Project X ✔ [O L D V E R S I O N] - Chapter 9: Chapter 9

"I got ninety-nine problems, but you won't be one; like what?" Alexa screamed, twirling around the room happily. She woke up particularly content that day. Mostly because her period was no longer bothering her and she felt refreshed.
"Tut, tut, tut," she mumbled, looking in her drawers for a bathing suit. A cute black one-piece came into view and she pumped her fist in the air. The past couple of days had been strangely normal. She got along with Xander more than any man she'd ever met.
He seemed to understand her crazy mood swings and his innocence towards her dirty jokes made for a fantastic laugh.
Alexa pulled her shirt over her head, standing in front of the mirror completely naked and inspected her body. She wasn't one to brag, but her body was nicely proportioned. Her boobs weren't too big, her hips were moderately sized and her butt was "round and petite." Yes, she referred to her butt as "round and petite."
She shimmied out of her shorts and pulled the bathing suit on. Pursing her lips in thought, she turned around and made sure that none of her lady parts were sticking out. Her entire back was covered in freckles and birth marks.
When she was younger she used to hate changing in front of other girls for gym class because she felt like a "freak of nature," but as she grew up, she learned that her imperfect skin was just perfect for her.
In fact, she was willing to say her back was a canvas and her freckles were a work of art. She loved them. She also had a large light brown birth mark on the back of her right thigh that went down from her butt cheek to the middle of her thigh.
As she kept ogling herself in the mirror, she realised that Xander had really great taste in clothing. Either that or he got someone to buy them for him. Nonetheless, everything he had, made her feel...gorgeous; even the oversized T-Shirts and booty shorts.
She walked towards the closet, grabbing a pair of black sandals and wiggled her red-painted toe-nails in them. She then walked towards the mirror again and looked at herself once more. The sides of the bathing suit were cut open, revealing her on-and-off flat stomach and tied up around her neck, leaving her back for anyone to see.
It was on-and-off because whenever she ate, it looked like she had a food-baby, but after her stomach was moderately flat. She poked her bellybutton, letting out a childish laugh and tied her hair up in a sloppy ponytail. She unfolded the black cover-up and shrugged it on.
After grabbing the black sunglasses from the "miscellaneous" drawer, she grabbed the bag with her beach stuff from the floor and walked outside. She didn't know if Xander was still training his team, so she couldn't care less about the crazy things she was doing; meaning, that she was singing at the top of her lungs to the music on the radio.
"What are you waiting for? Love me like you do, love me like you do," she raised her hands in the air, hitting her imaginary drum set and giggled at her insanity. "I let you set the pace...'cause I'm not thinking straight."
She continued murmuring the song under her breath, looking in the fridge for water and let out a little scream once Xander walked out of his room. He raised his eyebrows at her, running his fingers through his damp hair and she squealed, "You scared me!"
He smiled at her in response and sat on the bar stool. "I just got out of the shower."
"You've been here all this time?" she blushed, ashamed that he had to listen to her off-key singing. She was doing it on purpose, but it was bad nonetheless.
"No," he shook his head, "I got here like ten minutes ago. But I am content to see that you are happy."
Alexa blushed a deeper colour, smiling nervously and said, "I woke up happy and really hyper."
He chuckled, nodding and said, "I can see."
She flashed him a quick grin and said, "So...I was wondering...can we go to the beach? Last time you said we could and I'm kind of already wearing my bathing suit..."
"I can see that as well," he laughed. "I was actually going to sleep in today; I have to wake up very early tomorrow."
"Aw," she pouted her lips, disappointment clear on her face, "okay; I guess."
Xander stood up from the stool and said, "But I guess we can go for a little."
"Really?" Her green eyes lit up, "I mean, we can bring a beach umbrella and you can sleep if you want. I just really want to tan and get wet." Her eyes widened at the sexual innuendo that entered her mind and she spluttered out, "Like...with the salt water."
