The Beautiful Monster

"Alright, getting there," Elias said before pulling off the road onto a patch of dirt that was a makeshift parking lot.

Forest surrounded them on either side, but Elias acted like they weren't really in the middle of nowhere. "Let's go."

Alyssa slipped out of the car, looking confused until she saw a trail leading through the trees up ahead. She glanced over at him with a curious look.

"How'd you come across this?" she asked.

"Through a whisper," Elias replied with a wink before offering his hand to her. Once she took it, he led her down the path and farther into the words.

Alyssa hadn't been out in nature like this in a while. She definitely overdressed, but the surprise still laid ahead.

She ventured down the dirt path, passing by vibrant greenery and tall trees. Soon, she heard a light roaring sound up ahead.

"What's that?" she asked. She was almost nervous to find out because anything could be deep in this forest.

Elias glanced back at her with a smile.

"You'll see," he said before picking up his pace slightly. He rounded a bend, the sound growing louder and louder. There was a clearing up ahead through the trees.

When they finally stepped out of the green growth, Alyssa's jaw nearly dropped open at the sight of a small waterfall crashing into a glistening spring. She had never seen a waterfall before.

"It's beautiful," she breathed out as she approached the edge of the water. She peered down at her reflection, soon seeing Elias join her side.

"Very beautiful," Elias said as he gazed down at her reflection. He put his arm around her shoulders and pressed a soft kiss against her temple.

Alyssa leaned into the touch, not wanting to be anywhere else in the world right now. She placed her arm around his waist, anchoring them close as they admired the waterfall.

"I was going to take you somewhere in town, but I used to visit this place growing up. It always brought me comfort and peace. I wanted to share it with you," Elias said as he turned his head to gaze at her.

Alyssa was touched at that. It wasn't a conventional date, but she liked that. He went out of the way to bring her somewhere special.

"Thank you for bringing me here," she told him sincerely. She knew that this meant a lot to him, so it meant a lot to her too.

She liked that they were so close that they could share such personal things with each other. If she had a special spot, she'd bring him there too.

Elias seemed to search her eyes before dropping his eyes to her lips. He waited a moment before leaning forward and slowly kissing her.

Alyssa let her eyes flutter shut as she sank into the feeling. She angled her body more toward him, feeling his hand cup her cheek.

She tentatively lifted her hand to rest it on the back of his neck. Everything felt so new to her. She just didn't want to mess up.

"I'm gonna take a swim," Elias murmured against her lips.

Alyssa gave him a surprised look.

"A swim? You don't even have swim trunks," she said. She didn't exactly come prepared either.

The water did look pretty inviting, though. It was crystal clear, so she could see all the way to the bottom.

Elias shrugged as he started unbuttoning his button down. His eyes rested on hers the entire time as his fingers worked down the buttons. A smile slowly crossed his lips as he noticed her watching him.

Alyssa swallowed hard as she watched him. She felt entranced, watching more and more skin be revealed. She felt mostly fine when he pulled off his shirt, but she really started blushing when he started undoing his belt and jeans. She watched him kick them off, leaving him in black briefs.

"I'll wait for you," Elias said as he shot her a smile before jumping into the spring.

Alyssa's eyes widened as she watched him go with no hesitation. He was crazy! She stepped closer to the edge to watch him emerge from under the water.

A part of her held her back, but another part wanted to feel that rush and jump in after him. She could choose what part to listen to, and this moment would only happen once in her life.

Steadily, she reached behind her to unzip her dress. She slid off her boots before pulling the dress off, leaving her in a black bra and black panties with lace trim. Nervousness shuddered through her, especially when Elias turned her way to admire her. She forged past her anxiety and slid into the spring, shivering at the cold water.

Elias swam closer to her, reaching his arm out to wrap around her waist. He pulled her against his chest as they waded in the spring together.

"Hey there," he greeted her cheekily.

An amused smile crossed Alyssa's lips as she hooked an arm around the back of his neck. Heat flowed through her in waves as her body pressed against his.

She felt so close to him, which nearly sent her mind into overdrive.

"You're quite the romantic, aren't you?" Alyssa lightly teased him. She liked that about him, though. It was better than being taken to some bar or something.

He did this for her, and she hoped he knew how much she appreciated this.

Elias shrugged a little as he twirled them around in the water.

"I am for you," he admitted.

Alyssa felt her heart skip a little. It still amazed her that he went out of his way for her. She never had anyone she was with do that for her.

Then again, they were young. Relationships in high school hardly counted to her, and she knew that she was involved in the real deal now.

"This is really nice," she told him. The spring water didn't feel so cold anymore as it gently lapped at her skin. Pressed up against him, she felt warm enough.

"It can get even better," Elias murmured as their eyes roamed over each other's faces.