Mint Chip

~Reid~

With each stride I took, the previous chilly morning air transformed into the warm ocean salt filled atmosphere I wasn't used to.

I looked to where Nolan was skating beside me, a huge grin on his face. A grin that was soon paired with a determined set of eyes - this had turned into a race.

I was running at a full sprint while Nolan kicked his foot against the concrete beneath with all his power. He began to lean, maneuvering side to side, almost knocking into me.

"H-Hey! That's not fair!" I shouted, now behind him.

His chin peaked over his shoulder, laughing.

"Well it worked, didn't it!?" he yelled back, into the wind.

"Tch."

I came up with an idea.

"First one to reach the lamppost wins?" I challenged him.

Nolan nodded his head. His grin turned into a smirk, looking more determined than ever.

As soon as I reached it, I cut through the patch of grass, a straight shot to the flagpole. Nolan had to take 2 more turns to get there. I turned my sprint into a slow, leisurely jog.

"No!" I heard Nolan shout.

"Yes," I grinned, an almost evil tone lacing my voice as I stood next to the designated finish line.

Just as Nolan was approaching the flagpole, I reached out and poked the lamppost with my finger. The metal was warm from the sun. I win.

Nolan stopped, kicking up his board.

"You and... your freakishly long legs...cheated," he spoke in between breaths, panting.

I grabbed one hand onto the pole, hanging as I swung around in a full circle.

"Well... it worked, didn't it?" I repeated his words from before, satisfaction written all over my face.

Nolan leaned over, propped against his board.

"I didn't know you could be so petty," he chuckled.

I walked over to him and leaned down, getting on his eye level.

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me," I lowered my voice.

Nolan's face gone visibly red, and he turned away, my guess is to try to hide it.

How can someone be so cute?

I ruffled his hair playfully, then put my hands in my pockets.

I looked over to the shop we were outside of.

"Want ice cream?" I asked.

Nolan's head perked up immediately, and before I knew it, we were walking into the ice cream parlor.

...He's like a child.

We ended up eating our ice creams on a bench outside of the shop, the ocean waves in perfect view.

Don't get me wrong, I've never liked the beach, but being here with Nolan... I couldn't think of anywhere else I'd be wanting to spend my time.

I peered over at him as he happily lounged back, eyes closed, soaking up the sun.

The sun looked good on Nolan, his skin practically glowed, highlighting all of his features. His dark hair, that looked nearly jet black, had streaks of brown shining through, and with his eyes shut, I could see how long his lashes really were. And his lips...

"...You're staring." Nolan spoke. The crack of a smile showing itself on his lips.

My jaw nearly dropped. Guilty.

"I wasn't staring. You just..."

I reached over, and wiped Nolan's bottom lip with the pad of my thumb, erasing the mint chip ice cream he'd left over.

His eyes widened as I put my thumb in my mouth, tasting the dessert.

"Y-Y-You..." Nolan stammered, his cheeks redder than the rose petals in our suite.

I smiled, tilting my head.

"I what?"

I don't think I'd ever been a tease before I met Nolan. A huge part of me was always too self-conscious to be so bold... but I was never self-conscious around Nolan. In fact, I was the opposite. I felt like myself around him. Not to mention, every time he blushes, my heart throbs in my chest. It makes me happy in a way words can't describe.

Nolan squeezed his eyes shut, and turned away.

"You have ice cream on your shirt, stupid."

'Stupid'? Who's the petty one again?

Suddenly, Nolan got up, and dropped his longboard. It's wheels bounced on the sidewalk.

He pointed to the board.

"You want me to get on that?" I asked in disbelief.

Nolan nodded his head firmly.

"Hell no," I replied.

Nolan lifted his chin with confidence.

"As punishment for teasing me, stand on the board."

That was bold of him.

"Nolan, I don't even know how to skate. I'll make a fool out of myself," I crossed my arms.

Nolan shot me a devilish grin.

"That's the point."

He seems so innocent, but there are moments when just by looking at me a certain way, I'll do whatever he says, and he knows it.

I do tease him a lot...

I stand up, and nervously place one wobbly foot on the board.

I look up at Nolan to see an accomplished smirk on his face. I scowled.

"Nolan, I'll fall! I've never even been on a skateboard before!"

"What? Literally everything about you screams 'skater boy'!"

I sighed.

"Just because I like black and have a piercing doesn't mean I roll on a slab of wood on wheels."

Nolan pointed.

"You also have a slit in your eyebrow!"

"It's a scar."

"Same thing!"

"It's really not."

I gathered as much confidence as I could, and placed my other foot onto the board.

Once I was standing on top, I froze. Nolan applauded sarcastically, almost as if he were saying 'good boy!' to a dog.

"Not funny. Oh my God. Nolan, get me down."

"I can't."

"What do you mean you ca-"

I was cut off as I had already lost balance and the longboard slid out from under me, causing me to fall forward, crashing into Nolan.

