Trauma Bond - Falling for my brothers best friend. (Hero Finnes-Tiffin)

19 - Across the Fire Pit

Lydia's POV

I love him.

I really do love him.

My thoughts are always consumed by him; it's always been him. And the way he cared for me when I broke down and the way he spoke to me about that only solidified it further in my mind.

I watched him as he laughed with his friends across the camp fire... drinking and telling stories whilst everyone huddled round it in a circle.

I studied him intensely... from his dimples as he smiled to his emerald eyes which locked with mine. I watched as the shadows of the flames danced across his face which glowed gold from their reflections, and his hair blew in the gentle breeze.

We'd not long walked over to everyone after having our own private moment by the water and we wasn't exactly hiding our care for one another, even though I knew Archie was watching. Although, he hadn't said anything about it, even when watching us stare back at each other intensely from across the fire pit. He simply looked at us both and looked away; focusing on a conversation he was having with Emily.

Although my moment with Hero was short lived, as usual... by Rosie.

I watched profoundly as she gently touched his arm and grinned at him with her million dollar smile from across the fire. Around girls like her I found it hard not sink back into my old self who was terribly unconfident and insecure. But not in that moment.. in that moment all I felt was anger.

Hero looked at her, and then and me, and back at her. He was visibly uncomfortable and was unsure of how to handle the situation. He couldn't risk the possibility of exposing us to Archie; we'd already pushed our luck that night, but equally he noticed that my feelings were hurt. I was just about to either explode with rage or cry until I was saved by... Jamie?

"Rosie you're basically molesting the poor boy with your eyes, leave him be he's really not interested" he laughed as he turned to wink at me as if to say 'don't worry I've got you, and your secrets safe with me'.

However he obviously couldn't help but put his own douchebag touch it on it and so he continued and said "I'm the guy of your dreams baby, look those pretty eyes my way. You deserve a prince not a frog" and then he devilishly giggled as if he hadn't of just said the most cringe pickup line ever spoken.

Naturally this caused everyone to erupt into laughter except Rosie of course who was more grossed out by it all than anything. Even Hero rolled his eyes and laughed which just made Rosie even more frustrated as Jamie flexed his muscles in front of her and compared himself to a Greek god, clearly finding himself hilarious.

While she was distracted by Jamie, Hero slipped away and made his way next to me where he continued to laugh at Jamie attempting to show off to an unimpressed Rosie, and when she finally
turned round and noticed he'd left, she scanned the crowd until her eyes locked into us.

By this point, she had boiled up with rage and had clearly had enough which only made us giggle even more as if we were 2 naughty school kids being told off by the teacher.

She was just about to storm towards us but Jamie picked her up and threw her over his shoulder whilst dancing around the beach and singing. She shouted for him to put her down but he simply sang louder to give us time to sneak away. I owed him one for sure.

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On the way home, the four of us sang to the radio at the top of our lungs and laughed the entire time. Archie was in the front with Emily driving, which left me and Hero in the back, where we took full advantage and slyly held hands.

Despite it being a small gesture, holding his hand was still electric, and I had to admit... the sneaking around and being risky was fun. That night was definitely one for the history books.