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i.
Amberle is drunk. It’s Wil’s birthday party and they’re on the beach and her toes are wriggling through the cold sand and the bonfire is still going strong. Wil is sleeping with his head propped up against a bunch of jackets, snoring so softly Amberle can only occasionally hear it under the roar of the waves.
The most important fact, besides her being drunk, is that she hasn’t seen Eretria in an hour, and she misses her, which is stupid, because Eretria drives her kind of crazy.
But then she feels arms drape over her shoulders and she doesn’t even have to look to know who it is.
“Were your ears burning?” she whispers, tilting her head slightly as Eretria presses her cheek to Amberle’s.
“Why, princess? Were you thinking about me?”
“Maybe,” Amberle mutters before she catches herself. “I mean, it’s too dangerous to be wandering around the beach alone.”
“Oh, please,” Amberle can hear the eyeroll in Eretria’s voice. “You’re such a goody-two-shoes, princess.” The ways she draws out the nickname makes Amberle shiver.
Yeah, Eretria definitely drives her a little crazy. But right now, it’s not the right kind of crazy.
“That’s sweet,” she says, almost teasing, as she pulls away and settles down onto the log next to Amberle. “But I’ve come back with weed,” she says, like it’s ordinary—and it is, for Eretria—and produces a crinkled looking joint from behind her ear.
Amberle watches with wary interest as Eretria places the joint between her lips, pulls a lighter from the tiny front pocket of her jean shorts, and holds the flame to the joint’s tip. She takes a nice pull, eyelashes fluttering, and then holds it out in front of Amberle.
The first drag is harsh and it makes her eyes burn, but then she lets the smoke rush out of her lungs and watches as it curls in the air, catches the light of the fire and disperses on the wind.
It’s bad form, but she takes another quick puff before handing it back to Eretria.
Eretria raises her brows, but says nothing, and forms a circle with the smoke in the air.
“How long’s he been out?” she asks after a moment, pointing at Wil with her chin.
“Twenty minutes,” Amberle says before placing the joint between her lips. This time she takes a long, satisfying pull, lets the smoke fill her lungs, and then releases it in a rough sigh. “He drank too much.”
“We all did,” Eretria chuckles, taking the joint from between Amberle’s outstretched fingers. “He’s just a lightweight.”
“Mm,” Amberle nods, staring as smoke leaks out of Eretria’s mouth. When her eyes flicker away from her mouth she realises Eretria’s been watching her, and she has this unreadable expression on her face. Almost like a smirk, but not really.
It makes Amberle’s insides twist and suddenly she can’t distinguish the hammering of her heart from the crashing of the waves on the shore, it’s all too loud and roaring in her ears.
She watches as Eretria takes another hit, and then she’s moving closer to Amberle until her front is pressing into Amberle’s side. Amberle swallows, hard, watches as Eretria opens her mouth and lets the smoke pour out slowly.
“Eretria…”
Her mouth has gone completely dry and she licks her lips and then Eretria’s leaning forward, her eyes focused completely on Amberle’s mouth. Amberle feels like she’s falling through some great big hole that’s opened up below her and she feels herself tremble with a mixture of fear and excitement.
She wants this.
But then a phone rings nearby and Wil groans loudly, stirring against his pillow of jackets. Amberle lets out a yelp as the spell is broken and and she tries to slide back, away from Eretria. Unfortunately, she miscalculates how much log is left behind her and ends up on her ass in the sand, instead.
Eretria laughs and stands up, sticking her hand out for Amberle to grab. Amberle scowls, bats Eretria’s hand away, and pushes herself to her feet.
“Suit yourself, princess,” Eretria shrugs and takes another hit, watching Amberle with raised brows.
ii.
“Eretria,” Amberle says through her teeth. Eretria laughs, puts her hands on Amberle’s waist beneath the water and drifts closer until Amberle’s back is pressing into the side of the pool.
“Scared I’ll drown you, princess?”
