Darling [h.s]

30

Song For This Chapter:

Sunkissed-khai dreams

"So slowly a sunlit dream pulls me out of sleep
Feel the morning through the blinds
I get to thinking 'bout your sunkissed face
And a quite place where I could give you all my time"

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Darlene's POV:

"Do you have everything?" Maya asks as she shoves more items into her small backpack.

"For the 3rd time, yes" I giggle at Maya's current frantic state.

"Did you remember to pack sunscreen" Maya stands straight up looking at me with her hands on her hips.

Shit, I forgot sunscreen.

"Uh...no" I smile at her guiltily.

"Jesus Darlene, do you want to get a sunburn?" Maya says scolding me.

"Geez you sound like my Mom" I say lowly, it truly feels like Maya is my Mom getting ready to drop me off a summer camp. I hated summer camp.

She invited me to sleepover at her apartment last night since we're going to Hershey Park this morning. I immediately accepted because it's been ages since her and I had a sleepover plus it would also save Niall a trip to my apartment.

"You can use some of mine, put it on now before you forget" She says fishing the lotion from her bag and holding it out to me.

I grab it from her hands with a playful eye roll, this is Maya in Mom mode. It's endearing she just has the natural instinct in her to take care of others. She's going to be a great Mom some day. I think that's part of the reason she was so excited when her niece was born, she loves kids. Which is why she's majoring in early childhood education to become a kindergarten teacher.

I apply the sunscreen to myself, the smell is very nostalgic. I don't know if it's just me but I love the scent, it might even be one of my favorites. It brings me back to happier times.

Putting some on before I went swimming at my Grandmas. The car smelling like the sunscreen my whole family had applied to their skin as we drive to the beach. The dug out of every softball game smelling like the spray sunscreen that we had to constantly apply throughout the 10 hour tournament days. When your Mom makes you apply it but you're giddy because in just a few seconds you'll be set free to run around the waterpark.

I miss those times, I took them for granted and now they're gone. I wanted to grow up so bad and couldn't wait to be older but now that I am I would do anything to be 8 years old again swimming with my neighbors in my Grandparents pool. I had no idea how cruel the world was yet, I'd do anything to go back and relive the feeling of blissful ignorance.

I finally hand the sunscreen back to Maya once I'm finished applying it and she stuffs it back into her bag

"Anything else Mom?" I tease as I sling my own small bag onto my shoulders.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to go all parental figure on you" She says laughing as she snaps out of her worried state.

"Don't be sorry, you're just looking out for me" I say walking a bit closer to her now, "And that Maya, is why I love you" I say booping her nose before turning around to grab my phone off of her couch.