The first week was over. It felt like time was slipping through my fingers.

"A few friends of mine are taking out a boat to an island not far off shore, you should come," Nico says. We hadn't spoken for a couple days as he had been busy at the restaurant. When I'd told him about what happened with Ambrose he was more than jealous that he wasn't there to see it.

"Yeah of course," I say, moving towards my wardrobe. Grabbing out a purple bikini, a cover up and some shorts, I move back towards Nico where he lay spread across my bed. "How are your parents?" I ask and he smiles up at me.

"They're good. They were asking about you after the festival," he laughs and I run a hand over my face. "I told them that Maria was there and she soon understood," he reaches out, his hand touching the side of my leg.

"It wasn't just Maria's fault," I point out and he nods his head.

"I know but she's just very influential and you find that you've said yes to her before you even know what she's asking," Nico explains and I get what he means. "We're meeting them down there for ten," Nico says and I check my phone for the time, 9:17.

"Nico!" I huff. I would've appreciated it if he had told me sooner.

After the big rush of showering, getting changed, fixing my hair into a braid and layering sun cream on, we were very late indeed. "How long can it possibly take you to get ready?" he says, leaned up against the wall outside the bathroom.

"It would have helped if you had told me the timings much sooner, then I could have prepared," I stress as he rakes his eyes up and down my outfit.

"This dress," he points to the cover up. "Is staying on."

Heading towards the stairs, I give him a small laugh. "Of course," I say, sarcastic as ever.

We head down to the docks where all of the boats sit bobbing along. Nico leads me to the boat at the very end. My gods it was much bigger than I had anticipated. A catamaran sits before us and Nico lifts me up onto the boat, his hands tight on my hips, before he takes my hand in his and walks us to the centre where everyone seems to have gathered.

I immediately notice Maria and I'm relieved to see a familiar face. "Everyone this is, Heidi," I give each face a smile. "Heidi, this is Matteo, Luca and Sofia... of course you have already met Maria," Nico explains and we all exchange pleasantries.

Luca hands both Nico and I drinks, his eyes lingering on mine for far longer than I felt comfortable. Brushing it aside, I move to sit down beside Nico until he pulls me across and situates me on his lap.

"What are you doing?" I mutter turning to look at him. He gives me a lopsided smile and I refrain from smiling back at him. That goddamn smile.

"Letting them know that you're not up for grabs," he shrugs and I roll my eyes, figuring that arguing will not get me anywhere with Nico.

The sun beams down on us and I find myself getting too hot. Peeling off the cover up, I find relief in the small breeze that washes over me. I'll admit that this bikini was a bit more risky, as one could say, but the colour was too cute to pass up.

When I notice the scowl coming from Nico, I brush his hair away from his forehead and give him a smile. "It's too hot," I simply say and his eyes rake up and down me.

"You're too hot," he huffs and I swat his chest.

"So, Heidi, how long are you visiting Vernazza for?" Luca sits down beside Nico and me. The engine on the boat whirs and I hold onto Nico tighter. Would it be a bad time to say that I'm deathly afraid of boats? It definitely doesn't stem from watching the Titanic as a child... okay it does.

"Three weeks but I've already been here for one," I try to focus on the conversation and not the fact that we are slowly moving away from the shore, away from land.

"How are you finding it? I hear Nico has been playing tourist guide for you," Luca laughs and Nico scoffs behind me. "I'm just annoyed I didn't get to play the role first... I can always be stand in, though."

"Watch it, Luca," Nico says, his voice calm and collected.

I decide on ignoring the other half of what Luca had to say. "It's beautiful, I never want to leave," I say, still in utter awe. "Whose boat is this?" Changing the subject.

"It's Matteo's, his parents are crazy rich. He's the only one that can drive this boat... well, except for Nico but he's a bit rusty," he shrugs before taking a swig from his can of beer. "We're gonna stop at a natural pool on the way to the island, it's really cool. The water hits about waist height, you'll love it," Luca explains and I ignore the way Nico is playing with the band on my bikini.

"That sounds great," I say and the conversation fades out as Luca begins talking to Sofia and Maria. "Can you keep talking?" I breathe, needing the conversation to distract me.

