"I can't believe I'm actually going on a date with Lelani Kahale," I tease her, opening the passenger side door of my car. She climbs into my cherry-red 1970s Range Rover, her body only covered by two pieces of a yellow polka-dotted bikini.

"Can't we stop by somewhere and grab some clothes, first?" She asks, clutching her rain-soaked shorts and shirt in her hands.

"Oh, don't worry," I smirk, slamming the door shut and peeking my head back through the rolled-down window. "You won't be needing them." I place a quick kiss against her lips, already missing the feeling of them as I walk my way around the car and climb into the driver's seat.

"Excuse me?" Lelani sings out, a huge grin cutting across her face. "And what exactly does that mean, Brodie?"

My fingers twist the keys in the ignition, the engine of the utility vehicle roaring to life underneath the cloudy, blue sky hanging above us. The rain didn't last for long, and I'm thankful for that, knowing the spontaneous adventure I have planned for the two of us today. "You trust me, right?" I quip out, cutting my eyes over to her.

"Maybe," she smiles, kicking her bare feet up onto the dashboard and letting her toes hang out of the window. "Until you give me a reason not to."

"Good," I blurt back, throwing the gear shift into drive. "I hope you don't mind bumpy rides."

We cruise along the palm tree-lined roads, feeling the sun's warm rays hit our skin as they pass through the windshield, while our hair whips against the humid breeze rushing into the car. Bruce Springsteen blasts from the radio speakers, filling our ears with classic rock melodies as the tires bounce down the uneven asphalt roads of the island. Overgrown vines and lush greenery blanket the mountain ridges that zoom past us on our trip, and occasionally we're able to catch glimpses of the waterfalls that flow down their rigid slopes. Halfway along our ride to the disclosed destination, we stop at an isolated food truck in Waimalu, shoving our mouths full with chicken empanadas and lemonade before the activity-filled day ahead of us.

"This is so 'ono," Lelani hums out through a full mouth as she takes a bite from the steamy, Columbian cuisine clutched in her hands.

"'Ono?" I repeat the word as the steering wheel spins against the palms of my hands. "What does that mean, huh?"

She giggles, "It's Hawaiin Pidgin for this empanada tastes really damn good. You've got a lot to learn, Maverick."

"I guess so," I smirk, taking a swig from the paper cup in my hands. "You'll just have to be my teacher."

"Mhmm, and will these lessons you're inquiring about be professional?"

"Only if you want them to be." My gaze falls onto Lelani, my eyes lighting up at the sight of her inky, black curls strewn messily on the top of her head and stringing down against her rose-tinted cheeks. "What's it like," I begin to ask, "living on an island your whole life?"

"Well, do you want the bullshit answer or the truth?" She chuckles, cutting her sparkling brown eyes over to me.

"The truth, of course."

"I guess it's kinda like growing up in a small neighborhood, you know? Don't get me wrong, Hawaii is beautiful and I love that I'm able to call this place home, but I've definitely experienced that jungle fever everyone talks about. Because even though we get the beaches, and the sunshine, and paradise... in the end we're all just a bunch of island dwellers who are living, working, and playing in the same small space, and sometimes that space can start to feel really small; almost claustrophobic."

"I get what you're saying," I reply, recalling my own experience since moving onto the island. "But sometimes a slower-paced life can be good, you know? Living here has made me wonder how my childhood might have been different if I was able to just stay in one place."

"So, I'm guessing you moved around a lot when you were younger?"

"God, yeah," I sigh, reflecting on the memories of my life in Michigan. "That's all I did when I was a kid. I've never lived in the same place twice."

"Damn," she frowns, "That's had to be hard." Lelani goes silent for a moment before conjuring up the bravery to ask, "You told me about how you grew up in the foster care system, so c-can I ask you about your parents?"

I contemplate the question for a moment, unsure of my feelings towards it but ultimately deciding that she makes me feel comfortable enough to answer. "Sure," I mutter back.

Her voice is soft as she speaks up," W-whatever happened to them? I guess what I'm asking is- umm- have you ever known them?"

"I've seen pictures of them," I answer, keeping my eyes on the winding road ahead of me. "They were young; really young, when my mom had me, and umm- they just didn't have the capability to take care of me. Social services took me away when I was two, and I was too young at that point to remember any of the memories I was forced to leave behind."

"Brodie," her voice whispers out beside me, full of sympathy. Her fingers lace into mine, and I clutch onto her hand, immediately soothed as her skin warms mine. "I'm sorry that you had to go through that."

"It's okay," I say, forcing a smile to my face, despite the pain the recollections stirred up inside of me. "It just taught me that goodbyes are inevitable and to cherish the good moments that you are given. Most people just spend their life either too stuck in the past or too consumed in the idea of the next thing, that they totally miss out on all the good of the present. So, I've learned to enjoy the things right in front of me."

"And what's in front of you now?" Lelani smiles, forcing my stare to fall back on her.

"Well, you are," I reply simply, a huge grin threatening the corners of my lips upward. "This present is a pretty good moment."

She blushes, shrugging her shoulders as she admits, "I guess the island life is a little more exciting now that you're here."

"Oh, yeah?" I smirk, feeling a sense of confidence make its way into my bones. "What about now?" I ask, bringing the car to a stop and motioning to the sandy beach ahead of us.