"I believe that the beach water is salted," he chuckled taking her bag in his hand and walked towards the closet. He grabbed a beach umbrella, unwrapping it from the plastic cover and turned to her, "This is the one you ordered, correct?"
"How do you know I ordered it?" She bit her bottom lip.
"Every time you make a purchase, it notifies me."
"Wait!" She widened her eyes, "That's not free?!"
He laughed, shaking his head and said, "No; you are going to dry up my bank account if you keep these purchases up, sweetheart."
"Holy...moly," she blushed, feeling extremely embarrassed and stupid, "oh my gosh, I'm sorry! I thought it was like...I don't know a complimentary gift for us...? I didn't think you were actually paying for them! I swear when we get back from the beach, I'll return all the crap I bought."
He shook his head. "Nonsense," A smile tugged at his lips, "you can keep them; I was merely joking."
"I feel bad," she groaned, "I'm so stupid; how could I possibly think they're free? I mean, it didn't have prices on them! Wait...were the little blue dots prices? Are you serious!?"
Xander continued laughing, throwing his head back as his laughter took over his body, making it rumble throughout. Alexa glared at him, crossing her arms over her chest and said, "Don't laugh at me! You didn't tell me I had to pay for all this!"
He shrugged, opening the back door that led to the beach and said, "It is alright; my money is yours now. Come on, if we stay here the sun will go down and you will not be able to tan."
She muttered curses under her breath, turning the TV off and jogged towards his side. "I feel so stupid, oh my gosh." Xander rolled his eyes, taking her arm in his and walked alongside her down the steps.
The pebbled pathway was secluded by trees and plants, giving it an intimate feeling. She looked back to the house and smiled, trying to memorise the pathway so she could go to the beach whenever she pleased.
The sound of crashing waves and the smell of the beach engulfed her senses and she breathed in deeply, smiling widely. As soon as she felt the cool sand covering her feet, she took her sandals off and sighed, relaxingly.
"Do you like it?" Xander asked as they walked closer to the shore and she nodded.
"I love it," she murmured, her voice sounding dreamily. "When I was little my parents always used to take me to the beach. They would build sandcastles with me and all the fights they had seemed to go away with the waves. It's my favourite place in the world."
He smiled at her, loving how passionate she felt about it and looked around. "Well we are the only ones here today, so is there a specific spot you would like to sit on?"
"Nah," she shook her head, "here's fine." She let her sandals fall down and waited for him to put the bag down to grab her towel. She spread it out, using her sandals to hold down the corners and placed the sunblock and bag on the other ends.
Xander opened the umbrella, pushing the stand out until it was tall enough to her liking and then dug it into the sand. He built a mount around it, making sure that the occasional breeze wouldn't knock it down and then turned to Alexa.
She had spread out another towel next to hers and squinted her eyes up at him. "Well are you going to keep staring at it or are you going to lie down?"
He chuckled at her and slowly sat down, crouching so that his head wouldn't hit the umbrella. Alexa squirted some suntan lotion on her hands and began lathering her legs slowly. She smirked, liking the way the lotion made her legs seemed to glisten a golden colour and added some to her arms until she was completely covered.
She pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head, puffing out her cheeks to put some on her face and Xander laughed at her. "What?"
He shrugged, still chuckling. "You look like a fish."
She glared at him, trying to smoothen the lotion out so that there wouldn't be any white marks left on her cheek and said, "Well at least I won't be a cooked fish. Here," she handed him the suntan lotion, "put some on; you're going to regret it if you don't."
Xander took the lotion, placing it on the towel and grabbed his shirt from the bottom, pulling it over his head. Alexa widened her eyes, gulping back her saliva so she wouldn't drool. It seemed to be happening in slow motion, like in cologne commercials, and she was enjoying every second of it.
He ran his fingers through his hair, trying to fix it after the shirt pulled it in all directions and then grabbed the lotion. He squeezed some into his palm, rubbing it in both hands before spreading it over his arms.