“No,” Amberle retorts, but swallows visibly. It’s warm and everything smells like chlorine and Eretria’s lips are too close to Amberle’s mouth and Amberle can’t stop her gaze from falling to them every few seconds.
Eretria smirks, licks her bottom lip and closes the gap between their bodies. Amberle lets out a little moan, confused, and places her hands on Eretria’s shoulders.
A door is thrown open at the other end of the gym and Amberle pushes Eretria back so hard the other girl slips below the surface.
When she comes up, spluttering, Amberle has to cover her mouth to mute the sound of her laughter.
“Two can play at that game,” she snorts, and Eretria glowers at her, pushing her wet hair out of her face.
iii.
“How did it happen?” Amberle cups Eretria’s wrist gently, holding it so Eretria’s palm is face up. The blood is drying on her skin, but more seeps out each time her fingers twitch.
“A tree,” Eretria hisses when Amberle gently spreads her fingers, flattening her palm into a workable surface.
“A tree?” Amberle raises her brows and Eretria shrugs.
“The bark was sharp?”
“You’re a mess,” Amberle chuckles and then holds aloft an alcohol pad, “this is going to hurt.”
Eretria watches Amberle work, bites her lip against the sting as Amberle swabs an alcohol pad gently over the gash in her palm, clenches her jaw when Amberle applies antibacterial ointment before covering the wound with a gauze pad. Her brows are furrowed and she has her bottom lip fastened between her teeth and it’s probably the most endearing Amberle has ever seemed to Eretria.
“All done,” Amberle says brightly once she’s finished wrapping her hand in gauze. She pats Eretria’s hand gently, and then looks up at her face. Her smile falters a little and Eretria wonders what her face is doing. And then she realises she’s blushing.
“Uh—” she swallows and flexes her fingers. It still hurts like a bitch, but it’s better than before. “Thanks, you’re—”
“Don’t mention it,” Amberle smiles again, this time smaller and sweeter. Eretria wrinkles her nose.
“I should at least buy you a drink later,” she says, standing up off of Amberle’s bed. Amberle scoffs, gathering the first aid supplies into a plastic bag before standing up.
“You don’t owe me anything, Eretria,” she steps close, holding the trash bag in one hand and resting her other hand on Eretria’s arm, the one without the wounded hand.
They were close on the bed, but it’s different now, without Amberle fussing over her hand. Eretria feels this pull in her gut to kiss Amberle, or something, because she’s not used to pretty girls sweeping her away to tend to her wounds. And Amberle did just that, despite the fact that it means she missed her lecture.
Eretria bites her bottom lip and feels the weight of her decision in her chest. She’s two seconds from cupping Amberle’s face and kissing her when Amberle’s expression goes tight with concern.
“Are you going to faint?”
“What?” Eretria blinks, she feels fine, except for the fact that she was just about to kiss Amberle.
“You look a little…off,” Amberle purses her lips. “Is it all the blood? You should go back to your room and rest.”
“I’m fine,” Eretria grumbles, brushing Amberle’s hand and concern off. She’s halfway out the door before she stops and glances back over at her shoulder, Amberle’s still standing there with the trash and that look of concern. Eretria sighs, softens just a little, and smiles, “thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Amberle says carefully, smiling back, just a little.
Eretria goes back to her room, pointedly trying not to think about kissing Amberle.
iv.
The bed dips and Eretria rolls over as Amberle pulls the covers over herself. The hotel room is dark, but no so much that she can’t make out the shadowed features of Amberle’s face. She looks tired, but she smiles when she catches Eretria staring, and Eretria feels herself blush.
“Why does Wil get a bed to himself?” Eretria whispers once Amberle settles down onto her pillow. The full sized mattress is big enough for both of them, but their knees are touching and Amberle’s body is curved so her head lies close to Eretria’s.
“Because he kicks in his sleep,” Amberle responds. Eretria scoots a little closer on her own pillow. She can smell Amberle’s toothpaste, minty and clean, and just the soft hint of her herbal shampoo. A lock of wet hair is stuck to the side of Amberle’s face and Eretria fights the urge to brush it away.
