Golden Dreams

GD: Chapter 8

Hardly more than an hour later, I felt as comfortable around the four of them as I am around Ali. Maybe it's the alcohol, but it could also just be the friendliness of them all. Speaking of alcohol, I was already on my third glass.

I was still sitting in the middle of the couch with Charlie to one of my sides. Lina, Amber, Dean, and Finn were sitting on the floor, facing Charlie and I, playing some sort of drinking game with cards. Some sort of popular muggle movie was being projected on the tent wall behind the four on the ground, which Charlie and I were both watching.

Taking a sip from the dark glass bottle I held in one hand, I curled my legs up to my side opposite of Charlie. My body felt warm and was beginning to get tingly from the effects of the alcohol, and I didn't realise how far I had leaned to the side until I felt my shoulder hit another person.

"Oops," I said, slightly giggly. Which I would be embarrassed by in the morning. Why does alcohol have to make me get so giggly? "Sorry Charlie."

His arm wrapped around my shoulders, across my collarbones, and pulled me to rest against his chest. "It's alright, I don't mind," he said, patting my arm.

At some point, one of his legs had come up to rest across the couch and my back was now resting between him, somewhat across his chest and also against the armrest of the couch.

"Do you guys like..." Amber sputtered. "Did you know each other already?"

I realised she had been watching us and I furrowed my brows. "What? Yeah, we've known each other our whole lives." I'd forgotten they didn't know that.

"You've--what?" Dean smirked at Charlie, a dimple appearing in one of his cheeks. "Ohh this is ... I know what this is."

I felt Charlie's chest vibrate as he coughed abruptly. "Whatever you're trying to-"

"Oh!" Finn interrupted, also looking up from the game. "You're Maeve," he stated as if lightbulbs went off in his head. "Mae is short for Maeve, right?"

"Umm," I squinted at him, trying to figure out what was going on. "Yup, that's right."

Charlie moved behind me, and I twisted to look at him. His face was red, probably from the alcohol because I'm sure mine was just as bad, if not worse. Though, that's because I'm literally laying on Charlie.

His eyes focused on my face and I mouthed "What?" but he just pursed his lips and shook his head.

"Anyway," Charlie said suddenly, his hand tightening on my arm. "It's getting late so I think we should head to our tents if we're going to get any work done tomorrow."

I sat up off of Charlie, immediately wanting the warmth from his body back. "Oh," I held back a curse. "You're right."

The tiny clock on the side table next to the couch read half past ten, and I was supposed to be up at the crack of dawn.

Standing, I paused and said, "This was a lot of fun, you guys. See you in the morning!"

Lina and Finn both got up as well, having also lost track of time.

Dean smiled up at me and said, "Yep! Goodnight."

Amber ignored me, or maybe just ... well she definitely ignored me, but Lina and Finn both said farewells to Charlie and I.

I stumbled out of the tent, and Charlie caught my arm and helped me get balanced. "Thanks Char-Char."

He groaned and dragged a hand down his face. "I thought you'd forgotten that dumb nickname."

"Never." I grinned up at him, remembering what Ali and I would teasingly call him when we were younger.

We stood like that for a moment, him staring down at me and myself gazing back up. Then he glanced away. "I'll walk you back since you can't seem to keep both feet on the ground."

I rolled my eyes at him and started walking toward my tent, which was roughly on the opposite side of the campsite as Dean's. "How'd you know which tent was mine, anyway?"

"Oh, well mine is next to yours, opposite to Lina's tent. I saw you go in earlier and since it's next to mine, I remembered," he explained with a shrug.

a/n: i dont think anyone is really reading this (beaux i see u) but this chapter is in the works still i just wanted to publish it and finish it later