After swimming, the six of us decided to heat up with a bonfire. Growing further into the night, the city began to cool down, but it wasn't freezing. Still, coming straight out of a pool, I felt a bit chilly.
Daniel had his guitar out, strumming quietly. Jack quietly sang under his breath. Zach was currently chasing a screaming Corbyn with a long stick, the tip lit on fire by the brunette boy. Jonah was quietly roasting a marshmallow.
I watched as Zach walked over to behind Jonah. He held a finger to his mouth, as if saying to be quiet. Zach screamed loudly into Jonah's ear, causing Jonah to freak out. He dropped the stick with the marshmallow on it into the fire, wrecking his marshmallow.
"Dude, those were practically perfect. You just wrecked my s'mores," Jonah huffed, glaring at Zach.
Zach chuckled, shrugging and walking away as if he didn't care. Sometime throughout his antics, the flame on his stick was put out, so he just threw it on the ground and sat back down. Corbyn let out a sigh of relief, no longer worrying about being chased with fire.
"You guys are crazy," I muttered under my breath.
Zach glared at me playfully, rolling his eyes at me. "What did you say?"
"I said that you guys are crazy. Mainly you, though," I said, smiling innocently towards Zach.
Zach walked over to me, thankfully without a flaming stick. Confused, I tilted my head to the side slightly, looking at the boy in front of me.
"You take that back, or you'll be sorry!" Zach shouted.
I pretended to think about it for a second, laughing at the stern face Zach was making. Shaking my head no, I crossed my arms over my chest. What harm could the kid do?
"Nah," I smiled.
Zach reached over, and I flinched, expecting him to punch me, lightly of course, or something. Instead, I felt myself lifted into the air. Zach began walking, and I struggled to look around, my face in Zach's back.
"Put me down!" I exclaimed, no idea of our whereabouts.
"You sure about that?" Zach asked.
I nodded against my back and felt myself being lowered, then soon felt the strong heat coming onto my body. I then realized we were near the fire. Screaming, I held tightly onto Zach with the fear of being burnt to death.
"Stop, drop, and roll must come in handy in situations like these," Daniel said, and I chuckled quietly.
"Nobody is on fire, though," Jack stated, slightly confused.
Looking over into his general direction, I saw him playing on his phone. How could he not notice me on my death bed, He looked up towards the fireplace, eyes widening as he saw my body dangling dangerously close to the fire.
"Daniel, bro, you're not gonna go save your girl?" Jack questioned.
"I'm not his girl," I corrected him.
At the same time, Daniel shouted to Jack, "She's not my girl."
"You even said that in-sync, you're totally meant to be," Zach chuckled, still not moving away from the fire.
I groaned, waiting for him to move, and for Jack and Zach to give up with this nonsense. Daniel was just a friend, the same way I was friends with the other boys. Just when I thought they were finished with the teasing, they all began to sing.
"Your mental synchronization," Jonah sung loudly.
"Can have but one explanation," Corbyn continued singing.
"You,"
"And I,"
"Were just meant to be," Jonah and Corbyn sang, finishing the verse to the Frozen song together.
I sighed in relief when they were done, but apparently what I thought was the finish was just a dramatic pause. Zach cleared his throat, joined by the other boys, minus Daniel, for the chorus.
"Love is an open door," they all screamed loudly.
Zach ran around while singing, somehow forgetting I was still on his back. He tripped over a rock in Daniel's yard, sending me flying off of his bad. I found myself landing in his pool, my clothing now drenched in water. I do admit it could have been much worse, and I could have collided harshly with the ground.
"Aaliyah, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to do that! I tripped in all the excitement of Danliyah—" Zach apologized, but was soon interrupted by Daniel.
"Hold up, you have a ship name for us?" Daniel asked, confused.
I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. I knew these boys were strange, but I didn't think that they were weird enough to ship Daniel and I. Hopping out of the pool, the breeze chilled me, my arms exposed to the cold. Maybe it wasn't a great idea to wear a tank top.
"Duh. All of us ship Danliyah," Jonah spoke, grinning as he looked between Daniel and I.
"My statement still stands; you guys are crazy," I chuckled.
I walked over to the chair I was sitting at, grabbing my bag beside it. I quickly opened it, wrapping my towel around my cold body, also drying myself off. I then noticed my shirt was slightly see-through, as it was white, and now wet. I pulled my towel closer to my body.
"Are you cold," Daniel, who was sitting beside me, whispered.
"I'm fine," I lied, shaking my head as I tugged my towel closer to my body.
Somehow Daniel could tell I wasn't telling the truth, and he slipped off his hoodie, handing it over to me.
Slipping it on, the scent of Daniel filled my nose. I smiled gratefully at him, thankful for Daniel at the moment.
"Thank you," I whispered, giving Daniel a toothy grin.
• • •
lol this chapter was random but the end was cute i guess
i'm almost finished my main book so once i'm finished that hopefully i'll update moreeee
-dani
