NEPTUNE | ETHAN DOLAN

forty

we both just sat in silence. it was comforting however i felt a little out of place.

"adventure? earth to larissa?" he waved over my face.

"oh, yeah, i know a few spots," i mumble.

"let's go then," ethan is up on his feet and discovers his bag filled with clothes. he changes and i still stare at the sky.

-

the drive is long and slow. trees are reaching high to the clouds above us, we seem so little in a world so big. i keep a grip on the wheel, aimlessly wandering my mind into the nature's beauty. how the rocks stand so still nothing could disturb its peace, the birds soaring in coordinated groups or even the invisible stars that are hanging in the sky. i cant seem to spark any conversation with ethan. the xx acts as an excuse just to stay quiet and enjoy the company.

he hums to the rhythm of "night time". it's probably one of my favourites.

i feel warmth on the base of my leg. ethan's hand rests gently across the side of my upper thigh. i smile, it's like we've made communication without talking.

"so where are we off to today blue?" he says with such softness in his voice.

"oh, um, there's a place here in the forest that i thought would open our minds a little to help us sleep," i reply, similarly with the same softness.

i can feel him looking at me. at all my imperfections. the scars on my neck, the bones on my shoulder, it feels different to normal. last night when he looked at me i finally felt free but somethings changed. maybe i'm just tired. i'll never know.