Chapter 23

PHOEBE spread her both arms to feel the breeze. She and Sawyer were at the seashore today, Sawyer thought of taking a bath that morning. Today is Saturday and Sawyer wants to relax, he just implicating her.

It's been two weeks. They've been pretending to be lovers for two weeks and he's been on the Island for three weeks but his memory still hasn't returned. Sometimes Sawyer's head hurts but eventually it goes away.

When she asks if he remembers anything, he says it doesn't. It's not that she wants to remember this anymore but she can't stop fate from happening.

She wants to be ready when that day comes. The day he completely healed and left their island. Isn't that even better? She will no longer be confused by her feelings. Even for a short time she was happy...with him.

"Are you okay? Your thoughts is so depth.”

She looked at Sawyer. She couldn't help but stare at him. What if he will leave their island and leave her too? What will happen to her? What if someone is waiting to him in Manila? What if he has family there?

She sarcastically laugh. Why is she thinking that? She felt a pain in his chest when he thought about that. It hurts just thinking about it. She doesn't want this feeling to get worse so she hopes to speed up his recovery.

What if it was true? Can she endure the pain? can he be able to handle it? Of course she can. How many years had she lived without him, she could handle it if he left.

"I'm fine thought. Aren't you going to take a bath yet?" She looked away and focused on the ocean.

The water is very clear, very calm. The waves are so small, it's as if you can't see anything else there. The birds were flying freely in the sky. They seem to have no problem. They just flew around, singing for joy.

Can she be happy someday? Will she be like the birds? She doesn't care about anything else? That she is always happy? She wants to be a bird, free to fly in the sky. Singing the symphony of life.

"Later." She wasn't even surprised when he positioned himself behind her, both legs on her sides. "I feel that you are not okay. You can tell me the problem, Flower.”

In their two weeks of pretending, she is gradually getting used to his sweet gestures. That even when they are at home he is still the same. The only thing they talked about before was that they were just outside like this, but it seems that he like to become her fake fiance.

She leaned on him. Sawyer's arms automatically wrapped around her waist. She leaned on his shoulder.

"What if you remember everything? Are you going home?” she spoke weakly.

He felt that he was stunned and she felt the tightening of his grip on her waist. Phoebe's head tilted as Sawyer lowered his head. His face sank between her shoulder and neck. Inhaling her scent.

She moved her head when she felt the tip of his nose on her neck. She was tickling. He moved her shoulder up and down.

“I won't. I like it here. You're here, so I'm going to stay here."

She smiled. She hope he can still say that in case someone comes here to pick him up. Even if she doesn't want to, she can't do anything about it. She will freely gave Sawyer to them.

"I'm hoping," she whispered.

"Hmmm." He was already attached to her neck. She gently hit his arm.

"Let's swim, honey." She also got used to calling him that. How come every time she will call him by his name he doesn't really pay attention to her. He ignored her. So she got used to it.

"Let's stay like this for a minute. I love this position.”

"Hmm? Maybe you're just a maniac." She hit him again when he smelled her neck again. “Stop doing that. You gave me a goosebumps.”

He chuckled. "You smell good, flower," he huskily said to her.

She giggled. She was tickling. His breath was hitting her neck. She tried to leave their place. Having done what she wanted, she went straight to the sea.

It's sunny now so the water is not too cold. She walk slowly until the water was up to her waist.

"Hon, let's go."

“Just a moment.” He also stood up and took off his clothes.

He looked away. “Faster.”

He ran towards her. When he got close, he immediately hugged her and tickle her. She struggled while laughing loudly.

"Hon, let me go."

“No/Sawyer!” Along with Sawyer answer to her, someone shouted too. They looked at the seashore. Her male friends were there with Laurel. Laurel waved at them. Phoebe looked down at her clothes. Every day that passes, her clothes get shorter and shorter.

She knew that her male friends noticed that too but said nothing. What Laurel doesn't like is being told off. What she knows is right is what she will follow. What she wants will be follow.

Laurel was irascible and sweet but hardheaded girl just like her. That's why she quickly felt relieved with her. The two of them are the headache of their six boy friends. She walked towards them but because Sawyer was hugging her, she come with her. His chin is on her shoulder.

"Let me go hon, my friends are here."

"I don't care." When she looked at her friends, their eyes just followed them. Laurel's face was wrinkled. Now she's wearing a sport bra and short shorts. She thinks Laurel took off her clothes at her house.

And Phoebe was wearing a bikini. But Sawyer made her wear a Plunging Neck See-trough to cover up her sexiness from head to knees and of course, to calm down her possessive fake fiance. He was afraid that someone would go there and see her body and he was not wrong. Her friends are here.

"What are you doing here? Will you take a bath too?” she asked when the water was up to her knees.

They nodded. "Yes, your fiance and us was talking already about playing basketball today. He didn't show up so we went straight here, taking a chance that you're here." Ziegler said shaking his head.

"That's why. He just want to take a bath with you." Kale also took off his clothes before going to sea.

Sawyer turned her around quickly. He buried her face in his chest. Sawyer sprayed Kale a water and glared at him.

"Get dressed, idiot!"

