Chapter 5

As they drove, Brandon would throw random glances at her, watching her look out the window with a smile on her face, enjoying the wind and view. Nymph.

"Oh yeah," she suddenly said.

He curiously watched her pick her bag up and rummage through it. After finding what she was looking for, she dropped her bag and leaned towards him, tucking something into his pocket.

"What's that?" He asked.

"Your change," she answered. 

He glanced at her. Her face was a well of calm happiness.

"What change?"

"You gave me too much money last night. I used what I needed. There's the rest. Thanks by the way," she beamed up at him, then turned back to look out the window. 

Brandon was stunned silent. No one had ever....

"How much was your cab fare?"

"A dollar and fifty cents,"

He cast her an incredulous glance. At his wordlessness, guilt began to seep into her.

"But I paid two dollars instead because-"

"Don't explain. Elizabeth, a dollar? Where you told me to stop, it was around your house, right?"

She nodded. "Yes."

He parked the car. Beth watched on in confusion and apprehension.

He turned to face her and after scanning her face, he asked,

"Elizabeth, did you walk?"

She nodded again. "Yes, but only a little bit."

He narrowed his eyes. "A little bit? Did you see the distance we drove before getting to your place? If you walked for a little bit, how come your fare only cost a dollar?"

"And fifty cents," she completed.

"Elizabeth," he warned.

She looked away and ran her tongue over her teeth.

"Why did you walk?" He asked.

She rose her eyes to his. "Because I had the energy to."

His brows dipped. "You had money, Elizabeth."

"Money that wasn't mine. I didn't want to waste it."

"Waste it?" He questioned, astounded. "Waste it? It was so late at night. Do you know what could have happened to you?"

"But the money wasn't mine-"

"So what? You would place your well being at risk, just to save money?"

She said nothing. After staring at her for a while, he shook his head and started up the engine. Brandon focused his gaze on the road, gritting his teeth in anger. What if something had happened to her? He should have ensured she'd left in the safety of a cab before leaving. He had wanted to, but she had been already too anxious to get rid of him. She had- why did he care so much?

Beth was uncomfortable. The car was quiet. Brandon was angry and she... She didn't feel comfortable. After a while of him driving in silence, she turned to him and leaned in till she was looking directly at his face profile. He gave no reaction. She huffed on his face. He didn't even flinch. His jaw was set in a grim line. She gently placed a hand on his leg.

"Brandon?"

No response.

She smiled at his expression, finding the situation amusing. "You look so cute when you're mad."

He finally sighed.

"Brandon?" She called again, but got no response back. 

She then dropped her head to his shoulder and angled it to be able to look up at him. He kept on ignoring her. Even if he wanted to, Brandon couldn't look down. She was breathing directly on his chin. If he so much as turned his head and angled it the right way, their lips would touch and that thought caused him to grow rigid as he began fighting the sudden urge to do so. 

"You smell nice," she commented, taking a whiff of him. 

He frowned. Weirdo.

She sighed and folded her arms around his arm that held unto the staring wheel.

"Elizabeth," he warned.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. 

He said nothing. Didn't even look at her.

"You won't forgive me?" 

Nothing.

"Fine then." 

She scooted back and relaxed in her seat, turning her head to look out the window. Two could play at this game. Brandon eyed her, thinking the matter over and over again, trying to gain comprehension. She was mad at him?! Her? She was mad? At him? Unbelievable. She suddenly turned and caught his eyes on her. 

She smiled cheekily.

He turned back to face the road.

"Brandon?"

"What?!" He snapped.

The car was quiet for a while, before she suddenly erupted in a laughing fit. The sound of her laughter caused him to sigh and shake his head. It made him unable to hold onto his anger. He almost jolted when he felt her lips on his cheek. His fingers tightened around the staring wheel. It took sheer wheel not to grab her and kiss her the way he wanted to.

"That's for being cute," she stated and sat back. "And childish." She mumbled quietly.

