Talks On The Dock

Under the dark sky with her

He laid there, staring at that dirty cloth above him. A small snore could be heard from Neil, the boy was quite the heavy sleeper. Max couldnt stop thinking about it, maybe about her. Why was she so..he couldn't think of the word. Just lately he knew he felt, happier? Maybe more at ease with Nikki? But anyway, he couldnt sleep. A part of him hoped that she couldnt sleep either. Grabbing that same blue hoodie he slumped over his head. Feeling the weight of the small cigarette box shake. Its not like he did it to hurt himself, more like to just have one thing to rely on. Plus, they were easy and accessible to him at home, so Max never considered smoking a bad thing necessarily.

Walking to the dock, his red converse gently stepping on the grass. Frogs, crickets and owls could be heard. Max forgot how quiet and calming the woods could actually be. Funny how all this realization came to him only after he took Nikkis suggestions. Finally, the boy came closer to the dock, and there she was. Swinging her legs off the dock, hair swaying in the somewhat cold air. Water swishing gently and the stars and moon lighting up her skin...dont fuck this up Max. Her head slightly perked up. "There you are! I knew youd come, you never sleep." The girl remarked with a smile. There it was again, that melting feeling. It happened when she hugged him earlier. Weird. "Yeah well, you usually dont sleep ether so i thought, 'what the hell' you know?" Max played it off, as if he wasnt thinking about joining her up until this moment.

The soft creaking came from the wood boards as he sat down. The only sound being nature and the two's soft breathing. "You smoke?" The boy asked. Gently taking the box out of his pocket and gesturing to her. "Sure." She responded with a soft nod. "Wait, really?" Max said, not taking her for the type. Though none the less he took out two cigarettes with his cold hands. Soft pink knuckles handed it to her as he awaited her answer. "Yeah, i mean its not really been a thing, but a thing yknow?" Nikki said with a soft shrug. Looking at Max, silently waiting for a lighter. It took the boy a moment, seeing how she looked under that dark night, how her eyes were so enchanting. The lighter. Get the lighter Max. Quickly, the boy looked down, patting his pockets, his back pockets, and then the front again.

"God dammit." He said in frustration. A soft hand of reassurance patted his, the contact made him look at Nikki with a confused expression. And tada, a black lighter with roses appeared in her hand. "Come here dork." She said with a small laugh. Pulling his shoulder closer. What was happening? Why did she look at him like that? The sounds of the lighter flicking broke his thoughts. Thank god. The wind was soft, yet enough for that lighter to be worn out. Holding up his hand, and blocking the wind. The two cigarettes were lit under the same lighter. She looked good like this. The small flame lighting up her face, her eyes half lidded focusing on the cigarette. That is, until she pulled away with a soft smile.

Focus. Calm down. Laying down, the boy looked up at the night sky, preying his thoughts would move on to anything but her. Constellations, does Max know anything about constellations? Who im i? Space kid? God why im i so stupid right now? Another soft creek came from beside him, she was laying down next to him. Inhaling the cigarette, and exhaling smoothly. His thoughts calmed for a second, but only a second. "Max..do you.." she started. "Do you ever wish there was only summer?" Her head turned to him. The eye contact felt permanent. Thinking for a moment, he slowly nodded a yes. "Sometimes..i feel like i choose to forget everything that happens when its not summer. When im not with you." A soft swallow went down Max's throat.

"And Neil of course." His expression softened, how could he forget about Neil? "But.. i feel like we're also the same, with our family situation. We just choose to handle it differently. Me, with my amazing super funny humor." Nikki said, a soft cough and laugh came from Max. Playfully rolling his eyes. "And your mean and sarcastic remarks." Nikki nudged Max, cigarette in other hand. "Yeah yeah okay." The boy responded. "We fit together good though." He said. Stopping for a moment as they looked at each other. The silence was comfortable, and nothing to rush a talk. "Yeah.." Nikki softly agreed. Smiling at him. And he smiled back. Her expression became wide, her eyes blinking out of it.

"Well, anyway. Its nearly 2 in the morning. Try and get some sleep Max. See you in the morning." Nikki said with an inhale, sitting up and putting out her cigarette.  Max slowly sitting up after her. "We should do this again." The teal haired girl hugged him. His hands gently resting on her waist subconsciously pulling her closer, softly his head sank into her shoulder. Max had a feeling she knew he enjoyed there hugs. Though Max craved them more then anyone else's. The cold feeling washed over him again as she pulled away. Waving a soft goodbye and walking back to her tent. Max only watched her go, wishing there moment was longer, happy it happened and heart absolutely pounding.

The entire night he sat out there, well, almost the entire night. Thinking about what she was doing, and what she was looking at him like that for. Her expression so soft and loving at him. It stayed in his brain like a song you couldn't get out. As Max finally walked back to his tent, he wondered was there other times he felt like this? So content and happy at camp? Well sure, there was that one time him and Nikki set up fire works on the roof of the Mess hall for the lilac summer dance. They talked and talked about ways to mess up the dance. And he never forget the laughter they both shared. And that other time with Nikki...but wait. They were all with Nikki. And then it clicked, he's been feeling like this only with her.