Things Left Unsaid

Brave

I lied the first time I met you. I didn't really have a leg cramp.

The part about being with my friends at the beach was true. And I really did want to see you again.

But I was not hurt in any way.

I know you like to think that it was fate, or destiny, that brought us together, but it was actually mine and my idiot friends' doing.

It was stupid, really. We were daring each other to embarrass ourselves in different ways, and Kamvar dared me to try and catch the attention of a blonde lifeguard; Kailey, your coworker.

So I, being the dumbass that I was, decided to do exactly that - and what better way to catch a lifeguard's attention than pretending to be some sort of victim?

It had to be something of minor concern, because there was no way I was going to get my ribs broken just because I wanted to catch the eye of a female lifeguard. I ruled out stroke, heart attack, spinal injury and submerged victim pretty quickly. I didn't want to go to the hospital over this. I couldn't fake a bruise, bloody nose or any sort of cut because I didn't have any fake blood, and I was no artist anyway. I had considered drowning non-swimmer, but I decided that was a little too cliché, and my friends would probably laugh at me for it. You know very well how Kamvar, Riitho and Sean could get.

So I swam out to deeper water, and stayed silent for a bit, as to not draw any suspicion. Then, I began the greatest form of acting I had ever done in my life.

A head perked up and heard my cries for help. But it was not Kailey.

It was you.

I had been splashing around while closing my eyes, moaning and groaning about how I couldn't swim because of how some random leg cramp had over came me, when a soft voice asked if I was okay, and told me to grab hold of the flutterboard.

Imagine my confusion when I saw a Chinese girl, looking calm yet concerned instead of the blonde lifeguard who seemed to be your stereotypical 'hot white chick'.

When I had closed my fingers around the flutterboard, I let you switch from your reverse-and-ready position to tow me back to shore while I processed everything. I watched as you furiously did eggbeater, worrying about someone who wasn't even hurt. You offered your name, and began to ask me questions.

But I was fixated on your name, as I had never heard it before.

Bryony.

I always had thought your name was beautiful.

I answered your questions half-heartedly, struggling to come up with believeable responses on the spot. Though I thought my answers seemed quite ridiculous, you didn't question them, and you helped me sit down. You brought me water and sat with me for a while, comforting me as you would for someone going through shock. You informed me about how you had told my friends about what happened, and how they were worried about me.

Little did you know, everything had been an act.

I was determined to complete my dare though. I hadn't really gotten the chance to, since it was you who saved me from my fake injury. So I began to ask you questions.

Before I knew it, the sun was setting, and we were still talking and laughing. Sean, Riitho and Kamwar were flirting with random girls in the time-being. I knew that because the few times I had looked away from you the entire afternoon was to check up on them.

You were funny. I genuinely enjoyed talking to you - the conversation wasn't forced at all.

Unlike the circumstances.

Your shift had already finished, luckily, and I was honestly surprised you wanted to spend your free time with me. I guess we both had just lost track of the time. Just like I forgot all about Kailey while talking to you. The blonde was the furthest thing from my mind at that point, and I could only focus on your intriguing words.

When you proposed hanging out again, without one of us being hurt or working, I immediately accepted. I don't know what it was that drew me towards you. Maybe it was the way you seemed like you genuinely cared about my well-being. Maybe it was the determined look in your eye as you towed me back to shore. Maybe it was how you never once panicked or flipped out at me, and remained composed and authoritative while questioning me. Maybe it was how I noticed your eyes lit up whenever you began talking about something that excited you.

Whatever it was, it was fatal. I didn't exactly I have feelings then, but you couldn't deny we had some sort of chemistry. At the time, I dismissed it as platonic, and was just excited to find a female who clicked so well with me. I thought it would be great to have more female friends.

Hah, friends. Sometimes I wonder if we were ever friends; was there always something there? And maybe we were too blind to acknowledge it?

I know I was.

That night, all I could think about was the brave Asian girl, who was so kind, yet straightforward. I couldn't have gotten you out of my head, even if I tried.

Sean had teased me sometime earlier that evening about how I was already smitten with 'that other chick'. He said something about how there was so much sexual tension, he'd have to take a knife to cut through it. He also said something along the lines of 'get some, bro!'. I don't remember his exact words, but he sensed something way before either of us did.

I laughed along with Riitho and Kamvar. Because love at first sight does not exist. But maybe, just maybe...there was something there.

Not love.

But something.

So I guess in a way, fate did bring us together. Just not the way you initially thought.

And not in the way I expected.