Chapter Nineteen
❝Don't you think there is always something
unspoken between two people?❞
"You go ahead."
With that, Zach and Daisy left and headed to the centre of the beach. He didn't know what to think of Daisy yet, because he'd just met her, but that wasn't really his priority at the moment. No, he just felt it was right to stay with El.
His thoughts broke off as he heard sounds of ruffling.
El was packing her stuff.
He stared. "You're going?"
She looked up in surprise, as if not expecting him to still be here. "Oh, yeah," she said absentmindedly. "I'm feeling a little bit tired. I think I'll just go home."
He didn't bring up the fact that she literally just told Zach that she'd stay for work. "Mind if I walked with you?"
Because there was something underneath that smile that he couldn't place his finger on.
El blinked. "Is that an offer, Samuels?"
"Depends on your answer, McKinney."
A slow grin appeared on her face, and it wasn't long until the two were walking on the streets of the District. Daylight showed its face, giving the endless road and local boutiques a new allure to it. The flowers on the side of the paths only amplified its charm — lilies, dandelions and roses blooming under the summer sun.
Everything looked the same, but everything couldn't be more different.
The first time they walked through here, they were almost nothing to each other. Theo had barely opened up, and El was just the sweet, talkative girl who happened to be there whenever things fucked up.
What were they to each other now? They were friends, that's for sure, but that was too simple of a word for them. It was not enough to describe the levels of vulnerability and emotional intimacy the two had shared. It was not enough to describe how she'd given him colours that started to bloom inside him, like the flowers they saw.
All these thoughts racing in his head, but a different one roared inside him, loud and unshakeable: he wanted her to see more of him.
He wanted her —
"So, that Daisy is your friend?" he started quickly, anything to stop his maddening thoughts.
El took a little while longer to respond, and he turned to her, seeing her eyebrows scrunch in the subtlest of ways.
So he was right. A few things between her and Daisy didn't add up.
Was that the reason why she never mentioned her before? Theo thought further, remembering that she didn't mention anything on Travis, either. Was he just overthinking or was this a continuous pattern? Did she have something against the people from her past? But if she did, it didn't make sense to him; she didn't show any signs of hostility.
It dawned on him then that he knew little about Eleanor McKinney.
"We were," she finally answered. "In high school. She graduated a year before me, and she goes to school to New York. It's just been a while since we've seen each other. Thats why I was a little... awkward."
"She made it seem like you two were close."
"I doubt it," she muttered, but seemed to realise what she'd actually said. She covered it with an airy smile. "I mean, it's the first time she's here for summer break, so I guess she's feeling a little nostalgic over everything."
That could've been an understatement. Even though Daisy had the tan skin of a local, the rest of her screamed city girl. Definitely Zach's type, and truthfully, his type, too. In this case, however, he wasn't interested. Maybe she was just a little too out there.
Or maybe it was just because of the girl standing next to him.
Don't. Go. There.
"You look good, by the way."
Theo tripped. "What?"
"There's just something different about you. A good different." Then she turned to him with that signature-style cheekiness. "Means I don't have to endure the presence of a boy who's sulking all the time all the time."
"Careful there, McKinney. You might be speaking too soon."
"Oh, I doubt it."
"And why is that?"
"Because you're smiling."
Immediately he felt his lips pull into a wider grin, and he softly nudged her shoulder with his, to which she responded with a giggle. His chest fluttered at the sound.
They'd been walking leisurely, listening to the chitter-chatter of the town, until at one point, his eyes spotted a lamplight on the other side of the road.
A thought came forward.
"Come on," he blurted, and without even thinking, grabbed her hand.
El squealed in surprise as he led them across the street, his body suddenly full of adrenaline. It wasn't even crowded of vehicles, but feeling her hand in his and hearing her carefree laugh, his chest went soaring.
"Theo!" she let out a surprised giggle, when they finally went to a stop. She pulled her hand back to tuck a stray of hair, and his hand missed her warmth. "What was that all about? What are we doing here?"
He pointed upwards.
When she looked up, her eyes brightened.
"This isn't..." El gazed back at him, the light above them flickering.
"It is."
The lamplight where she had shown up with his sketchbook. Where she saw El's wide and dark eyes, like he did now, curious and hesitant at the same time.
"I want to show you something."
She cocked her head, intrigued.
Theo reached through his bag for the familiar texture before pulling it out. The hardcover was still as black as the night sky, and from a first glance it seemed like it was all there ever was: blank. But that wasn't true.
Not anymore.
She stared at the book in his hands. "That's your sketchbook."
"Good work, Nancy Drew."
El punched him lightly on the shoulder and Theo pretended to sway back, his face full of mock pain. "You're being extra sarcastic today," she teased.
"Maybe I'm in a good mood." He couldn't contain his goddamn grin. "Open it, El."
She wavered at first, her hand outstretched as if afraid to touch it. When she did, though, he kept his eyes solely trained on her. She flipped page after page, but slowly —like each page was worth her time. Her fingers traced the sketches, like she could somehow bring them to life.
"You used the colours," she began quietly.
He smiled. "I did."
