STARS

Thursday the 23rd of November

The salty ocean water swirls around my body as I charge through the rustling waves. Clusters of bubbles float past my vision as I dive deeper in pursuit of a small bluefish. Noah yanks on my ankle and I resurface.

His brown hair is slicked back and water droplets splatter into the ocean. He wraps his arms around my waist and I pout.

"Can I help you with something? I was in the middle of befriending a fishy."

"I'm sorry." He chuckles. "What was his name?"

"Him, hey? What if the fish was a girl? Or maybe it doesn't identify with a specific gender."

Noah shakes his head and I laugh. I leap into his arms and wrap my legs around his waist. His hands trail down my back and hook under my bottom to hold me upright.

I run my fingers through his wet hair and Noah wrinks his nose. He shakes his head and cold, salty droplets cascade across my face.

"Ah," I gasp. "What was that for?"

I push hum away, but his arms tighten around me. I slap the water and he laughs. Noah brushes his lips across my neck, under my chin and to my lips. I melt against his warm lips because I have no will power.

His lips travel back down my neck and across my collarbone. My head rolls back and I moan.

"Can we please stay here forever? It'll be you, me and the world as our oyster."

"We could live off the land and build a house out of sticks and mud," he teases. "We could even forage the land for nuts and berries."

"Noah." I sigh. "We don't have to worry about being caught or what people will think. You're not my teacher here, you're just Noah East." The man I'm falling in love with.

"I hate the situation we're in, but we don't need to run from it, and it won't be forever. Once you've graduated from high school, we'll get through it together."

"Are you worried about what people will say?"

"I just care about you."

"You're not worried people might think you seduced your student?"

Noah bursts into laughter. "I think you seduced me, little miss, not so innocent."

"Since you're the person in the power position, they'll think you're the one who seduced me. I will be slightly offended because I can corrupt myself, I don't need a man to do that for me."

"That's true." He chuckles.

I slip into the water but Noah pulls me back. I wish he'd stop doing that, let me swim in the ocean of denial for a little longer.

"I keep imagining the worst when I should be hoping for the best."

"We'll be careful."

"I'll have more faith."

"I like the sound of that."

Noah kisses my forehead and I rest against his chest. I drop into the ocean and float on my back. He floats beside me and as we drift, the ocean pushes us together.

"We need to hit the road soon because I have more planned for this trip."

"I'm excited." I grin. "Are we camping? I love camping."

"Yeah." He nods.

"Can you start a fire or is this something else I need to teach you?"

"Of course I can start a fire." He scoffs.

"You don't seem like the kind of person who would."

Noah's mouth drops and I chuckle. He tosses me over his shoulder and strides out of the water. I smack his booty and giggle.

"I'm sorry?"

"Save it because you're not getting out of it that easy."

* * * * *

The sun dips behind the trees and the warm air swirls around me. Noah stands in front of a deflated tent holding a pole and the instructions, while I sit beside a bundle of sticks and rocks which is supposed to be a fire.

He attempts to join another pole to the one he's holding with a joining clip, bit it's too long for the tent. Noah throws it on the floor and scratches his head. There's half a pole stick in the material and one corner of the tent pegged to a grassy bit of land.

"Can I help you?"

"I don't need help."

"Should I start cooking dinner over the bundle of sticks? Or should I keep waiting?"

Noah tosses the instructions over his shoulder and storms over. He rummages through a bag and produces matches and a firelighter. We assemble the sticks into a tipi and Noah strikes a couple of matches in an attempt to light the fire.

On his third try, the kindle burns and the sticks catch fire. Noah sits back and smiles.

"If we worked as a team, we'd accomplish so much more! I don't care if you can't put a tent together, I care that you'll ask me for help when you need it."

Noah sighs.

"Can you please assemble the tent before I burn it?"

"Sure." I smile.

I kiss Noah's cheek before wandering to the tent.

"Where'd you learn to assemble a tent?"

"During the summer, I went camping with my parents. We usually went along the coast because we could surf and Dad fished for dinner. I had to assemble my own tent because it's an important life skill, turns out he was right." I chuckle.

I connect the poles, thread it through the tent and pin it down. I also set up the bedding which is a foam mat and some light blankets.

When I return to Noah, he's cooking sausages on the fire.

"Can you watch the food? I have something else to set up."

"Okay." I nod.

Noah lays a picnic blanket near the fire and sets out a spread of food and two wine glasses. I dish up the sausages and sit with Noah on the blanket. I add potato salad while he pours our drinks.

"I love this," I murmur.

When we've eaten, we pack away and sprawl across the blankets. Our fingers entwine and I soak in the view of the twinkling stars. I love escaping the city lights to bask in the darkness.

I roll towards Noah and slide my hand across his chest.

"Thank you for this."

"You don't need to keep thanking me, your happiness is enough for me."

"Damn, Noah, you're going to make my heart explode if you keep saying stuff like that."

"We can't have your heart exploding." He chuckles.

"Nope, because I'd be dead and that would be a shame."

Noah rolls onto his side and pulls my body closer.

"Tragic, heartbreaking, give yourself more credit." Noah rubs his nose against mine.

"Okay, I will do." I nod.

Noah softly kisses me, then returns to madly grinning like a fool.

"I could never get bored of this view."

"Of the stars? They are incredibly beautiful." I smile.

Noah cups my cheek and laughs. "No silly, of you."

I brush my lips across his; ever so soft but bubbling with passion and toe curling. His fingers dig into my lower back as our kiss deepens. Our tongues dance together, our hearts beating faster.

I shuffle onto my back and Noah moves on top. I slide my fingers into his hair and tug on the roots. He hooks my leg around his waist and brings our lips back together. I trail my fingers down his chest and he shivers under my touch.

Noah brushes his cold nose against mine, then across my cheek. He trails his tongue down my neck and across my collarbone. He blows cold air against the wet skin and I shiver.

He sits back and I scramble to sit up. His arm wraps around my waist and he pulls me onto his lap. I adjust my legs so that I'm straddling his waist. He grips my hair and his eyes sparkle with desire.

One hand is placed behind him to stable his angled position, while the other hand cups my cheek. His thumb strokes my skin and I sigh as delectable tingles course through me.

"Now this is perfect." He grins. "I can see you with the stars in the background."

"Oh, aren't you lucky."

"I'm very lucky." Noah chuckles.

His fingertips brush down my torso and slip under my t-shirt. His fingers explore my skin, then peel the shirt over my head. He slides my bra straps down and kisses my shoulder, then my chest. I tangle my fingers in his hair and sigh.

"Noah," I moan.

"Say it again."

"Noah."

I remove his shirt and from the dull flickering light, I admire his beautiful body. I trail my fingers down his chest, stopping when I hit the waistband.

"Charlie." He sighs. "I love you."

I crash into Noah like the waves hitting the sand. Despite bumping his head, his lips hungrily kiss whatever they can reach as we tug at each other's pants. My heart beats like crazy as lust consumes me.

He positons himself between my legs and I squeeze his arms. Noah nuzzles his face in the crook of my neck and his warm breath tickles me.

"I want you."

I hook my legs around his waist and pull him closer. Noah tenses between my thighs and his breathing is ragged.

"I need you," I whisper. "I need you right now."

Noah kisses me as he buries himself inside me. I grip his body close and tight as I moan into his neck. He slowly moves inside me and I dig my nails into his skin.

"I love you, Noah."

Like a burning candle, I melt into Noah.

Fun fact -> the 11th of October is my boyfriend's birthday.