A life in the Dark

C h a p t e r F o u r t y F i v e

S u n d a y 3 1 A u g u s t
My birthday!
_________

I'd planned for Keira, Finley, Harley and, of course, Logan to camp over today. Yesterday mum and I had pitched a three-man and two-man tent out in the garden. I got up and began my typical routine. Reaching up, forward, down; then putting one foot forward and lunging into it. Then rocked back on it to stretch the muscles in my leg and found I was practically lying completely flat on my leg. Then, sliding into splits, I sank all the way to the floor. I beamed. It had worked! I can do the splits! I quickly swapped legs only to find the same result, and my happiness doubled.

At 8.30, I changed into a loose fitting top with a sports bra underneath and short denim shorts paired with mint fabric flip-flops and a quick dab of make-up. Then I went to find mum, who was in the kitchen, but had forbidden me from entering at the risk of me seeing the cake that she'd made for me.

"Mum!" I called in from the doorway to get her attention.

"Oui," she replied, coming out licking her fingers as if she'd just been eating something sticky or sugary.

Regardless, I wrapped her in a hug.

"Keira's coming at ten," I explained. "Something about her mum going to town."

"That's fine, you'd better get yourself ready then!" I nodded and scurried off to get my sleeping bag and roll mat set up.

It was a really sunny day, luckily, and it reflected my mood well. This holiday has gone way too quick; why goes it have to end? This year has been so good when compared to past ones-hopefully it can only improve, right?

*****

"Hey!" Keira cooed as she hugged me. "Happy birthday!" She pressed a silvery-wrapped box into my hands, which I thanked her for.

We slowly made our way out to the tent, where I helped her set up her stuff. Then we just spoke to each other about our holiday, and school things, her complaining about how soon school starts, and mentioning the dread she has of having to restart yet another school as she's switching for sixth form. "It took me ages to make friends with Frankie and Ethan, now I've got to do that all over again!"

"Hey, no one forced you to move schools," I pointed out.

She sighed. "I know."

Then there was a loud zipping noise as the tent door opened to reveal Finley and Harley but-much to my disappointment-no Logan.

"Hey," Harley began, handing me a present as Finley put his bags down next to Keira's. "Happy birthday!"

We all said our 'hello's and sat down in a circle, bringing up old memories and laughing. But I couldnt focus properly on the conversation, not until Logan joins us.

"So, Lettice, what do you think?" Keira asked, turning to face me, but I had zoned out. "Lettice?" she snapped her fingers in front of my face. "Opinions?"

I stared at her blankly, so she sighed. "Who were the best teachers for you?"

"Oh," I scraped my thoughts together. "Well, I'd say Miss Evergreen, obviously, but honestly they were all good."

"Are you joking?" Keira looked at me in disbelief, but Finley understood how it works.

"Well, they all liked Lettice, didn't they."

"True, lucky bitch," she gave me a smug smirk, and I punched her lightly.

"Hey, it wasn't all good!" I commented, thinking back to the last few years.

*****

It was dark outside. Beside me, Keira was asleep, snoring peacefully as she was tightly wrapped in her blankets. I, on the other hand could not find a comfortable position, and tossed and turned causing my roll mat to crinkle and the material to squeak against the silky fabric of my sleeping bag. Eventually, upon realising I wouldn't get to sleep however much I lay there, I sat up and looked around the dark, confined space of our sleeping section. 

Sighing, I wriggled out of my camping gear as quietly as I could, the zips making me cringe at their loud whirring sound. I padded along the main tent area before slipping my shoes on over my large fluffy socks and slipped out into the cool night air. 

With the gentle moonlight to guide me, I quietly made my way over to the trampoline, where I got out of my shoes and sprawled out staring up at the cloudless sky. I exhaled, and lost myself in the endless constellations before the snap of a twig brought me back to reality. Should I sit up? Should I stay put?

I end up thinking about it too much to move, lying rigid as whatever was there moved closer.

"Hey," Logan's voice whispered from the darkness, soothing my mind and making all my wild theories discipitate. 

"Hey," I reply, shuffling over to make space for him, and grateful for the dim lighting as he lies with his side brushing mine. "Couldn't you sleep either?" 

"I heard you leave, and thought I'd check up on you," he answers, his voice full of kindness. 

"Oh, I'm fine, thanks," I smile, rotating my head to look over at him.

"Good."

A few minutes of peaceful silence pass before either of us even move. He sits up, so I follow, curious. 

"So, can I ask you a question?" he speaks out of the blue.

"I guess now would be a good time for it," I grin, shrugging as I pull my knees in and rest my weight on my arms that were stretched out behind me. 

"If I was to ask you out, what would yiu have said?" he finally says, so softly I almost miss it. 

Time slows. I breathe hard as my stomach fills with the feeling of butterflies. Is this the moment I've waited nearly five years for?

"Yes," I breathe, my eyes staring at him longingly. I bite my lip lightly as I await his response, which comes after a painstakingly long time, and not at all how I had imaginged it.

He slowly leant in, inching closer with each passing second until I could feel his warm breath that smelt of a fresh mint. I closed my eyes and leant in as I felt his lips close in on mine. I sat up fully as he pulled me closer and I reached my hands up tangling my fingers in his mass of curls as his wrapped round my waist. The scent of a musky cinamon envoloped me as adreniline pumped through me until we broke apart for air, collapsing back onto the??? 

"So are we official?" I whisper, rolling onto my side, wrapping my arm around him as I buried my head into the crook of his neck.

"Yea, if that's what you want," he whispered back, resting his head on mine and returning the hug.

"But what about your reputation once school restarts?" I mocked half-heartedly, because it was true. 

"I guess I'll find a way."

So we lay there, intertwined, gazing up into the beautiful galaxy covered in pinpricks of light, listening to one another's heartbeat until my eyelids drew heavy and ever so gradually fluttered shut.

So we stay in this mess, this beautiful mess tonight.