“Hey.” He clutches my cheek and wipes away my tears with his thumbs. His face turns to panic. “What happened?”
My lip trembles. “Nothing.”
“You’re crying, Ivy. It’s not nothing.”
“It’s stupid.”
“Nothing you say to me could ever be stupid.”
I chew on the inside of my cheek as I glance up at him. “I’m just tired of feeling like I’m never good enough.”
His eyes soften at my words. “What do you mean?”
“Is it selfish to admit that sometimes I envy Daisy?” I confess quietly. “She’s beautiful and bubbly, the complete opposite of me. And sometimes I just want to feel seen, that I actually exist. It’s something I’ve always struggled with because I have never felt good enough in my own skin. I’m invisible to others.”
Isaac shakes his head. “That’s not true.”
“It is.”
His jaw locks before he exhales a short breath. “I thought you were beautiful from the second I met you. I remember we were lining up in the science corridors, it was our first day with Mr. Harrington, and you were standing there, your hair in two braids, and you had bright blue braces. He sat us together, and I remember so vividly that I could barely look at you because I was so terrified that I was going to make a fool out of myself.”
I sniffle and pull away slowly. “You remember meeting me?”
Isaac grins. “Of course. And even now, you’re still beautiful to me.”
My heart feels like it’s going to fall out of my chest. More tears leak from my eyes; I can’t stop them. He continues to wipe them away with his thumbs and then I laugh, shaking my head. “I don’t even know why I’m crying. I’m being pathetic.”
“Ivy, we all have our own insecurities.” He holds me gently. “Feeling like this isn’t stupid, insecurities that stem from school stay with us for a really long time. Trust me, I should know. But I’ve always seen you, you’ve never been invisible to me.”
I blink once and tears roll again. I’m not sure if they’re sad or happy anymore. I’m a fucking mess of emotions right now.
“Come on.” He beckons with his head away from the beach. “Let me take you home.”
I don’t protest, I walk towards the main road with him because there is nothing I want more than my bed right now.
“My car is over here.” Isaac points down the street. “I haven’t been drinking tonight.”
My feet halt for a second, and I tighten my fists in my cardigan. Isaac notices my sudden discomfort and his expression warps to realisation.
“Or I could walk you home,” he offers instead. “I’m happy with whatever you’re comfortable with.”
I swallow the lump in my throat and smile. “No, it’s okay,” I say, even though my mouth tastes like shards of glass. “It’s just down the road, we can drive.”
Isaac tilts his head, trying to read through my mask. “Alright. As long as you’re sure?”
“Yeah, I am.”
We walk to his car, and I gingerly place my fingers on the door handle. Isaac watches me carefully before I get in, and I look at him over the top of the car. “Can we listen to some music?”
Isaac smiles gently. “Of course. Whatever you want.”
“Thanks.” I slip into the passenger seat.
He hands me his phone that is already connected to Bluetooth, and I scroll for the perfect song for this two-minute journey. I watch Isaac’s arms as he puts the car into gear and backs out of the space.
“I’ll drive slow,” he tells me, and I give him a small smile back, glad my tears have finally dried up.
“Thanks, Isaac.”
