Through The Lens | ✓

26

2 Months Later...

I walked down the beach with my hands in my jeans' pockets.

The weather was getting warmer, and I was getting busier with all of my homework. So I decided to walk to the beach for some fresh air.

I kicked the sand as I watched some seagulls search for food on the sand's surface. 

"There's no food, guys!" I yelled to them. They didn't listen to me. I kept walking, but stopped in my tracks when I saw a figure sitting on a jutted out rock by the water.

I walked closer to Payton.

I hadn't seen Payton at all after that one day. He was super-busy with his math team and such, so I never bothered him, but I never forgot about that day at the cafe.

I had stopped going to the cafe, and I soon forgot about Finlay. I used my camera to take new pictures of Ava everywhere. And that was it.

I slowly walked over to Payton, trying to be quiet, seeming he was in such deep thought. But I must of made a sound, because he looked up. I stopped in my tracks.

"Hi," I said quietly. He looked back at the water.

"Hi." I walked over to the rock and hopped up onto it. I sat next to him and stared out at the blue water.

"Sorry I haven't talked to you in awhile. I've been busy, and you are kind of busy with Bookworm." He sighed, and rested his chin on his knees. I had the sudden urge to rest my head on his shoulder, and I gave in.

He stiffened under my touch, but relaxed after a second, and rested his own head on mine.

"I stopped stalking Finlay two months ago," I admitted. He lifted his head up.

"Really?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah." He looked confused.

"But...why?"

I didn't say anything for a second before replying the most honest thing I had ever replied. "Because he wasn't the guy for me. And I realized that the guy for me was closer then Finlay ever would be."

I lifted my head up, and our faces were suddenly inches apart. "Who was that guy?" he asked quietly.

"You," I whispered before laying my lips on his. He pulled me closer to him, I wrapped my arms around his neck. The kiss was beautiful, amazing, and just as I had dreamt my first kiss to be.

I pulled away and stared into those striking gray eyes of his.

All along, I was attracted to Finlay. He was the one I thought I wanted to be with, but he really wasn't. After I met Payton, it all changed. I don't know how I didn't realize it in the first place, but the whole time, Payton had been the one.

And all along, I was really just meant to look at Finlay through the lens of my camera. But really, my real true love was right next door the whole time.

I just had to look away from my camera to realize it.

❃ T H E  E N D ❃