K E L L I N O A L S

good job! you made it to chapter 5!
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S O N G -

WALKING ON A DREAM - EMPIRE OF THE SUN

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J U N E  1 9 9 8

"I'll teach you." He says, his voice confident as ever. His hair is pushed back from his forehead and turned a dark brown color from being soaked in salt water.

His body is contrasted from the dark blue water, so I can see his abs through the clear sea. I don't know why, but he lifts my hand up and places it directly on his chest, holding his hand over mine.

"Why should I trust you, Royce? What if you drown me? What if all those things you told me were a ploy?" I ask nervously and he laughs a little, licking his lips and looking around while thinking.

Slowly he turns towards me and raises an eyebrow, "Well at least you lived..."

I smirk at him, knowing deep down that I could trust him, like an angel was pushing me towards him like two magnets.

"Okay..." I say quietly, a smile on his lips. The corners of his lips turn up into a smile as his hands squeeze my waist.

Slowly, he turns me away from him, my back against his chest as he leans in.

He's holding me up since I'm shorter than him, and his legs can reach the bottom of where we are standing, the waves flowing evenly and calmly, not enough to cover and soak us, at least for right now.

His mouth is next to my ear, and I can feel the shiver from his breath on my neck run down my spine. He can feel it too, smirking knowing he has an effect on me. He licks his lips and looks out into the ocean.

"One of the biggest mistakes people make is only thinking about what could go wrong. I guess my motto in life is that if you're gonna die, do it with no regrets. Regrets include not doing things because youre a fucking pussy, Kellinoals." He finishes his small monologue with a quiet laugh.

"How do you know my last name, Royce?" I ask, squinting my eyes and turning my head over my shoulder to look at him. His hands laid flat and softly on my stomach, gripping onto me perfectly.

"You've got your last names and first names up on the schedule for your shop. It's just full of your name and occasionally a guy named Todd."

"Yeah he's our other cashier for when my dad doesn't want to sit at the pharmacy. He's dope."

"Well don't go choosing him over me, Kel." Royce mumbles, leaning in so his lips lightly grazed my neck. 

He did it on purpose, I knew it, teasing me and my feelings. I could tell... I think... I hope...

But do I hope? Probably not.... because I want him to kiss my neck. There is a burning heat inside me that is never there, screaming at me to turn my head back and kiss his lips.

I don't want to, it would ruin everything, but other than the kiss I shared with a random man in preschool, I've never been kissed, and I longed to be loved by somebody who isn't my parents..I

Because I know my parents don't love me as much as they would've....

Because...

I don't wanna think about it.

"We'll be fair, Royce... tell me your last name." I mumble and he brushed his lips a lit on my neck as his lips go up to my ear. I feel his hot breath fanning over my ear, his breath smelling of blue slushee.

"Jewwly... my last names Jewwly."

I swallows, turning around a little, his hands now pressing against my back and one on my upper butt, holding me flush against him.

I grow red when I look at him, my cheeks hot. I press my legs together, nervous while the water passes over me, but his hand that was on my butt reaches down, staring at me the entire time while he grabs my lower thigh.

He wraps my legs around his torso, so our heads are in line and at the same height. I swallow thickly as he places his chin on my shoulder, looking behind us and watching passerby's, just holding me. Soon I relax into the hug too, but only for him to know that I was vulnerable, and try to push me under.

I scream, holding onto his neck and crawling up him and holding every time he tries to push me down.

"No!" I scream, giggling as he smirks at me, laughing along despite all the water in splashing at him.

He leans down and grabs my legs, pulling them up so that I fall straight into the water.i barley squirm up, only by luck of him being right next to me and easily climbable.

I gasp for air, only having been under for a few seconds but hating every second.

"I hate you!" I scream, slapping his chest.

He laughs, "I had you in my arms the whole time!" He grabs my face and squeezes my cheeks, "don't worry with me, Sweetheart."

I huff, moving my arms as he holds onto my waist and moving them so they're crossed in front of me.

"Well that wasn't an efficient way of teaching me, Jewwly." I huff, and he laughs a little.

"Well then Show me what you know Kel, then maybe you could take care of yourself in the water." He says and I roll my eyes kicking my legs off of him and paddling  my arms to swim around him.

