Him & I

- CHAPTER 20 -

- C R U S H -
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Olivia
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

2 months later

The Summer holidays had just begun and I was really looking forward to spending them with Bobby. It was a Wednesday afternoon and Bobby and I were playing 'it' in the garden at Jagged Blossom with Percy. We hadn't been playing for long before Max and Esther were out to join us.

It became one of those moments when you just feel so free and careless. Nothing else mattered; it was just us, happy and alive. Bobby was 'it' and from the way his eyes never left me, I knew I was his target. I started running away, laughing like a maniac. At one point I used Max as a shield, pushing him forward as a sacrifice but Bobby didn't take the bait, dodging Max to run straight at me. I squealed loudly as his fingers narrowly missed my sides and I ran towards the trampoline and dived on to the black, bouncy surface.

"Wrong move, Ollie." Bobby chuckled breathlessly, pulling himself up to join me.

I noticed Esther, Max and Percy gather around, watching the show with huge grins on their faces. Bobby and I walked around the outside of the circle, eyeing each other up, daring the other one to make a move. Percy was giggling in excitement from his position on Max's shoulders and as soon as he screamed at me to run away I jumped off the edge, cackling wildly, Bobby in hot pursuit.

"Come back here!" He shouted, mischief clear in the laughter he tried to hide.

"You'll never catch me." I threw over my shoulder, running directly into the side of the house with a thud.

Bobby was at my side in an instant, grabbing my hand and trying to help me up. The other three were quick to follow. I couldn't move, laughter shaking my whole body as I reflected on what had just happened. I moved to the strange type of laughing where you don't even breathe; you just turn as red as a tomato and roll around like a dying walrus.

I think the faces of confusion made the situation even more hilarious and I was gasping for air, trying and failing to control my breathing. I let out a final breath before finally moving into a sit up position.

"What...was that?" Esther said, stunned into confusion.

"I don't even know." I replied breathlessly, a hint of laughter still at the back of my throat.

"Well, seeing as you're fine," Bobby began, "YOU'RE IT!"

All four of them ran off to different points in the garden, a new spring in their step as they tried to avoid my touch.

Percy would obviously have been the easy option, his little legs only carrying him a small distance at a time, however I chose not to go for him, deciding it was too mean. I also decided not to target anyone, thinking the game would be more fun for everybody playing.

I saw Max's shoulder peeking out from behind a tree and I dashed over, hiding on the other side.

"Maxy! She's on the other side of the treeee!" Percy frantically shouted from his spot up in the treehouse with Esther.

"Percy!" I yelled, annoyed as Max ran away.

Challenge accepted.