Time to time, her friends also become close. She also noticed that Caldwell was avoiding her sometimes. She was sad. Because she knows that she is the reason why he's doing that.

She just wanted to turn his attention to Laurel. She did not expected this to be the outcome. If she knew, she wouldn't have continued. Maybe she will just talk to him as soon as possible.

"Phoebe, has already seen it." They laughed even more while teasing the man who was still hugging her.

"Shut up!" He snorted before looking down at her. "When they are naked don't look."

"I didn't."

"Tsk! You didn't. When I catch you I will kiss you in front of them."

She pouted so his eyes went there. She saw the darkening of his face. "Stop doing that."

Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw her friends going down at the sea at the same time, including Laurel.

"Stop doing what?" She pouted even more.

His face darkened even more. He came closer to whisper this words to her. "Fuck! Flower, stop pouting! Are you seducing me? I'm fucking turned on.”

Her eyes widened when she he felt how he turn on. She gently pushed him but Sawyer threw himself into the water. They fell together while his hand was still on her waist.

“Sawyer!” she shouted while getting up.

He laughed. "Oh, so cute." He turned to her friends who were laughing while looking at them. "Cute, isn't she?"

She shook her head and hit him at the arm. "You're annoying!"

WHEN they finished swimming they returned to their house. Phoebe bathed first before Sawyer. When Laurel finished, everyone paired off while the others showered. They are really ready. They actually had clothes on their way there. They seem to know that they have a plan to swim in the sea.

It was late when they thought to watch a horror movie before going home. She brought them lunch earlier, it's good thing that they also brought their lunch. Told you they're ready.

Phoebe went out after they eat. She went to the hut. Sawyer followed her. He won't really want to stay there. Laurel is there that's the reason why he doesn't want to stay. Sawyer doesn't want to see Phoebe jealous so he avoids the girl.

Phoebe was secretly smiling at that. He looked up at the sky. The stars are so beautiful and the surrounding is quiet. Until now, she was still worried about Sawyer. She was really afraid that the time would come that she will remembered. She knew, she could feel the pain when he leave even though he said he would never leave her. She doubted that.

"How deep you are thinking again? That was a while ago thought." He sat next to her so she leaned on his shoulder.

She hug his arm and close her eyes. She felt like she was going to cry. She needs to stop it, maybe Sawyer will notice, he will worry more.

"N-Nothing. Maybe I just got tired from swimming." Her voice was cracked.

"You're not okay." She pouted when he picked her up and moved her to his lap. She blushed. "Are you comfortable with this?"

She wanted to shake her head but she did something else. She slowly nodded and just fell on his neck. She didn't want to speak anymore so she kept her mouth shut. The lids of her eyes are also slowly closing.

"Sleep?" She heard a voice.

It was Caldwell voice. She wanted to open her eyes and talk to him but her eyes didn't want to be with her.

"Yeah." She felt Caldwell move to Sawyer's side. She buried her face in his neck even more.

"She's comfortable in that position, huh," Caldwell said while laughing.

Sawyer stroked her hair. “Hmm. Maybe she's tired from swimming earlier."

"It's the first time I've seen her be happy, that she didn't need to force it. Her genuine smile. After her parents died she couldn't laugh like that anymore. It was as if every laugh she had has a million to pay.” He stopped speaking for a moment.

Phoebe felt his gaze on her. "She's happy when we're with her, but it's not that happy when she's with you. Her smile reached her eyes unlike when we were together, she still had to force herself to laugh." Phoebe wanted to cry.

They notice it. She wants to stop him from speaking again. He knows that everything that comes out of his lips is also painful for them. She didn't notice that they knew what she was doing. She didn't mean to do that to them.

"I'm not saying this because I want you for her. I said this so you know the difference between us. I tell you this to tell the difference between the love you give and the love we give to her. She's happy with you, dude."

Caldwell.

Phoebe wants to call him but she can't open her mouth. She couldn't open it even if she wanted to.

"You like her, right?" Sawyer asked.

"I did but our feelings were not the same. But I won't give up on her. I never said I was going to give up.” Caldwell stood up and turned around. "Just hurt her once, we hurt you thrice. And you won't want that, Sawyer, because we'll give you too much pain. Not physically but emotionally.” Then he leave.

“Whoa!” Sawyer took a deep breath and she felt his gaze. "I'm not going to hurt you."

She felt Sawyer pull on her in his body. She could also feel the touch of him lips on her forehead. Sawyer stand up and walked towards the door but was also stopped by the person standing there.

“Sawyer.” It was Laurel.

"What do you want?" Sawyer said coldly, he looked down at Phoebe then adjusted her posture.

"I just want to talk to you." Phoebe could no longer hear their conversation because she had completely fallen asleep even thought she want to heard it.

"Are we close?"

"We're friends, right?"

The corner of Sawyer's lips turned up. "Friends? Yes you're Phoebe's best friend but we're not, Missy. I'm only hanging out with you because of my Fiance. I wouldn't want to be your friend.”

Sawyer know that he's rude for saying that. But he really doesn't like this woman. He doesn't want to give Phoebe a reason to be jealous especially since the girl is her best friend. And Sawyer continued to walk away from the woman who had a bad look on the girl from Sawyer. She was very jealous. It can see it on her face.