"So, you were jealous then?"

"Typical that this is the conversation you choose to do it." I uttered, still shocked at her Shakespeare remark.

"Oh my god." Lana squealed "You have a crush on Stone."

I cut her off by shouting but it came out all high pitched "No!"

The word crush did not feel tight. It sounded immature and insignificant. Which was not what I felt for Stone.

It was more than that.

We sat down at a random place on the beach. The sand was warm on my legs and bottom as I relaxed into the texture, not hating the way it felt.

My best friend's face contorted to more of a baffled expression as she tilted her head "You seem much more at ease than the last time you were at the beach. You seem calmer and happier. What has changed?"

It was because the last time I was at the beach I was with Stone. He helped me dip my toe in the water and then he helped me to jump into the deep end. He supported me and made me face my deepest fear.

I had not even noticed that I was not panicking or anxious about behind here.

Everything felt more than okay.

I answered her vaguely "I had a little help."

Looking around at the stunning scenery in front of me, I thought of my mother. When I was younger and my dad was at work, she would take me here. She would build great big sandcastles and let me bury her in the sand. One day when she was teaching me how to swim and when told me that I was ready to take my armbands off, she said to me Ella, it normal to have these feelings. You can’t fear your emotions. You can only embrace them.

I did not want to fear my emotions. I wanted to embrace them.

All memories about this beach drifted away until only one remained in my thoughts. Stone and I and the kiss.

There was no point in trying to deny it to myself anymore. I felt for Stone.

More than an aqcenemy or even a friend.

The thought made me want to run away and never come back.

It was then that I noticed that both males were standing behind us.

I hoped that he had not heard me, but I was starting to guess that he had heard the conversation. The evidence to back up my suspicion was his smug face.

My decision to go with them to the beach now did not seem like a good one. I was meant to be convincing everyone else and myself that I did not like Stone.

I could not do that if I was too busy staring at the tattooed bare chest.