Alexa looked away, feeling her cheeks heating up enough to melt the sun and waved her hand against her face, trying to regain the oxygen that was leaving her lungs sporadically. Like her legs, his body glistened a golden colour, adding to his god-like appearance.
She watched as his muscles rippled whenever he moved his arms and she bit her bottom lip. It should be a sin to be that gorgeous and muscular. He looked too godly to be real and it was tempting her; she wanted to reach out and touch him to make sure it wasn't a dream.
All throughout, Xander was oblivious to her ogling. He looked up at her, flashing her a quick grin and said, "I believe I am done."
"No," she croaked out and whispered, "your back."
He raised a perfectly arched eyebrow and said, "Pardon?"
Alexa cleared her throat, wanting to hit him upside the head for being so attractive. "You have to add some to your back; it'll burn."
"I cannot reach," he frowned.
She extended her hand out, waiting for the lotion and when he gave it to her, told him to turn around. She took a deep breath, squeezing some on her hands and hoped that he wouldn't notice her shaking fingers.
She widened her eyes at his back and gasped. "Oh my goodness; what happened to your back?"
Xander frowned, turning his head to the side and tried to see over his shoulder. "Nothing."
"Don't 'nothing' me!" She chided, "Why do you have so many scars?"
"Oh," he grinned, "those are my battle scars. For every training course we passed, we would gain a scar."
"Why?" She whispered, lightly touching one that ran across his back as if it had been slashed with a knife. It bulged out of his skin, giving it a slightly mauled but attractive look. Of course, he would look hot in scars; what didn't he look good in?!
Nothing. Literally; he'd look even better wearing nothing.
"Shut up," she hissed to herself.
"Pardon?"
"Not you," she blurted out, "I'm just talking to myself. Continue."
"Very well," he nodded, "I guess it is just a reminder of what we fought for. The scars are there to serve as a reminder for our endurance and strength. Like our tattoos, they symbolize something."
He blinked confusedly as soon as her palm came into contact with his skin and a slight shock of electricity ran throughout. She didn't feel it; she was too busy running her hands across his mauled back.
"Didn't it hurt?" She whispered, holding the urge to kiss them. Kissing boo boo's made everything better, right?
"Not really," he shook his head, "I am proud of them. Each of our warriors are. It is a great honour to fight for our people and a couple of scars after each battle is deemed as great. I do not know how to explain it without sounding like my people are crazy," he cracked a grin, "I guess it is like medals; your military gives them to courageous warriors, correct?"
"Yes, but-"
"Well," he interrupted her, before she could argue with him, "it is similar for us. Each of our scars represents a battle that we fought and came out victorious."
Alexa sighed, not realising that she was rubbing his skin because it felt good, not because she was applying suntan lotion on him. "So how many battles have you fought?"
"Around a hundred."
"Oh my god," she gasped, lightly tracing the scars that ran down his back and the ones that were much smaller.
"I have more on my chest," he mumbled, feeling entranced by her touch. It was careful, almost caring; as if she felt saddened that he was full of battle welts. She stopped tracing an intricate tattoo covering his shoulder and forced him to turn around.
He chuckled at her expression and she looked at him with wide eyes. "Xander," she breathed out, "this is crazy! It must've hurt so much."
"Not really," he shook his head, watching as she poked a thick scar across his chest. It protruded out of his skin more than the others. It seemed as if someone had grabbed a knife and dug it across his chest. "This one," he muttered, noticing that she seemed interested in it more than the rest, "was from a fight with a Griod. We were trying to negotiate a peace treaty when he came in and tried to hurt my mother, well General Jenks' wife. I got in the way and beat him until all my anger was gone. I have never been so angry in my life; laying a hand on a woman with the intention to hurt her should result in death. So I gave it to him. Of course, he did not go down without a fight."
He covered her hand with his, making her look up at him with watery eyes and he said, "Why are you crying?" Xander rubbed his thumb against her cheek and smiled, "Do not cry; I would have done it a thousand times if needed." His voice lowered, making it almost inaudible but she heard him, "Even for you."
