Chills| Daniel Seavey x Hannah Kepple

The Memories of that Summer

The trampoline was a blast but when their legs couldn't take it anymore they simply laid down on the bouncing material beneath them. Their giggles were still being emitted into the fresh night while Ben, Ella and Anna ran off racing to get inside first. Hannah and Daniel sitting up in the trampoline watched as they disappeared inside leaving them all alone. Daniel busied himself with looking down at his hands which hung over his knees while Hannah sighed and he felt her eyes move on him. "So... It's just us."

"Yeah..." Daniel tried hard not to sound awkward but it wasn't worth trying. He somehow felt good in the new girl's presence it was almost like she didn't care if he was awkward. "I heard a rumor about you..." Daniel wasn't either going to shut up.

Hannah laughed rolling her eyes. "Already? Gosh, I plant scandals everywhere I go." 

Daniel looked at her now and smiled but Hannah wasn't giving up which made Daniel regret even opening his mouth. "Are you gonna tell me of my sins or not? Go on... Lemme hear what you heard."

"Does the trampoline sound anything gross to you?" Daniel hinted watching as Hannah's eyes crinkled and her mouth broke out in a huge grin. "No way! My siblings told you!" And she kept laughing which made Daniel laugh along to. 

"You must think I'm a shameless person by now..." Hannah covered her mouth and then stared at Daniel. "It didn't go down in the end... my dad was there."

"Wow..."

"I know... stupid. Sitting on this very trampoline gives me the hibbie jibbies."

"Uh we can get off if you want-"

"Why?" Hannah furrowed her eyebrows through her sly smile. "The night is sprinkled with beautiful stars." Hannah fell back and invited him to lay down next to her. "Lay back so we can count the stars together."

"Are you sure? We can just-"

"Damn sure. Come on! Maybe we'll even see a shooting star." Hannah shrugged. Daniel did as she said and then peered up at the night sky covered with stars. She explained to him some theory about stars and constellations but he wasn't able to hear any of it when his boy mind was imagining the inevitable with her next to him. 

The silence that descended upon them was the only reason he snapped back into reality. Daniel turned his head to see Hannah's eyes were closed and she was smiling. She peeked one eye and saw Daniel staring at her. "Hi..."

"Sorry I-"

"You need to stop apologizing. I was simply meditating."

"Meditating?" Daniel asked turning his head back towards the sky while Hannah looked at him and exhaled. "Just thinking..."

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing... Just letting the air fill my lungs and feeling it in my veins. It's good."

"Oh..."

"Try it." Hannah sat up halfway having moved closer to Daniel who felt his breath stop at his throat. Her eyes were sparkling in the dark and her warm breathing was on his neck as she sat up entirely to look him in the eyes. "Sit up for a minute, Daniel."

A chill ran up his spine hearing his name on her lips but of course Hannah didn't know that. "Take a deep breath, close your eyes and then let it out. Keep your breath steady."

Daniel closed his eyes as he took in a deep breath, not before staring one more second at Hannah, and then exhaled. "Keep doing it." Hannah said softly. "It really relieves me when I'm stressed about something."

Daniel opened his eyes to see Hannah lay back down and Daniel followed her. 

"What do you wish for?" Hannah asked him after a while. Daniel listened to her question and thought about it. "I've always liked playing instruments-"

"Ooh! Do you like sing?"

"Um not as much as I like to play... But I guess you can say I sing. I write songs mostly when I'm bored. I'd like to make music."

"That's gold. I'd like to hear you sing someday..."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"No one's ever asked me to sing before..." Daniel said thinking back to third grade when he was called up to sing The Stars-Spangled Banner for the school but ran off stage crying. "People intimidate me sometimes..." Like coincidence, the two turned to meet each others eyes at the same time. Daniel swallowed while Hannah smiled at him. "I wouldn't judge you even if you were the worst singer."

"But you'd probably laugh..." Daniel wondered.

"No... I'd only listen." Hannah bit her bottom lip. "I can't wait for you to sing me a song."

"And you, Hannah, what do you wish for?" Daniel inched his question just as a shooting star crossed the sky and Hannah practically leaped with joy. "Oh my gosh Daniel wish on it!"

Daniel wanted her to wish on it too but Hannah was too excited to even wish anything.

When the shooting star was gone Daniel looked at Hannah. "What about your wish?"

"That wherever I go or may be I want people to remember me for the kindhearted person I want to be."

Daniel smiled at her and Hannah smiled back. "The rest is just dreams."

🥶

The coming week flew by like a blur for Daniel.

The last remaining days of summer vacation were quickly coming to an end and Hannah made them well worth on the family outings. From the lake to the movies to the picnics and late night talks on the front porch, Hannah was indeed fun to be with.

Although there wasn't anything romantic about these outings since the parents and siblings were around, Daniel was more sure of his growing feelings for Hannah Kepple.

Hannah did things to him when she looked at him and more when she smiled and laughed. She was cute when not meaning to and the way she lightened up a situation was one to fall in love with.

He was sure she liked him back if it wasn't for the moments that replayed in his mind in slow motion.

The time she held his hand before jumping into the lake.

The time she leaned into his ear to spoil Olaf's death before the movie started.

And the time she hugged him when she met him next.

"You're the cutest, Daniel Seavey!" Hannah had gushed when he showed her his room and she stumbled on a baby picture of him. "You and those same dazzling blue eyes."

Her pretty eyes fixed on him as he blushed.