Catching Fireflies

Nineteen

C

Tomorrow is is the beginning of the camping trip and I've spent all day packing my things into one bag. Liam and I have spent that time fighting over certain items even when there was more than one. Even then, the arguing still continued and neither dad nor mom was home to be able to stop us.

Not a very good combination really.

"Do you know where dad keeps the flashlights now? They move every year." Liam popped into my room for the tenth time asking about where things were. I had no idea either. Dad always moves things and doesn't tell us.

"Last I checked they were in the garage."

"I checked there, nada."

"Maybe they are stuck up your ass."

"Language little sis."

"You're older by like two minutes."

"Still makes me your older brother." I scoffed and threw the closest thing next to me at him which happened to be one of my bras that I had yet to put into my travel bag and Liam simply caught them and held them up to the light.

"If we are twins does that mean we have the same chest size too?" Liam said as he put my bra up against his chest and did an awkward pose.

I hate him.

"Get out!" I said as ai stomped over and snatched my undergarments back and slammed my door shut after pushing him out. I hear him hollering in laughter off in the living room and I mumble hateful words under my breath.

Now that I was alone, I continued to finish packing everything and made sure I had everything I needed and was set for the trip tomorrow. I took my large bag and dragged it out into the living room and set it by the front door next to what seemed to be Liams things.

"I often forget that we go to the same school," Liam said as he tapped away at his phone while he sat on the couch. "We never see each other in the hallways."

"Well, we take classes in separate hallways of the building." I shrugged and plopped myself down next to him.

"That's true. You also stay late cause of basketball."

"And you leave early because of video games." I flicked his arm.

"It's not my fault I'm trying to make a career." He laughed.

"Do you think you'll do fine as a game developer?" I asked.

"I'm passionate about it so I'm sure ill do fine." Liam looked over at me and then ruffled my hair with his hand. "I'm also working towards being a tester too, so I have everything set."

"Lucky, I still have no idea how I'm going to be a Farrier in a tourist town." I think of any areas that might be close to home that might support a career like that, but the terrible traffic we get in town from the onslaught of tourists and foreigners cloud my mind and I mentally groan.

"You'll figure it out. It normally happens last minute." And then we just sat together in comfortable silence. I eventually started to slump and slide down the couch out of boredom and Liam followed suit. We both slid fully off of the couch and onto the floor and just stared at the ceiling without blinding ourselves with the light above us.

"Remember when we used to play outside?" I said. Liam nodded. "I miss that."

"Me too." Liam tapped his fingers on the floor. "I never thought that would end."

Bittersweet was the memories we once had as kids before we got older and drifted away from our imaginations. I wondered when the exact moment was when we never stepped foot outside and rode bikes or caught butterflies again.

We just got older.

"I don't want to get older," I mumbled.

"That's not entirely true. Yeah, you miss being a kid, but that doesn't mean you have to stop being one." Liam said and turned his head towards me.

"How so?"

"I could think of a handful of people who are grown as adults who let down their guards and let themselves feel like kids every once in a while." Liam flicked my forehead. "Everyone lives on with a tiny bit of their kid-selves still with them. Don't be hopeless. Dumbass."

"I am not hopeless." I retorted.

"You're making me all depressed with your 'boohoo childhood' crap."

"I was trying to have a serious conversation with you but youre so immature."

"Hey!" Liam quickly sat up from the floor then grabbed one of the couch pillows and chucked it at me. I grabbed a different one and threw it back as revenge. Before either one of us knew it, we were standing on the couches and jumping to and from them and the floor with wacking each other with pillows.

Our arms got tired and we ran out of breath. We hit each other one last time then both collapsed right back onto the floor where we just were a few minutes ago.

"I told you we are still kids sometimes," Liam said in between breaths.

"Alright whatever your point is proven." I laughed as I caught my breath. I was starting to feel the sweat along my body.

"That's enough physical movement for me. I'm going back downstairs."

"You'd rather play games than spend quality time with your sister?" I pouted jokingly.

"You never spend time with me," Liam stuck out his tongue.

"Actually scratch that I think you need a girlfriend," I said as I sat up and crossed my arms as I watch Liam get up and walk over to the basement steps.

"Video games are my girlfriend," Liam said and stood with his head up high, but I raised an eyebrow. "That sounded better in my head."

"That is just sad." I laughed and Liam shook his head in defeat and started walking down the stairs.

"We can continue this talk once you get a boyfriend." He rolled his eyes and I watched his head disappear as he entered the basement and I got up off of the floor and went out onto the balcony into cooler air in hopes to cool off and not feel as sweaty after having an intense pillow fight with Liam.

I glanced over at Ashley's house and saw his car wasn't in the driveway which meant I wouldn't be able to watch the stars with him. So I just stood outside and enjoyed them myself.

Sometimes it's good to be alone.