Chapter 12
1026 Words
The waves of the ocean are offering quite the calming sensation and yet it is rather ironic how they are imitating the brewing storm inside.
“I see you have found your way to the beach without getting lost.” Luke sets himself down beside me, dangerously touching my arm with his own.
The goose bumps on my skin are quite alerting as I know they are not from the cool weather. It is very sunny and quite cold, it is moreover rather dumb that I’m wearing a t-shirt and he, a vest.
“Social distancing.” I smile uncomfortably and awkwardly at him.
He moves as so that there might be a person between us.
“How was the meeting with your real dad?” He asks and I chuckle.
I hug my knees tighter.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” I let out a heavy breath that echoes along with the wind and the whooshing sound of the waves.
“That bad?”
I say nothing and he understands.
“Dads are really horrible people.” His joke is a waste on me.
“Your hair has grown and your eyes look like the ocean.” I just throw the words out.
I’m particularly not speaking to him. I’m speaking of him, as I would when I describe a painting in my room, all alone.
“My mother’s eyes look like the ocean.”
He is matching my energy.
“They are precisely what drew my father to her. I’m beginning to think that they are the only thing that drew him in and then he killed them. He killed the ocean in her eyes. The sea was so beautiful in her childhood photos and now the sea and all it’s creatures are dead.”
“The ocean in her eyes. I have painted so many eyes lately and I haven’t even named one piece as creatively as that.” I chuckle in amusement of myself.
“How about ‘the eyes are the windows to the soul’.”
“That is so cliché and mediocre.”
I laugh at myself.
“I have one though, it’s very long. ‘Eyes are the windows to the soul. Well mine have curtains’.”
I continue to laugh.
“That is very long. I wish my mother’s eyes had curtains. Can I buy it for her?”
“Will she not be offended?”
“She knows of my wishes. It’s the wish I make after blowing out her birthday cupcake. It’s our little tradition. I give it to her at the last hour of her birthday.”
I can tell that he’s smiling even though I can’t see his face. We’re both conversing with the ocean, throwing our woes at it and it is the most heart-warming conversation ever. I guess we both have no one to share our vulnerabilities with.
“The ocean has always felt safe when I saw it in her eyes. It was always calm and now it’s just dangerous waves pulling against the tide. Drowning ships. I just hope she’s not drowning in lies.”
“It’s inevitable.” I sigh again.
“What?”
“Drowning in lies.”
It becomes quiet.
Still and cold, icy even.
The sound of wind and waves is miles away.
“My mother will like you.”
He let’s out a chuckle and I imagine it was accompanied by a heavy cold mist laced on his breath.
“No one likes me Luke and I’d like to keep it that way.”
I vigorously shake the sand off myself.
“I like you.”
“You like every girl and every girl likes you. You’re a heartthrob.”
“I guess we’re back to being sworn enemies.”
The mood and tone has definitely changed. We’re back to being our arguing selves.
“We were never friends Luke. I tolerate you because you’re Cindy’s friend. I never expected a crowd of friends. I don’t do friendships. You and I are rivalries.”
I look down at him, trying not to be phased by the ocean in his eyes.
“I thought we got over that when I gave you the information you needed.”
“No. You thought it was enough to get yourself into my pants.”
“You really think so little of me?” He scoffs.
***
Luke…
After hearing her words, I’m expecting a panic attack but it never comes. It’s truly weird how I’ve grown so conscious of my mind, how I’ve grown so conscious of it all.
I chuckle because it’s so amazing. There’s no one I would rather have an argument than with her. My self proclaimed archenemies.
“I wasn’t trying to get into your pants. I was trying to keep you out of trouble.”
“I can keep myself out of trouble, Luke. No thanks but I don’t need your help. I’m not your sugar mama.”
“I’m not dating Ms More.”
I grit my teeth and look around to see if anyone isn’t in clear earshot of us.
“Stop westernizing her name.”
“I’m not.”
“You say ‘More’ instead of ‘Moohreh’” She explains with the utmost confidence.
“Well in my defence it is spelled as ‘More’.”
“Well it’s not ‘More’.” Her anger is quite amusing.
“I’m sorry.”
“Really, are you?!”
“No.” I purse my lips to avoid laughing.
“I have to go.”
“Do you, really?”
“Yes. You’re starting to like me and it’s not a good thing.”
“How are you going to have dinner with my family if I don’t like you?”
“I forgot about that.”
Ouch.
“Let’s try this again, shall we? I didn’t get to tell you how church was today.”
“I forgot about that too.” She says and she walks away.
I decide to stay a while longer and reminisce about the ocean that use to be in my mother’s eyes.
- Writer