"Childish?" He questioned, a look of disbelief fixed on his face.

She giggled and nodded. "Mm-hmm. Cute and childish."

All he could do was shake his head.

After arriving at the beach, he threw on a pair of sunglasses and a face cap. With the white sand everywhere, and the sea lazily engaging in a slow kiss with the shore, Beth smiled in satisfaction. There weren't a lot of people, just as she'd expected. It was the middle of a working day, after all. They got a spot under a public umbrella and after buying beach towels, they sat next to each other. Beth couldn't keep her eyes off the sea and the smile off her face. After a huge sigh, she closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of the cool sea breeze over her sensitive skin. With the sound of seagulls greeting her ears, she couldn't stop her laughter from slipping out. She was happy. Very happy. Oh, how long it had been. 

All through, Brandon watched her. Gentle in simplicity, exotic in beauty. Was anyone really this innocent?

"Elizabeth?" 

She opened her eyes and looked to him, smiling in happiness.

"Why would you save money over your well-being?"

She blinked. 

He watched the smile slowly drain off her face, leaving a blank look in it's stead.

"Why?"

"I'm concerned and curious."

"You don't have to be worried about me. I'm fine," she finished, turning her head back to the sea. She felt his fingers on her chin and let him turn her head.

"I know you are. I don't doubt it. Just give me something to hold on to."

She looked at him, then tilted her head to the side. A move he was slowly learning the meaning of.

"Why do you care?"

"I could say that I care about everyone, but I won't. With you, it's different and I don't know why."

As the breeze blew, she watched his face. He was being honest. He really didn't know. Was that a good thing?

"I'm fascinated by you." 

There was that statement again. Maybe everything lay in the fascination. She reached forward to pull off his sunglasses and he let her.

"Why?"

"You're different."

"The minute the fascination of something different wares off, what happens then?"

"I'll keep guessing. You keep me guessing and wondering without even trying. I don't think my fascination with you will leave me anytime soon."

She looked to the water. "Eventually, it will. What happens after that?"

He once again took her chin and turned her head so he could watch her expressions.

"I don't know." 

Elizabeth let out a small sigh. No one knew. Everyone could only say what they wanted and wished for, but no one really knew what would turn out. The good thing was, everyone was allowed to fight for what they wanted if they didn't get it. But what happens when they realize that what they had spent days, weeks or even years fighting for wasn't worth it? Or what they wanted, but didn't act on, was what was really worth fighting for? What happens when they realize that they wasted more time that they could recover from? Or that they let what they wanted keep them from realizing what they needed, in time to fight for it?

"A penny for your thoughts?"

"Make it two pennies." 

"Done."

"I know you don't know. I'm just wondering why you want to be my... What do you want from me?"

"What are you willing to give me?" He asked back.

They held each other's gaze, totally buried in the depth that was each other.

"I'll give you an answer to your former question now. I would save money over my well being because I need money."

"But if you don't protect yourself, how would you use it? There won't be a you to use it."

"The money needed is not for me. Me, I can take care of myself. It's for another reason. That reason.... That's why I'll always be fine. I have to be fine, I don't have a choice."

With a gentle voice, he asked, 

"Do you want to tell me what the reason is?"

"I would be exposing myself. I won't do that to have you bail on me."

Shaking his head and looking at the water, he said, "I don't think I would."

"How do you know that?"

She was already living rent free in his head. How did a man bail on his own head? 

All he could do was shrug. 

"My mom. She's the reason." Beth didn't know why she was telling him, but as the words tumbled out of her mouth, they felt.... Freeing. Right. 

Brandon turned to her, recognizing from the slight dip in her voice that she was letting him in. From how he'd seen her to be, it was not easy for her. . . Why was she letting him in? 

"Is she okay?" He asked with a gentle voice.

Beth began to play with the sand, gathering it and letting it drop from her fingers.

"She has heart cancer."

His body instantly stiffened. Brandon felt his heart drop.

She looked at him, gauging his reaction.