His sketchbook was now an array of colours: the dominance of blue in a crowded beach, the soft skin tones of his portrait of Zach and Chase together, the cherry red outlining Three Diamond Door, the club he and Zach had first went to. The stark white of the summer clouds; the bright yellow lights of the District at night; the visuals he got from the streets of strangers in love.
Inspiration just flowed through his veins. Because everything he drew had meaning to him; attachment.
"Theo, this is amazing," she breathed out. Her hands flipped the last page, and she paused. "Is that...?"
Theo nodded, not even needing to look.
On the last page, the beach was painted in midnight. Stars glimmered on the sky, and the moon casted a reflection off of the waves. The ocean was drowning with different dark shades — indigo and navy blues — and shadows that made it seem as if the waves were softly crashing against the shore. The sand was clear and expansive, decorated in seashells and corals and all the sea's treasures. But on the right side held the biggest treasure of all.
A little wooden shack was there with the tiniest of details: the rugged surface, that slight tilt on the roof, and even the miniature logo on the top. But it was what he drew inside it that caught her off guard.
El was standing inside with a serene look on her face. She looked upwards at the moon, where the light was shining on the shack like it was the epicentre of the universe.
"El?" he asked nervously, anticipating her reaction.
She was still looking at the page as if it might burst into flames.
"Fuck, I shouldn't have drawn that, I'm sorry if — "
"It's beautiful," she said quietly, but deeply before looking up. "I love it."
A nervous smile was forming on his lips. "You do?"
"Yeah." She ran her eyes over the sketch again, then gave him a lop-sided smile. "I'm glad you didn't make me look as bad as I do in real life."
"That's impossible," he refuted. "You're fucking beau — "
Shit. He stopped himself right at the exact moment, remembering Zach's words. That was too close.
But why did giving Eleanor a compliment like you're beautiful seem so complicated whereas she had no problem dropping out of the blue?
"I'm what?"
"You know you're not bad looking." He cleared his throat. Bad-looking? What the fuck?
El blinked at him, then to his horror, laughed at his face. "If that was a once-in-a-lifetime compliment from Theodore Samuels, then I'll take it."
Oh, how this girl could turn any awkward situation around.
But it seemed that the his words held more affect than it was shown. For the boy and the girl, along the walk, stole secret glances at each other. She at him when his eyes were trained upon the sky; he at her whenever she let out a gentle laugh. But both would turn away as soon as the other noticed.
The journey felt too fast this time. One minute they were in the streets, and the next they were walking up the porch, standing in front of her door.
The crackle between them had just increased into a thousand volts.
Then the front door opened.
"Ellie!" An old woman greeted by the door, surprised. "Are you okay? Is something wrong? Do you need anything?"
El laughed. "I'm fine, Gran. Just back early for the day." She went forward to hug her, and the two exchanged words that Theo couldn't hear, until the older woman pulled back.
"And who is this young man?" she squinted. "Is that you, Travis boy? It's been such a long time since you visited! My, you look so different. Where have you been?"
Theo blushed. He actually blushed. "Um, no, ma'am," he stuttered. "I'm Theo, El's friend."
"El?"
El cleared her throat. "Gran, this is Theo, he's here for the summer," she explained. "Theo, this is my lovely grandmother."
Theo, of course, had the usual manners to shake her grandmother's hand and converse a little bit more. She offered for him to come inside, to which he politely declined, not wanting to cross any other lines that he may or may have not crossed.
He wasn't surprised that to meet her, though, because he recalled El telling him she lived with her grandparents. But now that they weren't strangers anymore, he was full of questions now. What did that mean exactly?
Where were her parents?
"Well, it was nice to meet you, Theo," the grandmother beamed. "Ellie doesn't bring friends that often, so you have to visit again. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, whatever works. You'll have the first honour of having my homemade recipe."
"Gran!" El's cheeks were red.
The woman chuckled before returning inside.
El let out a breath, turning around to look at Theo sheepishly. "Sorry."
"Your grandmother's got charm. Tell her I like dinner."
She punched him lightly again, and they were both smiling until their cheeks hurt. "Hey, before I go..." Her eyes flickered over him. "Are you... are you okay with Alex being here? I mean, in this town?"
Immediately his stomach plummeted, but he had anticipated this question. Apparently Alex was attending college here. Theo couldn't have known; neither did Zach. It was just a coincidence. A really unlucky coincidence.
But he couldn't do anything about it. He had to learn how to face Alex without losing his shit, and maybe that was the biggest test of all: to literally face your demons.
"Okay," she nodded after he told her. "And for the record, I doubt he'll show himself in the Championships. It's a national event, I don't think he'll want the trouble. So you're safe there."
"Yeah, I'm not so worried about that." He bit his lip. "I was mostly worried that, well, you'd... think of me differently after." He couldn't get over the way El froze, and the horror on her face as he said those horrible things.
"Theo, I've had a lot of time to make up my mind about you. And it's all good. Trust me." She gave him a genuine smile. "See you tomorrow?"
Not see you later or see you next time.
See you tomorrow.
"Yeah," he smiled. "See you tomorrow."
A/N:
This was pretty sweet.