Seafoam //Completed//

Chapter 39

The beach was still crowded with people from the festival. It was warm by the food trucks and the bodies which pressed around her, acting like a shelter from the brisk autumn air. Lulu didn't want to go back to any house which wasn't hers so she stayed here, beneath the neon lights, for a little while, roaming around and stopping to look at the vendors' booths. One booth caught her eye in particular. A young man with a face mask and a cap upon his head looked up at her when she stopped to see the painting he was making on a spinning wheel using spray cans. People were starting to gather around her, crowding in on her and pushing her forward, to see how he created the beautiful landscapes using several bottles of spray paint and a palette knife. It was mesmerizing, the way he spun the wheel and sprayed, creating layers of colors, until he scrapped them off seemingly randomly, and then, before her eyes, a river appeared where there couldn't be one. Not in Lulu's amateur imagination. When he was finished, he placed the canvas on the floor to dry, along with all the art he was selling and Lulu had the sudden urge to see how Zac created his work. It was fascinating to see this boy paint with spray; how much more fascinating would it be to see Zac, who lacked the ability to see his own work, create art where it shouldn't exist?

The fumes from the paint filled her lungs and she began to cough. The painter was taking a break now, having done several paintings already—at least five, which lay drying in the cold air. The gathered group of people dispersed and went in different directions, but Lulu lingered a little, still wondering about Zac. He was so present in her thoughts, she could've sworn she heard his raspy voice talking around her. She laughed a little at herself, and turned around to leave, but didn't get a single step in when she crashed into something which hadn't been there before. Like she'd done many weeks ago, Lulu fell to the ground, as Zac towered above her, having been the reason for her fall yet again.

"Ow," she whimpered as the grains of sand which littered the boardwalk dug into her palms.

"I'm so sorry," Zac extended his hand out, just a little too far right, but she gladly took it.

"It's okay, Zac."

"Lulu? Is that you?"

"Yeah," she replied, dusting her hands off on her jeans.

"You are literally the clumsiest person I've never seen. Are you okay?"

"Fine."

The awkwardness around them was palpable, and she wondered what had him so cautious, until a man and a woman who looked strikingly like Zac appeared over each of his shoulders. She noticed Mrs. Ware had her arm firmly looped in his.

"Son, is everything alright?" They appraised her curiously, and his father frowned down at her.

"Yeah. Mom, dad, this is my friend Lulu. Lulu, my parents."

"It's nice to meet you Lulu," his mother said with a small smile, and his father only nodded at her.

"Likewise, Mrs. Ware."

"Uh, we just came for a quick visit, but we should be getting home soon." To anyone else, Zac would've sounded as if he were saying goodbye to her, but Lulu heard the meaning behind his words. They'd be home soon, and she could go back when she wanted. He'd be there waiting.

"Oh, yeah. I was thinking of heading back, too," she said, hoping he understood her now. He smiled a little and she felt her heart flutter a little. "I was just looking at these beautiful paintings." Lulu pointed behind her and Mr. and Mrs. Ware let go of their son to inspect the art long enough to give Lulu and Zac a moment alone.

"They seem nice." Lulu said, but Zac didn't seem to hear.

"Will you really be back tonight? Liam can sneak you back in and you won't have any trouble. I just want you to know that their being here changes nothing. They'll be sleeping—"