He spins himself to watch me as I slowly swim around him.

"Oh okay... so you only know how to doggy paddle." He says with a raised eyebrow and I huff, "before you start, Don't make fun of me! You've lived here for like fifteen years!"

He chuckles a little, putting a flat hand on my stomach and my back so that he can hold me.

"Okay! Just... move your arms more and kick your legs a little less, you're flailing." He says and I roll my eyes, "Better than nothing asshat.." I mumble and he raises an eyebrow, grabbing my jaw and pushing my face up to him.

"Are you gonna be a little bitch or are you gonna work, Sweetheart. Cause I could leave you here and at your pace you wouldn't get to shore until dawn."

I sigh and look up at him through my eyelashes.

"Sorry I'm a little defensive... I've never had to have somebody teach me something that seems so simple." I mumble worriedly, hoping he's not angry.

He just chuckles and nods.

"I know Sweetheart, but everybody's gotta learn some stuff from others; Everybody you will ever meet knows something you don't."

I bite my lip, the sound of silence beside the splashing waves bringing me out of my trance, and it's just then When I realize he sunk a little into the water and that our faces were so close.

It seemed like his face was so close that I could realize things I hadn't before, things that made me want to spend hours studying his face. Like how he had a small freckle on his right cheek one, and a 'cafe au lait' birthmark on his right side of his jaw which is basically a light brown birthmark.

His lips were so close to mine that even though I've only known him for a second I felt the need to lean in.

His lips were pink and plump and the smell of saltwater was almost intoxicating.

"Calm down, Kel..." he mumbles, running a wet hand down my hot, red cheek, coating it in cold water.

I swallow, jumping out of his arms but falling under the water.

I try to get back up but the top of my head is the only thing that reaches out, and when I jump it doesn't get my mouth above water.

I can't breathe.

I open my eyes and place my hand on his chest, trying to climb up him as I watch him laugh a little before grabbing my waist.

He pulls me up and I wrap my legs around his torso, "Have you learned your lesson yet?" He asks, trailing his tongue along his upper set of teeth as he smiles, his head slightly tilted to one side.

I wrap my arms around his neck, breathless from my second under water experience.

"Can we take a break from swimming?" I ask and he laughs, "of course..."

He holds onto my waist and swims us over to the point where we can walk. When we get onto the sand again I shiver.

Though it's always warm here, it's quite windy. And the wind pushes against my wet skin.

I shiver, grabbing my shorts and pulling them on as he watches me, completely fine.

"Oh are you cold?" He teases, hitting me lightly with his elbow and I huff. "Shut up, Jewwly!" I say and he laughs a little.

He walks closer to me as I wrap my shirt around my arms instead of putting it on. He furrows his eyebrows and laughs, but instead of doing what I would assume anybody else would do, he grabbed onto me and held me close.

"Am I warming you up, Kel?" He whispers in my ear, his warm breath feeling amazing.

He chuckles a little and answers for me, "Of course I am."

He picks me up gently, holding onto my thighs as he walks over to the lockers next to the public restrooms. His hands were warm and strong, the veins popping out of his tanned hand.

Like a lot of beaches, they have lockers to put your shoes and stuff if you pay for them. It's about 25 cents per day, but if you wanna buy one it's $49 for a life time or until you give it back.

He sets me down, holding me next to the lockers and taking his necklace in between his fingers.

His necklace is thin and silver, holding two keys at the bottom. He picks one out and nears his locker at the top. His hands were just above my head, unlocking the door as I watch him, his muscles popping.

He unlocks it and drops his necklace back onto his chest, grabbing a jacket and wrapping it around me.

"Why do you have a jacket if you never get cold?" I ask and he bites his lip.

"I have sisters, and one of them happens to be like you." He says and I furrow my eyebrows, "What do you mean they're like me?" I ask and he laughs, poking my chest lightly.

"They're always cold."

I growl, "I'm not always cold! You've known me for like a day! Its just windy because we're on the beach!" I say.

He closes his locker and smiles at me as I freak out.

"Well... it looks better on you, Sweetheart."

I huff when I see the look on his face. Specifically because of how I look, like a ripe tomato... and he... he looked amazing effortlessly.