"I'm sorry," she whispered, lowering her hand to her side because if she touched him any longer, she'd do something stupid; like kiss him.
"You have no control over that, Alexa," he leaned back on the towel and closed his eyes, "never apologise for something you could not control. It shows weakness and your enemy will crush you."
"Well, then," she laughed.
He smiled at her, his eyes still closed and said, "It was something my father always said to me. They were his last words before he passed away."
"I'm-"
"Do not apologise," he opened his eyes, staring at her with an emotion that she couldn't decipher.
Alexa rolled her eyes, tucking back some lose strands of her hair and said, "I was just showing sympathy. It's something we do." He nodded, closing his eyes again and she whispered, "Are you going to fall asleep?"
"Would it bother you if I did?"
"Just a little," she muttered, "I might as well be here by myself; and going to the beach alone sucks."
Xander chuckled, opening his eyes and said, "Alright. Would you like me to do your back?"
"Huh?" She raised her eyebrows.
"Would you like me to apply the lotion on your back?"
"Oh," she nodded, turning around, "yeah."
He grabbed it, squeezing some on his hand and rubbed it against his hands so it wouldn't be cold against her skin. Alexa breathed out once his warm hands came into contact with her back and closed her eyes.
They felt...magical. Of course, there were no other words to describe how amazing his hands on her felt. Just plain, 'ole magical.
He squeezed her shoulders gently, making her moan quietly and he rubbed her freckles. "I like your birth marks."
"Mm?"
"I like your birth marks," he repeated, liking the silkiness of her smooth skin under his fingertips.
"Oh," she yawned out, "they're my freckles; aren't they cute?"
He chuckled, nodding and said, "Very."
"I know," she smirked, relaxing against him, "Oh my gosh, your hands are so freaking amazing. I can just go to sleep."
"You said no sleeping," he glared at the back of her head.
Alexa grinned, tilting her head to the side so he could reach her neck, "It just feels so good; it's making me sleepy."
Xander dropped his hands from her back and crossed his arms over his chest. "No sleeping."
She turned to him, glaring playfully and said, "You suck, fine we can close our eyes for fifteen minutes and then go in the water. That's how much time we have to wait for the sunblock to set."
"I am counting," he warned, putting his watch to beep in exactly fifteen minutes.
Alexa laughed, laying down on her towel and turned on her side to look at him. He looked up at the umbrella, slowly closing his eyes and she grinned out how peaceful and relaxed his face seemed. He always looked rigid and almost stone-like, it made her mad.
She preferred to see him relaxed and comfortable. Like then.
Her eyes grazed every inch of his face, the curvatures and slight blemishes. The tiny, almost invisible freckles splattered across his nose and the stubble that was growing on his chin. Damn him for being so attractive. If he was ugly, it would make hating him easier.
She didn't need to hate him. He was treating her like she dreamed she'd be treated by a man, but she didn't want to like him. It was messing with her emotions because at the same time she knew she had no control over her feelings. The more time she spent with Xander, the more she grew attached to him.
"It has been fifteen minutes," he muttered, turning his watch off.
Alexa laughed, sitting up and he yawned, helping her to her feet. She dropped her sunglasses on the towel and retied her sloppy bun. Xander waited for her before they walked quietly to the water and she squealed once the cold water splashed against her legs.
He laughed at her and she glared at him. "That's not funny! It was cold!" He shrugged breathing in deeply once a wave crashed against his back. Alexa laughed at him, squealing once a wave hit her back and she decided that standing in the water would be worse than jumping in.
She dived into a wave, shuddering once she came up for air and grinned at Xander. "It's so clear!"
He nodded, swimming past her until he was a couple of feet away and the water reached just below his chest. Alexa frowned, crossing her arms over her chest and said, "Stop showing off; I'll drown if I go there."
Xander chuckled, shaking his head and walked towards her, swaying along with the water. "I would not let you drown."
