𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞, 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐨𝐟 (unfinished)

1 . 8

Leland and I left the party immediately on his bike. He wanted to take me home, but the night was still young so I jokingly suggested, "Let's go to your place?"

He shrugged and didn't seem to mind. "Sure. My Dad's supposed to be out of the country. He left earlier today."

So here we were in his bedroom; him standing inside and naming random artifacts in the room from a pen, to his BMX medals to the paintings on his walls. He looked shy and awkward here in his natural habitat. I wondered if I'd bargained for more than I deserved tonight, but then he pulled me in and finished off with, "So, uhm... yeah, this is my evil lair where I plot every terrible deed I do and all the awful caustic remarks I say in public."

The walls were covered in his own artwork, paintings and that were both beautiful and haunting. On his messy desk, there was a pile of , all depicting a beautiful girl whose face resembled mine.

"Lanny, are these all me?" I questioned, feeling a mix of shock and flattery.

He inclined his head while a slight blush crept up his cheeks. "Yeah, I know it's kind of weird, but I just can't help it. You inspire me."

I picked up one of the paintings, studying the five colors that dominated the canvas; cold purple, bumblebee yellow, pistachio green, sapphire blue, and Persian green. "These colors, they're all the same. What inspired you to choose them?"

Lanny smiled. "My synesthesia did, because every person has a certain set of colors that they represent in my mind, and for you, it's these five. One for each letter of your name: Andrea."

I couldn't believe Lanny had been inflamed by little old me in such a personal and intimate way. I felt flattered, but also a little overwhelmed by the intensity of his emotions.

"Lanny, this is s," I stunning," I complimented him, my heart was exhilarated. "I had no idea you were so a talented artist. You've got to finish these paintings for sure."

Lanny grinned, glancing down at his hands timidly. "Thank you, love, that means a lot. And yeah, I do plan on finishing them. I just had painter's block for a while."

I sat down on his bed, feeling a rush of emotions wash over me. It was incredible to hear that I'd inspired him in some way was both humbling and exhilarating. As I looked around the room, my eyes landed on one painting that stood out from the rest. In it, the girl, me I presumed, was falling while the world around her was a jigsaw puzzle crumbling. While the rest of the canvas was colorful and vibrant, she was explicitly plain and unpainted. 

"Lanny, what's the story behind this one?" I asked, pointing to the one that had caught my eye.

He gazed up at it and started to say, "I guess from what I've been observing about you, your world seems to have been crumbling from beneath you. You seem lost, spiritually and emotionally."

I felt a lump form in my throat as I looked at the painting. It was like Lanny had seen right through me, and had captured something that I couldn't even put into words. "Oh..."

"I was going to use it for the Art Exhibition, but if you don't like it I could just find-"

"No!" I exclaimed, reassuring him, "I absolutely adore it, all of them." I comforted him by gently rubbing his arms. "Nobody's ever done something so incredible for me or about me before. I'm honored to be your muse."

"They're kind of my version of love letters to you. All up to your interpretation, really," he beamed innocently and I traced his lips with my thumb, while he looked at me as if I was a piece of flawless artwork myself. Nobody's ever looked at me the way that Lanny did and I realized that he truly ticked a lot of my firsts in just two weeks. After what felt like an eternity of staring in each other's eyes, Lanny cleared his throat when he caught himself blushing. 

He brushed his hair out of his face and asked, "Do you want to go for a swim?"

"It's kind of cool outside."

"Don't worry, Tulip, the pool's heated," Lanny replied, a mischievous grin on his face. "Trust me, it'll be worth it."

I hesitated for a moment, but the exuberant look in Lanny's eyes was contagious, so I gave in. My heart raced with anticipation as I followed him out a glass door in his room that led to the poolside. As we stepped outside, I was struck by how enchanting it was. The pool glowed with vivid lights, and the moon looked pretty against the aphotic sky. 

Lanny quickly stripped down to his boxers and jumped into the pool with a splash. I stood there, transfixed by the sight of him. He looked dazzling and ethereal, like a mythical creature come to life. As I watched him resurface, I felt a nervousness that I couldn't shake. It was like that feeling you get when you're standing on the edge of a cliff, unsure of whether to jump or not. Lanny noticed my hesitation and swam over to the edge of the pool. 

"Tulip, come in. The water's amazing," he said, his voice rippling through the stillness of the night. I took a deep breath and slowly removed my clothes, feeling the cool air on my skin. Lanny's eyes never left mine, and I felt a warmth spread through my body at the intensity of his gaze. I couldn't believe how nervous and vulnerable I felt in that moment.

As I stepped into the pool, the warmth of the water enveloped me. "You were right," I began. "This feels amazing." 

Lanny's eyes sparkling in the moonlight as he smiled. "I knew you'd love it."

"So I thought you should know that I can't swim," I confessed, feeling a sense of panic rising within me even though I was already waist-deep in the water.

Lanny looked at me with concern in his eyes. "Don't worry, love, I won't let anything happen to you," he vowed as he opened his arms to pick me up in his arms and cradled me against his chest. I felt a sense of safety and comfort as he carried me in the water, ensuring I didn't sink. We treaded and swam around for a little while and he finally told me, "See, you're doing so well! I'm proud of you."

"I'm still terrified," I admitted. "But I feel better knowing you're here to hold me and guide me." Then I brought up the topic I'd been dying to bring up since this morning. "Lanny, why was my lost tulip keychain in your school blazer?"