I don't get compliments..... I feel nervous and like a blush is taking me over.  My heart is beating and I feel him so close to me, his hands on my waist, zipping up the grey hoodie. His fingers graze the skin on my stomach, and a shiver runs up my back.

"I'm going to the coffee shop." I mumble, walking away with my arms crossed in front of me.

"Wow you're so defensive!" He says with a laugh, jogging after me.

He doesn't give up....

He grabs my shoulders and raises a brow.

"Do you even know where the coffee shop is?"

I suck in my cheeks nervously, it's kind of like a nervous habit, and look down.

"I'll find out.." I say, a small smile rests on my face at his banter.

"You're hilarious!" He howls sarcastically and I look up at him through my eyelashes. He sees me and swallows, his demeanor changing drastically.

"Okay... I'll take you since you're obviously just begging!" He says, grabbing my hand and saying I'm begging as an excuse to take me.

"Well... you offered.." I mumble, and while he drags me he looks behind him. His blonde hair falls to his cheekbones, his purple eyes searching through mine while his face rests.

His nose was sharp and came to a defined point, a small bump on the bridge of his nose, it was cute. As weird as it is, I think I kinda have a thing for noses... and his was so nice. Not like a fetish though! I just think they're really hot sometimes....

Either way, his cheekbones were defined but he didn't have that stupid bicycle-seat-face look. His jaw was sharp, and his Adam's apple was rather defined.

It's just them I realize the birthmark covering the angle on his jawline in a triangle trails down onto his neck in spots, leading directly to his heart, and there it stops.

He was so beautiful....

He looked like the human embodiment of the sunsets here, the ones everybody comes to see because they're perfect, because they're mysterious and nobody knows why the sky is pink for so long.

He was the embodiment of this entire town.

But I guess this town seems perfect on the outside and then you come here.... and you see the town. You hear about how there used to be an abusive foster home here. You hear about the broken window's reason:

A hurricane from nineteen years ago that most still haven't recovered from.

I wonder what I'll see with Royce....

"Okay, Kel, we could either go to Finnlot, which is a part of town which I don't think you've been yet and they actually have the best hot chocolate I think I've ever had or we could go to the other Finnlot on the other side of town, which you've also never been to, but this one has a movie theater within walking range." He says and I suck in my cheeks as I think, "And what is exactly... within range?" I ask and he chuckles.

"Like... a twenty to thirty minute walk, depending on whether we decide to walk or stop at the candy store on the way."

I smile a little, squeezing his hand. My smile slowly gets bigger and bigger before I squeal.

"I love it here!" I scream and he chuckles.

"I think that means we are taking the forty minute walk down to the Finnlot on the other side of town?" He asks and I nod aggressively.

A smile covers his face, his straight teeth white as he lets out a small laugh and walks side-by-side with me to Finnlot.

He never lets go of my hand while we are walking..

"What do you wanna be when you're older?" I ask him, just because I'm curious, and he shrugs, "I'm already older and I have no fucking idea. I'm going into my sophomore year of college next year and I have to choose my major by Junior year and.... I have no idea."

I tilt my head and look up at his side profile while we walk.

It's weird to me that even when he spends so much time trying to get tourists... he's holding my hand in front of them. It's weird that he's holding my hand in general.

"Well.... what do you love?" I ask and he laughs, "Everything I love dies or fails, Kel. I don't love anything. I don't really get too comfortable." He mumbles, furrowing his eyebrows at our intertwined hands and I raise an eyebrow.

"well you seem pretty comfortable with me...?" I say, lifting up our hands, and quickly after his hand wiggles out of mine.

"Oh come on! I'm just charismatic." He says with a wink, walking a little farther in front of me. He turns to me so he's walking backwards and smiles at me as he dances a little to the music of a shop that's door is opened.

I roll my eyes, sticking my middle finger up at him as he takes it and kisses my hand.

I let out a breath through my nose and look up at him, "You know you're annoying?" I ask and he smiles. "Oh you love me already!"

I roll my eyes for the second time, but look down and laugh, my lips curling into a smile. "Well..." I mumble, shaking my head and changing the conversation.

I look up at him and furrow my eyebrows, "You love something and I'll find out Royce...."

He swallows in a gulp, faking being scared before mocking me, "Ooh scary, Sweetheart."

