A Lie Too Late

It’s been nearly two weeks.
Two weeks of absolute perfection and happiness; from school to the nights we spend together.
Even though we haven’t announced our relationship publicly, there isn’t anything I would change.
During school, I look forward for those little kisses I can steal when no one is looking.
The whispered, “I can’t wait until I get to kiss you,” between classes and during lunch.
It’s perfect.
When we’re alone, either in my room or near the river, we hold hands and just cuddle into each other.
No one is there to judge us, or tease us. We can kiss as we please and murmur cute things.
It’s pure bliss, something I didn’t expect in finding when I first moved to Sheffield a month ago.
Sometimes, I would let Oli spend the night.
There was nothing better than waking up to his sleepy brown eyes in the morning.
His lips would caress my face, gently, until I was fully awake and attacking him with kisses of my own.
“Love…” Oli whispered, distracting me from my thoughts.
“Yeah?” I smiled, closing my eyes as he kissed the tip of my nose.
His touch created butterflies, erupting from my heart and fluttering all around me.
“Are you going to help me, or are you going to sit there with that smile on your face?” Oli smirked.
We were standing in the kitchen, packing food for a picnic we had been planning all week.
This would be our first official date, and I was excited.
Since we didn’t want people to find out about our relationship, we had to be really careful about where we went.
Oli had somewhere in mind.
“I’m coming!” I laughed, standing up from the kitchen chair and opening the pantry.
“What do you have?” I asked, scanning the shelves.
“I’ve made some sandwiches, and we have the chocolate biscuits from the bakery.”
“Alright.” I nodded, still looking.
Arms snaked around my waist, holding me against their chest. His chin rested on my shoulder.
“Oli…” I complained, half-laughing.
The soft feel of cheek against my face was distracting, and I wanted nothing else than to kiss him.
“I’m sorry.” Oli mumbled, turning me around. “You’re too adorable for your own good.”
I blushed, looking away.
“There’s nothing I want to do more than hold you, and kiss you, and tell you how great you are.” Oli continued, whispering into my ear.
He started kissing hungrily down my neck, moving towards my earlobe.
After a second, he let me go.
“Hey!” I protested, feeling cold and empty at the sudden loss of contact.
“Sorry Love.” he laughed.
Shaking my head in amusement, I found a bag of crisps near the top shelf and threw them at him.
“Is that good?” I asked, finding a case of drinks.
“Sure.”
When lunch was packed, we loaded the basket into the backseat of my Mum’s car, along with a blanket and my guitar.
“Alright, where are we going?” I asked, adjusting the mirrors.
I had requested the car this weekend.
“I’ll tell you where to go, you just drive.” Oli smirked, climbing into the passenger seat. “It’s a surprise.”
“Fine.” I sulked, starting the car.
It didn’t take long until we reached a long, dusty road that seemed to lead nowhere.
Thanks to Oli, we didn’t take any wrong turns.
“You can park here.” Oli suggested, once we had reached the end of the paved road.
“Sure.”
Taking out our things, we continued down the narrow path on foot. At the end of the trail, there was a lake.
It was a beautiful sight, with the sun sparkling off the dark blue water and the reeds growing around it.
There was a hastily built dock on one side, and large rocks jutting in from somewhere else.
It was almost breath-taking.
It would have been, if Oli wasn’t standing in front of me.
“Where are we sitting?” I asked, switching the weight of my guitar from one hand to the other.
“Over here.”
He led the way, stopping near the dock. Unfolding the blanket we brought, he laid it over the low-cut grass.
He set down a backpack I hadn’t known he was carrying.
Dropping the picnic basket and my guitar, I turned around to face the water’s edge.
“How do you know about this place?” I asked, staring towards the never-ending horizon.
There was a log cabin about a quarter mile away.
It seemed empty.
“This is my Uncle’s property.” Oli shrugged, gazing at the house. “He lives here in the summer.”
“It’s beautiful.” I offered, sitting down.
“Thanks.” Oli smiled, relieved I was happy. “I’ll have to ask Uncle for the keys to the cabin. We can spend the night here one day.”
“I’d love that.” I agreed.
He sat down beside me, pulling the basket onto his lap and opening it. After digging through the contents, he pulled out the cookies.
“Really?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
There were sandwiches and apples inside the basket too.
“What?” Oli chuckled. “Who said we can’t have dessert first?”
“Fine!” I gave in.
He opened the pink box, taking out two biscuits.
That bright pink box; it had become a daily part of my life, I would start seeing it in my sleep.
It was always there.
Handing me a cookie, Oli leaned into me as he took a bite.
“It’s wonderful…” Oli sighed.
“Not as wonderful as you.” I pointed out, trying to be cute.
“You’re such a dork.” Oli laughed, sitting upright again and facing me. “But, fine. Two can play at this game.”
“What are you getting at?”
“Nothing Love.” He smirked. “I was just thinking about how gorgeous your eyes are. They shine like the moonlight and they’re pure as the water.”
“If only they were like yours.” I started, catching on. “Your eyes are as rich and dark as melted chocolate.”
“I’m not sure if you’re trying to compliment me, or you want my cookie.” Oli shook his head in amusement.
“Both.”
Before he could reply, I snatched the cookie from his hand and stuffed it in my mouth with a grin.
“Hey!”
“You snooze you lose, Sykes.” I grinned.
“I’m sorry, I was too busy marveling at your perfection to notice you were stealing my cookie.”
“…you win.” I admitted defeat.
“I know I do.” Oli nodded. “You know why? Because I’m lucky enough to have you in my life.”
“Okay! Okay!” I yelled. “I get it, you win! Just stop with the fluffiness, you’re suffocating me!”
“Alright.”
Laughing, I reached into the basket and pulled out an apple.
