the bucket list | lrh

38 - you seem a bit nervous

It didn't take Mariam and Valentine that much convincing before Luke gave in to giving to the bonfire. It had been a while since he'd last seen his friends in California, and the idea of going out with Valentine felt appealing to him. The two had been awkwardly secretive, and he wanted to have a good night so that he could get things back to where they were. He missed her, honestly. He wanted to know what it would be like to kiss her. He wanted to hold her hand, to be with her, to hold her close while he slept.

Needless to say, Valentine asking him to go to a bonfire with her was a no brainer for Luke. He would never deny her, though he certainly wouldn't admit that. After a few groans and sarcastic comments about the crowds, Luke shrugged in surrender and gave in to the girls theory that this July fourth would be the best day of their lives.

The only thing that had Luke dreading this night was the fact that Mariam was helping Valentine get ready, and that didn't end up too well for him last time. Luke promised to compose himself when Mariam pulled him to the side about it while the little girl showered, and he wasn't sure how much worse it could get after the first time.

That was, because he hadn't seen Valentine dressed yet.

"You don't think I look weird?" The brunette backed up and walked around a little in front of Mariam's full length mirror, examining her dress and the way it rose up whenever she took each step.

"It's so cute, I'm telling you! And with the hair, god you look beautiful!" Mariam cheered, admiring her work in transitioning the girl to fit in to the scene they would be attending that night.

"And it's not too much makeup?" Valentine asked, running her hands over the braids atop her head, a hairstyle Mariam had insisted on. The entanglement split off at the bottom of the girls head, falling into two beautifully curled pigtails.

"No! The makeup is perfect! You honestly look like a fairy," Mariam encouraged the girl for the hundredth time in the last ten minutes.

As Valentine straightened out her floral print dress she hissed at the exposed skin on her chest. The v-neck hung low enough so that Valentine began to worry if she would get cold. Of course it was summer in California, so that was irrational, but her chest was on full display and she felt exposed.

"Okay... I'm trusting you," she blushed, looking back at the curly haired girl who had just finished straightening her hair. She looked like a totally different person, but not any less stunning. Valentine took note of how gorgeous she looked, and grew a little more confident in her outfit. If she looked anything like Mariam did, she was content with it.

"Good, now lets go," Mariam moaned, dragging Valentine away from the mirror she'd been glued to with all of her strength. The brunette put up a fight, wanting to check herself just one more time, but it didn't really phase Mariam.

"Ready?" The not so curly haired girl called out to the boys in the house, who were glued to their phones in the living room.

"How are we riding?" Nathan called back to his sister as the two girls rounded the corner to face them.

Valentine's eyes automatically snapped towards Luke's, and the two exchanged knowing looks before the blonde's eyes wandered downwards, taking in the little girls get up. He caught his breath in his throat, refusing to let it go in fear it would come out as a groan. Something about her hair had Luke feeling awfully caught up.

"Well, we uh..." Mariam began, stepping away from Valentine as Luke stared unfalteringly.

"We can take the Jeep, Luke and Val in his car?" Mariam suggested, grinning at the little girl as she panicked a little in realization. Luke acknowledged the exchange, noting the way Mariam had set him up yet again. She was practically dangling that damn brunette in front of him like a token of war.