Waterfront

Andrew Malinovich, a twenty-one year-old junior at Belhave University, sat comfortably on the sands of a Texas beach that was tucked up against the warm Gulf. He was dressed in jeans and a BU cheer team t-shirt. A bottle of Smirnoff was hanging loosely out of his hand and he took a sip as he watched his girlfriend standing in the tide.

She was dressed in a blue bikini, intricately decorated with a dragon she had designed herself. The windbreaker she had worn lay crumpled next to her boyfriend while her t-shirt was tied around her waist, fluttering behind her like a loose skirt. Her dark blonde hair, pulled back in a relaxed pony-tail, blew gently with the breeze. Lauren Frazier was a nineteen year-old sophomore.

It was a beautiful March afternoon and the end of the day was made perfect by the silhouette of her body against the sunset.

Lauren turned around and began to wade out of the water towards him, sand sticking to her feet and ankles as she walked. A small smile was plastered on her face, her bright blue eyes sparkled, and her beauty seemed to grow the closer she got to him. Lauren sat next to Andrew and clasped his hand in her own.

As the sun continued to dip beneath the horizon, Lauren crawled into her boyfriend's lap, taking his arms and wrapping them around her waist. Her scent permeated the air around them, tangible only by Andrew. She smelled sweetly – addicting – almost like his very own drug. He couldn't help but bury his face into her hair, hearing her giggle as he kissed the back of her neck.

"Beautiful day, wasn't it, Andrew?"

"Mmhm. Beautiful like you."

Lauren chuckled. "You try too hard..."

Andrew kissed her cheek. "Only you would know." He tightened his grip around her body and she squeezed his wrist comfortingly.

There was a long silent pause, broken only by the sounds of the waves lapping against the sAndrew beach. Andrew could feel his heart beating heavily against his chest, thumping so loudly there was no way Lauren couldn't hear it. In an attempt to relax his own nerves – in order to calm himself – he gently began to stroke the soft skin of her stomach with the edge of his thumb.

Lauren scooted more into his lap. "I always thought you were quite cute whenever you got nervous." She ran the back of her hand on his cheek. "Especially when I sit in your lap..."

"Should I consider that as a compliment?"

"Consider it whatever you want, because this next thing I'm gonna do, I'll do no matter how you take it."

She drew him slowly into a gentle kiss, savoring the feel of their lips on one anothers'.

Andrew's heart continued to beat heavily with the twirling nervousness in his stomach gradually growing stronger. "You ready to head back?"

"Yeah, but let's take the long way."

Andrew helped her up and tossed her hoodie over his shoulder. Lauren's beauty, simply compounded by her bikini, garnered impressed glances from everybody – both guys and girls – as she walked down the boardwalk with Andrew, hand in hand. A huge, proud smile cut across his face. "Hey, what's it like being a cheerleader?"

"It's pretty fun. Why'd you ask?"

"Well, I used to want to be a cheerleader way back when... It really looks like a lot of a work, especially for you with all that tumbling." She squeezed his hand. "How do you do all of that stuff at the games and not hurt yourself?"

"I guess I'm not exactly sure. Probably because I don't want to embarrass myself in front of everyone. Besides, it looks awesome when I look at the review videos."

"Review videos?"

"Yeah, sounds weird, right?" He chuckled. "Our coaches do those videos so that they can show us stuff we need to improve on. It's actually pretty useful, I wouldn't have mastered my back tuck without 'em."

Lauren giggled.

"What?"

"I remember when you first tried to show me your back tuck."

"Hey, that doesn't count!" Andrew gently punched her arm. "I was just learning it then! I really didn't know what I was doing at the time!"

The couple joked all the way back to their hotel room, brushing off the glances that people shot at them. Once they got to their room, though, the atmosphere around them changed dramatically. Lauren went into the bathroom to take a shower while Andrew relaxed on the bed to read a book.

Lolita had always been one of Andrew's favorite reads despite the novel's controversial theme. Recently, Lauren had gotten into it too although she still poked fun at him for having a 'little girl complex.' Often times if she shot that at him, he'd harass her by asking if she thought she was a little girl.

She'd say 'Yes' every time, just to tease him...

