Sunflower [h.s.]

5 - Wanna Play Mermaids?

As she sang along to the song, I couldn't help but stop painting and look at her. I noticed the way her sweater was starting to slide off of her shoulder, exposing the freckles that I didn't know she had. Her eyes were bright and joyful, and her smile was infectious. She was focused on her painting, yet also in another world, singing along with the song.

"What are you laughing at?" She caught me staring, laughing at me, and I was a bit embarrassed.

"Nothing, it's just funny," I replied, laughing with her, but I noticed her expression change immediately. I wasn't sure what I said to make her upset, but I was regretting it.

"What's funny?" I could hear the worry in her voice, and I realized that she'd mistaken my appreciation as judgement.

"The first conversation we had last night, you told me you found it really hard to be open and have a good time around people you've just met. And here you are, singing and dancing like I'm not even here," I answered, hoping to ease her fears.

"Well, I said it was hard for me to have a good time around strangers. Even though we only met last night, it feels like longer. And I don't think a stranger would have offered to bring me home after 3 hours of knowing each other. As much as I hate it, I feel really comfortable around you. It's really unsettling, because it goes against everything my head tells me, but I can't help it."

I was shocked to hear her being so open, but I was grateful. It was nice to know that I wasn't the only one feeling this way.

"I had a feeling you were usually a bit closed off before we'd even really spoken. I used to be the same way, after all the shit with my parents. It was hard for me to be open with people, because it was always what ended up hurting me. After I moved here, I started to be more open. I was in a new place and I didn't know anyone, so I told myself it doesn't matter if people didn't like me, it was my choice to be around them, and I could stop whenever I wanted." I explained, hoping that she would understand that I've been in the same position as her before.

She stood there silently, and I realized I might have dumped too much on her at once. I stared back for a minute, just waiting to see if she would say anything. When she didn't, I went back to painting, hoping to make her feel less awkward.

"Well, I hope you're almost done, because there's only ten minutes left." I noticed her look down at her phone from the corner of my eyes.

"I think you better be worried," I laughed, hoping to take her mind off of what had just happened. She doesn't like to be vulnerable like that, so I'm sure she was freaking out.

I was completely lying, though. My painting looked so ridiculous, and I'd actually tried really hard. I knew hers would win by a mile, but I didn't want her to know that just yet.

The both of us finished up our paintings just in time and I insisted that she show hers first. When she turned the canvas around, I was blown away. She had such a strange and unique interpretation and she'd executed it so well. I was so impressed, although I didn't expect any less from her.

She timidly explained the painting to me and I was astounded at how she could be so humble about it when it was so amazing. I couldn't help but wonder what her other paintings looked like, and I wondered if she'd ever paint one for me.

Eventually, I stopped gushing over her work and decided to show her mine. It was childish in comparison to hers, but I didn't mind. I loved that she was so talented and had such an imagination. Her reaction to my painting was the best part of it all, though.

She immediately burst into laughter, unable to control herself. I laughed along with her, but I couldn't take my eyes off of her. She laughed so hard that she cried, and it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. She spent so much time worrying about what other people thought, keeping a straight face, that when she dared to smile it was captivating.