Embarrassed I laugh. "Let me go," I insist while I try to pry his hands from my waist.
He whispers, "Never," close to my ear and places my feet back on the ground gently.
I frown briefly as I step away from him and, without thinking, I look around to see if Aaron saw Jared whispering in my ear and acting as if he likes me, but Aaron is having a conversation with John and has his back turned to us.
" Ah." Jared follows my gaze. "Have I already lost out?"
Mortified I look down at my feet and feel a warm glow pushing up my neck, into my cheeks. What does he mean - lost out? I look up into his eyes and then quickly avert my eyes to look over his shoulder at the constantly rising and falling waves. Something about his eyes does something to my stomach. "No," I whisper adamantly. My voice reaches its normal tone as I explain, "Aaron and I are great friends, but I heard he likes me and I don't want to hurt his feelings."
Jared lifts his hands up in the air, his palms facing me as he steps further away from me. Smiling apologetically, he says, "Sorry."
I feel dreadful because I do like Jared very much - too much, too soon - and now he might get the wrong impression. Frustrated I turn and walk away from him, not wanting him to see how I feel, not wanting to start gushing nonsensical, perhaps inadvertently admit I am pathetic enough to already feel as if I love him, tell him how weird it is that I feel as if I have always loved him. How naïve does he think I am anyway, saying he will never let me go. Still my heart leaps at the prospect.
I walk toward Jane, Sarah and Siobhan sitting silently on the sand in a half circle facing the sea. I can feel the tension in the air when I sit down next to Jane.
As I sink down next to Jane, she turns to look at me, smiling kindly. I assume the feeling of unease is coming from Sarah, who turns to me briefly and openly glares at me. Her eyes are throwing daggers at me, so I presume she must be into Jared.
The guys come to sit with us, and I do not know if Jared is just determined or stubborn, or not so much into Sarah, or just being spiteful, but he sits down next to me and I can now feel open hate burning behind Sarah's eyes, as she stabs me with her glare.