𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄, RAFE CAMERON

9.

| Chapter Nine |

Getting home late the next night and taking a long shower had me exhausted even if I did just sit around all day. My parents had called me and told me they needed to stay two more days since the house showing was delayed due to a family emergency with one of the guests.

After waking up that morning, the four of us watched movies and sat around doing nothing while Ward and Rose went out for a business trip.

Now, after taking a shower, I decided to walk to the beach, which wasn't that far from my home. Though, it was dark outside with the sun just above the horizon, I didn't think much of it and began walking with my sketchbook and some pencils in my grasp.

One thing I loved doing in Arizona was staying up late at night and drawing the stars that aligned the night sky that particular night.

Now that I was back in Charleston, I wanted to draw the beach and collect some shells if I felt up to it.

Walking up to the beach and feeling the sand beneath my feet after I took my sandals off, I smiled as a breeze swept over me and inhaled the salty air.

I spotted a figure running along the shoreline but ignored him and found a rock to lean against while I opened my sketchbook and took out my desired pencils.

Glancing up every few seconds at the waves, I began sketching and humming a low rhythm of a song that was stuck in my head from earlier.

"It's funny running into you here." The voice interrupted me from my thoughts and I had to hold back a sigh at how many times I would see him in the span of a few days.

I glanced up from my drawing and saw the same shirtless man who was just running a few minutes ago. "Hello again, Cas. I would say it's a surprise but considering I've seen you two times already in between a few days would have me lying." I sent him a tight-lipped smile and looked back down to my sketchbook.

"I see you're in no mood to talk, so I'll, uh, leave then. Goodbye, Miss Miller." He began backing away but I cleared my throat.

"I told you to call me Lane, Cas, and you don't have to leave." I chuckled and tilted my head to the place next to me.

He smiled kindly and sat down a few inches away from me, leaning over and noticing the sketch I had started. "I didn't take you as a person to sketch in your free time. It makes you more interesting to me, though."

A laugh bubbled from my chest at his statement, but I waved him off anyway. "I used to do it in Arizona but I've been so caught up in being with my friends that I haven't had time to do it." I shrugged and used my finger to blend the black charcoal into the paper.

"In high school, my mother made me take art as an extra class and I would never admit it to her but I loved it and sometimes I would stay awake at night and paint on my balcony. It helped me a lot with my stress and it was the only thing that was consistent in my life at the time." He stated as he stared out at the waves, hugging his knees to his chest and laying his chin on his left knee.

I nodded along with his words and a small smile adorned my lips, "I have, uhm, trouble sleeping sometimes with nightmares and things like that, and I'd use this to keep me busy if I didn't want to bother my parents in the night." I spilled, not knowing why I was telling him this information but I found a small amount of trust in him in the moment.