It was our own little piece of happiness, our safe place away from everything. As I lay next to Levi in the swinging hammock hung from the big old tree that stretched into the sky and surrounded by my friends with my eyes focused on the bright flames flickering over the logs in the bonfire that were slowly dying out as the sun slipped behind the horizon I felt completely happy and at ease as though nothing could touch me.
This had been a tradition, my friends, and I had had since we were in the 7thgrade, on the last day of summer holidays we would all gather in the old car park in-between the river and the back of the local cinema that Levi and I's mums co-owned and sit around a bonfire as big as we could build, play football and just enjoy the last day of freedom.
"ok I have to go my mum wants me home to get ready for school tomorrow," came the rolling grumble of Noah's voice,
he was by far the biggest guy in our little group and when I had first met him about 6 years ago I had been really intimidated by him but as I got to know him I found him to become one of my closest friends.
A bunch of 'yeah same' where herd from the others as they began to rise to their feet.
"will you guys be ok to put out the fire?" asked Alana always the considerate one,
"yeah don't worry about it," I grinned at her,
"you guys get home, Le and I can do it," I said she as I nodded my head at the others as they all started to leave.
I turned to look at my best friend next to me with a smile, he had fallen asleep about 20 minutes ago and I was considering the best way to wake him up, Levi or as I liked to call him Le had been best friend from the moment we met 6 years ago when I moved to Mistford from New York.
I scooted my way of the hammock and considered flipping it over with him still in it but decided that I didn't want to start something as he would 100% get me back for It so instead, I leaned in and put my mouth right next to his ear,
"LEEEEE!!!!" I let out at the top of my lungs and stepped back straight away not wanting to get hit,
I watched him jerk up and fall from the hammock on to his back in the grass with a thud,
"hahaha" I let out at the look on his face as he glared at me,
"what the hell was that for you dweeb," he scowled,
"I need you to help me put out the fire," I said with my best 'don't kill me' look.
With a shake of his head and a slight smirk, Le slowly rose to his feet,
"why are you looking at me like that?" I cautiously asked with a nervure laugh as I slowly backed away,
Le made a dive for me dragging me down to the ground with him.
We spent the next 20 minutes just running around, it was weird to ever think of a time I hadn't known him now I couldn't even imagine a day without him. Le had this way of making you feel like the most important person or like the most insignificant if he wanted he could draw anyone in and seemed to gain control over how you feel. When I had first met Le he had come across as a closed book he often wore this look that said 'come near me and I will end you' but when you got passed that he was the best friend you could ever ask for, he saw things that others often missed and tended to know everything about anything.
"ok, ok, ok I give up you win, now let's put out the fire and go inside I'm hungry" I panted up at Le who had just pinned me to the ground,
"if you attack me when I let you go I am throwing you in the river," he warned giving me a stern but playful look, before slowly letting go of my wrists and getting off me.
