A World of Colors

Chapter 21

As the sunlight faded, Marlee made her excuses and left for home. I might have even seen her wink as she grabbed her purse and walked through the green brush to the cars and walking paths. Mark and I were alone.

So that was her plan.

I sat there on the beach, smiling and laughing with Mark for a while.

"It really did work!" I honestly couldn't believe it had gone so well. the operation had run smoothly. The beach was now cleaner and brighter, and we were all the better and happier for it.

"And you," he pokes me in the arm playfully, and I giggle "doubted us."

"Well, I did have reasons to be worried"

"Oh really, like what?" he really wanted to know.

"I could have forgotten my speech..." I trail off to think of other horrific scenarios. I had been so paranoid about the walk, I hadn't even really thought about what could have gone wrong other than the walk just going awfully.

Mark sees right through my line of thought.

"Like that would have ever happened. You were so determined when it came to this, it was hard to not be scared of you during the preparations." He smiles and looks into the distance as if recalling a memory from the last few weeks.

"Wait, I was scary? When?" This had to be good.

"Well, there was the day when your mom left. And the day you almost snapped at Mrs. Sparks for all of her teacher's pets and ramblings and busy work. I could have sworn your eyes were pure fire. I was scared for my life." I suck in a deep breath, trying not to laugh as I remember my rant speech afterward. There is a reason that isn't written down.

"That would make sense." And we both spontaneously burst out laughing as we look over the past weeks. I roll around in the sand. My breaths come in wheezy gasps. After a while of pure joy coursing through the air, we push ourselves into sitting positions. He shifts his arms.

Only now I notice our positions. Now the events of the last few weeks make sense. The late nights in the library, the early morning coffees, the need for space and my constantly dreamy and confused state of mind. I had blamed it all on Mom's disappearance, but now it all made sense.

We must have started holding hands after the laugh fest. I am sitting across from him on the sand. Neither of us faces the ocean or the trees. His legs are crossed behind me, and mine are sprinkled in a thin dusting of sand beside him. He looks at me, and I just want to melt. I remember the day that I had first met Mark Collins, how kind and sincere and treasured to me he had become to me.

I gaze back over at him, my eyes studying his warm and serious ones as the conversation ceases to exist. his blonde hair ruffles in the slight ocean breeze.

My thoughts grow foggy. I can no longer think straight as he leans in and brushes a stray lock of my orange hair aside. I suck a deep breath in.

He goes ninety percent of the way. Without even needing to think, I go the other ten.

I think it was both our first kisses.