Oh damn... I only meant to proofread this and somehow slipped on the publish button. Oh well.

Thanks already to jueka1 

Seriously the last one...

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Relief flooded my body knowing that Zac was kind enough to not force this on me. But, at the same time, as the relief came over me, the all-consuming guilt quickly followed. I couldn't be the reason things became awkward for him and this girl. Zac should confess in his own time, or not at all if that's what he wishes. So I said, "I'll go in if you tell me who is so important."

Eyes wide, his head snapped up, gaze meeting mine. "I-I-I—"

"I think I deserve to know that much at this rate considering what you're going to be putting me through." Nevermind, I was really curious at this point, to be honest, for some privy to school gossip.

"I can't... I—"

Rolling my eyes, I quickly said for his benefit, "I won't tell her of course."

And then he sighed. "Do you promise?" he asked, tone still a little hesitant.

I held my pinky out in response. "Cross my heart and hope to die."

Grinning, Zac slipped his pinky around mine and whispered her name to me.

"Isn't she dating—"

He nodded, face falling. "We're neighbours too, so... It would make it very awkward."

"I see..."

His eyes began to shift around, evidently feeling uncomfortable now that his secret was out there with me to keep. So, keeping my end of the bargain, I began to roll my slip down, feeling my throat go tight at the idea that everyone would see my bare stump. "You better not let me drown, Zac Hart, or I swear I'll come haunt you."

"I promise I'll hold onto you the entire time."

Heaving a sigh, I popped off my leg.

Then, with shaky fingers, began to roll down my slip, exposing my stump with all the scars from surgeries now visible for Zac to see. He was doing his best to not look down at it, but another growing awkwardness consumed me as I realised I now had to take my clothes off so that I was just in my swimmers...

Fingers playing with the hem of my shirt, I then cleared my throat and he met my gaze. Brows furrowing, he cocked his head to the side as to why I was giving him a look that said do you mind?

But then his eyes trailed down.

At once, he got to his feet and turned around, facing the creek.

Taking his averted gaze while I could, I pulled off my shirt and then shimmied out of my pants, before clearing my throat again.

Zac then faced me once more, leaning down and holding his hands out to me. As he pulled me to my foot, I could help but glance over his shoulder, looking for the familiar face.

Immediately, my eyes locked on Flynn once more. And most times that I had glanced his way, he was keeping a watchful gaze on me, this time he was not looking at my face. Instead, his focus was most clearly looking at my body.

My stomach tightened as I realised all that was out to see. And while I suppose for most girls, their heart would flutter in delight when a guy they were interested in was checking them out, a part of me—the same part who knew Flynn had no interest in her—knew that he was probably disgusted in the fact that I looked nowhere near as attractive as the other two legged girls in their bikinis. I would never compare with them around.

But before the self-doubt could spiral any further, Zac's arm wound around my waist as he took my weight for me. And with his steady steps keeping me upright, I hopped over to the water, absolutely terrified of the moment I'd slip once my foot collided with wet rock.

Seeming aware of this, Zac instructed I lower to the ground again, and he too joined me, sitting in front.

Worming into the water first, he helped me slowly slide down the slippery rock as my body slowly met the water. Until eventually my knees were submerged, making me feel like a normal girl. Then my waist was under. Then finally I was shoulder-deep, kept afloat thanks to Zac's strong grip on my waist.

"There you go," he said softly as he guided me further into the creek, his legs kicking under the water as I used my arms to try moving us as well.

"Don't take me too far away," I squeaked.

Zac chuckled and did the opposite of what I requested, luring me further in, hands still holding onto me.

We were almost far enough in that we were near his friends (Flynn nowhere in my sight though), and the others stopped their chatter to turn to look at us.

"Zac!" one of the girls cheered. "About time you join us. Fancy a race to the waterfall?"

His brows pulled together as he shook his head, evidently wary of the fact he had promised to keep a hold of me.

"Come on, Zac!" she complained. "Are you scared you will lose?"

"It's not that, it's just—" But he didn't say it. Because how do you say 'I promised I'd babysit Callie...'

Stomach knotting, I whispered to him, "Just help me back to the water edge. You got me in like you had to. You've fulfilled the bet."

"That's not the only reason I'm—"

But before Zac could counter my defeated state that he was only being nice to me to avoid having to confess his feelings to that girl, a voice behind us cut him off. "I'll keep Callie from drowning, Zac."

