My Missing Tune

Part 2

A couple of days later

Morgan:
I just finished a meet against our rivals. Luckily it was a home game and my races were all pretty early in the afternoon so I was allowed to leave early. I think I did well in all of my races, and my 100 free went down by a couple of seconds, which is always a win in my mind.

I am tired, as per usual, but I kind of feel like I want to float. Sometimes I do this thing when I am bored or my mind drifts off from post-swimming, and I go to the lake and blast my favorite songs, and simply float in the water.

The sun was starting to set, the soft pinks bleeding into the bright orange swirls of clouds. I would have just enough light for a half hour of freedom.

I wonder if Mars will be there. Eh, she's probably not. I mean it's almost 6 o'clock, she's most likely painting in her room, or dancing around in a long faded skirt. Or, this one I can see vividly, her biting the edge of her paintbrush and staring out her window ... .Does she even have a window in her apartment? It seems like one would.

What am I doing?

It takes longer to get to the lake than usual since the campus pool is across the way, but once I arrive. But I am so glad I did decide to go for a late afternoon float, because there, sitting under the burning sky, the tips of her hair blending in with it. Mars.

My lips turn up instinctively—stop. Why am I getting like this?

I shake my head and try to clear those thoughts away. My steps are quiet on the grass after I slip off my Birks. I almost make it to her in silence, until she hears me somehow, and jerks her head towards me, "Dude! What the hell?"

She looks so panicked and flushed that I can't help but laugh.

"Sorry, but you just looked so focused." My words were interrupted by breathy laughs. "Oh c'mon, I can see you trying not to laugh."

Her mouth is dipping to the left, but I can see the crinkles around her eyes as she turns back to her painting.

I idly wander over to her and toss my bag next to her rainbow-ordered paints. That's cute.

"What are you working on?" I say while looking over her shoulder. It's stunning.

The painting is focused on the reflection of the sunset in the water. She had blended the blues and pinks so well that it almost seemed like a photograph of the site in front of us. And the pops of green surrounding the edges of the canvas make it all the better. It reminds me of growing up on the farm, when the summer nights stretched into dawn.

She's staring at me now, "Do you like it?" Her voice is timid, but when I meet her eyes, she's smirking.

"Are you kidding?" She smiles at my remark, "It is beautiful. I mean you said you were an art major, but you know I guess I didn't think of such realistic images. But don't get me wrong, it's...perfect."

She nudges my elbow, but her hand lingers there for a moment. Her skin is warm against mine. But then the moment is over and she drops her hand.

"No one has ever had a loss of words when looking at anything I made."

"Well get used to it, Margaux."

I walk over to her towel and rid myself of all my clothing except for my speedo. I glance back at her before diving into the water, and for that little second I swear I see her blush.

Mars:
The paintbrush slides across my canvas, my homemade blue and green watercolors blending into one another.

I had almost finished the painting, but then the sun started to set and it looked absolutely beautiful with all the spots of bright oranges. So I have been adding those minor details of the sunset to my painting for the past half hour.

I glance over the corner of the canvas spotting a floating Morgan in front of me. She's been floating while we talk to each other.

She looks so calm, just sliding her hands around like he is pretending to make a snow angel.

"Hey I have a question for you," Morgan loudly asks across the lake from me. I continue painting while I yell back to her, "Fire away!"

She swims over to me and rests her elbows on the edge of the lake.

"Are you one of those people who have sworn that they will not date anyone unless they have the same song as you?" She plays with the grass, "Not that I really care, but...are you?"

She keeps idly stroking her hands through the grass, not looking up at me. Is she nervous?

I set down my brush and walk over to her. "You really want to know?" She finally looks up at me, and it's like she is looking into my soul.

Okay, I mean it's not like I am gonna hide anything from her, I might as well tell her

I untie my smock and toss it in our bags, then slip off my sandals. I sit down next to her and pull up the edges of my pants so they don't get wet.

The waters warm against my skin, it's refreshing. "Okay, if I'm going to be completely honest with you"—I sigh—"I haven't looked at my song...yet."

"You're joking right?" She asks hesitantly.

I shake my head, laughing at myself, "Nope. I just feel like there's all this pressure to find this one person who you are expected to spend your whole life with, and—I don't know, maybe I just want to live before I need to find that one person."

I stare out at the trees, swaying with the wind, then a sudden splash of water hits me.

"Hey! What the hell Mor!?" I shake my shirt, trying to get the droplets off.

"You know, that was beautiful" She's smirking at me now.

"Oh shut up," I say teasingly.

"No, it's sweet. I get that sometimes, just wanting to live freely without constantly searching for your person."

"So you have been looking for your person hmmm?" I swirl my legs in the water, aimlessly making circles.

"Well yeah." She pauses, "I broke up with my ex-boyfriend last year because he never wanted to know who "his person was." But me on the other hand, I felt so free after we ended it, and I realized that I didn't want a casual date unless they were seriously the one."

In the very little time that I have known Morgan, I have learned many things about her, little things that make her Morgan.

For example, she wants to be the best in all of her races, but if she beats her past time she feels even more accomplished. Or that her favorite color is blue despite the irony of swimming in it every single day.

I am getting sidetracked.

Anyways, Morgan doesn't let her emotions show that easily. It's nice to finally hear what she's feeling.

"I like hanging out here with you Morgan." We both look at each other. She has so many little freckles, and her wet hair makes her look like a mermaid—God I want to paint her so bad.

"Me too, Mars. Okay, don't get mad at me..."

"Why would I get mad at you—"

She grabs my arm and pulls me into the water, head first. Water splashes everywhere, but I can't help laughing that moment I breach the surface.

She's swimming next to me and smiling so full.

I splash her back, and then we're laughing and swimming, and I don't want this moment to end.

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Sorry about the long chapter, but I love them!