“Of course he does,” Eretria sighs.
“I’d rather be sharing with you, anyway.” The way Amberle says it is almost shy, and Eretria bites her bottom lip, unsure of how to respond.
(She’d rather be sharing with Amberle, too, but why would she ever admit that?)
Amberle shifts closer again and Eretria almost backs away. They’re too close, the room is too stuffy, and everything suddenly smells like mint and herbs and Eretria has no exit strategy for this. Amberle’s mouth is practically touching Eretria’s but there’s that guarded look in Amberle’s eyes, the pinch in her brows, the way her eyes dart around Eretria’s face like she’s searching for permission.
“Are you two asleep?” Wil stage whispers, and Eretria groans, ducking her head under the covers while Amberle scoots back, puts enough space between them so that Eretria can’t smell anything but the hotel linens.
v.
It’s been months since that night on the beach, but Eretria’s heart races as she trundles over the dunes, heading back to that exact same spot where this all started. She’s clutching a cooler full of various bottom shelf spirits and they clank as she goes. All she can think about is Amberle, and how it’s her birthday, and Eretria wants to drink an entire bottle of whiskey before she has to see her.
She’s coming into view of the group, grumbling about being the only one to ever provide liquor, but then she sees Amberle. The other girl is in cut-offs and a white bikini top and she’s barefoot, her black Converse sitting on a log near the half-built bonfire. Wil is shirtless and pink from the sun and there are a dozen people Eretria barely recognises milling around, all of them from sororities or fraternities that Amberle is associated with.
It’s going to be fine.
She’s about to call out for some help when Amberle spots her, and Eretria’s stomach sinks as Amberle’s face lights up and she starts rushing across the sand.
“You came!” Amberle breathes, wrapping her arms around Eretria’s shoulders, even though it has to be the most awkward position ever, what with the metal cooler between them.
“I did,” Eretria grunts, “and I need some assistance.”
“Oh,” Amberle makes a face and steps back, turning to the group of people further down the beach, “SOMEONE COME HELP WITH THE LIQUOR!”
The day progresses into evening at a snail’s pace. Eretria doesn’t really feel like drinking, but she toasts Amberle’s 20th birthday with a weak whiskey and Coke and supervises the fire building while everyone plays in the water. By the time the bonfire is roaring, a lot of the liquor is gone, and Eretria is sitting on the empty cooler with an unfinished Cape Cod sitting next to her.
Amberle comes sprinting away from the shore, every inch of her wet with seawater and her eyes sparkling in the light from the fire. She grins down at Eretria, dripping salt water as she shivers in the wind.
“You came to my birthday party,” Amberle says, bright, breathless. Eretria waves vaguely and rolls her eyes, as if to say of course I came, princess. Amberle scoffs, takes Eretria’s hands into her own, and pulls her up to her feet. The momentum lands Eretria close to Amberle, so close that she smell the sea on Amberle’s skin and the strawberry soda on her lips. “Eretria,” Amberle draws her name out and Eretria purses her lips.
“I was able to get the night off,” she says in a rush, looking everywhere except for those stupid sparkling eyes. “Look, princess—”
“Shh,” Amberle sighs, and leans forward, kissing Eretria so quickly she forgets her train of thought, forgets that they’re not alone, and most importantly of all, forgets that she shouldn’t have enjoyed that. Amberle licks her lips and looks like maybe she’s about to say something, but Eretria shakes her head. She lets everything go and and digs her hands into the other girl’s sea-damp hair and pulls her back for another kiss. Amberle makes a little noise of happiness, pressing her wet body into Eretria’s, her fingers digging gently into Eretria’s hips.
Eretria can hear the whooping from the bonfire, but she doesn’t give a damn. She sinks into the feeling of Amberle’s mouth against her own and the hammering of her heart as it matches the crash of the waves on the shore.