"I know, that's why you call me sweetheart." I deadpan, clearly not being serious.

He laughs a little, his arms going around my waist as he walks behind me, his chin resting on top of my head.

"Do you want to stop by my apartment and get my skateboards?" He ask and I furrow my eyebrows.

"skateboards?" I ask, putting emphasis on the 's'.

"Yep, I've got a collection. I do have my favorite though." He says.

He jogs across the crowded street and I sigh, not following after him with my stomach twisting at the thought of being crushed.

"Oh my gosh!" He says, jogging back over, grabbing me and taking me to the other side of the street.

"You've gotta learn at one point, Kel!" He says, poking my chest and I huff, "It's hard! I don't wanna get crushed!"

"Then walk with confidence, people will dodge you." He teaches confidently, walking down the sidewalk a little faster than me so he could demonstrate in front of me.

His eyes stare at where he wants to go, and his posture is rather good.

People dodge him...

"Or maybe that's the fact that you're like 7'5" I say and he rolls his eyes, "I'm 6'3!" He says.

"Same thing!"

He laughs a little, quickly turning into an alley way and walking down it.

He turns around nervously when he sees that I'm not following him, my eyebrows furrowed. "Oh my god I promise I'm not gonna hurt you! This is just a shortcut! I'm so sorry, I normally don't take this way when I have my sisters with me either-" he says, but stops when I start walking down the alley.

"I'll do this because for some reason I trust you, but don't be a dick!" I say, grabbing onto his hand and intertwining my fingers with his, wrapping myself around his toned arm.

"And why would I be a dick-?"

"You're being one now." I retort, looking around the dark alleyway scared.

"Fair." He says as we turn left, and I finally see the pink sunset.

"Oh thank fucking god I thought I was gonna die trying to impress a random blonde boy oh my god-" I say, falling onto the ground, scared, and he laughs.

"Yea you know if I was planning on killing you I probably would've done it when you told me where you lived." He says and I look up at him with a scowl.

"I hate you." I joke dryly but he laughs anyway, a smile over his face. He pulls me back up off the dirty ground and looks at me.

"Do you wanna rub the dirt off of your ass or do you want me to?" He flirts and I furrow my eyebrows, "you perv."

He winks before walking us out of the alleyway and showing me a raggedy apartment building. It was made of bricks and just like the others, windows were either broken or dirty, or just fences that look like cages.

"Which one is yours?" I ask and he points to the middle level on the middle left.

"So the one place with stable windows?" I ask and he nods, "basically."

I laugh a little bit and smile, "I'll wait out here." I say and he bites his lip.

He looks around a little. His blonde hair falls over his forehead, and it's almost like it's begging me to play with it.

His hair was fluffy and clean, and honestly... I loved it.

But... I should probably get closer with him before I play with his hair. It's just... so beautiful....

"Maybe... you could..." he mumbles, his cheeks going bright red as he stuffs his hands in his pockets.

He shakes his head, "Y'know what? Never mind. I'll be right back, be safe, if a man with brown hair and tattoos comes up to your tell him I'm your boyfriend. He will try to fuck you unless You tell him you have a boyfriend." He explains and I furrow my eyebrows, opening my mouth to say something but not ending up saying anything.

I just nod and push my lips together.

"Okay, ill be right back." He says, grabbing my jaw and kissing my forehead. "Good luck kiss." He mumbles.

"Is it really that bad out here?" I ask and he shrugs, "Depends on the day, but there aren't any major crimes, just possibly a few creeps."

He smiles, pressing a button on the door and putting in a passcode before walking in.

I lean against the building, messing with my semi-dry hair nervously as I study my surroundings.

There's a large grocery store across from him, a gas station next, and then an outside mall.

Soon enough Royce is back, and he drops two skateboards on the ground.

"You know how to skate?" He asks and I shrug, "We'll see won't we?" I ask, looking into his eyes.

And we will....

We will see the many.. many times he catches me in his arms, laughing as I giggle, his hair and necklace dangling above me....

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HEYO!

Fun fact about your author: Royce's birthmark is inspired by my birthmark, which is a light brown one on my cheek :)

Anyway, hope y'all have a good day, I know I normally post early mornings lmao, but I'm just at peak writing point at 1 am.

How'd you like this chapter?