Seafoam //Completed//

Chapter 46

The cerulean downpour was in full force as Lulu drove to the beach. Tyler's windshield wipers were shot and barely cleared the water to let her see through the falling rain. No one was crazy enough to drive in this weather, so there were no cars on the road competing for the space she took, swerving wildly on the sleek street. The phone she'd thrown onto the passenger's side still buzzed frenetically with missed phone calls and ignored text messages.

When she got to the beach, she ran out of the car, leaving it on so the light would guide her path. She discarded the jacket onto the sand, not caring about the cold anymore. The beach was soaked with water and her boots became heavy with clumped sand, so she kicked them off and ran barefoot the rest of the way. The lighthouse towered over her head, looking menacing in the backdrop of the clouded sky.

Lulu raced up the rickety stairs, ducking in fear as the sky continued to crash, opening its mouth wider to let down more rain. It was a furious storm that shook the very foundation of the lighthouse. The small windows which ran around the lighthouse rattled with the penny sized rain drops hitting the glass.

When she reached the top, she paused on the landing. The opening of the lighthouse beckoned to her, inviting her to come out onto the platform one last time. Lulu walked onto the rail-less balcony, slipping on the wet wood.

This was where she belonged. It had been written from the beginning. Every night she heard the ocean's call and every night she ignored it, believing against reason that she belonged somewhere else. But she was here now, finally ready.

I will set like the sun and tomorrow, I will rise with the tide. And the waves will embrace me and keep me warm while I become like the seafoam.

She inhaled the salty air deep into her lungs and braced herself.

Lulu...

The waves sang out her name. The ocean was already calling out to her.

"Lulu!"

Her head snapped towards the beach. That definitely sounded more like a human voice. A very specific human's voice. In the distance, she saw two people running down the sand towards the lighthouse. Zac and Matty. Together they ran full speed towards her when Zac suddenly tripped and they both fell forward. He didn't miss a beat, however, and just as he had fallen, he got right back up and kept running, with Matty trailing right behind, guiding him. Lulu's heart thundered in her chest and her head swam. He was here. Despite his rage earlier, Zac was here.

She heard the rattle of the stairs at the other end of the room and Zac appeared on the landing, panting.

"Don't do it, Lulu. Please." He extended his arm out just as he had done earlier that night. Before she'd ruined everything. "Let's go home. Don't be afraid," he said.

"But I'm not afraid," she said. "Not anymore—that's the point. I'm finally not afraid of anything Zac. I'm so sorry I lied." A sob broke through her lips.

He shook his head. "No. No, don't be, Lulu. Please, just come back. Come to me."

"I can't. I have nothing but this. No one but the sea."

"You have me. You have Matty and Ava and your dad." His face glistened wet, but it wasn't just the rainwater. He was crying too.

"I have to."

"You're being selfish!"

"I can't hurt anyone else. I'm doing this for everyone. This is my choice." Couldn't he get that?

"But you're not! You aren't your own person, don't you see? You are everyone's." He was livid now, irrationally so, but despite herself, she rejoiced in his anger. "You belong to everyone who cares about you and letting yourself go will be the most selfish thing you can ever do to all of us. All of them," he quickly corrected.