Andrew looked up from his book when he heard the bathroom door open. Her hair was lank and wet, smelling strongly of that strawberry-scented shampoo-body wash she loved to use. Lauren had on a long-sleeve shirt marked with the dragon of her customized clothing line. She was also dressed in a pair of sweatpants, the loose tassels of her bikini bottom hanging at the sides of her waist.

For a minute or two, she just stood looking at him, leaning against the doorpost.

Andrew closed the novel with a thud and placed it on the nightstand.

She smiled and winked.

Lauren slowly made her way into the bed, cuddling tightly against the chest of her boyfriend. The way she pressed herself against him reminded Andrew of a young kitten, but the girl he had curled against him meant more to the 21 year-old than anyone could ever imagine.

Only a few years ago they had been so apart Andrew never would have thought they'd be here today. During her high school career, Andrew could sense that she was emotionally overwhelmed by her tendency to be the person other people wanted her to be. Lauren had too many faces for too many people, and she was failing to be herself. As a result, rumors and stories spread like wildfire.

And the things he heard worried him.

When Lauren came to Belhaven as a freshman and befriended him, Andrew was tempted to ask her what was true and what wasn't. However, he felt that it was better to leave the past alone, for it might tell him things that were best left unsaid.

It was time to make a fresh start.

The vast college environment let Lauren open up again and for the first time in awhile she had friends who liked her for who she really was. And Andrew was one of them.

As they talked and hung-out more, it felt as if they were meeting for the first time again. It was a rediscovery, for the both of them. They grew close again and she remembered how much he loved her and how much she meant to him. That undying love of his, that constant bright flame that had burned relentlessly for years, once again won her over.

All of their clothes now lay in a disorganized pile on the floor next to the bed. How they got there, Andrew could only vaguely remember, the only sensation he could feel was the touch of Lauren's soft and naked skin against his own. Her body was moist with perspiration and her chest rose and fell with each heavy breath she took.

Lauren was sleeping quietly on his chest and after kissing the top of her head, Andrew fell asleep too.

---

The next morning, the sound of running water forced Andrew awake. Still half-asleep, he had to blink several times and look around before remembering exactly where he was. The conglomeration of clothes they had stripped off last night was still piled on the floor. The shower was running and the door was closed, there was no need to wonder who was inside.

Andrew made his way out of the bed and to the suitcase. He dug a comfortable set of clothes out and put them on.

He parted the curtains slightly, allowing a single beam of sunlight to illuminate the hotel room. Watching the sun peek slightly over the horizon, Andrew couldn't help but think about what happened last night. The memory of it, sitting precariously at the edge of his mind, was blurred and fragmented. There was this feeling of doubt in the back of his mind, but at the same time he was positive they had done something.

The bathroom door opened and Lauren joined him by the window, scrubbing her hair dry with a towel. She was adorned with her self-labeled clothes, a white tank-top and gray pajama pants both beautifully decorated with that dragon of hers. "You wanna go out and watch the sunrise?"

Andrew didn't really know how to respond besides smiling and taking her outstretched hand.

It was a cool morning, the sand warm beneath their feet. Andrew walked slowly, watching Lauren frolic in the light tide. There was this certain beauty in how confidently she walked and in the way she proudly carried herself.

As he watched her, he couldn't help but remember some of the things she said in high school. It was strange to think that, even though they had dated for three years, she knew nothing about him.

In February of 2011, at the back end of Andrew's senior year in high school, Lauren said she couldn't possibly let him back into her life. At the time, it forced him into an emotional frenzy until he realized that she was judging him based off of how he used to be. He had to figure out a way to show her who he really was.

Another two months would pass before he would be given that chance. Graduation was already over and only a week or two was left before everybody else was let out. After a massive amount of convincing, Lauren eventually agreed as long as there was another person who would be there too.

That day was strange and it was nothing like he had dreamed it would be, but it didn't matter to him because it was Lauren. Over the course of their time together, there was a gradual change in her attitude towards him. He was different and she was finally coming to realize that. When they left that day she gave him a small smile which he took as a good sign.

Andrew was knocked back into reality when Lauren pulled him into the lapping tide. Before he even had a chance to react to what was going on, she had tackled him into knee-high water. Struggling and gasping for air, He broke the surface soaking wet from head to toe. Lauren was standing a couple feet away, giggling.

