Stairways | A Surviving Summer FanFiction

Part 81 - Distance

The firemen make quick work of putting out the fire on the canopy, and now all that is left of the structure is a charred array of wooden planks balancing precariously on each other. Thankfully the flames didn't spread to the house, but you don't think that will stop Summer's mum from grounding her for eternity.

After the fire was extinguished, the atmosphere died down and now most people have headed home, leaving only most of the State Team and a few other drunk party-goers.

"Hey, has anyone seen Bax? He's vanished." Wren asks, and Ari says something about helping her find him, although you don't know why Wren cares - she was perfectly happy having a go at him earlier about causing the fire.

Summer is looking scarily relaxed for someone who will probably be killed by her mother when she gets back - she's chatting away to the firemen with a huge grin on her face, and they seem to be laughing along with her too. How does nothing bother her?

Suddenly, you notice a figure dart out of the house at lightning speed, towards Summer and the firemen, mumbling something rapidly about the fire, before he looks like he breathes a sigh of relief. His pink hair blows calmly in the breeze as he nods in thanks and walks backwards, stumbling ever so slightly.

"Are you okay?" you ask cautiously. Something about this situation seems incredibly familiar, as you watch him try to regain his breath. He runs a hand through his hair then nods.

"Yeah, yeah, just checking what's going to happen now." he shrugs.

"What do you mean?"

He shrugs again. Why does he shrug so much? "Like, I was just wondering if they'll have to press charges or anything." he says quietly - shoot, you hadn't even thought about that. And if they do press charges, who will be the culprit - Bax or Summer?

"Can they do that?" you ask, but Baxter shakes his head.

"Well, apparently not. I just asked. It was an accident, and the barbecue being under a wooden canopy is apparently a massive fire risk, so..."

"I'm guessing that Summer's mum will have to pay for the damages, though." you say.

"Yeah. I should probably offer something to help, as it was partly my fault." he admits, and for a moment you can't tell if he's being serious - would he really offer money to help?

"Baxter!" Wren exclaims, marching over with Ari trailing by her side. "Elo wants us home."

"What, you told her what happened?"

"Of course I did! I couldn't find you two minutes ago and I was starting to think something had happened!" snaps Wren. "She's going to come and pick us up."

"Okay, okay, calm down." he replies, putting his hands up in fake surrender.

"Good luck." you mutter, but Bax hears, and smiles slightly, narrowing his eyes as he saunters away, leaving you and Ari. Not wanting to start another awkward conversation, you try and make your excuses to leave.

"Err, I should probably head off, too." you say, throwing your hand over your shoulder in the direction of the road.

He nods absently, then appears to realise something. "Wait, are you walking home?"

"Yeah?" you reply, and he gazes at you incredulously.

"You can't walk home alone in the dark! It's like four miles!" Ari says in disbelief.

"Well, my mum's working a night shift tonight, so I can't ask her to come pick me up." you shrug - it's not as big a deal as Ari is making it out to be.

"Can you ask Marlon to give you a ride? He'll be home by now right?"

"Um, Ari, he hasn't passed his test yet, so not only is it illegal for him to drive me anywhere, I wouldn't get in a car with Mars on my own if he was the last person on earth who could give me a ride," you say - you don't understand why Ari is getting so hung up on this. "Anyway, it's fine! I don't mind walking on my own."

"Okay, well, I do," he replies stubbornly. "Just come to mine tonight - it's only down the road and my folks won't mind."

"Ari, it's fine," you say, struggling not to just blurt out 'you have a girlfriend', because you're pretty sure if Wren could hear this conversation right now, she wouldn't exactly be happy. "Besides, I don't have any of my stuff, including any spare clothes."

"Ask Summer!" he exclaims quickly. "She wouldn't mind lending you something."

You sigh. Ari is not going to let this go. And, to be honest, he's kind of right; it's getting late, and you're going to have to walk nearly four miles on your own on a dimly-lit road late at night. Maybe you should just go to his place - it's not like you'll be forced to share a room with him again; not like that night your mum wouldn't let you in the house and you had to seek refuge with Ari without his parents finding out. Ari said Abbie and Thommo wouldn't mind. "Fine." you say reluctantly, and Ari appears to breathe out in relief. You send a quick text to your brother to explain where you'll be tonight, before heading over to where Summer is still chatting to the firefighters.

After explaining to Summer, who was grinning widely by the end of your explanation, why you need to borrow some clothes and perhaps a toothbrush, she heads upstairs and appears a few minutes later with a bundle of fabric in her arms. "Have fun tonight!" she calls after you, a wry smile on her face, and you mouth 'shut up' to her as you walk with Ari towards the end of the driveway.

It's a pretty silent walk for the first few minutes, but you don't feel any obligation to speak. If anything, Ari should be making the effort - he's the one who invited you. And eventually, he speaks. Awkwardly, but he still says something, which you appreciate.

"I don't think I ever properly said congratulations, by the way," he says. "For making the state team."

"Thanks," you reply. "And, congrats to you, for...making the State Team." you ramble, feeling your cheeks go hot. You press a cold hand to one on the side Ari can't see, hoping he won't notice anything in the dark, anyway.

"Cheers," he shoves his hands in his pockets. "It's weird that we haven't talked much, though. You'd think now we're back on the same team we would have."

"Yeah, well. There's, y'know, Wren, and everything." you say, and Ari nods slowly, but it's obvious he's having trouble working out the correlation there. Boys are so clueless sometimes.

"Wren doesn't stop us talking, though, right?" he eventually asks.

Yes.

"No," you say. "But it just feels...awkward, to talk when she's around."

"Alright, well," he turns and walks backwards as we reach the driveway of his house. "Let's try and not be awkward tonight? Please?" he cracks a grin and takes his hands out his pockets to open the front door of his house.

You sigh with a smile. "Okay, fine. I'll try. But I'm not in control of what your girlfriend does."

He nods, and for a moment you think maybe he finally gets what you mean about Wren, maybe he finally sees her for the possessive and jealous girlfriend she is, but once you're in the Gibsons' kitchen he immediately goes to find his mum, ending the conversation.

Ari explains to his mum about you staying over, and she seems more than happy with the arrangements - you're allowed to sleep in the spare room, the one Ari slept in last year when Summer was in his normal room.

You're in Summer's pyjamas and tying your hair up when Ari comes in without knocking, and you quickly grab a t-shirt to cover the top of your body which suddenly feels incredibly naked. Ari stops short, taking in the sight of you.

"Sorry," he says, wide-eyed. "Sorry, I...I thought you were in the bathroom."

"It's cool." you reply, although Ari's feet are still rooted in the ground and you smile awkwardly. Suddenly, the doorbell rings, and both you and Ari head into the hall, where Abbie is opening the door.

"We've been kicked out," you hear Margot's voice, and you and Ari both peer round the corner to see Summer and her mum. With bags. "Any room at the inn?"

"Distance is overrated." Summer says to Ari, who doesn't look impressed.