one of them - j.flatters

xvii. birthday part two

AUGUST 2018 - LOS ANGELES
During the rest of the day, the group enjoyed themselves, eating birthday cake and candies like there was no tomorrow. They watched too many movies and drank too many sodas. They talked and joked around like a group of kids. Which they were, giving them all a break from their responsibilities by acting like normal kids. Eventually, the sun set but you could still see orange in the sky caused by the flames that burned Los Angeles. It was hot and humid and the children had trouble finding sleep in this temperature, maybe that was why most of them had fallen asleep at absurd hours. Two, three or four in the morning. Yet Jamie never found sleep even when the apartment turned completely silent, his thoughts were excruciatingly loud. Since Hawaii, it wasn't his first sleepless night. He was used to it by now, almost becoming a part of him. But tonight, he had a picture clear view of the thoughts that kept him awake. Eliana laid on the couch, peacefully breathing, causing her chest to calmly raise and fall as Jamie gazed at her from the mattress, his head lifted by the several pillows. Her hand was hanging in the air and the boy had to stop himself multiple times to not give in the urge to interlock his fingers with hers. After their kiss, Jamie thought their relationship would change, evolve into being more than friends but Eliana had acted like it had never happened. So he followed her into doing that despite wanting the complete opposite, too scared of embarrassing himself. But as Jamie watched her throughout the day, being the happiest he had ever seen her, he couldn't keep this fake act going. He wanted to be the one who made her this happy, the one who turned her frown into a smile. Maybe it was the lack of sleep or the rapid beating of his heart but the boy had a sudden boost of courage that made his body get up from the mattress. His feet trying its best to avoid stepping on his friends, Jamie cautiously walked to the couch, kneeling by the armrest where Eliana's head rested. The boy gently caressed her hair with the tips of his fingers before trailing down to her cheek, calling out her name in a quiet and soft tone and making sure to not wake up anyone but her. Eliana grunted, annoyed to be disturb in her sleep but once she realized who's voice it was, her body straightened up while her eyes slowly opened.

"J? What are you doing?" She whispered, her fingers massaging her eyelids and face while inhaling a heavy breath, awaiting for his answer.

"Come on." Jamie said, presenting his hand for hers to take. "Your birthday is not over yet." Eliana smiled at his words, accepting his hand before Jamie directed them to where he wanted to go. The duo silently made their way out of the apartment and into the emergency's stairwell, walking upstairs to the roof. Hands in hands, Jamie and Eliana watched the view before them with horrified looks. Smoke was heavy in the air like fog on a humid day, ashes flew with the wind almost like snowflakes on a Canadian winter. Los Angeles was burning.

"I didn't think it was that bad." Eliana finally broke the silence, gently sliding off her hand from his to wrap her arms around her chest, hugging herself tightly to find some kind of comfort. Eliana never knew how devastated she would feel when seeing her home burn in flames, the heat getting to her head as she dragged Jamie to come sit on the edge of the rooftop. Even if he had barely said a word since he had woken her up, the brunette knew why he had do it. She dreaded the conversation but knew it was long overdue. "So..." She started to get his attention.

"So." Jamie nervously chuckled before turning his body to sit in a position where he could face her. "We need to talk." Eliana nodded, her gaze immediately fleeing his as she focused on the view before her eyes but Jamie stopped it. He placed a finger under her chin and gently made her head turn to him, forcing her to look at him. Forcing her to face the feelings she had tried to escape and push down.

"I don't think I can." Eliana softly answered, the remembrance of the feelings overwhelming her senses and clutching at her heart, making it all of the sudden difficult to breathe. With one hand, she massaged her chest, the part around her heart that felt like it would jump out of her body. Jamie sensed the crisis her body projected and intuitively placed his hand at the side of her neck, his thumb trailing down her jaw. His ring clad touch almost instantly calming the girl down, the cold rings cooling her warmed skin.