Lelani props up into her seat, leaning out of the window and inspecting the row of jet skis floating on the surface of the glimmering blue waters. "You're kidding?!" She nearly squeals, quickly jumping out of the car.

I follow suit, climbing out of the Range Rover and joining her side. "I told you, you wouldn't need any clothes."

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After listening to careful instructions from the jet-ski instructor, our feet tread their way into the cool waters, exhilaration coursing through both of us as we approach the motorized water vehicles. Lelani and I help each other into a set of purple life jackets, strapping and buttoning the foam vests securely against torsos. My fingers tug against the straps on hers, loosening and adjusting them to fit better against her chest. "I hope you know I'm gonna kick your ass out there."

She cackles, "You sure about that?"

"Oh, I'm positive," I chime back confidently. "I'm going to make us go so fast you're going to be begging me to stop."

"You underestimate me, Brodie," she grins deviously, pulling her hair up into a messy bun on the top of her head. "I like fast."

The words send chills traveling down the length of my spine, and I have to bite hard against my bottom lip to stifle the ache I feel make its way into my pants. "I'll believe it when I see it."

"You'll regret saying that," she calls back, hoisting herself up onto the back seat of the jet ski floating beside us. Her hands arrogantly pat against the leather space in front of her, "Come on, Maverick. Let's see if that bite of yours is as big as your bark."

Without hesitation, I join her, straddling the yellow vinyl cushioning of the seat and revving the motor to life. Water sprays from the back of the jet ski, warning us of the fun we're about to create against the surface of the endless sea ahead of us. "Hold tight, Lani."

Her arms wrap around me, clinging to the front of my life jacket as the rest of her body scoots up close against mine. "Let's go already," she teases impatiently.

I don't wait for her to say another word as I grab tightly onto the handlebars in front of me, clutching the throttle and shooting us through the salty water. Lelani shouts with excitement behind me as we zip through the ocean, gliding against the sea of blue and causing water to splash onto us from all sides. I squeeze the lever harder, propelling us faster and causing giggles to escape both of us as we travel farther into Mãmala Bay. Green mountain ridges stretch behind the shore now far away from us, their tall, lush green terrains following us as our jet ski zooms past them. I feel Lelani's body slip away from mine, but with one arm, I reach back, tugging her closer into me.

My eyes cut ahead, tickled with excitement as they watch a wave billow to life in front of us. I pivot my head back, glancing at Lelani as smirks ripple across both of our faces. "Throttle it, dammit!" She demands, ushering me to proceed.

I do as I'm told, the once quiet engine becoming noisy again as our jetski gains momentum. White water trails behind us as I advance closer to the crest of the wave, and the faster the vehicle becomes, the tighter her hold around me becomes. Her head rests against my back as an adrenaline-filled squeal leaves her. With one final push, I launch us past the wave, forcing us airborne and bumping our bottoms away from the seat. In my best effort, I wrestle against the shaky handlebars, trying to gain control over them before the bottom of the watercraft collides back into the ocean. But my arms aren't strong enough, and the impact is rough, jolting us both off of the jet ski.

Water submerges my entire body, covering every inch of my skin as I sink beneath its surface. I swim back up, my eyes immediately searching for Lelani. From the distance, I hear her giggles cut through the air, drawing my attention to her bobbing body behind me.

"You okay?!" I shout out, laughing and advancing towards her.

"Let's do it again!" She manages to yell out between labored breaths, her hand throwing me a shaka.

Finally reaching the jet ski, I clutch onto its edges, stabilizing my body in the water as I offer out an arm for her to grab onto. Once her hand is in mine, I pull her through the water, yanking her body up against mine. Immediately, her legs wrap around me, breathless laughter escaping the both of us. "I told you I was going to kick your ass," I tease.

"Is that all you've got?" She challenges, her nose scrunching up. She intertwines her fingers into the hair on the back of my head, drawing us closer.

"I've got a lot more up my sleeve," I retort back, skimming my eyes across her plump, wet lips, "depending on how much time you're willing to give me."

"I'll give you all the time you need," she whispers back, trailing her gaze across my face, and allowing her free hand to smooth against my jaw.

Water moves around us, encasing every inch of our bodies as we float together. My mind can't help but travel back to the intimate moment we shared on the beach together, the skin of her thighs reminding me of the way it felt against my fingertips earlier. Once again, Lelani's gravity pulls me in, numbing my senses and I can tell from the look in her eyes that she feels the overwhelming sensation, too.

"Do you mean that?" I finally bring myself to ask, recalling the sticky situation that threatens our newfound relationship. "What about your Dad, Lani? How long can we keep this a secret?"

She sighs, cutting her eyes away from mine and I can tell she's thinking deeply about my question. Her gaze is lost in the sea of sapphire engulfing us for a few seconds longer, but finally, she speaks back up, "You remember what you were telling me earlier in the car? About how people get too lost in the idea of what's to come, rather than just enjoying a moment for what it is?" I nod, in a silent understanding of her words. "Well, for now, let's just enjoy our moments together for what they are. Let's not think about my Dad finding out. For now, let's just be apologetically us, okay?"

"Okay," I smile back, in complete admiration of her proposition. "I think we can manage that."

Lelani clambers over top of me, breaking the tension-filled moment, and climbing back on top of the seat of the jetski. "Now," she says, confidently grabbing onto the handlebars, "It's my turn to kick your ass."

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