Amongst The Water-Fresh Waters

Chapter 7: Finally 16! Part 2

Originally Published: 2013-2014. Updated July 2017; November 2019; July 3, 2020; September 25, 2021; August 7, 2023; August 26, 2023.

—————On their way walking back to the check-in desk; Finn steps on a jagged shell. Limping and using one board as a crutch and Kylie as extra support with the other board, they end up stopping at a blocked-off fence area for keeping personal items. Leaning up against the fence; Finn lets out a painful sigh.

      "Are you okay Finn?" Kylie asks worriedly. Finn forces a smile. "Yes." He lies. Kylie puts the surfboards up against the fence next to him. Standing in front of him she smiles sweetly. "I know you are tough. And I know we think it was just a sharp and jagged shell, but I need to see it before you start walking again."

      Finn shakes his head. "I'm okay. I just need to rest for a minute and put my shoes back on and I'll be fine."

      Kylie scowls at him. "And let me guess you'll douse the wound with cheap liquor to disinfect it when you get home?" Kylie smirks. Finn jolts. "No." "But how did you know about that?" "Is sweet innocent Kylie Couture hiding something?" He winks at her. Caught off guard; Kylie can feel her cheeks heat up. And she involuntarily smiles back at him.

       Completely shocked by her flirty smile; his smile disappears. "I guess you should look at it." He says changing the subject. Kylie nods awkwardly. "Uhhh uhh." She kneels down, lifts his left foot up gently, and holds back a laugh. "It doesn't look good. And it's not from a shell." She looks up at him. Finn rolls his eyes. 

      "I need something to wipe off the blood. Then I can get the object out." Kylie says. Finn grunts. "There's something in my foot." He says frustrated. Kylie nods. "Yeah. But I also need something to pull it out." She sighs, holding his foot. She looks down and cringes as blood gets on her hand. She wipes it on her shorts. And looks at Finn. "Let me go and get some first aid stuff from the desk over there and ask them if they can come and get their boards too." Kylie says. Finn smiles at her in adoration and nods. "Thank you so much." He says appreciatively. 

       Twenty minutes later, when Kylie gets back, the boards are gone and Finn is sitting on a chair with his leg propped on a cooler with a pillow and an umbrella above him. His foot was also bandaged already.

      With a small first aid kit and two drinks in her hands, Kylie laughs. "I know it was longer than expected, but really?" She said motioning toward his setup. "I'm sorry it took so long. The line was longer than expected AND Kaylee was in line and being dramatic and they were understaffed."

      Finn smiles at her. "You didn't have to get me a drink." 

      Kylie smirks. "Who said one was for you."

      Finn nods toward the concession stand. "Is your admirer getting off work soon? Is that who the other one is for?" He says plainly. 

      Kylie looks over to see the handsome 16-year-old smiling at her. She looks back at Finn and shakes her head. "No." "But that's actually the main reason why I got held up. He wouldn't leave me alone. He kept flirting with me and I kept telling him I have a boyfriend and he wouldn't stop." Kylie says frustrated.

      Finn rolls his eyes as he takes the drink out of Kylie's hand. Kylie lays the first aid kit on the ground and sits down next to Finn. "He's still looking at you." Finn says. Kylie senses a bit of jealousy in his voice as she looks over to the concession stand. She nods and looks back at Finn. "Doesn't he get it?" She says confused.

      Finn chimes in. "You said you have a boyfriend and he sees you come over and sit next to me and from what he sees; I'm crippled. So he probably thinks he has a chance with you."

      Kylie gasps. "That's so shallow." Then she looks at Finn and she looks down at her metal cup feeling stupid. "He thinks we are together." She nods her head, feeling foolish. Finn smiles and sighs. "Possibly."

       "But why would someone insist on flirting with someone and constantly asking for their number when they clearly know they are with someone?" Kylie looks back up at Finn, feeling her face warm up again.

       Finn smiles. "He must have really thought you were pretty. And how could he not? You are fucking gorgeous." Kylie's eyes open in shock and she nervously looks down at her cup again.

      Finn smacks his head and puts his empty cup down on the sand. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I didn't mean it." "I mean I did." "No, I didn't." Finn sighs frustrated.

      Kylie finally looks up at him and shyly smiles at him. He takes a deep breath and exhales. "I meant it. But I didn't mean to curse Kylie. You are just so flipping beautiful and I was trying to explain why that guy wasn't giving up on you." Finn stops himself before he goes any further.

      Kylie's chest tightens. She nods. She shyly looks away from him. "Kylie." He pauses. "I really am sorry for cursing. It's one of the many things I am trying to stop."

      Kylie looks back at him and smiles. He smiles back at her. 

      "Thank you for apologizing. But that's not exactly what caught me off guard. It was everything you said after. And well, basically this entire freaking day."

       Finn leans closer to her. "I know and I'm sorry. Everything I said that upset you today; I am so very sorry. If I could take it back I would. I'm used to bottling my feelings anyway."

       Finn sighs. Kylie blinks hard feeling his pain. "It's okay. I understand how it is bottling up your feelings." She sighs sympathetically. "Probably not exactly the same as you; but I do." She tries to tell him as much of the truth as she can.

       With his face inches away from Kylie's; all Finn can think about is kissing her to end both of their pain. But her eyes peering into his somehow pulls him out of his fantasy. He pulls back quickly and clears his throat. And Kylie mimics his motions too. "Sorry," Kylie says quietly. Without looking at her; Finn holds back a sob. "It's fine."

       "Ouch." Finn complains as he moves his foot. Kylie looks down at his foot concerned. "Are you okay?" Finn looks at her. 

      "It feels like something is scratching it." Kylie crinkles her eyebrows. "That's odd. If the Lifeguards bandaged it when they came to return the boards to the desk; it should be okay." Kylie shrugs. "But I'm no professional." She stands up and brings the first aid kit with her to his foot. 

      Finn chuckles. "It wasn't exactly Lifeguards who did it."  Kylie looks up at him as she finishes unwrapping his foot. "Well, whoever did; surely didn't know what they were doing." Kylie informs him.

      "Their tight bikinis and interest in me didn't come off as Medical Professionals." He laughs. Kylie looks up at Finn in shock and drops the only bandage that was in the first aid kit and it unrolls in the sand. She frantically retrieves it and tries to dust all the sand off. Finn chuckles adoring her.