Golden (Book 1 of the Golden Series)

Chapter 17

When Mrs Kennedy had said that the town of Eastern Valley Woods was beautiful I hadn't totally believed her, but now I did. Although it was dark and I couldn't see everything clearly, what I did see was gorgeous. Obviously, the streets and houses were quite similar to our own, to begin with, but once we started travelling deeper in and through to the other side of the town things changed. The houses weren't normal houses, they were large and wooden and seemed to almost blend in with the nature around them. The one thing that never changed throughout the entire drive was the surrounding of trees, it felt like no matter what direction you looked you could see the outline of the forest.

Cole and Kristie spoke for most of the journey, their laughter creating a good soundtrack for the drive and by the time we arrive my stomach hurt from laughing so much. Trent was the same, he didn't say an awful lot the whole way unless he was correcting Cole or laughing at something they had said.

When we pull up to the party, immediately I see the large bonfire dancing in the dark and the outline of figures crowded around it, music starting to make its way into the car.

"Welcome to an Eastern party," Cole jokes, throwing open the car door and Kristie and I scramble out after him, eager to see outside, "We know how to throw them."

The trees that tower over us are decorated with twinkling fairy lights and they seem to lead up to the glistening water in the distance.

"Is that a lake?" Kristie asks eyes wide in excitement and Cole laughs.

"Yeah, it stretches out pretty far but this spot is usually where we host the parties, it's far enough away from the houses that we don't annoy anyone and plus it's safer."

While Kristie just nods and begins to collect her things out of the car I frown at Cole's words.

"Why is this section safer?" I ask and he seems to panic at my question, his eyes widening.

"It's better lit," Trent interrupts, exiting the car and pointing upwards to the lights hanging in the trees, "Plus the lake can get pretty deep so this bit is the best because it's shallow."

He shoots a look at Cole as if giving him into trouble before turning back to us, his eyes narrowing at my feet.

"You're not going to be able to walk over there in those," he comments and I shuffle on the spot, not knowing what to say, "You'll be fine once we reach the lake, it's grass there and you can just go in bare feet."

I nod in response but stare questioningly at my toes that are poking out of my heels.

"So, what should I do to get over to the lake?"

I barely manage to finish my question before Trent is bending down and scooping me up, his arms wrapping around my waist and lifting me as if I'm as light as a feather.

"Trent!" I scream as I knock my chin against his back softly, my legs flailing as he begins to walk, "Put me down!"

"You'll get sore feet," he explains with a chuckle and I have to marvel at how easily he walks with me on him, it's as if he doesn't feel me at all.

I strain my head up and look over to Kristie and Cole, going to ask them for help but then I see that Kristie is on Cole's back, her arms wrapped around his neck and they are sprinting towards us.

"Race!" Cole screams, overtaking us and I hear Trent growl.

"Trent, don't you-"

My words are cut off as Trent suddenly launches forward, his feet pounding along the path and I bounce in time, my voice lost. I am about to complain to him and tell him that we'll never catch up but then suddenly I see Kristie's shocked expression beside me, followed by Coles frustrated one as we slowly overtake them.