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“Thank you.” Xavier is the only person who has ever cared about my feelings. It’s refreshing to have a friend who cares about you.
I mean, I have a best friend who has always looked out for me, but her avoidance of emotions has always come as a struggle. I love her, I really do, but I’ve never had a friendship like mine and Xavier’s.
He pulls back but not completely. His expression starts off as gentle, and then that giant grin returns to his features.
“I have an excellent idea!” he tells me with both of his hands now gripping my arms.
“What exactly is this amazing thought, Sunshine?” My eyebrows rise in question. It’s refreshing how Xavier can go from such a heartfelt moment to a happy one seamlessly in seconds.
“For the rest of the summer, you have to put yourself first. I’m not saying not caring. I’m saying when we do something out of our comfort zone, we’ll do it together. That way you’re with someone you trust, yet stepping out of your comfort zone.” His smile is still shining bright, but he also seems to really want me to say yes.
I don’t know what to say. My closed-off side is telling me to say no, but the broken part of me is screaming that this might just help me repair something that’s broken inside. The side that tells me to always be in line and take care of those around me. To never step outside of what I’m comfortable with because I did that once, and I broke.
The waves rock us back and forth as the sun slowly sets, creating a golden hour gleam on our bodies. I look up at Xavier and then back down at my hand, picking at my nails.
The two parts of me are fighting, but one clearly wins as I realize I have nothing to lose.
“Okay,” I tell him, a tight-lipped smile in reply.
His face lights up. “I didn’t think you would say yes! I am so glad you did; you will have the time of your life. But you have to promise.” He holds out his pinky finger in what I’m guessing is the way to seal this pact.
I intertwine my smallest finger with his and tell him, “I promise.”
“Well, what are we waiting for? It’s time for the first test of our pact!” He turns around to face the control of the jet ski.
“Maybe you should tell me what we’re going to do before we even do it.” My tone is clearly worried. I don’t like to go into things blind, but I’m guessing that’s exactly what I just agreed to.
A little part of me already regrets my decision. His head spins around in my direction. His gaze has a mischievous twinkle in it.
“No, I’m not going to give you the chance to second-guess. This is about trust, so I’ll say this for the last time.Trust me, Vio.” His last words come out of his mouth so smoothly that I almost swoon.
No, Vio, he’s doing this as a friend. You can’t just fall for anyone who’s genuinely nice to you.
I nod in response; his face relaxes as he turns back around and hits the throttle.
Then we’re off toward the house with the waves under us and a whole lot of trust weighing us down.
Chapter19
Violetta
“You want me to sit on the other side of the handle?” I ask Xavier, trying to understand his intentions. When he told me about our first trust exercise, I stared at him in disbelief.
If I was already regretting agreeing to this, I’m second-guessing it even more.
I genuinely don’t know how to let go completely.
“Yep, I’ll be standing up in the space where my legs are, and I’ll pull the jet ski up.” His face shows no sign of nerves. He is very confident about this, but that doesn’t aid in removing my weariness.
“What if we turn the jet ski upside down?” My voice is wavering, the small amount of confidence I once had fading away minute by minute.
“We’ll fall harmlessly under the water. The engine will be running, so if we do fall, we won’t be underneath. It will skid forward a bit once the plug is pulled, turning it off immediately.” His knowledge tells me he’s done this before. This reassures me in a way but also makes me question how this little trick even came up in his head.
It’s Xavier. Of course he’s tried every hotheaded thing ever created.
“Okay.” I don’t protest or even argue; I made a promise. I plan on staying true to my word. Even though I’m still uncertain, my heart starts beating fast as I stand up, hoping I don’t tip over the platform we are standing on. He guides me in front of him, and I step backward onto the back of the jet ski. Once I have one foot securely placed on the front, it begins to tip. I start to freak out, but Xavier’s grip tightens in reassurance.
“Look at me.” His voice is commanding yet soft.
