Three years ago…
Elizabeth
Sebastian and I stood at the seashore, the salty air curling around us like an invitation. We were ready for the ride. I had thrown on loose clothes—a black cropped top and floral shorts.
Honestly, I felt shy stepping out in what I'd normally wear indoors. I'd never been comfortable showing my bare thighs, arms, or chest out in the open. But Sebastian insisted this was the perfect outfit for the activity. In fact, he'd told me he preferred this to my usual turtlenecks and palazzo pants.
The wind slapped playfully against my face, whipping my long hair around. I stood there watching him work, adjusting the sleek white Wave-Runner. He was dressed in all white—a racerback tank, shorts, sneakers, and a Nike skull cap.
Sometimes, I wondered if white was his favourite colour.
He hadn't even bothered to tie his hair; it spilled freely beneath the cap, catching the breeze.
I won't lie—he looked effortlessly magnetic. I couldn't help but imagine how many women must have walked through fire, storms, even the eye of a needle, just for the chance to end up in his bed.
"Wear this—for safety," he said, slipping an orange-and-black life jacket over my shoulders.
I frowned. "Why do I need this if I'll have you the whole time?"
He wasn't wearing one himself, yet here he was making sure I did.
Leaning in, he brushed a quick kiss against my lips, grinning the way he always did after stealing one. It made me wonder what exactly kept drawing him back to my mouth.
"I can swim. You can't," he reminded me.
I sighed. Fair enough—he was right.
If there was one thing I needed to relearn in life, it was swimming.
"How did you know?" I asked, realizing I'd never mentioned it to him.
He cupped my chin lightly, a teasing glint in his eyes. "You ask too many questions. Come—let's explore the surface."
His hand found mine, warm and steady, guiding me toward the Wave-Runner.
I let my fingers glide over its glossy finish. "I didn't know you had so many skills—even riding over the ocean."
He stepped into the shallow water, smiling faintly. "There are a lot of things I'd like to show you… in the future."
The future.
He'd been saying that word more often lately. I'd noticed it—how he wove it into conversations without even thinking.
Was it just a habit? Or did he really mean he saw a future for us?
"Come on." He stretched his hand toward me, but my feet felt rooted to the sand. I didn't know why, but every time I faced the sea—or any vast body of water—something inside me hesitated.
"Sebastian…" My knees trembled, a nervous shiver running through me.
"It's okay. I've got you." His fingers closed around mine, steady and warm, his voice low and certain. "It's just water. Nothing else."
I drew in a deep breath, willing my nerves to settle. One step. Then another. The cool blue lapped at my toes, then my ankles, and I told myself—It's just water. Nothing else.
Sebastian stayed close, guiding me as if he feared the wind might carry me away. When he climbed onto the Wave-Runner, I followed, settling in behind him. My arms looped around his waist, holding tight, though not enough to stop his breathing—just enough to make me feel anchored.
The engine growled beneath us, vibrating through my chest and into my bones. Before I could say anything, we shot forward, slicing across the water.
The wind slammed into my face—salty, sharp, and cold—making my eyes sting and my mouth stretch into a grin I couldn't fight. I tightened my hold on him, my cheek brushing the back of his shoulder.
I glanced over my shoulder, searching for his mansion on the shore, but it was already shrinking into the horizon, disappearing behind a curtain of mist and distance.
We were alone now—just me, him, and this sleek white machine skimming the ocean's surface.
Every wave we hit sent us airborne for a heartbeat before slamming us back down, sprays of water catching the sunlight like shattered glass. I could feel his laughter in the way his shoulders shook, deep and unrestrained.
I wasn't in control, and strangely, I loved it. There was a wild freedom in trusting him completely—letting the ocean blur into streaks of blue and silver while I simply held on and let go.
The horizon tilted when he cut a turn too sharply, and we both screamed—his with pure exhilaration, mine a tangled knot of fear and thrill that melted into joy.
Out here, surrounded by nothing but endless blue and the steady hum of the motor, the world felt smaller, simpler—just us, the sea, and the sky.
The ocean stretched endlessly ahead of us, vast and alive. No matter how far we rode, we could never explore it all in a single day. But in that moment, it didn't matter.
When we pulled back onto the shore, Antoni and Bianca were already there, standing like they'd been waiting ages. The two of them looked hopelessly in love—Bianca tucked snugly in his arms, his head bent toward hers as though she were the only thing worth speaking to in the world. They murmured to each other, sharing laughs and little kisses until we drew close.
The moment Bianca spotted us, she squealed and clapped like an overexcited child.
I stepped off the Wave-Runner, peeling my arms from Sebastian's waist. It had been pure exhilaration—flying over open water with nothing to slow us down. The sea had no traffic, no stoplights, no zebra crossings. And Sebastian… he navigated it like one of his sports cars, fearless and fast.
