Alleviate // H.S

XXI

Everly is 6 and Harry is 7.

"Let me down!" I squeal, punching at his shoulders.

"Shhhhh!" He loudly hushes, readjusting his grip on my legs and giving me another hoist.

"Let me down then!" I whisper/shout whilst squirming my legs around for him to loosen his grip.

"I promised you a piggy back ride, so I'm gonna give you a piggy back ride," he stated. Either I'm really weak, or he has an iron grip, because he won't budge whatsoever.

"But you're taking me to the mud!" I yell at him again, hitting him on the shoulders again.

Only five minutes ago we were playing a heated game of Mouse Trap. The loser had to give the winner a piggy back ride, which was the only motivation I needed for winning. There's absolutely no way I could lift him.

So when Harry lost, he simply sighed before grabbing me and running outside — with me on his back.

And now he's taking me towards the muddy area that got us in trouble last time.

"Aye, no hitting!" He playfully scolded and slowed his pace down to relaxed trot. "And chill out, princess. I'm not taking you there, Jeez."

"Oh, thank goodness," I breathe, suddenly allowing myself to relax. I then fix my grip to around Harry's neck. "Then where?"

He shrugged and then stopped to hoist me higher up again.

"Then to the tree!" I cheer, pointing a finger at our favourite picnic spot.

"As you wish," he grins and then runs towards the tree at a really fast pace. I let out a scream from the powerful exertion and bury my face into his neck.

Besides the sound of wind whipping past my ears, all I can hear is Harry's booming laughter. It makes me laugh too. And I continue to giggle, even when we arrive at the tree and Harry safely sets me back into the floor.

"Why did we come here?" He asks, sitting down and against the tree. I copy him whilst offering a shrug.

I don't really know why. We just always seem to have the most fun whilst we sit under this tree.

We sit on a different side of the tree this time though. We're sitting so that we face towards the picket fence and away from the house. If our mums were looking for us right now, they probably wouldn't be able to see us due to the massive trunk that shields us from them.

It's like we're in our own little world right now.

I notice that Harry hasn't said anything in response, so I look at him to see him already directly looking at me. His face is really close to mine, our noses barely touching. I gulp as I look into his really green eyes.

We definitely are in our own little world right now.

"Hey Evy?" Harry says so softly, never looking away.

"Mm?" I choke out, feeling really nervous all of a sudden. For some reason butterflies just erupted in my belly and I don't know why.

"Can I do something?" he asks, even quieter now. So quiet that my ears had to strain just to hear him.

I don't know what he could possibly want to do, but I nod anyway.

"Okay," he nods with me.

We kind of sit there nodding at each other for a moment. A moment that seems very anxiety influenced.

Could he be nervous too?

"Okay," he says again, like he's trying to convince himself of something.

"What is it?" I finally ask after racking up the courage to use my voice.

Harry, once again, doesn't respond. He just stares at me. Except this time, his gaze flickered somewhere else.

To my lips.

And all so suddenly, he kisses me.

He didn't prolong leaning in to initiate it — he just did it. He was so quick that I'm not even sure if I felt it.

My heart can't stop racing and my mind is having too many invading thoughts all at once.

What do I do?

Do I kiss him back?

Do I talk to him about it?

Did I... like it?