Bastiana has a loving family, two amazing best friends, and a secret.
Over summer vacation, Bastiana and her besties do their best to focus on their bucket list in order to distract them from all the secrets they're keeping from one another. When a...
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"Basi, can I sit with you?" Dillon's tiny voice asks as I'm spreading out a blanket on the grass.
"Of course you can, Dilly." I smile over at him. "Wanna help me spread out the corners?" He nods happily and moves to the other side of the large blanket to pull the corners out so it's fully spread out.
After it's spread out, I instinctually take a seat in the middle, knowing that both Asher and Ryker will want to sit with me. Dillon sits down between my open legs and leans back against me as we watch the guys set up the fireworks.
Asher, Ryker, and Jaxon are setting up the fireworks in the parking lot about 20 yards away from us. Abi and Carter are supervising carefully. Jaxon brought some sort of homemade set up consisting of plywood, a grid of PVC pipes, and several cinder blocks to use. He has assured us that it's safe and that his father helped him test it a few days ago. Apparently, the cinder blocks were added after a bit of trial and error resulting in a singed patch of grass and a startled neighbor.
After they are satisfied with the set up, Asher helps Carter carry a few camping chairs over to where Dillon and I sit as Ryker follows behind them carrying a small drink cooler. Abi and Jaxon stand in the parking lot debating on the order in which to set off the mortars as well as the smaller ground fireworks.
"Do you want to start with some sparklers, Dil?" Ryker asks as he walks up to us.
"Can I?" Dillon asks as he turns to me. "Please, Tiana?"
"Sure, Dil." He jumps up from my lap immediately moving to Ryker. "But be careful and listen to Ry, okay? They're small but they can still hurt you."
"I'll be careful, promise!" He says as he bounces with excitement. Ryker smiles down at him brightly.
"Do you want one too, B?" Ryker asks me.
"Absolutely." I smile up at him before standing up. "But only if we can follow it up with some Roman Candles!" I grin excitedly which elicits an eyeroll from Ryker.
"Of course, Doll." Asher laughs lightly.
"Ooh! Me too!" Carter jumps up from her chair.
"Oh, absolutely not!" I narrow my eyes at her and vehemently shake my head.
"But whyyyyy? I'm old enough!" She whines.
"Car, last year you tried to play Roman Candle tag!" I say.
"And?" She crosses her arms over her chest and shrugs.
"'And'? Car, you chased us around shooting fireworks at us!" I scoff. "You are banned from using Roman Candles forever!"
"Come on!" She whines then turns to Asher. "Ash, come on. Help me out here?"
