Life in Search ✔️

14 ~ Pretty

The world is beautiful.

It's so strange what a change in perspective can do. I hated going outside, the sun was always too bright. The trees doing nothing but providing sanctuary to all the things that bugged me, plus I always got splinters when I snuck out.

When Sage suggested hiking, I almost said no, but I'm so happy I didn't. I don't know if it's the fact we won state, there's no school this week, or because I'm with my friends doing a legal activity, but I'm in love. The chirping insects are music to my ears. The sun providing warmth against the light breeze.

Life is wonderful.

"Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to walk ahead of the girls." Sage admits, staring up at all the trees as he walks in a circle.

"You're lost?" Sterling starts.

"Aren't you?" Silver finishes.

"What an idiot." Sam adds, the trio shaking their heads.

He blushes, holding his phone in the air in attempt to gain service. "Am not."

James laughs, sitting down on a lump. "We'll be here a while."

"They aren't too far behind us." I remind them, trying to stay upbeat.

Sage laughs, "Between Scarlett and Saffron falling every few feet it's gonna be a hot second."

"Yeah, I'm surprised we made it this far with Sterling tagging along." Silver jokes, barely dodging a punch from his twin.

It's amusing to watch them, polar opposites in every way but still the same. We all sit down, tossing rocks back and forth to pass time. Part of me wants to take a nap, but that won't be the best decision.

"Scarlett, a snake!" Ronnie cries in the distance.

We all jump up as Scarlett's voice carries back. "For the last time girls, they're vines from trees."

Simultaneously we all sit back down, trying to ease the pounding of my heart. They're fine, mom will kill me if Ronnie gets hurt. A few minutes later the girls break through the trees, Ronnie and Saffron attacking the twins with sticks.

Ella and Stella seem perfectly fine, stopping to drink water. Scarlett, however, looks like a train wreck. Mud is smeared across her arm, a few leaves sticking out of her braids. "What the hell happened to you?"

She glares at me, pulling at her tank top, "Nature happened to me."

Choking down a laugh, I pick the leaves out of her hair. "Not a fan of the outdoors?"

That's a bummer.

"No, it's beautiful." She admits wistfully. "There was a time when I would've killed to spend hours out here, a sketchbook in hand. The canvas changes in every direction, it makes you appreciate how evolving life is."

Her words hit me deep, we all end up in the ground one day.

"But I tend to fall a lot." She adds to lighten the mood.

Letting out a chuckle I notice dirt on her cheek. Resting my fingers along her jawline my thumb brushes across her cheekbone. She gasps, looking up at me with wide eyes- friends.