He pulled his lank hair out from his eyes, pushing it aside to see his girlfriend. Silently, he calculated in his mind how far he needed to jump. In an instant, Andrew had her clasped between his arms.

They fell into the water together, playfully wrestling with each other until Lauren succeeded in getting on top of him. Her hands were on his shoulders and he had a hold of her waist. Both of them had smiles plastered on their faces and they stared at each other until Andrew broke the silence. "You looked beautiful last night..."

With a smirk, she rolled her eyes. "Don't say that..."

"What do ya mean?"

"Well," She paused for a minute, biting her bottom lip, "It just makes me feel uncomfortable..."

"Why?" Andrew sat up and looked at her, confused. "Why does it make you feel uncomfortable? You know how I feel and what I think of you. At least, I'm pretty sure you'd know by now after how many years."

"No. I can't really say that I ever knew you. I know you say that you love me the same way you did back then..." Lauren paused and looked down into her lap before looking back up. "But it just doesn't feel the same way, Andrew."

"Then how do you feel?"

She shrugged and looked away. "I don't know..."

"How can you not know?" He stared at her, somewhat angry and somewhat frustrated. "It's starting to sound like you're messing with me again. If you don't like me, then why are we here?"

Lauren stared back at him. "Do you think I'd be here if I didn't like you?"

"I don't know! Would you?!"

"What are you insinuating?" She got up and walked away from him into the water. "Are you telling me you think I'd run off with some random guy and do the same things I've done with you?"

Andrew got up to pursue her. "No, I'm not saying that at all!"

She turned around to face him. "Then, what are you trying to say?"

"I'm not trying to say anything. I'm just scared that you might be using me."

"Really?" She said sarcastically, "You have that low of an opinion of me? You think I'm using you? That's ridiculous! See! This is the same reason we had trouble before..."

"Are you saying this is my fault?!"

"No! I'm not saying it's your fault! I'm not trying to pin the blame on you." She waded out of the water and onto the beach. "We have to put in a lot of effort to make this work. In the past, we both made mistakes..."

"Mistakes..." Andrew sighed. "What makes them mistakes? If anything we should learn from 'em."

"There's nothing to learn from them besides the fact that they were things we shouldn't repeat. Things we should never do again." Lauren turned to Andrew, he was still standing ankle-deep in the water. "I love you, but just not where this is going..."

She turned her back to leave, but he grabbed her tightly by the wrist to prevent her. Andrew wasn't finished yet, and her walking away from this now simply frustrated him even more. The look in her eyes was anger and she struggled to get him to let go.

It wasn't long before Lauren threw a punch at him, but her boyfriend readily caught it, tightly squeezing her balled up fist. "Andrew. You better let me go..."

He simply tightened his grip, "And what if I don't?"'

A long pause followed. He watched her as she glared back at him. It was obvious to her that he had no intent of releasing her. In a sudden, single move, Lauren knocked him off of his feet and back into the water, but he took her down with him.

In their frenzy, Lauren managed to beat him to the first move, and he could feel his soaking shirt peel off of his body.

Andrew grasped the hem of her tank-top and pulled if off of her, but in the same moment it seemed as if he was stripping her naked of an emotion. Suddenly, it looked to Andrew as if some sort of relief washed over her. She no longer seemed confused, but determined. If he could take off those heavy, negative emotions, things might change for the better...

Some feeling deep in his heart, burning with anger, wanted him to prove to her that he loved her. Pulling off the rest of her clothes provided him with some comfort. Her skin was warm and wet, very delicate to his touch with goose bumps running down the length of her body. On any normal day, he would have stopped there; cautious knowing that Lauren was fragile.

But today was different. Overcome with his emotion he pinned her into the sand as the tide washed over their bodies. At first she struggled to get him off, but he kept himself anchored on top of her and she gradually submitted herself to him. The goose bumps disappeared and she grew hot and fervent.

Her breathing grew irregular, sporadic like his motions. Andrew could feel the sweat forming on his brow, but there was no way for him to stop now. The ardor that drove him pumped adrenaline through his body. He looked down at her and listened to her tiny moans.