At once my heart began to speed up as his familiar tone caressed my ears, warming me through to know he was nearby.

"Are you sure?" Zac said, his hold already starting to loosen on me, making my stomach knot at the idea I might sink to the bottom of this creek if he let me go.

"Certain," Flynn replied. And with that, his arm wound around my waist, pulling me close to him and causing my heart to start doing somersaults.

With a grin, Zac said, "Catch you both later." Then he took off swimming after the girl.

"You can bring me back to the water edge," I then said to Flynn, avoiding looking at his gaze that I could feel now burning into my face.

"Why on earth would I do that when you're finally in the water?"

All embarrassment left my body at once as I turned my head to finally glare at him. "What type of bet was that anyway? You're cruel, Flynn."

"The Callie I know would never let someone confess their feelings if they aren't ready."

Shaking my head, I whispered, "But why go through the whole—"

"I was just making a point to them. That you'll help them out if they need it. So with Jackson... you should just be able to confess you have a kiss list and must complete it to avoid confessing to Noah."

As his statement hung in the air, his warm gaze looking down at me, I couldn't hold his stare any longer. "Can you help me out of here?"

"Why?" Flynn pressed.

"Because this takes a lot of energy trying to stay afloat."

He responded by placing his other hand on my waist now, taking some of the struggle off my swaying arms. "I have a better idea," he then said, humour lacing his tone.

Brows furrowing, I glanced up at him. And before I could ask, his hand grabbed my wrist in the water. In one quick maneuver, he turned so his back was facing my front, and my arms were wrapped around his shoulders. "Hold on to me," he instructed.

Hesitantly, I gripped onto Flynn, arms lacing around his neck. But as he started to swim, I was overly conscious of the fact my breasts were pressing against his back, barely any layers between our bodies.

I didn't pay much attention as Flynn swam us through the creek, too wary of the fact his neck was this close. Even through the smell of the sun on his skin and the creek water filling my nose, hints of his orange and sandalwood scent were permeating my senses.

When Flynn slowed in swim, we had reached a waterfall. Peeling my grip from him, he pulled me through the rushing water, and we were suddenly in an alcove, separated from everyone else.

Eyes locked on my face, hands still holding onto mine, he gingerly sat me down on a rock ledge, taking the pressure off my paddling arms.

"Now you can stay in the water," he said, voice low and rumbly, filling the space between us.

The sound of the waterfall crashing into a torrent not far from us was all-consuming. But louder still was my thudding heart as Flynn's eyes never wavered from their hold on me—filled with emotions I was trying to not read into.

He's been setting you up to kiss other guys. He doesn't like you, Callie.

"Flynn," I finally croaked, unable to hold in the burning question that was bound to break me. But perhaps I needed to crumble any hope within me to get over him.

"Yes?" he said softly, moving ever so slightly closer.

With just us in here, it was hard to not notice the mesmerising way the droplets clung to his chest. Or the way his curls straightened out, saturated in water and only framing his face more.

"Do you," I whispered, but the words caught in my throat.

I don't want to know.

It's better to not know.

"Do I?" he pressed.

I looked down at the water, the first to break his gaze.

"Hey," he said softly, hands—that were still holding onto mine—squeezing my palms gently. "You know you can ask me anything. It's just me."

Hesitantly, I looked back into his obsidian orbs, falling straight back into their depths the moment our eyes locked.

I'd never stand a chance with him.

He'd never like me back.

It's time to crush that hope, Callie.

"We always talk about me and the guys on my list but... You've never told me if..." I fumbled for the words as my cheeks began to feel like they were being licked by flames. Yet I knew I had gone too far into that sentence now to cower away. So I finally blurted out, "You've never told me if there is a girl who you like."

He was quiet for a few beats of my heart. Long enough for me to become aware of the crashing of the water again. Of the gentle drip somewhere in this tiny cave. And of how loud my breaths now seemed.

"You've never asked," he then finally said.

"Well..." I said, finally glancing back up at him. "I'm asking now?"

His brows pulled together, a cacophony of indistinguishable emotions swirling in his gaze. "Why do you want to know, Callie?"

He's not denying there is someone. "Because I want to help you. Just like you've been helping me."