He opened his mouth to speak.

She smiled and shook her head. "Don't apologize."

He felt terrible. Clearing his throat, he asked,

"What about your father?"

"He died when I was fifteen years old," she said, turning to smile at him. The sadness he saw in her eyes weighed down on him. She was dealing with so much. How was she paying her mother's hospital bills with what she was earning from the coffee shop? Guilt and regret suddenly hit him as he remembered degrading her because of how she looked. It was obvious to him now that she was the kind of person to sacrifice wholeheartedly for people she cared about.... The look in her eyes couldn't be faked. Her littles gestures couldn't be planned. Her smiles couldn't be a façade. She came from a place too real for pretence, and everything he'd ever heard about her confirmed that. Brian would never be willing to fight for an undeserving person. This same person... He'd bet on. His insides quivered. He inhaled sharply, suddenly recognizing what it was about her got to him so much. 

Her originality. 

Elizabeth was unapologetically herself. The look in her eyes told him that her innocence was a her thing. Life had given her hell, but she'd fought right back with everything she had, still managing to be her true self. The innocence was there in the way she smiled. In the way she casually touched him. Even in the car, he could have taken advantage of her. He didn't because he respected her and himself too much for that, but she didn't know that. She didn't pay attention to that tiny what if. That level of childlike innocence couldn't be faked. It could have been the plan of a more malicious person, to be 'taken advantage' of, but her eyes were too clear for him to even suspect that of her. Too straightforward.

"I'm so sorry, Elizabeth."

"Call me Beth," she said, looking at him with a smile on her face.

He let out a small smile.

"Beth."

She nodded and lay back on the blanket. He stood up and put his sun glasses back on. 

She looked up at him. "What's up?"

"Let's go to the water," he suggested. 

He saw a certain look shadow her face before she averted her gaze and bit into her lower lip. His eyes trailed down to the mouth, but he pulled his gaze away. She looked pensive all of a sudden.

"Elizabeth?"

She looked up at him.

"What's wrong?" He asked, sitting back down.

She sat up and turned to face him. 

"So, I might kind of- sort of - maybe have a fear of water."

He creased a brow. "You do? But you wanted to come to the beach."

"I know. I know. I miss the water, I do. But, I can't help but fear it."

Brandon was confused.

She looked at him and sighed. Here goes...

"One time, when I was in highschool, all the girls in my class decided to come to the beach to hang out, and I joined in. It was a very lovely time we had-- in our cliques of course. The more popular girls to themselves, the less popular kept to themselves, same way the non-existent did. High school was messed up. Anyway, the popular girls got bored really quickly and decided to have fun with the rest of us. Guess who was first on their list? They picked me up and threw me into the sea."

Brandon's brows dipped in strange anger. She had been bullied. With a sigh, she returned back to her former reclined state.

"Feared the water ever since?"

"Yup."

"Not anymore." 

Beth didn't have time to think about what he meant before she was suddenly in the air and being carried to the water. She tried to fight him, but he wasn't letting up. He saw her eyes widen in fright and panic, but he didn't let go. They got to the very tip of the shore and he let her down, but held unto her to make sure she didn't run.

"Let me go!"

"No."

"I tell you what I don't like and you do just that?!"

He spun her around and pushed his sun glasses up, locking his eyes with hers.

"You told me what you used to love, till a bunch of airheads took that away from you. I want you to get it back and show yourself just how strong you are because I see that you're very strong. You miss the water. You said so yourself. I want you to leave the beach today feeling very happy with yourself. We can't have it any other way," he ended with a gentle smile. She sighed and looked away. He saw her fear before she even opened her mouth.

"Brandon, i-"

"I'm here with you. I won't leave you."

She took in a deep breath, looked behind her and groaned.

"Dio, se muoio, per favore perdonami," she squeaked out, turning her head to stare at the large body of water.

Brandon chuckled. 

