Love Under Water

Saved By Matt Cavanaugh

Matt’s POV

I feel guilty for not showing up for the meeting. My mystery girl must think of me as a liar. I need to rectify my position. I head to the library to find our only source of communication, the book. I take significant steps towards the shelf only to stop mid-stride when I find this petite girl holding my desired book in her hand and skimming through the pages.

I keep looking at her from a distance while she is oblivious to my presence, she has such delicate features I can’t help observing her. I start walking towards her, my shoes making no sound thanks to the carpeting in the library. As I get closer, I get hit by the familiar scent of wildflowers and my heart does a double take. I’m not sure what to make of it. Is she really truly the girl I have been looking for? The girl I kissed in the sauna? There’s no way I could be wrong about her scent. It's rather unique, that’s why it's etched in my mind. I lean into her, just enough to inhale her perfume, it's amazing. I could swim in it. She still hasn’t spotted me, so I lean in closer and ask her, “Will you be issuing that book?”

I didn’t mean to startle her as she swings around and looks at me with wide-open eyes, those eyes, a perfect azure locked on mine. My heart is pounding so fast that I keep looking into her eyes. They remind me of the ocean when it’s wild. She doesn’t utter a word and keeps staring into mine, it’s like we have a silent staring competition of whoever blinks first losses and she certainly has no plan to blink, but then neither do I. Who would want to stop staring at her with those beautiful eyes, pert nose with tiny freckles, flawless smooth skin, and red lips which I’m sure is her natural color, she doesn’t need lipstick.

Her striking blue eyes seem to be scanning me and I don’t mind it one bit. I can’t help but smile. Only when the book slips from her hand do we blink and she instantly looks away. I feel a loss. I wanted to continue looking into those eyes. I bend down to pick up the book and hand it back to her.

“Thank you.” Her voice is just above a whisper.

“Do you want this book?” she asks me.

“Huh, what book?....Oh yeah, only if you don’t want it.” I’m mumbling and it doesn’t sound cool at all. Yeah, she has that effect on me already. The air around us is thick and buzzing and I can’t stop looking at her. I wonder where she had been all this time and why I never saw her in college before.

“It’s okay, you can take it.” She says without looking at me.

I take the book from her reluctantly, “I’m Matt, and are you?” I tilt my head to take a better look at her.

“Why?” she asks in a wary tone, looking me back in the eyes, which makes my heart jolt.

Her tone is like a punch in the gut to me, “I just want to know the name of the beautiful girl standing in front of me.”

“Is that your usual pick-up line?”

She seems mad at me for reasons completely unknown. I don’t remember offending her ever while my brain is reeling. Heck, I don't remember meeting her before. This was the last thing that I expected to come out of her mouth.

“What do you mean?” I sound harsher than I intended to.

“Nothing.” She shakes her head and walks away, leaving me standing there only to stare at her back.

Ariel’s POV

Matt with his beautiful green eyes would often invade my dreams and today he is standing in front of me in the flesh. I pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming. He’s staring at me like he can see deep into my soul. His penetrating gaze is holding me captive and I can’t seem to blink or look away. I’m so lost in him that I fail to register anything else around us. I have no idea for how long we stare at each other. It’s only when my grip loosens on the book that we blink and the trance breaks.

I look away. I can’t believe I have been practically ogling the man, this is so embarrassing. I remember he was asking me about the book so I try to divert his attention and ask him if wants it. I still try to avoid looking into his eyes. They’re addictive. I hand over the book to him when I remember how comfortable he looked with Valerie or how the other day that hot girl was trying to rub her boobs on his chest right in the hallway. That thought hurts. This guy here already has a girlfriend and he probably enjoys flirting with other girls and right now he’s standing in front of me looking smug.

He wants to know my name, how typical of these guys to strike a conversation by asking for a girl’s name and then accompanied by a typical statement that I just wanted to know the name of the beautiful girl in front of me.

Duh!

So sorry, but I’m not one of your typical girls and just then Valerie crosses my mind and before I can control my tongue I blurt,

“Is that your usual pick-up line?”

I can’t believe I said that and neither does the guy in front of me. He narrows his eyes at me. Well, at least that wiped off the smile from his face. I don’t talk like that. Only if I’m put into a confrontational situation does my tongue lash out. Am I feeling jealous? God, no.

