First Love

Chapter 2 Fireworks

Dedicated to Francesca_erose

Thank you for being my first reader and voter I didn't know whether this was a good story idea and your vote meant a lot.

Amy

As soon as we step outside I see the guy standing at the streetlight laughing. Seems that Anton made friends quite easily, but aren't all guys like that? They can go months maybe weeks before seeing someone but when they do it is like they have always been friends. I often wish I was more like that. Don't get me wrong I have absolutely no problem with making friends but I struggle to keep them when I discover how different we are and how our morals differ. But at the same time I look for friends to be reckless with and to push me out of my comfort zone but I have never been able to really like the rebels that smoke or get wasted when they are still underage, but that is a story for another time.

The girls say they want to go talk to the guys and see if we can all do something together. I hesitantly follow along because I know anything we do with them is bound to get us in trouble. My mom is completely fine with me staying up all night wondering the streets with the girls but as soon as you add boys to the mix it's like she thinks we are going to make a sex tape together or get it on in the bushes. It is times like those that I wonder what she thinks of me.

We decide to play toktokkie, if you don't know what that is it is a South African game where mostly children knock on the front door and run away. One thing I have realized before is that every time we play toktokkie we only do the first few houses then get tired of running and just walk around. One of the guys keeps playing with a lighter and it really irritates me, here in the southern hemisphere it is summer which is also rain season so I know he can't ignite anything but still. It kinda reminds me of those people who play with knives for fun like you know they won't hurt you but it is still makes you anxious to watch.

It is currently 11 pm and we decide to head home knowing our families always go down to the river to watch the fireworks at midnight. We sit on the driveway while the guys sit across the road under a tree like they are afraid to get burnt by the fucking moon! We start playing truth or dare and Deline dares Rachel to ask the boys who they liked they most of us four. Deline goes with Rachel as they walk over to the boys. I feel so nervous because I like one of them but I don't even really know him I mean I don't even really know what he looks like! All I know is he has dark hair and he is quite tall, or at least the tallest among the four of them. I don't really expect him to say he likes me because I have always been self conscious due to my family always telling me I was fat and I also had acne that looked horrible to me. My brother is one year older than me and he was extremely skinny and fast whereas I never enjoyed jogging and I could do long distance but my speed needed work. I was only forced to do it to lose weight, my dad had complete his first half marathon at the age of seven and it was like he expected the same from me and was disappointed that I wasn't his 'mini me'.

Rachel comes back all giggly and Deline says two of the guys like Rachel and one likes her while Anton likes me. One thing I forgot to mention was I never really liked Rachel, she was an only child and used to getting everything she wants but I know there is more to her story. I still feel deflated even though this was what I thought would happen. Rachel says she likes the tall one and I wish I felt mad but I only felt sad because how was she supposed to know I like him too. I have never been comfortable talking about guys I like with anyone but I am fine talking about other people's feelings and love lifes.

Anton comes up to me about a minute later and asks if he can get my number. A part of me wants to give it to him because even if I would never date him I think we could be good friends but to be completely honest the only number I ever memorized was my mother's so even if I wanted to give it to him myself I couldn't but I know if I really wanted to I could just look at my number on one of the girls' phones. We looks kind of sad that I said no but knowing Anþon tomorrow he would be off asking some other girl for her number.

All the adults come outside with the children that were watching tv or playing inside.

Mom:

Are you kids ready to go down to the river and see the fireworks?

Me:

Yes mom we were all just waiting.

The whole parade makes its way to the river, it is at the edge of the estate and about a five minute walk. Anton is the only one of the guys that go with us seeing as the others probably needs to go to their own families. On the way my mom introduced me to the new neighbour, she said they had just moved in today and it was nice already making friends with her neighbour.

By the time we reached the river it was packed with teens having parties and people waiting for the fireworks. Each year we stand relatively close to the chinese people because they always have the best fireworks. This year we were going to try our own but ours look very weak compared to theirs kind of like comparing a chicken to an eagle.

We only bought seven fireworks that came as a combo. My dad helps me but we realize we have absolutely no idea how to set it up. We jab the stick of the firework into the ground before lighting it and backing away.

BOOM!

We quickly realize that is definitely NOT what to do when it just explodes on the ground about twenty meters away. Adele, Deline and Daphne's mom, pulls them back to cover them but spills a whole bottle of champagne over their heads in the process. I would have laughed my ass of if I wasn't utterly terrified at that moment. However I burst in laughter when they turned around with champagne dripping from their faces!

Deline:

Well at least we started the new year with some champagne.

This just made me laugh harder until everybody joined in. One thing I loved about these people were they were the type of friends that laugh at each other before helping and understanding what was done was done all that was left to do was laugh about it.

We went back to my house and shot those fireworks that come in a tube and you can shoot while holding it. The party continued till about four the next morning so we walked around ate some desserts.

Another year started with people I enjoy being around and that will look back at this with me and laugh like hyenas.

*****
Thank you for reading!
I dedicated this to Francesca_erose because she was the first person to vote and that was the motivation I needed to know someone even if it is just one person wants to read this.

Q: One place you want to visit?
A: The Himalayas