"You better not," she muttered, taking his extended hand and he guided her to the deeper end. Alexa jumped on her tiptoes, trying to keep her head above the water and giggled nervously when it reached below her ears. Her head was dipped back and she could barely feel the sand underneath her feet.
His muscular arms wrapped around her waist and she widened her eyes at how perfectly they seemed to fit. Xander held her against his chest, making her gulp at how refined his abs felt against her stomach. Even through the slight fabric that was covering some of her belly, she could feel his rock-hard abs.
"Is that better?"
She nodded, not wanting to speak because she knew she'd say something stupid. Xander chuckled, never moving his hands from her waist and she shuddered against him. The warmth that radiated off him was a nice contrast against the slightly cold water.
He began walking further into the water and she widened her eyes, locking her legs around his legs and froze against his hold. He laughed at her and she glared up at him. "There are sharks in the ocean, you know that, right? I don't want to die because a stupid shark."
"There are no sharks near here, sweetheart," she melted, the word sounded like chocolate melting on her tongue, "and if there were any; I would not let them touch you."
"Yeah, yeah," she waved her hand in the air, "that's what they all say. Then when the shark comes – boom! Poor Alexa is left for bait and you use that time to get back to land."
"I am hurt that you lack confidence in my strength and words," He chuckled, still walking towards the water until it reached his shoulder blades.
"Is that a fancy way to say I'm calling you a liar?" She grinned up at him, using her hand to shield her eyes from the sun.
He raised his eyebrows. "Is that what you think I am?" He began to loosen his hold on her and she glared at him, tightening her legs around his. Xander laughed, wrapping her arms around her waist again.
"I didn't say you were a liar; I don't think it either," she smacked his shoulder playfully, "I'm just saying that if a shark were to come, you'd let it eat me."
"No," he shook his head, grabbing one of her hands to press against a scar on his chest, "if I am willing to gain a scar if someone were to hurt you, do you not believe I would get one from fighting a shark?"
"You'd fight a shark?" She laughed, as she looked down at their entwined legs. The water was so clear she could see little fish swimming around them; it was literally the most gorgeous place she'd been to.
Xander nodded, the corners of his lips turning upward in a smile. "If it were going to hurt you, I would. No questions asked."
"You're crazy," she muttered, twirling his wet hair in her fingers and then let out a giggle as she imagined him fighting a shark.
"What?" He tilted his head, trying to look down at her.
Alexa flashed him a grin. "I imagined you fighting a shark."
He grinned. "Did I win?"
"No," he glared at her, "you let it eat me."
"I would not let a shark eat you," he sighed exasperatedly.
She shrugged, slowly letting go of him and took a deep breath before she touched the floor with her feet. She pushed herself back up to swim around and Xander watched her with amused eyes. He definitely liked this side of her better.
After they swam and played in the water for a bit, they walked out and she forced him to help her build a sandcastle. It was a disaster. But at least he tried; and that's what mattered to her.
"You suck," Alexa laughed, trying to build the "fort."
"It is impossible to build a castle with sand," he laughed, squeezing the wet sand in his fingers.
"It is not," she stuck her tongue out at him, giggling at how easily he could bring out her inner child, "especially if you believe."
"Believe me," he snorted, "it is impossible."
She muttered, "Party pooper; come on, the sand people need a house."
His stomach growled in hunger and he stood up. "Yeah well my stomach needs food. I think the 'sand people' can live another day without a house."
Alexa laughed, standing up and said, "You are so mean!"
"It is my best gift, really," He chuckled, rubbing his hands together as he tried to get rid of the sand.
"Come on," she dusted the sand off her legs, "we've been out here for long. I want a hamburger with lots of cheese."
Xander helped her to clean up and they walked back to the house. He smiled as she opened the door and smacked her sandals against the step before entering; it seemed so natural. Like they would go to the beach every day and laugh as much as they had done that day.
He liked it as much as he liked her contagious laugh.