I shake my head in disbelief and leave the library before I make another mistake.

I’m pissed at myself for feeling jealous, I’m pissed at my behavior. The guy only got to know you existed ten minutes ago and what a lasting impression you’ve made on him, I scold myself.

I head towards the pool and decide to take a swim to cool off my head. I am early and the pool is empty. I have an hour before the students start popping in for their swim sessions.

I change into my swimsuit and stand beside the pool ready to dive in. The water looks inviting, as soon as I enter it, the cool water feels so refreshing against my hot skin. After I have completed five laps, I feel in control of my emotions.

I need to stay away from Matt Cavanaugh, I decide. I take deep breaths to steady my racing heart. I have enough time to complete one more lap before I hit the changing room. I swim with ease in the middle of the pool when a seizing sensation falters my momentum. It starts from my ankle and goes up to my calf. I stop and grip my left leg in pain. I have never experienced this much pain before. It's excruciating. I'm stuck in the middle of the pool and this pain causes a hindrance to my mobility. I inhale and go under water trying to stretch my leg but in vain. It hurts like hell.

There’s no one around at the moment and there’s still half an hour before anyone will come to swim. I come up for air and the degree of pain in my calf has increased. I bite my lips from the intensity of the pain and taste metal on my tongue. s**t! I am hopping on one leg and don’t know how long I can continue with it.

Suddenly, two large hands lift me from the waist and I shriek in surprise. I look up at the face of my savior and it's none other than Matt Cavanaugh. I have met him twice in a day and that too, within an hour, which can be called a record.

He sees my pained look and asks me what’s wrong.

I hurt too much to speak so I point toward my leg.

“Let me get you out of the water, then I’ll check.” He lifts me up in his arms effortlessly. He’s a well-built guy no doubt. I have ogled him enough to know he has cut pecs and flat abs, his touch sends jolts throughout my body. He carefully takes me out of the pool and makes me sit on a nearby chair and grabs a towel for me. He wraps it around me and then points at my left leg, “Where does it hurt?”

“My calf,” I state wrapping the towel closer. My teeth are chattering from the cold and I long to be in his arms once more.

“Your lips are turning blue, I’ll take you to the sauna.” He lifts me up once again and I wrap my arms around his neck and rest my face on his solid chest. Am I dreaming or am I really in his arms? I once would’ve given anything to be in this position but the pain is too intense for me to enjoy his closeness. As we enter the sauna, I remember that I hadn’t switched it on yet. He places me on the bench and then adjusts the thermostat.

He grabs a bottle of water for me to drink, “You’re probably suffering from a calf muscle cramp. We swimmers tend to get them a lot. Did you drink some water before your swim?”

I shake my head as my mouth is filled with water.

“It can occur due to dehydration or because the water was cold and your body temperature didn’t have the time to warm up, so your muscles contracted.” He explains to me while I nod my head.

He places a soft hand on my calf and sparks occur throughout my body. Oh lord, surviving his presence was difficult and now surviving his touch would be a challenge. I inhale deeply and close my eyes.

“This might hurt a bit, if you’re unable to take it, just lemme know.” My eyes open with bewilderment, what does he mean? What’s he going to do?

He sits on the bench next to me, carefully places my leg on his lap, and starts to massage it. His strong hands start their magic from my ankle till my calf. I close my eyes and it seems he knows exactly what he’s doing. He grips my heel with one hand and with the other slightly pushes my toes upwards.

Ahhh, I groan. This feels so much better.

I keep stealing glances at him while he’s busy concentrating on my leg. He hasn’t touched or said anything inappropriate and now I start feeling guilty about my behavior earlier.

The heat from the sauna prevents my teeth from chattering and my body warms up. Matt’s massages help me enough to stand up and walk with a limp, but it doesn’t hurt much.

“Thank you so much for helping me. I don’t think I could’ve stayed inside the pool much longer.”

“No need to thank me, I’m glad it was me and not someone else.”

“Ariel”, I say and extend my hand towards him.

“Huh?” he seems confused.

“My name is Ariel.” He grabs my hand and shakes it, a smile appearing on his lips.

“That explains the mermaid.”

And this time I’m confused.