Lovely

15. Moments like these made the world go round

Thoughts of a ginger head girl occupied my mind that night, to the point where I got little to no sleep at all. The next morning was full of giant yawns and soft kisses. I joined Kahlo for a nap soon after breakfast, and he peppered me with kisses until my eyes shut on their own. But not long after I fell asleep, the same thoughts drenched my mind. I opened my eyes again to find that Kahlo himself had fallen into a deep sleep. Lucky.

Proceeding to trace lines along his face, I hoped that time would work it's magic and eventually push me into a deep sleep. I only woke up more, and it wasn't time but I who continued to push Kahlo into an even deeper sleep. With a sigh, I lifted his arm off of my waist. Gently, slowly. I was standing by the bed and walking over to his window. I peered down into the garden. Below me were the younger kids kicking around a ball. Plus one that didn't belong to Del and Mark. Max. He and Callista were leaning over a book in the shade. What sort of kid their age reads for fun? Children in this town truly are something else, I thought. Just as I thought this, Max looked up subconsciously. He caught my eyes and held them. Calling my name out of politeness, Max waved. I waved back.

"Celia isn't here, I did ask her though!" He threw up at me.

I furrowed my eyebrows. So she was cross with me. Oh, what a problem that is. I didn't want her to be angry. I wanted her to need to touch me, run and hold me, just like I needed to do so to her. My face must have given away my thoughts for Max's smile dropped.

"But I can ask her again," he hurried.

Catching onto what he was thinking, I raised my hands in defence and conjured a million words, most relating to how he didn't have to, seriously shouldn't, but he had leaped to his feet.

"I shall!" He began. "Come, Cal, we'll go tell mother and father to come to lunch. Celia couldn't refuse that!"

Soon after the two kids were off. How great. I did however take note of the special nickname Max had for Callista.

"Rora?" Kahlo's voice caught my attention, it was drenched in sleep and dreams. I twisted around. The boy was still on his stomach, one leg straight and the other bent, face towards me and one hand outstretched in my direction. His eyelids fluttered, conflicted between opening completely and closing again, the pink on his cheeks sprinkling darling youth onto the image that stood before me. I caught myself wishing to wake up to this every morning.

"You're awake," I stated, making my way back over to the bed. He hummed in response. I sat down and crossed my legs. Kahlo rested his outstretched hand on my thigh, my hand finding its way into his luscious curls.

"What time is it?" He asked.

"I'm not sure. But I'm certain it's close to lunch, Max went back to his house to invite his family over to eat with us."

"Celia's coming again?" His voice was losing its croak more and more by the second.

"I'm glad. The way you two work together with chores, I love that you are good friends."

My fingers momentarily stopped massaging when he said this. Good friends? I thought. She doesn't even want to be around me. I wished it weren't true. But it was. Reality was untouchable. Realising that my reality was this, playing with Kahlo's curls in his sun soaked sheets on a lazy morning, the ice that pushing Celia away had caused to form around my heart thawed. There was nothing wrong with this. I loved it more than anything. And so, I was done with sulking.

"Shall we go for a quick dip before lunch to wake us up?"

Kahlo wasn't to know about my complicated relationship with sleep.

We did go for a dip. We did share more jokes and more kisses. We did get back for lunch a little bit later than we hoped. We did discover that there was an extra guest. Ash. Nobody minded, everyone was beyond welcoming. But I did mind. He was only there as a wall between Celia and I. And Celia's strong stare on me told me she wasn't ashamed of her actions. I stared back, even just for a small amount of time, more daring than normal, to tell her that I knew what she was doing. I understood the game she was playing. Her continuing to stare was her way of sticking by her previous revelation. It was so unashamed, almost daring. Daring me to do something about it. Celia knew that I wouldn't do anything. I wouldn't even say a word.

Lunch was split between Kahlo and I, and Celia and Ash. Two sides. Two worlds. Not too scared to touch, just trained too finely in the art of pretending not to notice the elephant in the room. Or pretending not to care, at that point they were all but the same. Celia didn't join me in the cleaning of the dishes. Her and Ash wandered down the driveway, deep in conversation, and far away from the house. The mothers immediately understood that they would have no break this time. Kahlo took my hand and led me to the backyard. We found a shady part under a tree, a place perfect for watching the children play. I took the time, yet another time that day, to admire the beauty of the moment. To soak up the happiness all around me. Being here under a tree with Kahlo, lying on my stomach, padded by soft grass, tasting his skin with each kiss I planted on his bare shoulder. Moments like these made the world go round.

I had completely forgotten about the girl who had my heart ignoring me when I craved her the most.