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"Come on! I won't look while you undress." Aaron reasoned, pulling me to look at him.

I sighed, folding my arms, feeling suddenly self conscious.

"It's not just that. I'll feel... uncomfortable."

Aaron's eyebrows furrowed at this.

"Why?" He questioned.

I shook my head, dismissing him.

"You won't understand." I said, walking away.

He walked after me.

"Understand what?"

"Nothing." I huffed, walking faster.

Aaron sighed heavily.

"Why do all girls say 'nothing'? It's obviously something." He groaned.

He walked faster, grabbing my arm.

"What is it?"

I stopped in my movements, a downcast look on my face.

"I said nothing." I murmured quietly.

"Please." Aaron spoke with a gentle tone.

I turned to face him finally at this, speaking the worries and anxieties that plagued me every day that never made me feel like I was worth anything.

"You won't understand how it is to feel ugly- how it feels when your body is just not good enough." I spoke truthfully, every word said from experience. It was a thought that ran through my head every second of every day.

Aaron looked shocked from my words. He probably wasn't expecting me to say that. He reached his hand out towards me, resting it gently on my shoulder.

"Lexi." He muttered, sending me a warm smile.

"What?" I huffed, looking at the ground.

He tutted, using his forefinger to lift my chin.

"You're so beautiful."

I stilled at his words. I didn't mean to, but the sheer sincerity from his voice shocked me and I watched as he gave me a slow and deliberate once over before removing his hand from my chin.

"Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." He said, putting his hands in his jeans.

I blushed, but immediately scolded myself for it. I couldn't help it, especially when I looked to him. He wouldn't know how it felt when his beauty was so revered. I was just considered the plain jane of the school- we were worlds apart.

"You wouldn't understand." I repeated, my voice emotionless. I turned to walk away but Aaron grabbed me again, a smile on his face.

"I do understand." Aaron spoke, holding my arm. He was relentless to let me go.

I scoffed.

"Oh, please, Aaron! You've said it yourself- girls love your body- do you really expect me to believe that you understand how it feels to be ashamed of it?" I accused, without thought or empathy and it was only after I spoke, did I regret what Is aid.

I felt him let go of my arm and then pure silence descended upon the woods.

A cold and deadly silence.

I half expected him to turn me around and give me it back just as bad. What I didn't expect, when I turned around, was to see him looking sadly at the ground. I didn't say anything, but just stared.

He smiled slightly, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"That's a funny joke."

I sighed. I'm not a mind reader, but it was blatantly obvious that I had hurt him. I didn't mean to. It just slipped out and after seeing the look on his face I immediately regretted it.

I just didn't think it would hurt him that much. I mean, he must know that he gets with a lot of girls; everyone knows it. Yet, it shouldn't have been something that I used against him. I thought hard about the look of hurt in Aaron's eyes; he seemed to be more upset about his actions with girls than I had thought he would be. It made me feel as though there was something more to the picture.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts and to concentrate on the sad blue-eyed boy in front of me, who also seemed to be lost in his thoughts.

"Aaron." I began with a heavy sigh.

"I didn't mean to-"

"No, it's fine. Really." Aaron interrupted my apology. He smiled yet again and turned away from me, moving towards the lake.

I didn't want to be the reason for his sadness. I didn't want to be the reason anyone was upset. I was going out with him to make his mom happy and I hurt him in the process.

I followed him to where he sat in front of the lake and sat beside him.

"Hey, princess." I taunted, copying his endearment from the restaurant.

He smiled slightly, but turned to look at the lake. He wasn't going to give in that easily. That's cool because neither was I.

I sat closer.

"What made you upset? My good looks or my good looks?" I mimicked his words again, trying to make my voice deeper like his.

He smiled a little wider this time, but soon his face was blank again. I needed that smile to stay.

"Why are you so uptight?" I groaned in a octave lower than my own. I remember when he said that to me.

He kept his eyes on the lake, a breathy chuckle escaping his lips.

