I dipped my brush back into the sea green paint and looked over my canvas to the life sized ocean in front of me. For some reason my painting looked like a child's doodle compared to the beauty for me.
As I moved away from the easel I had placed on my balcony, facing the west of course, my phone buzzed on the wooden railing.
At a glance, I saw my best friend Marcy, smiling up at me. She was probably calling to apologize. I pressed ignore and pushed the phone into the back pocket of my jeans. If she was going to apologize she had to do it in person.
I walked through the open French doors into my room.
My walls are a sky blue, but you can't really tell with all the paintings covering them. Most of them were landscapes and buildings, but there were a few that were portraits of family and close friends.
There was a blank spot over my dresser where one of my paintings were missing. It was laying face down on my floor by the trash can.
I picked it up slowly. Marcy's eyes twinkled at me. I had always thought her portrait had been my favorite and best painting. The way the light caught the greens in her eyes, making them look almost real. I had even gotten the fly away hairs in there. To me, this painting had me realize how real she was to me.
I hung the painting back up and stepped back a few feet to admire it.
"I see you are starting to forgive," a warm voice behind me announced.
I turned to see Mom sitting on my bed, she was holding one of my blue patchwork pillows in her arms.
She didn't know why I was mad at Marcy, but she knew I didn't want to talk about it. She understood things like that.
She was still wearing her church clothes, earrings, and her favorite hair clip from her wedding.
"I don't know why, I still can't believe she said what she did." I took my phone out of my pocket and set it on my dresser.
I know I am a lot of things, but the way Marcy said it, just made it worse.
Mom looked down at the pillow without responding. She never use to be this quiet. She use to be fun and outspoken, but that was before a year ago. Now she was reserved and, well, quiet. For my dad, she was an ideal preacher's wife.
"How was church," I ventured, sitting down at my white wooden desk. I wasn't allowed to go to church today because I was still grounded. Which I had been my whole remaining week of spring break. Which means back to school tomorrow. Insert tears here.
Mom nodded, "Good. I missed you though."
I resisted the temptation too gag. Mom always missed me. I guess that's what happens when you only have one kid left.
"So," I began casually, "What did Dad talk about today?"
She smiled faintly. "Revenge and Forgiveness."
Of course.
I shook my head defeated, and stood up.
"Hannah. Wait." Mom stood up. "Whatever she did," she paused, "she's your best friend, Hannah. Go talk to her." I watched with disbelief as she handed me her car keys; mine still probably in Dad's care.
I looked at her, and then at my phone. Marcy was calling again.
I pushed answer. "Hannah? Hannah, oh my god! I am so sorry! Please, I can explain! I-."
"Meet me at Bob's," I stated, grabbing Mom's keys.
ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃ
I was ordering a double chocolate delight from the best ice cream shop in the world, when I heard a shriek behind me.
"Hannah!"
I turned around to be thrown into Marcy's arms. "I'm so sorry Han!"
I shrugged her off, and quickly paid for my ice cream. Marcy grabbed two spoons, which I didn't mind; I wouldn't be able to finish it myself anyways.
Marcy pointed to an empty table on the beach.
It was a nice day out. Warm, but there was a cool breeze. Thankfully, I had changed out of my jeans and into shorts and my favorite spaghetti strap top. Dad would kill me, but I didn't care anymore.
We sat down and Marcy handed me a spoon and we started eating.
"I'm sorry I told your dad you went to Roni's party," Marcy announced. I know she was just trying to make things better.
I nodded.
"And I'm sorry I called you a 'pathetic little girl who can't get over the death of her brother so you go to parties to get drunk.'"
Her words stung again. I had only gotten drunk once, and that wasn't even at Roni's party! The only reason I did go to her party was because Marcy was going and I was going to be her D.D.
But of course, Dad heard "party" and he grew outraged. Figures.
"I take it all back, Hannah. Everything."
I nodded, putting more ice cream in my mouth.
"So is your house arrest over?"
I mulled over my cream, letting the brownie bits melt in my mouth.
"I take that as a yes," she sighed, and set her spoon back in the ice cream. "Please talk to me Han."
I put my spoon back into the ice cream too, and leaned back. "What do you want me to say Marcy? That I forgive you? Fine, I forgive you. Am I still hurt? Yes, I am, but I'll get over it."
Marcy dropped her gaze. "I really am sorry."
I nodded, "I know you are Ce."
Marcy smiled, and I noticed her eyes lock on something behind me. Then something crossed her face.
"Marcy?" I asked, confused.
She whistled under her breath, "There's a new guy."
I turned in my chair towards the ocean. I blushed and quickly turned back around.
There was a guy probably eighteen or nineteen, walking up the beach towards Bob's. He was dripping wet from obviously surfing, even though there was no sight of a surfboard. He was tall, with tan skin, dark black-like hair, and he was wearing dark sunglasses. But the way his swim trunks hung low on his hips is what made me blush; he was very muscular. He was almost a work of fiction.
"Han, I think I'm in Heaven. Did your dad ever mention hot guys in heaven?" I couldn't tell if she was joking or serious.
"I don't think so," I muttered as Mystery Guy strolled past our table, oblivious to Marcy's starving look or my dumbfounded expression.
I almost wanted to say hi, but couldn't. I felt empty, almost as if everything I loved had disappeared and he was in it's place.
"Marcy, he's just a guy. He probably won't even notice us." I whispered, staring at the guy's back. Even Marcy had turned around and was staring at him.
She turned back, a grim expression on her face. "Yeah, I guess you're right."
We finished our ice cream in silence. As we walked back to the parking lot, I stopped in front of Marcy's car. Marcy looked at me and frowned. "So your dad didn't even let you go to church?"
I shook my head.
Marcy sighed. "Wow, he must really be mad."
I raised an eyebrow. And she dropped her head.. I smiled and pulled her into a hug.
As Marcy backed out of her spot, I watched the sunset over the water. The way the light turned the sky pink and orange and the water sparkle, made my fingers itch for a paintbrush.
I blinked as Mystery Guy appeared in front of my line of sight. The way the sunset looked with him in it made my desire worsen.
Maybe he was different. Maybe he might make my life more beautiful.