Washed Up ≫ A.I

Epilogue

Charlotte laughs again and twirls away from me and the sun rocks. I laughed along with her. She may have thought it was a simple flirt but little did she know I wasn't lying. I genuinely had eyes for her suddenly, and only her.

+

I was headed home now, tired of being out there all by myself. It was partly dinner time too and if I don't head back now, I could be stuck in LA's traffic hour. Luckily the back roads behind downtown weren't as horrible. I had made it to the car park in under an hour. By now the sky was dropping out of the color blue and into terribly recognizable pink and orange.

The alarm on my car beeped locked for the night and I tucked everything back into my jean pockets. My hands sunk into my front pockets as well as I rested my head low and let the shorter curls tap me in the eyes. As I walked away and towards the apartment lots across the street my mind started to go fuzzy with so many ideas. Behind me was downtown and the streets were just screaming with car horns and impatient shouting. I smirked a little to myself, remembering our little fights on that island and the ridiculous reasons behind some.

+

"You can't hold the stick out like that. You'll lose it as soon as you spear the damn fish!" I correct but a little laugh slips through.

Charlotte was testing out the fishing spears Benson made for us to use. She insisted on helping us hunt for fish in the ocean yet ignored everything I tried to explain. She knew it bothered me and was constantly pushing my buttons at every little chance she got.

"What are you talking about? As soon as I spear the fish, it can't swim away with the stick. . . it's dead." She snaps a little attitude at me and I shuffle a laugh under my breath.

"Don't be so sure of yourself." I say back and she rolls her eyes before turning around again. She readies her arm to toss the spear. Then a gentle wave came up and knocked us straight in the knees, causing her to hit the wave forward, sure enough she speared nothing but the rocks down at our feet. "Here just give it to me real quick." I run after the stick through the crashing waves but she races me for it.

"No I've got it!" She whined and both our hands touched the spear at the same time.

I go to pull away but her hand grips around me first. When our eyes meet her voice goes soft and she looks between me and the beach behind us. I could have kissed her again, right here in these waters where everyone left could see us, but I knew how she felt about it. She was really bent on this whole paradise emotion, she thinks what I feel isn't real but I know she's wrong.

"Aren't you going to let go?" I swallow gently.

Her fingers scoot away from my fingers but as I pull my hand from the spear she catches me in the air. She doesn't say anything in return but just holds my hand silently. Sure Charlotte was stubborn and all but I knew she would never let go for other reasons rather than this one.

+

I don't know what was so special about today but every little amazing detail just kept popping up in my head. I guess sitting on top of the hill revealed my stress altogether. Although I figured walking back into that house alone will bring it all back.

I'm almost to my steps, mesmerized by my simple memories. There were pots clinking on the inside of my walls and a sweet voice humming a favorite tune. I smiled at the wooden door as soon as the pans were dropped into the skin. Then the humming stopped and I was welcomed by the memory of my last goodbye to her. I pictured her sun kissed face dripping in unforgettable tears as I walked backwards towards my flight. That day was one of our worst and one of our best. We didn't break each other's hearts, we put them back together. I honestly never thought I would get the privilege to see her again. But months ago I did find her again and with so much more.

The front door unlocked in front of me and slowly the inside smells came out to me. There was food in the oven and heat hitting me in the face at the front door. She pulled the door back all the way and tucked a loose strand of curls behind her ear. I watched her brown eyes flutter a glittery sense as she pulled the door back and shifted her weight in a motion of teasing.

"Did you miss me?" I winked her way and she pursed her lips in the air. I stepped forward, holding my hands out to take her by the waist. She pressed her stomach to mine and cupped her warm hands to my scruffy cheeks.

"You know I did, every second." She hummed before standing on her toes. Her lips hovered under my lips before they pressed to mine in a whisper, "And thank God you're home." She tried to smile but I pushed my lips up against hers so fast she couldn't get away.

Charlotte giggled in my arms, twirling our bodies from the porch steps and back inside the house. I walked in backwards first, never peeling away from her perfect lips as we waddled inside together. The air was hot and getting hotter as soon as her foot kicked out behind her and slammed the front door shut. The outside became closed off, as we made our way through the tiny hall, creating new memories now and forever. And never getting rid of the old, including the island that made us.

Chapter Songs:

Rest of My Life- Jason Derulo

Like Real People Do- Hozier

THE END