"I know what you're trying to do." He said quietly.

I pulled a stern face and put my best deep voice on.

"Don't think you know me because you know nothing about me."

With that, his 'wall' broke down and he fell to the ground, laughing. I laughed alongside him, glad to be the reason he was smiling. He was so beautiful when he smiled. His eyes returned with the mischievous glint that he had lost not minutes ago.

"I need a favour." I said through heavy chuckles, repeating his words to me yet again.

Aaron stopped laughing and looked at me curiously.

"What is it?" He asked.

I smiled knowingly.

"I need you to smile and strip, so we can get this swimming show on the road."

He looked at me blankly, registering my words, before smiling.

"You're going to swim?" He questioned, the smile never leaving his face.

I shook my head.

"No. WE'RE going to swim. Don't try to get out of it." I joked, putting emphasis on 'we're'.

Aaron smirked, back to his regular self.

"I won't try getting out it. I know how much you're yearning to see me." He taunted.

I smirked back.

"Oh please." I scoffed.

"I just hope that a shark finds the sight of your body, in the water, appetizing and eats you up whole." I joked, knowing all too well that there were no sharks in the lake, but it was just too fun to tease him.

Aaron came closer, still smirking.

"Yeah, well the 'shark' should know that my bark is not worse than my bite." With this, he licked his perfect white canines.

I smiled, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, what else should the 'shark' know?" I said poignantly, knowing that, since Aaron's comment, we weren't actually talking about a shark.

Aaron came closer, looking me straight in the eyes.

"The 'shark' should know that it would be dangerous to come after me." Aaron said, his voice mesmerising.

"Really?" I said, moving closer.

Aaron nodded.

"After one day with me, the 'shark' will be begging on its knees for a way out." Aaron said fiercely, his words solemn.

I smirked at him.

"Sharks don't have knees." I said, using my as-a-matter-of-factly tone.

Aaron moved the final step towards me, our noses an inch apart.

"Who said we were talking about sharks?"

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I sighed. I was currently stood behind a bush. Aaron had instructed me to remove everything but my undergarments, promising me he won't look. I didn't trust him, so that's why I ended up behind this bush. Well, I trusted with a lot of things. The topic of nudity was just not one of them.

I feared he would come and look but omitted that fear when I heard a splash.

He was in the lake.

I shook my head and slowly stripped my body from my clothes. They hit the floor with a soft thud. I breathed deeply. I hated my body. Well, it wasn't all that bad, but neither was anything special. The boys, nowadays, liked girls with big butts and chests. They liked girls with tans and slim legs.

I did not look like that, but then again who had all of that? Every girl was beautiful and should be proud of their body, regardless of whatever anyone else thinks.Everyone comes in different shapes and sizes, so who are boys to decide which shape is remotely 'ideal'?

I hugged my body and shoved my clothes to the side. Just be calm, I thought, repeating it as I sneaked past the bush.

Aaron was in the water waist-deep with his bare back to me, looking up at the sky.

This was my chance to run and quietly go into the water without him seeing me.

I sneaked quietly across the cool grass. The wind hit my body, making me shiver. I kept my eyes on him to make sure he wasn't looking. I reached the water and looked at Aaron. His gaze was still on the sky and my brain went into anxiety mode.

I shook my head again. I've been thinking too much lately and it was really unhealthy. Being around Aaron was unhealthy.

I slowly lowered my body in, making sure that everything from my feet to my collar bones. Aaron still had his back to me. I let out a small cough to catch his attention and I watched as he turned slowly towards me, eyeing me up and down leisurely, even though most of me was underwater.

His eyes then found mine, searching them as he came closer. I moved as back as I could until my back hit the bank. I did not want him close to me when I was wearing just my undergarments.

"Aaron?" I said, trying to get his attention, but he didn't seem to notice.

With his eyes dead set on mine, he stalked towards me. A look on his face I couldn't quite read.

What was he doing?

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