“Oh, we’re being health nuts now?” Oli asked, looking from the cookie to the apple.
“I’m eating an apple, you’re the nut.” I clarified.
“I take offense.”
“Sorry babe.” I laughed, offering him a bite of the apple. He shook his head, taking a bite.
“Now stop being cute, and let me eat.” I demanded.
“I’m being cute?” Oli asked. “You’re the one who’s attracting all the attention with that smile, Love.”
“Bloody hell, Oli.” I laughed. “Stop!”
He stuck his tongue out at me, reaching into the basket and grabbing one of the sandwiches.
“Fine.”
For once, a few minutes passed in absolute silence.
It was just a comfortable peace, filled with the sounds of our breathing and chewing.
We didn’t need to talk.
There wasn’t a point in filling the silence, our company was enough to communicate.
“Are you finished?” I asked, putting a plastic wrapper back inside the basket. He wasn’t eating anymore.
He had a juice box in his hand though.
“Just about.” Oli nodded.
“Alright.” I yawned, taking in the juice box. “Really, Oli?”
“What?”
“You’re drinking out of a juice box?” I smirked. “What are you, five?”
“Hey! Growing up doesn’t mean you stop drinking juice boxes, it just means you have to buy your own.”
“Touché.”
He made a face, leaning in to kiss my forehead.
“Do you want to go swimming?” he asked suddenly, looking towards the water with eager eyes.
“Um…can we?” I wondered.
He nodded, unzipping the backpack he had brought and pulling out two towels.
“I came prepared!” he announced proudly.
Besides the towels, he had brought another shirt for us.
“Well…sure.”
He cheered, standing up and kicking off his sneakers. He pulled off his skinnies, leaving him in boxers and a long-sleeve.
“Come on!” Oli urged, taking my hand and pulling me up.
Blushing slightly, I followed suit.
When I had been reduced to a t-shirt and underwear, he dragged me towards the dock.
Looking down, I could see the water was intensely clear. You could see the sandy bottom.
“Ready?” Oli asked, laughing like a child.
He looked so excited, and it was incredibly damn cute.
“Sure.”
Counting down from three, we both jumped into the water at the same time, only to come back up sputtering.
“Fucking hell!” I chattered, as the cold seeped into my core. “It’s cold as bloody fuck!”
“Come here then.”
Wading my way towards Oli, I grinned as he wrapped his skinny arms around my wet torso.
“This isn’t working.” I pointed out, leaning against him.
“Shut up, or I’ll let go of you.” He warned, kissing my cheek.
“Sorry.”
We stood there, shaking from the cold, and smiling like idiots. We were waist-deep in a random lake, just standing there.
It was incredibly stupid.
Yet, at the same time I wouldn’t be anywhere else but here.
“Let’s swim!”
He let go of me, diving under water and resurfacing twenty feet away from me.
Well.
Shaking my head, I made my way towards him only to have him disappear under the depths and come up somewhere anew.
It had turned into a little game; catch Oli before he ducked and turned up meters away.
Every time I caught up with him, he left a soft kiss against my lips and…disappeared.
“Arsehole.” I muttered, after I had missed him for the fifth time. “Come on, I’m cold.”
“Alright Love.”
It made me feel warm, whenever he called me Love. It wasn’t like “babe” which made me think of sex.
It was literally a heartfelt pet name, cherished with love.
He took my hand, helping me towards the bank and out of the water. The decision was instantly regretted.
As the cold air touched my wet body, I suddenly wished I was back inside the water.
“Let’s dry off.” Oli suggested, heading back to our picnic spot.
He handed me a towel, taking one for himself.
After we were somewhat dry, Oli picked up his skinny jeans and the clean shirt from the blanket.
He looked down, biting his lip.
“Uh…close your eyes.” He blushed.
I found it extremely cute how his face flared as he as realized he’d have to completely strip down.
Keeping my eyes shut, I turned around as well.
He mumbled something under his breath I didn’t catch, but I knew he was still blushing.
After a moment, he cleared his throat.
“You can look now.”
He had his black skinnies back on, his previously wet torso covered with a tight-fitting grey sweatshirt.
“You’re adorable.” I cooed.
He was drying off his hair with the towel.
“You’re turn.” He muttered, handing me my clothes and turning around.
I got dressed quickly.
“Alright.” I announced, throwing my wet clothes on the floor near his and following suit with the towel through my hair.
“Good.”
He settled down on the blanket, pushing the basket aside and lying down on his stomach.
I sat down cross-legged, resting my guitar on my lap.
“Play something.” Oli asked.
“No, I’m just holding the instrument out of enjoyment.” I teased. “I wasn’t planning on playing anything.”
He blushed, looking away.
“You’re too cute for your own good.” I commented, strumming the strings.
“Shut up.”
“No.”
Finding a melody, I started humming softly under my breath. I was trying to find the right key.
“Sing.”
I nodded, repeating the chord again.
“If it hurts this much, then it must be love.” I started singing, keeping my voice soft. “And it’s a lottery, I can’t wait to draw your name…”
“That was pretty.” Oli commented, when I was finished. “Did you write that yourself?”
I nodded.
“Not only are you charming, handsome, and sweet…you’re also talented.” Oli complimented.
“Thanks.”
“Really though, how did I get so lucky that I have you in my life?” he wondered, pulling himself up.
“I could ask the same thing.”
“But, I’m not anything special.” Oli frowned. “You, you are. You’re everything I could ever dream of.”
“Oh, hush.” I blushed, aimlessly strumming.
“You’re everything I could ever dream of.” He repeated, taking the guitar from my hands.
He pulled me towards him, kissing me.
It was a held-out kissing, leaking with passion and all the emotion that couldn’t be put into words.
As I mentioned earlier…
There wasn’t anywhere I would rather be, than with him.