~Nolan~

All it took was one second of misbalance, and Reid ended up falling on top of me, taking me down with him. I squeezed my eyes shut out of instinct, but felt Reid's hand cover the back of my head, taking the impact from the fall to the ground.

When I opened my eyes again, I was face to face with Reid. His hand still tucked under my head, while his other placed itself beside me, keeping himself up as he hovered over me.

I was starstruck. I hadn't seen Reid's face this close up before. His eyes were as bright and piercing as ever, his falling curls shielded the sun from them. I couldn't even imagine how they must've looked in the light.

And then it hit me... Reid was on top of me.

I couldn't speak, I couldn't move. I didn't want to.

Reid didn't seem to want to either, as he hadn't moved a muscle from our position.

His eyes looked into mine, flickering back and forth. I noticed as they fell down to my lips.

He's going to kiss me.

Suddenly, as if I were waking up from a dream, the obnoxious ringtone from Reid's phone began to go off in his hoodie pocket.

Reid clicked his tongue, and reached for it.

Seriously!? Now!? God, I hate those things.

"Hello?" Reid pressed the phone to his ear.

"Yes, I'm fine, Claire. I promise."

Has he completely forgotten that he's literally on top of me in public!?

I began to wiggle from under him.

"Let...me...go!" I whispered, flustered.

He didn't budge, I wiggled some more - nothing. Jeez what was he, made of steel?

"You heard something? That's weird, I didn't hear anything," Reid spoke into the phone. He looked down and flashed me a smile, obviously having fun.

"I'll talk to you later, Claire. I'm kinda busy right now, actually. I love you, bye!"

I paused my wiggling as Reid hung up his phone.

Reid said 'I love you'. I'd yet to hear him say those words until now. They sounded nice coming from him.

After tucking his phone away, his attention turned back to me. I swallowed nervously.

Reid leaned in close, and pressed his lips to my forehead softly.

"Sorry about falling on you..." his lips brushed against my skin.

If I had a voice, I'd lost it.

Reid got off of me, and reached out his hand. I grabbed it and he hoisted me up.

All I could do was nod.

We spent the next hour or so holding our shoes as we walked along the beach.

My toe got pinched by a crab. Reid laughed, so I punched him in the shoulder.

Pretty soon, Reid had began to yawn a couple of times.

"Are you tired?" I asked him.

"Yeah... I don't usually take naps but I think all of that running really did it for me."

I gave him a small smile.

"Go back to the suite and nap, I wanted to catch some waves anyway. I haven't had the chance to surf in almost a year."

Reid gave me a soft look before happily messing up my hair again.

"I'll see you back at the suite, okay?" He reassured me before he turned, heading back.

I walked for a little while longer, trying to figure out just what my feelings towards Reid were about.

What was with that forehead kiss?

Not to mention, before Claire called, it looked like maybe he was about to actually kiss me. My skin turned hot just thinking about it.

Did he feel the same way from it as I did? Was it just his way of apologizing? Some could say kissing someone on the forehead can just be a friend thing...right?

I kicked the sand.

I hope it wasn't.

Eventually, I turned back and grabbed my board from my van.

I zipped up my wetsuit, jogged back to the sand, and kept running until my feet hit water.

It felt amazing to be back on the waves again. I whooped and hollered in excitement every time I found myself gliding through the tunnel of a wave.

Before I knew it, the sun had started to set and I decided to head back to the suit for the night.

When I walked in, Reid seemed to be asleep in bed. I shut the door slowly behind me and carefully slid off my shoes.

I headed to the bathroom and took a shower, I found myself smiling as the hot water poured over me.

I liked today, a lot...

...And I like him too.

Finally admitting it to myself, it felt like a weight had been lifted off of my chest.

I like Reid.

I smiled just thinking about it.

I dried my hair with a towel, did my nightly routine, and carefully slipped under the covers of the pull-out.

I glanced across the room. Reid's head was practically buried in the pillows - can he even breathe?

Just as I had laid down and closed my eyes, I heard the blankets in the bed start to shift, and Reid get out of bed.

Thinking he was just going to the bathroom, I didn't pay attention to it.

Then I felt my mattress dip, and immediately looked up.

The lighting was dim, but it was enough to see Reid making his way up the pull-out on his hands and knees.

"Reid?" I asked, "what are you..."

I trailed off as Reid laid his head on my chest, resting half of his body on mine, clinging to me.

"Reid... you're shaking," my voice grew soft.

He didn't say a word, and when he finally did, his voice cracked... was he crying?

"Just...let me stay here...please."

I didn't know how to respond with words, so I kissed the top of his head. I nearly melted when I felt him nuzzle into my chest.

I wrapped my arms around him, holding him, knowing it was all I could do for now.

I guess there really were a lot things about Reid I didn't know...

As I began to drift off to sleep only one last thought was in my mind.

I couldn't wait to learn them all.