hairstyle that could look effortless, which wasn't very easy.

"Hey, Lia," I said after clearing my throat, driving out of the beach house's garage.

"Hey Ross, I'm done and waiting for you inside. D-don't rush, though!"

"Don't worry. I'm on my way."

Why does she have to sound so tempting?

Why did everything about her have to be what I craved the most?

Why was I happy when she suddenly turned against her boyfriend?

Why did my heart skip beats once I took a glance at her from a distance?

Every step I took felt heavier than the previous, almost as if I now weighed twice I did.

I was now right behind her back, looking at her long golden waves in awe, feeling my breath quicken before I tapped her shoulder.

I had in mind a beautiful thing stays eternally beautiful. It's beauty neither decreases nor increases. Lia is different. Lia's beauty increases by each day in a totally captivating, eloquent strategy that works just the way a shocker does once put upon a dying heart.

"Hey," I whispered, feeling her turn to face me, and I then remembered the shocking feeling I get every time I see her.

"Hi! So? What do you think? Was it worth a day at the spa?"

Killing me? Totally worth it.

"Y-you look- y-you uhh," I couldn't contain my stutters...all I felt was nervousness and an irresistible urge to kiss her.

So I simply did.

I planted a soft kiss on her cheek, her perfume waking me from my trance. "You look very beautiful. You always do. You look more and more beautiful every day."

Her warming cheeks decorated her smile as she bit the inside of her cheeks, "th-thank you. I think you look very handsome, especially in that suit,"She enthusiastically complimented before muttering under her breath.

"Thank you, princess."

Her hand linked with my arm and we walked out the door with foolish smiles. I loved her excitement.

I loved loving her.

............................

"That's Dr. Mark, Mr. and Mrs. Harte, the Camerons, Valtinos, Kiley, Harold, Fre..."

"I can't memorize all that, damn," her chuckles made my heart race as we stood inches apart. I was trying to tour her around and I don't think it's ever been better.

Talk about a wild teen.

"I mostly talk to Harold and the Camerons."

"They're very nice," she grinned as I took a sip from my drink. "Especially Elizabeth. She's cute."

"We should go meet them."

"What're you going to introduce me as?"

Mine.

"I don't want to put you in trouble, neither do I want you to feel awkward, so Lia is perfect," I said feeling guilt slowly break my ribs to conquer my heart.

'Lia' was nowhere near great. 'Lia' was plain. She's far from being normal Who's is far from being plain. She's exotic...ethereal. She needs to be introduced in a way a lot more descriptive than her simple name.

"Well, Okay. Though I'm just, uh..a little nervous..."

"You're perfectly fine, princess," I reassured her truthfully, looking into her hazel green eyes, ones I've been avoiding ever since we stepped foot here.

I could clearly see why I did.

I took a deep breath, never leaving her eye gaze as my arms swept around her waist. "They're going to love you. "

Her tinted red cheeks made me chuckle lightly before we started walking.

I couldn't deny being nervous. All there was to do was hide it, concentrating on our pace as Lia's heels clicked.

"Lynch! So good to see you again,"I grinned, releasing Lia's waist to shake his hands.

"Hey, Will," he patted my shoulder, shifting his gaze to Lia. "It has been long, hasn't it?"

"Totally," he smiled, never keeping his eyes away from her. I could sense her body stepping closer towards me which honestly built anger in me, despite him being a childhood buddy. I did my best to tow my tongue in order not to confront him. "Who's the pretty one?"

"William this is Lia, Lia this is William, my foster brother."

"Oh she knows," he smiled at me for a split second before concentrating back on her, "it's so good to meet you."

"Thank you, you too."

Regardless of her small reply, my heart ached, the feeling of burning sparks touching it just to give a pinching sensation.

I was jealous.

"So What're you guys waiting for? The annual dance is about to start."

We watched him leave knowing too well how nervous Lia was getting by his flirting.

"The fuck was that?"

She only coughed as a response making me turn to face her. "William has got to stop crossing his boundaries."

"Are you jealous?!"

I was raging with internal fire.

"No, it's just impolite."

"Yeah, right..." she chuckled, making my blood rush to my cheeks. "I know you're jealous, Lynch. Just so you know, he's not my type...Jesus! You make me forget I have a boyfriend!"

I could only rub a hand through my hair, holding back a laugh as she nudged my shoulder. I didn't have the ability to differentiate between my rage and my happiness.

She doesn't deserve Jackson, neither does she deserve to have him on her mind.

She only deserves me and I'm proud to say I'm greedy for her love. I only wish she could open her eyes to see it.

To say I was nervous would be an understatement. Feeling safe helped once Ross built the guts to hold my hands after stuttering to ask me for a dance.

I've always been a great dancer, but never have I had a partner. Being a school loner had my entire self hidden.

His moves were graceful despite being completely carefree. His smile was very contagious, especially since I was the cause.

"I love the fact that you're dancing barefoot," he bit his lip playfully making me giggle.

"I can't dance in heels on grass," I rolled my eyes, dangling my arms around his neck.

His moves slowed down allowing me to stare into his hazel eyes; ones that calm me down despite everything I went through this night.

"Lia," he whispered, making me decrease the distance between us, "I want to throw you in that pool to prove you that everyone's eyes have been on you all night."

"That's a little too aggressively cute."

"I do want to do that. But I'd jump after you," his little shrug made me giggle louder just as his smile grew.

I loved how I felt every word his soothing voice spoke, how I got each and every messed up ideas he was getting.

I was too attached to him, now. A lot more attached to him than I'm attached to Jackson.

My fingers traveled to his blond locks, moving them away from his right ear before I tiptoed to reach it, whispering, "what if we did that?"

"What do you mean?"

I didn't give him a chance to comprehend my words...but pushing him into a hot tub with his grasp on my hips was not a very good idea.

We both resurfaced, hearing everyone's loud laughs along with ours. He shook his head, making his damp hair spray on my face. I only had God to thank for my waterproof makeup. I couldn't care less either way.

"I totally deserve that," he swam closer to me, allowing me to melt into his eyes. I stared shamelessly into his wet hair, his unfairly long eyelashes and the little droplets of water that perfectly defined his cheeks, his plumped lips that were slightly parted, his skin visible through his wet button down and his perfectly defined neck.

I was too lost to notice his eyes never leaving my lips.

"We both kind of do," I whispered, smiling before I felt his body press against mine.

I loved his warmth more than I loved the fact that I was able to distinguish between his warmth and the tub's.

I felt his breath on my lips, whispering two words I never thought would hurt me the way they did.

"I'm sorry."

What happens due to a kiss is uncontrollable movements, so when my hands traveled to his wet hair I realized our unlike lips were sealed together.

But I never bothered to pull away, despite the guilt clarity.

I just couldn't care less that something so wrong felt so right; that our lips never fitted for a reason and yet they couldn't create but bursting emotions and a soulful kiss.

It was the reason behind my dissatisfaction when he slightly pulled away to rest his hand on my neck, rubbing his thumb against my cheek. "I love you."

His whisper was of the loudest voice.

His heartbeats were of the loudest music.

It all had me completely speechless.

"R-Ross, I..."

His thumb moved to my lips, inhibiting me to speak once more.

"Don't say anything," he whispered once again before bringing my lips to his in another kiss, leaving me alive only under his hold as I had no more control over my swimming, possible drowning body.

His words rushed blood to my face and I did nothing but give myself into him.

"I just love you, Lia."