Think About U

{19}

Max is laying in the sand watching the fireworks so I get up to sit with him. "Want some water bud?" I ask holding out my water bottle. He sits up taking it from me, "when are we gonna do our fireworks" he questions then takes a long drink from my water. I shrug drawing in the sand in front of me, "you'd have to ask Chad and Joji about that one." With that response he stands up struggling a bit before stumbling back to the boys, I shake my head and follow him. "Hey, let's do our fireworks, we didn't buy them for nothing." Chad puts his drink down and stands up throwing his arm around Max's shoulder, " Well Maxy boy, let's go get the fireworks." He slurs a bit steering himself and Max towards the house where the pile of fireworks lay waiting on the deck. A slightly buzzed Ian stands up as well, beer in hand. "I should probably go help" he half sighs and makes his way to Max and Chad. I join Joji on the blanket earning a smile from him, "See, tonight hasn't been that bad" he snakes his arm around my waist. I rest my head on his shoulder, "Well maybe if things don't literally go up in flames tonight MAYBE we could consider making this a tradition, with a bigger place to stay of course." Before he can say anything the boys return, each of them with their arms full of fireworks ranging from sparklers and Roman candles to big fireworks that had clearly cost a good bit of money. "Well, boys... and girl." Chad glances around the group before setting down his pile of goodies looking in the decent sized stack for a moment finally deciding on the first firework to set off. "I think we've got a few things to celebrate, 4th of July is upon us, all of our careers are going great, Georgie boy somehow convinced Ash to be his girlfriend. And because you're dating that brings me to the last thing to celebrate, that now makes you an official cancer crew member." He motions to me as he finished his "speech". The boys erupt in cheers and laughter. Ian raises his drink, "to the new and definitely improved cancer crew." Everyone follows his actions, even Joji and I raise our soda and water bottle. With that Chad walks off and finds a spot a safe distance away from both our canopy and the water to set off the fireworks. I grab a beach towel and lay it out a few feet in front of the canopy so I'll have a good view, this prompts Max, Ian, and Joji to plant themselves in what was going to be my spot. I sigh as Max and Ian give me goofy drunken smiles. Chad walks back up, "do you have a lighter?" I pick up my shorts and shove my hand into the pocket producing a white Bic lighter and drop it into Chad's palm before sitting down on the towel in front of Joji. He leans forward wrapping his arms around me pulling me closer, I lean back resting my head on his chest and look up at him taking a moment to really let it sink in that all of this is my new reality. He chuckles looking at me, "comfy?" I nod leaning up briefly to kiss him on the cheek before settling back into my spot causing him to grin and Ian to groan, clearly over having to deal with us already. "Here we go, boys!" Chad yells getting everyone's attention and finally lights the firework. He runs back to us as an explosion of bright glitters of color fill the sky. We let Chad set off a few more then take turns picking and setting off the rest until we're left with nothing but sparklers and a handful of Roman candles and decide to take our "party" to the back deck. Chad grabs his chair and a cooler, I gather the sandcastle things and pick up any stray trash I see while the boys pack everything up, I rejoin them I jokingly bump Max with my shoulder giggling as he stumbles a bit. We quickly make it back to the house and I put everything up before running inside to grab a portable speaker. When I get back outside Max takes the speaker from me and hands me a beer, "you earned this" he pats my head then walks away. I shrug and take the beer following Max to the seating area, setting the beer down on the table. I watch as Max stares at his phone for a second before he finally figures out how to connect it to the speaker. I look at Joji, "Wanna do sparklers with me?" I smile giving him subtle puppy dog eyes. He chuckles extending his hand and letting me pull him out of the chair before lacing his fingers with mine "Sure baby, why not." I grin taking a pack of sparklers from the table and we sit on the steps. Joji takes a sparkler from the pack and hands it to me but when he reaches over to light it Max pushes his way between us and seats himself comfortably in the middle. "I left the speaker with Chad, it's too complicated and I didn't wanna miss out over here" He smiles. I hand Max the sparkler I have, "How about we trade spots and then I light that?" He looks at the unlit sparkler for a moment thinking, "ok sounds lit." He smiles again, a bit of childish excitement in his eyes as I stand up letting him scoot into my spot. I squeeze myself between them and take the lighter from Joji lighting Max's sparkler as he watches totally amazed, I laugh to myself because I haven't seen Max this type of drunk in a while. I set off a few sparklers too then decide to go sit down on the couch. I get comfy and watch as Joji, Ian, and Max decide to move on to the Roman candles. Chad drops down on the couch with me offering me a cigarette. I take one from the pack, lighting it then handing him the lighter. Ian notices Chad and I aren't participating in their chaos and calls us out, "Hey, you two get your asses over here. It's bonding time." I shake my head and make my way to the boys with Chad following not far behind, clearly tired. When we get to them Joji and Max are singing Colt 45 and getting ready to set off more roman candles. Ian hands Chad and I a firework each and I push my way between Ian and Max. Max turns around confused, "Well look who decided to join us." I shake my head at him, "I wasn't even away from you for 5 minutes, calm down Maxine." I hear Joji laugh and say "That's my girl" under his breath. Max unfazed by my comment lights the roman candle in my hand then his. A few minutes later we've finished the fireworks and I decide it's time to go upstairs and shower. I walk up to Joji and hug him, "I'm gonna go shower and change, think you've got this under control?" I motion towards the others. "You go ahead I've got this, I'll probably get them inside and have them distracted with cartoons before you get out." He leans down giving me a small kiss. "Good luck with the gremlins babe, " I laugh leaving him outside with the intoxicated man-children.

Word count 1276.