summer love / lewis redman

day 14

"Uh, Lucy, hi!" A voice chirped. She looked up, glancing back at the body who'd just bumped shoulders with her, their mumbled mutual "sorry" both being thrown away in the wind.

She turned, meeting eyes with Ethan as he slowed his jog and walked back her way, hands planting on his hips as he tried to catch his breath. Lucy forced herself not to look back down at her sandal-clad feet, instead looking Ethan in his eyes.

The girl had never been timid - in fact, life in service at a travel hotspot had molded her into a brave, outgoing, loud, and confident woman. But her mind was too busy being loud for her body to be the same.

"Hi, Ethan."

"We're, uh, leaving today." He reminded her awkwardly, his nose pinching up and a hand rising to his forehead as soon as the words left his mouth. "Sorry, you knew that already."

"I know," Lucy managed a laugh, smiling at him.

Ethan glanced up at her behind his hand, letting it drop to his side. "Look, I know - well, I don't know anything, but I'm sure Lewis would like to say goodbye."

He watched her face change a few times over the next minute as she thought about the idea, finally bobbing her head in a nod. "Okay, I'll come by and see him off."

Breaking out into a smile, Ethan nodded and gave her a grin. "Great, well, I'm sure I'll be seeing you again, Lucy." He inclined his head towards her in a parting gesture, and Lucy nodded back, but a smirk broke out on her face.

"Only in your dreams, Ethan." She replied, earning a signature loud laugh in response.

She turned, waving as he started up his jog again. Before her, the sidewalk spun towards the hotel where Lewis was, she knew, and on her right the sand slid out to meet the sea, where she'd imaged she'd be going on her morning stroll.

The weather was a bit unfavorable that morning, and she wore one of her comfiest heavy cardigans. However, it wasn't enough to battle the heavy gust of wind that pushed her towards the hotel. She wasn't sure if she believed in God like Mama did, but Lucy sometimes wondered if there was something out in the universe that always managed to make the weather match her mood - or push her in a particular direction.

The front doors slid open before her, and Lucy waited patiently at the lift for the little light to ding on. She felt the calm of the ocean in her chest, her brain no longer spinning like it had yesterday, whirling and muddling her thoughts.

She arrived at Lewis' door too quickly, and gave it a good knock. Josh answered a minute later, his face perking up into a small, if uncertain, smile at the sight of her. "Hey, Luciana. Want me to get Lewis for ya?"

Lucy gave a smile and a nod, stepping into the sitting room where the boys had their suitcases open and stacks of half-folded clothes pouring out onto every surface. "Hey, Lucy!" Vik smiled, giving her a hug. "It was good to meet you."

"You too, Vik. Thanks." She smiled back, her head turning as she caught sight of Lewis' figure stepping out of his room. There was an extra t-shirt hanging over his shoulder, but he pulled it off and dropped it on the arm of the cough as he approached, giving her a small smile that tugged at the corner of his thin cheeks.

"Hey, did you want to talk outside?" He asked, nodding his head in the direction of the patio. Lucy nodded, giving a matching half-smile back and following him towards the sliding glass door.

"Think they're expecting a show?" Lucy asked as Lewis pulled the door closed behind her. He glanced back at the living room, where JJ and Simon had joined the others and quickly looked away when they saw them looking.