"Lizzy! Is this you?!" Bianca bounded over, her grin practically swallowing her face, tugging me toward the dry sand.
I sighed. Bianca could be… dramatic.
"Shh," I muttered, glancing at the people nearby. "You're drawing attention." Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Sebastian and Antoni exchanging greetings in some foreign language I couldn't quite place.
"God, girl, you're glowing." Her eyes sparkled. She leaned in, lowering her voice—barely. "Did you do it?"
I groaned. "Shh! Too loud."
But she only pouted and tugged on my arm like a child begging for candy. "Come on, tell me! If you do, I'll give you every detail about my night with Antoni."
Geez, this girl. "Fine," I caved. "Yes, we did it and—"
"Yay!!!" she shrieked, throwing her arms around me so tightly I couldn't breathe. "Finally! Welcome to the club of fuckers!"
"Yes, yes, thank you, Bia." I pried myself free before my ribs cracked.
"So? How was it? Hurt? Pleasure? Did you—?" Her rapid-fire questioning could probably break a Guinness World Record.
"Yes, it hurt at first but—"
"Ha! Love it!" She didn't even let me finish.
I narrowed my eyes. "Would you let me finish? Yes, we came."
Her jaw dropped. "Did you guys do it from the back too?"
"The back?"
She smirked, pointing at her butt. "Yeah, the back. And you have to try a blow job."
I blinked. "A… what?"
She stuck her thumb in her mouth and sucked, making it impossible not to understand.
"Oh, no, Bianca. You're insane."
"Insane? Honey, it's an art form. Antoni loves it. Drives him wild." She rolled the word like melted chocolate. "Yesterday, he bought me a pink Lamborghini."
I choked. "You can't be serious."
She whipped out her phone, showing me a picture of her posing beside the car like it was her firstborn.
"And tonight," she continued, "we're off to Italy for a crime party."
"A… crime party?"
She giggled. "His version of cops and robbers. Let's just say the hotel room will be the crime scene."
I shook my head, smiling despite myself. Bianca was too far gone over Antoni to even remember her exes. And honestly? I was happy for her.
We kept talking—until it hit me.
First, a tightening in my chest, as if someone were cinching a belt around my lungs. I tried to take a slow breath, but the air felt thin, stubborn, like it refused to reach the bottom of my lungs.
Stay calm.
Another breath—shallow. My chest rose, but not enough. I felt the wheeze slip out, low and strained, and I swallowed it down, hoping Bianca wouldn't notice.
My throat constricted. My heart pounded harder with each second. Panic scratched at the edges of my mind.
My arms felt like lead. My head went light. Each breath was a losing battle.
And then it hit me, sharp and familiar—
Oh God… not again.
It was the asthma.
I prayed silently, clinging to Bianca's chatter like a lifeline, though her words seemed to echo faintly, muffled behind the pounding in my ears.
Everything she said drifted in and out, fading like a radio signal on the verge of cutting out.
But I couldn't keep it up any longer. The thought of my inhaler—miles away from where I stood—sent a bolt of panic through me, draining what little strength I had left.
The world tilted. The edges of my vision bled into shadows. My chest rose and fell in shallow, frantic heaves, but the air just wouldn't come.
The darkness thickened, creeping inward.
Somewhere, distantly, I heard Bianca's voice shift—sharp with alarm. "Lizzy? Lizzy?" Her hands cupped my face, shaking me gently. "Sebastian! You have to come! Something's wrong with Lizzy!"
Footsteps pounded against the sand.
"Elizabeth!? Elizabeth!?" Sebastian's voice broke through the haze—tight, urgent. "Serena! Can you hear me!?"
I felt warmth then—his hands cradling my face, steady despite the panic in his tone.
And before I could process anything, his lips pressed to mine—not in romance, but in desperation.
Air. His air.
It filled my lungs, forceful yet controlled, willing life back into me. Again, his mouth sealed over mine, the rhythm of his breathing syncing with my own failing attempts. He was fighting for me—breathing for me—refusing to let go.
It was strange… intimate in a way that had nothing to do with desire, yet meant more than any kiss we'd shared before. His breath intertwined with mine, carrying strength I couldn't find on my own.
And then—like breaking the surface after being underwater too long—I gasped. My lungs expanded, greedy for air. My eyes fluttered open, meeting the intense brown of his gaze.
"Are you okay?" His voice was rough, threaded with fear he couldn't hide.
I nodded weakly, whispering, "Yes."
Relief flickered across his face. Then, without hesitation, he leaned in again—this time, the kiss was different. Not urgent, but tender. Not about survival, but about love.
I returned it fully, my fingers curling into his shirt in gratitude, in affection, in something deeper I couldn't yet name.
"Awww, aren't they so cute together, honey?" Bianca's voice floated from somewhere behind us.
It didn't matter.
Sebastian didn't stop kissing me. Neither did I.
"Sure they are," Antoni added dryly. "But I also think they need to get a room."