The Sun and The Moon (SatoGou)

Chapter 19

Sorry for the delay with this chapter, I was sick with COVID then went on holiday but I'm back now!

Dawn, Chloe, May, Serena and Misty show up squashed into Misty's beat up truck on Friday afternoon. Understandably, Ash didn't bother inviting Gary or Drew. Drew because he's still too hung up on May to be going for a mini-holiday with her, and Gary because... Well. I don't think Ash considers him a friend again just yet. Besides, it might be a little insulting to invite him here when we've been shacked up here for the rest of the week.

When the car doors open, Chloe rushes right out to me, throwing her arms around me. We've never been ones for physical affection, so it shocks me, until I realise this is the longest we've ever gone without seeing each other since we met over ten years ago. Then I hug her back, smiling into her hair, grateful for her. If it weren't for her, I'd probably be on my own right now, and sometimes I forget that.

"This place is amazing," Serena yells, and I move away from Chloe, only to be pulled into a hug by her too. This one I'm not surprised by. I even move towards May for one before she does, because I just know to expect it. Misty doesn't hug me, but does smile warmly at me as she approaches, and that's enough.

"You're crushing me," Ash is saying to Serena, who has her arms around his neck. May is already dragging her shared case with Serena inside. "Make yourself at home," Ash says sarcastically.

"You know what she's like," Serena says, pulling away and following her girlfriend inside. Dawn gives Ash a playful punch as she passes him, and Chloe falls into step beside me. Inside, Ash has the fire lit for them. Serena reaches into the suitcase and produces three bottles of vodka.

"What on earth is that?" Dawn asks, hands on her hips.

"What does it look like?" May asks, holding one up. "Party fuel."

I groan, pressing my fingers into my temple, but I don't really mind. When it's just us, I don't mind if they want to get drunk. Besides, there's not a whole lot else for us to do at night, unless they want to go for a walk in the dark, or watch one of the three channels that have decent enough signal.

When Ash goes to show everyone their rooms, Chloe hangs back with me. She sits beside me on the worn out sofa, staring into the crackling fire. It's been a while since we really spoke, and I feel bad that I know very little about her relationship with Dawn, and she doesn't know much about my relationship either.

"We're on vacation with the Clowns," she says, smirking. I haven't heard that nickname in months. We dropped it almost as soon as we started hanging out with them, and now it seems stupid that we ever used it. Still, I laugh.

"Yeah. And we're both dating one," I add.

"How has it been?" she asks, turning to me.

"Perfect," I say.

Chloe makes an annoying squealing noise. "Aw, you're in love," she says in a singsong voice. "It's so sweet it's almost sickening."

"Says you," I say with an eye roll. "You keep giving Dawn the eyes."

"What the fuck are 'the eyes'?" she asks, but I get the feeling she already knows, so I just smirk, and she crosses her arms. "Okay, but can you blame me? Look at her."

"Again, reminder: I'm gay."

She laughs. "Yeah, well so am I, and I can still appreciate that Ash is hot. Doesn't mean I'm attracted to him."

I fake being offended. "Uh, that's my boyfriend you're talking about."

"Stop showing off," she says, hitting me playfully. "Seriously though, I'm so happy for you guys. Ash brings out a side of you that I've never seen before. It's like you're even more you. Does that make sense?"