Lessons Learned

Part 16.

SHOUT OUT TO lien1234 THANKS DOLL.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" I crawled into the tent Niall had just finished putting up in the backyard.

"It's a wonderful idea," Niall followed behind me on hands and knees. "It'll be fun."

"I've never slept outside before," I looked around the inside of the canvas tent. There were two sleeping bags, a flashlight, Niall's iPod, some chocolate, a bag of marshmallows, and a box of graham crackers. The quality of light shining through the red tent was slowly deteriorating as the sun faded and darkness fell.

"You aren't outside," Niall climbed over me and planted himself in the corner. "You're in a tent."

"Well it's not a house," I pulled my flannel covered knees to my chest and wrapped my arms around them.

"But it has a roof," Niall pointed about his head as the last few rays of sun glinted in his pretty blue eyes. "So it basically is."

"It basically is not," I glared at him playfully. My butt was already beginning to grow cold and stiff due to the hard ground. I didn't think I would last a whole night out here.

"Basically is," he shot back as he tore into the marshmallows. "No more arguing."

"You started it," I laughed as Niall hit me in the face with a large puffy white sweet. I picked it up and threw it back at him. He caught it in his mouth and we spend the next twenty minutes throwing marshmallows across the small tent.

"Open up," Niall wiggled a marshmallow in front of my eyes. I did so reluctantly and let him place the gooey snack in my mouth. I swallowed and made a face as it settled in my empty stomach. Niall polished off the rest of the bag as I tried to get the sweet taste out of my mouth.

"Why did you bring s'more making supplies if we weren't going to make s'mores?" I watched as Niall began eating chocolate like there was no tomorrow.

"We don't have a fire," a streak of chocolate rested on Niall's bottom lip. I leaned over and wiped it away with my pointer finger. Niall grabbed my hand and licked the chocolate off it as I giggled. Then he wrapped his fingers through mine and let our hands fall to his lap. His thumb ran gently over the top of my hand as I scooted closer to him. "Your hand is cold."

"That's cause we're in a tent, no heat."

Niall kicked one of the puffy sleeping bags over to me, "There ya go."

I rolled me eyes but slid into the bag anyway, pulling it up to my chin. Niall climbed into his own and we lay down side by side in the dark tent. He slipped one of the headphones from his iPod into my ear and put the other in his own.

"Ever hear of The Script?" he scrolled through the device.

"Nope."

"Michael Buble?"

"No."

"Justin Bieber?"

"Yeah he was a legend."

Niall picked a song and I heard a chorus of 'eh' begin to fill my ears.

"One Time," I closed my eyes as Justin's voice washed over me. "This is my favorite one." I snuggled up in the sleeping bag, sleepiness beginning to wash over me. Suddenly my eyes were blinded by a bright light and Justin's voice disappeared from my ear.

"Hey," I held up my hand to shade my eyes. Niall swung the flashlight away from my direct line of vision and I blinked until the spots of light dancing across my eyes disappeared. "What was that for?"