His brows furrowed impossibly further. "You can't help me." His hands let go of mine as he retreated to his side.

But I wasn't having it. I followed him slightly. "Why not?"

"Because... you can't make her like me when she likes someone else."

Pressing my lips together, I felt the tears begin to form in my heart at the confirmation there was someone who had captured his attention. I hurt for him knowing he was in pain. A part of me was a little glad knowing he couldn't easily have her... But a part of me was mad that Flynn—his charming, confident, beautiful, friendly self—was vulnerable in front of me. "Then steal her heart," I said,

He warily looked up at me. "It's not that easy, Callie."

"It is," I insisted.

But he shook his head.

"It won't take much effort, Flynn. All she needs to do is get to know you. The real you. Then I'm sure she will forget about that guy and fall for you instead."

He let out an unamused laugh and looked away from me again. "It hasn't worked yet," he mumbled.

"What?" I asked. "Who is she?"

"We should head back," he said, pushing himself off the ledge and turning his back to me.

"Hey," I said softly, hand coming down on his shoulder, trying to force him to face me again.

"What, Callie?" he asked, notes of tiredness in his tone.

"Tell me her name and let me help."

"I don't want to tell you."

"Why?" I asked, flinching backwards and feeling a little hurt by his admission. Sure, I hated knowing he liked some other girl. But, "I thought we were best friends."

"You're my best friend, but Sara—"

"Is always hanging out with my sister these days." I shook my head. "I haven't been very honest with her about much these days. I feel like... you've become closer to me."

His eyes flickered between mine, switching constantly between what seemed to be hope and despair. Then a hesitant grin spread across his face. "So... I'm your bestie now?"

Unable to stop the smile now taking hold of my own face, I gave him a nod. "Of course, Flynn. At this point, I can't imagine my life without you."

But rather than grinning in his friendly manner like I expected, all joy dropped from his face, now pain in its place.

"What's wrong?" I pressed, hand wrapping around his arm.

He opened and closed his mouth several times before he looked away. After taking a deep breath, he finally said, "When should we tick off the next guy?"

I was more than wary of the fact he had decided to not tell me her name. But my heart was splitting more at the thought of having to kiss someone else.

Maybe... Maybe it's just time to be honest, my heart whispered, still throbbing from the pangs of tears. It's better to feel all the pain now while we are broken and recover from this than for it to come out later.

But it will just make things awkward, I countered.

Perhaps... But it's better to get it all out now and feel all the pain at once so that we can move on in the way friends should. You know Flynn would never avoid you just because you like him.

So I took a deep breath and said, "I've been thinking... I want to drop the list."

"Drop?" he asked, brows coming together. "But then you'll have to—"

I shook my head before he finished his sentence. "I'm going to tell Lexi I can't. That confessing to Noah and doing this whole bet around him is just stupid."

"Why?" Flynn asked, like he really was lost at where this was going... though surely he had seen through me at this point, right?

"Because..." I couldn't meet his gaze anymore as the next words left my mouth, "Because I don't like Noah anymore."

He didn't say anything for an immeasurable amount of time. But when he finally did respond, his tone was much higher pitched than before. Much softer. Much more... hesitant. "You don't?"

I shook my head.

"So... you don't like anyone?"

Taking another deep breath, I looked back up into his confused chocolate eyes that were searching me for an answer to something. "I do like someone."

His brows slowly turned down as I began to wonder if the realisation was sinking in. But before he could open his mouth to ask, a figure crashed through the waterfall.

"Flynn, Charlie is crying," Hunter said.

Flynn glanced between his cousin in me in confusion, the words slowly sinking in as he came back to reality away from my confession that was evidently going to change our friendship forever.

"Go," I whispered, feeling my eyes beginning to sting as I began to read into that emotion that flickered in his eyes the moment before Hunter had appeared.

Shock.

Rejection.

Pity.

That's definitely what I saw in his gaze.

But Flynn shook his head. Reaching over to me, he grabbed my arm and pulled me off the ledge, turning his body in the maneuver until my arms were around his neck again. "Hold tight," he instructed, and then he began swimming back towards the creek edge.

Oh the tension... oh the slow burn... 

Who does Flynn like though? *insert sly smirk emoji*

This is going to be me when I finally go back to my Magic Mutations Series I've been neglecting in favour of this book...