like lightning: jack harries

eleven

JACK: pov

Laura put her finger over her mouth, a smile coming onto my face at her seriousness. I zipped up my mouth at tossed the imaginary key off to the side.

I struggled between two situations-- 1., Peter opening the door, letting my hear rate go back to normal and letting myself breath again, or 2., Peter taking as long as he can to find both of us, as I figured this would be one of the few times I'd be scrunched up against Laura. I went with the second option.

Peter creaked through the old wood floors of the hallway, walking painfully slower as he reached the closet. I heard Laura suck in her air, making the closet nearly silent apart from my small nervous breaths.

"You're breathing too loud." She whispered violently.

"Sorry."

I sucked in my air and covered my mouth, only making my heart beat further out of my chest. I quickly decided that option 1 would be my best bet at this point.

I let out my held breath when Peter finally passed the closet and walked into one of the bedrooms. Laura released her breath and glanced at me, her dimples popping out when she grinned at me.

"That was close." She whispered.

I smiled back, not only because I could see her dimples in the light of door, but also because Laura still was unbelievably close. Close enough to breathe in the overwhelmingly wonderful smell of her cinnamon hair complimented by a hint of coffee-- I almost hated how much I enjoyed it.

"I know." I breathed back, forcing myself to look away. I fiddled with my hands and bit my bottom lip hard.

Peter's steps echoed back through the hallway and down the stairs, relaxing both of our nerves and making our breaths audible again.

"How often do you play hide and go seek like this?" I asked, locking my fingers in between my knees. "Like, competitive hide and go seek."

"Too often, really." She said. "I mean, 2 person hide and go seek is as lame as like, 2 person tag. But he likes it for some reason, I guess."

"I mean, this is extreme. There's no breathing or anything." I chuckled.

"Well, I'm just got going to let him find us. I play to win."

"I should at least be able to breath, though."

She rolled her eyes (a wildly hot eye roll-- I don't know how she does it) and laughed.

"Go hard or go home, boy."

"You competitive Americans are really... something."

She raised her eyebrows and laughed. "Oh, is that what you think it is is? Trust me, you haven't even seen Americans that--"

Just as she was about to say more, a yell coming from downstairs caused both of us to freeze.

"Laura, Jack, help!" Peter screamed.

We both leap out of the closet without hesitation, both of us tripping over each other as we went into the hallway. Laura cascaded down the stairs, my steps close behind her. We bursted into the kitchen breathless, only to find a smirking Peter holding a half eaten cookie.

"What's wrong?" Laura drilled.

"Oh, I just needed to find the cookies. But I found them." He shrugged. "And I guess you too, now."

Laura groaned and shoved Peter's shoulder. "I can't believe how you get away with this."

Peter giggled and bit his cookie, sending crumbs down his chin and onto his shirt.

"Look, if you want to play hide and go seek, actually play how it's supposed to be played."

"Well, I found you, didn't I?"

Laura grabbed a cookie for her and I from the plastic container on the counter, handing it to me with her glaring eyes still present.

"Yeah, but considering we hold your safety in the palm of our hands for this week, it's probably not a good idea to scare us like this every time we play hide and go seek, alright?"

Peter, still a crumbled smile on his face, nodded.

"Alright?"

"Alright." He grumbled, shoving the remains of his cookie in his mouth. "Can we do something different now?"

"Maybe we could watch a mov--" Laura started.

"Finding Nemo!" Peter suggested rapidly.

Laura looked at me with a withering expression and sighed.

"Again?"

"Please?"

"I suppose I can power through it for the 60th time, how about you Jack?"

"Never seen it." I told her as I shoved my cookie in my mouth. "I'm sure it's absolutely riveting."

"How have you not seen Finding Nemo?"

"I just haven't, I don't know." I laughed.

"Well, today's your lucky day my friend." Laura said, grabbing the entire cookie container and taking it with her to the couch. "This kid can literally never stop watching this stupid movie, I'm serious."

Peter had immediately put the dvd into the older TV, eagerly watching the opening credits from the foot of the green couch Laura sat in.

Laura patted the spot next to her and I had to hide my smile as sat down on the couch, the cookie container forming a barrier between us. She glanced over at me and smiled slightly, causing one dimple to pop out and making all my insides collapse all at once.

I watched her petite mouth form inaudible words that I soon realized were directed toward me, my cheeks immediately growing red.

"W-wait what did you say?" I mumbled, running my hand through my hair.

"I asked if you wanted anymore cookies." She offered the container towards me.

"Oh, right, um-- yeah, sure." I pulled my eyes away from her and to the screen, taking another cookie while I tried to avoid brushing my hand against Laura's-- but I did, and sure enough, my entire arm tingled and my stomach flopped all over again.

And she appeared unaffected, sitting curled up in her corner of the green couch with her arm likely not tingly or her heart beating wildly, but peacefully eating a cookie while her eyes followed a film she had seen too many times before.

Paying attention to the movie was a nightmare for me, not only because Laura was once again sitting inches from me but then she would laugh; not just a giggle, but the laugh. It was almost constant, too, which only made it worse for me. Every time those stupid dimples would come out I felt obligated to watch her-- not even obligated, but drawn to at this point.

She rested her chin on her arm and glanced at me. "I'm so tired of watching this."

Laura pulled out her hair tie that held together her unruly bun and let her chocolate hair cascade her shoulders like a fluent waterfall, her hands running through the waves and the swirls that made my eyes want to stare at her for hours. God, I needed to get out of here.

I bit my lip, staring directly into her eyes."I'm not."