Metanoia *NOT CONTINUING*

Seven

Lauren
"Isn't this illegal?" Sam's voice sounded from behind us. "Only if we get caught." Sarah grinned, looking back at him. "If you see flashing lights...run." I joked, causing him to swallow. "What? Are you scared?" Sarah lifted the bag of fireworks, swaying it back and forth teasing him.

"It's up ahead." Colby spoke, pointing to the lonely dock on the lake. He quickened his pace and the three of us continued behind him.
-
"Wait!" Sam yelled as the lighter in Sarah's hand approached the wick. As we sat there waiting for him to say something, he distanced himself further from the explosive that was about to be counting down. The click of the lighter sounded, followed by the fire sparking its way to the firework. I ran towards Sam as Colby and Sarah made their way towards us, intriguing smiles spread across their faces.

Their feet caught the end of the dock concurrently. Both of them stumbling over their own feet, attempting to find the balance they had lost. Sarah was already collapsed on the dewy grass, Colby soon fell on top of her, putting his arms to make sure not to hurt her as he fell. Their laughs echoed against the trees behind us, his face falling to her chest unable to control his chortle.

Sam wrapped his arm around me, my eyes still fixated on the sight of a Sarah I've never met. Colby stood up, reaching his arm out and helping her up. The sound of the firework reverberated through the dark sky. The red color reflecting against our surroundings. "You're so beautiful." Sam's voice was little more than a murmur. I felt his breath against my the side of my face before his lips fused together with mine taking me by surprise.

The only sound behind us was the footsteps of the two behind us. I peeked through the corner of my eye to see their fingers intertwined as they spun around in a circle before she fell into him, smiling the brightest smile I've ever seen her mouth produce.

The continuous firework finally died out and dropped its last dried ash onto the quiet water. Sam removed his arm from my waist and made his way towards the bag. He opened the packaging before handing each of us two sparklers.

He lit mine, followed by his before handing the lighter to Sarah. We danced around the wooden surface, the only light being the bright full moon above us. Sam and I tried to draw each other's names with the thin, sparking sticks. My gaze once again found Sarah as she was against Colby's front side, leaning against each other, almost hugging as they swayed back and forth and being cautious not to burn one another. I watched his smile grow as it rested upon his shoulder before chuckling at something she must have said. I smiled at the stranger I couldn't stop admiring. The more I seem to watch her, the more of the vibe she's leaving behind for me to notice. Maybe she's changing her ways, maybe Colby is the one causing this change. Maybe this what she needs. The feeling of being wanted? The feeling of something that isn't temporary? Maybe this is what she's been searching for. Maybe she finally found it.

Colby
Each time I watched Sam's lips against Lauren's, the more I craved Sarah's against mine. I know that she doesn't want them to know about what we've shared before this, I know that she wants everything about us to remain private, like a secret locked inside a box and shoved underneath a bed. I've come to realize that she doesn't like people knowing anything about her unless its a necessity. I'm not going to take advantage of who she is, I'm not going to kiss her in front of them and have the chance of her growing angry with me.

I can tell that it was noticeable. The way my eyes kept wandering to her lips as she talked, how I licked my lips each time she explained something to me, or how I took my lip between my teeth each time her lips spread into a smile.

Our feet dangled from the dock into the chill water as Sam and Lauren set off small fireworks in the grass a short distance away. "Sarah," I didn't mean to cut her off as she rambled about the brightness of stars. She leveled her eyes with mine and waited for me to continue speaking. "Can I kiss you?" The hesitation in my voice was evident and I ended up closing my eyes regretting my corny way of asking permission. She didn't speak, signaling that I messed- The feeling that I was so hungry for engulfed me, pulling me from my doubting thoughts. The warmth of her mouth sent a current running through my body, I lost myself in her lips.

Before I could process the feeling I was drowning in, she was separating her mouth from mine. The blood flowing rapidly in my cheeks as I stared at the precise picture that the moonlight ray painted. I felt her skin against mine as her feet entangled with mine, the only heat I was able to find in this numbing water.

I watched as she leaned back to look at the view of Sam and Lauren. Their hands against each other's, almost as if they were comparing the sizes. Sam soon closed his hand, his fingers falling in between hers. His lips closed against the skin on her temple causing her giggle at the action. "I'm happy for them." Her words left her mouth slowly and her smile didn't seem genuine. I studied her face once more before looking back at the happy pair. "Why do you sound so unsure?" I pushed. "I'm not unsure, I'm being truthful." She spoke, looking down into the water as she softly swirled her foot in a circular motion. Maybe she was telling the truth, she just didn't seem to know how to express the way it made her feel. "What about us, are you happy for us?" My vision followed the calm movements she created in the shadowy liquid. "There's no such thing as happy when something involves me."