Temptations

1 || E P H E M E R A L

The night was cold. The moon appeared as sparkling glints in the reflection of glass and the sky looked as if it were a blanket of darkness, contrasting with the bright lights that were spread lazily across it. It was often, on late nights like these, that I liked to gaze above at the sky and the mystery it proposed. I wondered at those times if someone like me had been doing the same and wondering exactly the same things. 

At that moment I was laying upon a small patch of grass, hardly noticing the blades that stuck uncomfortably into parts of my skin that my clothes had failed to cover. In the near distance I could hear the voices of adults and the sounds of kids at play. I was currently at the Watson's house party, to celebrate the end of the school holidays.

"Good view from down there Fitz?"

I turned my head to see a figure approaching me. The voice is one that I'd be able to recognise in my sleep, as I look up I steal a quick glance at the bronzed face.

Sean Watson

Captain of the footy team, the guy on every girl's mind. I watch him carefully as he kneels down beside me, glancing up at the sky at he does.

"I'd say it's pretty good,' I reply, "see for yourself."

I point my finger up towards the sky and watch his eyes gaze up. His eyes glistened against the moonlight and it was undeniable that in that moment he looked stunning.

"Well I didn't really come here to compensate life with you," he says after a moment, gazing back at me, "Mum wanted to know if you could help her with serving the ice cream,"

I rolled my eyes at him and got up, "Sure thing,"

"Don't get me wrong Fitz, I'd love to lay on grass with you - "

"Well remind me to make a date where we can do some grass-laying, okay?" I interrupt before walking off towards the house.

"I'll be waiting Fitz".

I laugh at the nickname he gives me, one that he himself had made up when we were younger. I feel his eyes on me as I make my way back up to his house, crossing the small field of grass and walking up the steep hill that lead to the house. Upon reaching inside I can hear the collective chatter of a group of people sprawled across the living room. To my left I can see the games room where two drunk adults were playing a contested game of table tennis and in the corner I spotted Georgia, one of my best friends who's parents were coincidentally also best friends with mine. She was sitting alarmingly close to a boy we both knew well, Mark Farnell.

I ignore the sight and make my way to the kitchen where Karen, Sean's mother, already stands waiting for the ice cream to soften.

"Oh Rachael, you don't mind helping me serve the ice cream for the little kids do you?" she said looking at me with a smile.

She was a kind women who in my younger years had taken to calling me her every own daughter due to not having any herself. Sean had inherited her tanned skin, caramel eyes and dimples, whilst the rest of him came from his father.

"Nah it's all good," I reply walking into the kitchen.

Sitting at the breakfast bar were numerous kids who eagerly waited their ice cream.

Harriet, Georgia's younger sister, spoke the loudest out of all of them, "I'd like sprinkles on mine please!" as she bounced up and down on her stool.

Karen and I both let out a laugh, as I reach into the overhead pantry to grab the sprinkles

"Are chocolate ones okay?" I ask waving the container in the air.

Harriet nodded her head vigorously in reply and we get started on serving all the kids. By the end of it my hands had resulted in being a sticky mess and sprinkles ,as well as other confectionery, were strewn messily across the marble countertops.

"Help yourself if you'd like any," offered Karen.

Just as I was about to reply, a voice came from behind.

"If your offering Karen, I wouldn't mind one either,"

I turned my head to see who the voice had come from, and looked upon a face that seemed fairly familiar. I remember briefly seeing him at the footy with my own father but I couldn't quite put a name to him to who he was.

"Oh you know I'd never serve you Steven if it's the last thing I do," replied Karen extending her arms in preparation for a hug.

They exchanged quick kisses on the cheeks before retiring back to the conversation.

"But by all means, would you like one?"

"Nah, I'll be alright thanks," he says laughing.

His eyes cross over to me, sparking with realisation as they do.

"Tell me if I'm wrong, but we've met before yeah?" he asks, giving me a warm smile.

He wore a dark grey parka that brought out his piercing grey eyes.

"I think we have," I reply trailing my eyes towards the distinct features on his face. His jawline was sharp, his eyes bright contrasting against his dark hair.

"What was your name again?" He asks, eyes still looking into mine.

"Rachael. Rachael Fitzgerald,"

"You're joking?" he laughs, looking back at Karen before saying, " I remember when you were just a baby, your Dean's second child yeah?"

Nodding, I laugh at his playfulness and at overall how laidback he was. I'd guessed from what he said about Dean - my father - that they were close, despite my lack of recognition of the friendly character.

"You coming out for a drink now?" He asks, diverting  the attention back to Karen.

She nods, packing away the ice cream cones and toppings.

Steven now looks back at me, "How about you, surely you're old enough," he says curiously in a joking tone.

Karen eye widen at the proposal, "No Steven, definitely not,"

"C'mon, surely old Dean isn't going to mind," he says arguably.

"You're already drunk aren't you?" She laughs, pushing him towards the door.

"Wait a few years." he says before quickly turning back to me to wink. I give a small laugh and shake my head. I follow them outside though not to where all the adults stand around the glistening bonfire, but to where all the boys from town had drifted to the trampoline. They were all competing with each other in wrestling and in the corner of my eyes I spot Georgia sitting by herself with her head in her phone. She sits against the exterior wall of the house and I take the spot next to her.

"Rach, haven't seen you all afternoon," she says without looking up from her phone screen.

"Well it doesn't help that you were with Mark the whole time,"

"Still, nothing was stopping you from sitting with us - "

"Georgia don't even get me started, you know how much I hate him," I interrupted.

"Hate is a strong word," she says, looking up at me with questioning eyes.

"That's obviously why I used it," I say before laughing.

Amidst the rising tensing we both watch Mark Farnell and Sean battle it out on the trampoline, both are throwing each other around, causing both of us to erupt into giggles.

"Honestly though, how was your night?" She asks, keeping her eyes on the wrestling and more specifically on Mark.

I rolled my eyes at the harmless question. Lately tension and awkwardness had risen between our friendship due to the sudden importance of Mark in her life. It shouldn't had been much of a surprise, seeing as nearly every girl swooned for him. He oozed mystery, bad attitudes, overall sexiness and had frankly earned nothing but disapproval in my books since he'd decided to hang out with Georgia. It was of course likely, we'd all grown up together so one of us were bound to fall for the other, it was just that Georgia didn't know how to say no and that had managed to make her fall into the same trap a bunch of other girls had fallen into.

There was no denying it, Mark Farnell was a heartbreaker.