By now, Andrew was in complete control. Lauren wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. She no longer tried to conceal herself, moaning freely as he continued. Her eyes were closed completely and her mouth was slightly open, taking in heavy breaths and letting out tell-tale signs of ecstatic pleasure.

Andrew was exhausted when he was finished. Though tired, he felt that he had made himself clear to Lauren by purging himself of his anger in the highest form of pleasure. Her silence and willingness to accept it all was a sign to him that she understood what he meant...

The look on Lauren's face was one of confused realization, overwhelmed by her own emotion. If there was anything Andrew could do right now, it was to leave her be with her own thoughts and let her sort things out for herself. He pulled himself off of her and put his clothes back on, gathering hers and folding them as neatly as one could fold something that was soaked through.

As he started for the hotel room, Andrew looked back one more time at his girlfriend. Lauren looked helpless, lying naked in the sand and the tide rolling over her. She looked innocent and lost, but he knew she'd be fine.

Andrew walked into the hotel room and closed the door with a heavy sigh. After changing out of his wet clothes and laying them out to dry in the bathroom, he sat next to the window and waited.

---

She came in at around noon and closed the door behind her as quietly as she could. Turning, she saw Andrew sitting by the window. Seeing her in the doorway, a small smile cut across his face. He got up and walked to her. "How you feeling?"

"Better..." She responded with a tiny smile.

He couldn't help but look over what she was wearing and noticed that she was still dressed the same. Although they were dry, her clothes were saturated with the smell of salt water. Walking over to their suitcase, Andrew took out a fresh outfit for her. "You wanna change?"

"Yea..." Lauren gently took the clothes from him. "Thanks..."

Instead of going into the bathroom like he thought she would, Lauren just started changing on the spot. Out of respect for her privacy, Andrew tried to look out the window to occupy himself. But Lauren was just too beautiful to resist. He watched her take her clothes off and did his best not to stare.

It had always been one of his biggest fantasies, seeing Lauren in her complete unadulterated beauty. Before last night, that had only been once during a get-together at a mutual friend's home after his graduation.

Essentially that get-together was a pool party with Lauren being the only reason he had gone. Some time that night, Lauren had disappeared and Andrew was curious as to where she went. It so happened that she had gone to her friend's room to change and he walked in on her right in the middle of it.

Lauren's back was turned to the door, but she was naked from head to toe.

There was a minute of awkward silence before Andrew apologized and closed the door. When she came out, dressed in a t-shirt and mini-skirt, Lauren acted like nothing happened.

That image of her, however, had been permanently burned into the back of his mind.

Andrew looked at her now with a pounding heart and butterflies in his stomach.

Lauren's body had, and will always be, Andrew's definition of perfection. Petite and small, the nineteen year-old possessed an extremely fragile figure with lanky arms and skinny legs. She had a tight waist and small breasts which gave her the perfect form, to be a gymnast or figure skater. Her skin was soft and pale, untouched by the stain of tan but bright and beautiful nonetheless.

Her black shirt finished covering what was left of her exposed body. It did, however, emphasize those curves he loved so much. Andrew didn't realize he'd been biting his lip until he figured he'd bitten so hard that he was tasting his own blood.

They stood in silence for what seemed to be an eternity before Lauren walked into the bathroom, took a tissue, and started dabbing his slightly bleeding lip. "Look what you've done to yourself, Andrew..." She said to him with a very tiny smile. "You always do the weirdest things whenever you get nervous."

An inaudible stutter was all he could manage before she shushed him.

When the bleeding slowed to only a tiny amount, Lauren crumpled the tissue and threw it into the trash can. She gave him a tiny kiss before lying down on the bed, facing away from him. Pulling the blanket over herself, Lauren let out a small sigh. What it meant, Andrew wasn't sure.

He stood there, dumbfounded for several minutes, unsure if what to do.

What she said next was close to a whisper. "Andrew, I'm not a virgin."

"I know you're not." Andrew chucked nervously. "After today and last night, I didn't expect you to be a virgin anymore. I mean, I'm not a virgin anymore either." He sat down on the bed facing the other direction, trying to control his shaking hands by wringing them.