Oxygen?

Beth stumbled down the wooden beach stairs. She plowed into the sand at the bottom, submerging her feet into the cool, evening sand. In front of her, the girl with wild eyes and windblown blonde hair turned around and grabbed Beth’s hand.

She pulled Beth towards the ocean. As they ran, Beth tilted her head up to the sky. She could taste the ocean from here. And the dizzying stars looked down on her and the girl from the party both of them had disliked enough to leave.

The girl stopped suddenly. Beth almost fell to her knees but the girl grabbed her second hand. Beth stood up and found the girl’s eyes locked on hers. At that moment, Beth tried to memorize the girl. Dirty short blonde hair, green eyes that looked so alive, tank top under an oversized tropical button-up, and half a dozen bracelets. In the middle of the sand with her, and no one else.

The girl leaned into Beth. Beth was so aware of the girl’s hands in hers, her breath on Beth’s ear, and the girl’s hair brushing her cheek.

“You’re so pretty, it hurts,” the girl said quietly. Beth felt chills run up her arms. She knew those lyrics.

“So are you.” Beth brushed a kiss impulsively to the girl’s cheek. The girl lingered for a second, and then pulled back. She met Beth’s eyes again and then laughed.

Then, without a second glance, she turned towards the ocean and started running. Beth was dragged along, her heart pounding and rushing, screaming for more and to slow down at the same time.

They rushed into the water without hesitating. Beth felt the shock of coldness on her ankles but couldn’t stop. They ran until the water splashed around their calves.

“Can I kiss you?” The girl asked Beth when the waves had stilled.

Beth nodded and then she couldn’t think. Fireworks and melodies and magic took over her mind.

“You’re so pretty,” Beth mumbled into the girl’s lips. The girl’s lips curled against hers into a smile. In response, she kissed Beth harder. They were pressed together, this was the closest Beth had ever truly been to someone. And it rendered Beth completely breathless.

The sand grasped Beth’s feet. It didn’t matter. She didn’t want to move. So she didn’t, even when the girl took a step forward and off-balance, together they fell into the ocean.

Beth gasped and put out her hands behind herself for support. The cold shocked her system but she was still transfixed by the girl. The girl laughed, on her knees down next to Beth. She had a smile that made Beth understood the song lyrics. This girl was so damn pretty. It hurt.

The girl smiled and lifted up her hand to trace Beth’s lips. She bent down to kiss Beth ever so gently. Teasing her. Beth arched up, pressing her lips into the girl’s, and lifted up a hand to run it through the girl’s hair. The ocean surrounded them, and Beth knew at that moment, if she had died right now, she would be happy.

“This hurts.” The girl pulled back. Beth could’ve sworn she almost had a heart attack. The girl was looking at her, at her, at Beth. And she was agonizingly beautiful. The girl was sitting next to Beth, with the moon faintly lit up behind her, with swollen lips and tousled hair. Half of her top was soaked in ocean water and Beth felt the urge to grab her and kiss her yet again.

“Why?” Beth asked.

The girl just looked around instead of answering. Her chest was rising and falling as she examined the ocean and beach.

“This is just, it’s just so beautiful,” The girl said slowly. Her gaze fixed on Beth.

“It is.” Beth threw her head back to stare at the stars. “It really is.”

The girl leaned over Beth. Beth picked up a lock of the girl’s hair and wound it through her fingers. She could feel the girl’s eyes on her. Beth let go of the hair and watched it fall. A beat later, the girl raised Beth’s chin so that their eyes locked. Green eyes met Beth’s, wild and free and yearning. The girl leaned closer until their noses were almost touching.

“Can I keep kissing you?” The girl asked.

Can you say no to oxygen when you are about to run out?

“Yes.”