She shot him a glare. He swallowed his laughter. He placed his hands on her shoulder and helped her turn. He felt her body tense up and press into his the minute she saw the waves headed for them.

He leaned down and whispered in her ears while interlocking their fingers,

"Breathe, Beth."

She saw the waves approaching. She watched with a pounding heart as the water barely licked the tip of her toes before receding. Okay.... 

Okay! That wasn't so bad. 

He took a step forward, thus, pushing her forward also.

"No, Brandon, please, move backwards."

"Forward? Okay." 

He took another step forward. Her heart began to pound with renewed frevor.

"No! Brandon, backwards!" She rushed out as she watched an even heavier wave build up.

"Forward? Okay." 

He pushed her forward with his next step. She made to turn, but he wasn't letting her go.

"Brandon, I want to go back."

"Beth, breathe."

"I am breathing!"

"Close your eyes, Beth. Just breathe. I'm here." 

Groaning, she closed her eyes and took deep breaths. She could do this. She would get over this. It was just water anyway. It would be a piece of cake. Her eyes opened. No. No it wouldn't. The water was rushing for her like a boulder. She began to hyperventilate.

"Brandon, please," she begged, but he stood firm. As the water reared up and dove straight for her, she screamed and spun around, burying her face in his chest and holding on to him for dear life.

She felt the water hit her legs and progress up her thighs, before receding. Trying to catch her breath, she slowly looked back to be sure that it was gone, before looking up at Brandon. He was smiling down at her.

"You see?"

"I almost died!"

He began to laugh.

"It's not funny, y'know," she huffed. 

He just kept laughing. Looking down at herself, she found that while the water had bathed her thighs, it had barely gone above his knees. She looked up at him, indignation written all over her face. 

He shrugged, looking smug. 

Oh really? 

As the next wave came, she waited for it and was able to stop herself from running, but just before it could begin receding, she jumped aside and pushed him into the water. Hah! That oughta keep the smile off his face.

"Beth!" He yelled in annoyance as he resurfaced, trying to find his footing and his eye sight. 

As soon as he got up to a knee, another wave hit, toppling him over again. 

She immediately bellowed out. She laughed so hard, her stomach hurt. As she laughed, he rushed up to her, grabbed her and literally threw her into the next wave. Beth went under. When came back up, she was spluttering, coughing wildly and wiping her face. As soon as she regained her sight, she glared at him. He stuck his tongue out at her. The gall of- that was it! She lunged for him. He skillfully evaded her, only having a few seconds to pull his shoes off and randomly throw them to the sand before running deeper into the sea. She ignorantly went after him, only realizing that he had lured her in when the water was up to her chest. Her eyes widened. A huge wave was coming. His mocking laughter rang out. She suddenly turned around to flee, but it was no use. His arms were around her, grounding her in place. The water toppled over them both.

"Brandon!" She spluttered, banging against his chest. "You pine cone, I'm all wet now!" She threw, frowning viciously up at him in anger.

"So am I," he responded, looking down at her. His gaze held hers. There was something to the way he'd said it. He was wet? 

He was wet? 

They both were, but why had he said it like th- her eyes widened as realization hit her.

"Brandon!" She grimaced.

He laughed with abandon.

"You said you were wet."

She nudged his stomach. "Not down there. Ugh," she rolled her eyes.

His body kept shaking with laughter as they made their way out of the sea. Beth smiled as she heard him guffaw. She shot him a chastising look, but couldn't keep the smile off her face. She was happy. It had been a while since she'd felt this way and him... The icy CEO was like an onion. A man with many layers. She was about to say something to him when she heard her name being called. She turned and instantly gasped in delight. Brandon looked up ahead and saw a woman running toward them. It wasn't till she came closer that he recognized her and the man behind her.

Sherlie and Brian.

"Hey, you!" Sherlie greeted, pulling Beth into a snug hug. Beth pulled back after a while. She was about to ask her what she doing out of work when she spied Brian and Brandon hugging each other.

"You two know each other?" She questioned in surprise.