"What's wrong?" Nico places his hand on my bouncing leg, stopping it from moving.

"Nothing at all... boats just make me feel a little... nervous?" I admit and Nico laughs, causing me to throw a deep scowl his way. "It's not funny," I cross my arms.

"Okay, I'm sorry, it's not funny, amore mio," Nico moves the hair, that the wind has blown in my face, behind my ear. "You're fine, I won't let anything happen to you," he grows serious and I feel much more relaxed than previous.

Taking a sip of the cocktail Luca had given me, I relish in the fact that it tastes much fruitier than the ones Maria had given us. Those had tasted like pure liquor. Attempting to let the drink settle my nerves, I shift on Nico's lap to look out at the passing ocean. Music blasts out of the speakers and Luca, Sofia and Maria get up to dance in the middle of the boat.

"Please, stop moving, rosa," Nico mutters and I furrow my brows. I'm about to ask why, until I realise what the hardness I'm sitting on is.

Smiling I shift my hips and Nico quietly groans. "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to," I say, innocently, and he fakes a laugh.

"Don't do it if you're not going to sort it out, friend," Nico says and I roll my eyes. For that, I'll move even more. "How I wish I could take you into the bathroom and make you pay for the things you do to me."

"I'm afraid we're strictly platonic," I whisper and Nico sighs in agitation.

"How much longer are you going to be in denial?" he asks and I'm about to respond until Maria runs over and grabs my hand, pulling me off of Nico's lap.

"Let's dance!" she says and I'm far too uncomfortable standing up on the boat. The swaying makes me feel physically ill. "Hey, are you okay? You look really pale," Maria asks as I feel my face blanch.

"Yeah, where's the bathroom?" I ask and she quickly points me in the direction.

Moving to the side of the boat, I move down the stairs and into the bathroom. It's small and cramped, the claustrophobia making an appearance as I lock the door and hunch over the toilet, waiting for my breakfast to make an appearance.

The handle jiggles but I ignore it. "Heidi, open the door," Nico speaks and I lean across to unlock it, the door opening shortly after. "Hey, are you okay?" he asks, moving to kneel beside me.

"I'm fine, just go back up before anything gets disgusting," I say as Nico rubs my back.

"I'm not going anywhere."

A few minutes after, the sickness seems to have dissipated and I feel okay to leave the bathroom. We figure that it's probably best for me to stay seated unless it's necessary for me to stand. We move to the end of the boat, laying down on the roped seats that reveal the ocean beneath us.

Nico tucks his arm beneath my shoulders, closing the gap between the both of us.

With the sun beaming down, I place my sunglasses on and close my eyes. I thank myself for layering on the sun cream this morning or I'm afraid I would be as red as a tomato right now.

Everything feels right when I'm laying beside Nico in the blazing rays of the sun. If I could, I would stay in this moment forever, savouring each moment.

"This is nice," I whisper and Nico kisses my temple.

Opening my eyes, I lift my head to look at him. The ocean stares deeply back at me, even through my sunglasses. "I really want to kiss you."

"Then do it," my mouth betrays my mind, doing the complete opposite of what I had decided.

Nico's hand meets my chin, lifting my mouth to his. When his lips meet mine it is like I can finally breathe again. His teeth close around my bottom lip, softly tugging before he lets go and kisses me ever so gently. The kiss is so sweet that I feel like I'm drowning within his lips. My hand moves to his cheek as Nico rests my leg over his hip, pulling me closer.

I completely forget where we are until something undeniably cold touches my skin and I flinch in utter shock. "Che cazzo," Nico says and I sit up. Luca stands there with a cup in his hand, partly filled with water. Luca had just thrown water over us - how generous.

"Matteo says no screwing on the boat, you know this, Nico," Luca shrugs. "Besides we're here, if you're that desperate, do it in the water for the sake of everyone else."

I feel my cheeks heat in pure embarrassment but Nico gets up and holds out his hand for me to take. Placing my hand in his, he pulls me up before we move to the edge of the boat.

"You ready to jump?" he asks as the boat comes to a halt. Staring down at the blue abyss, I try not to let my nerves overwhelm me. Nodding my head, we both climb up onto the ledge and follow the lead of everyone else.

On the count of three, we jump.