small world

chapter 52

HARRY

The sun was a bright movie screen, illuminating the day like faces in a theater; but as soon as it was nighttime, the film was over and the sky faded to black, replacing the burning star with the moon, leaving only the credits to light up the room: the stars shined on. The moon lit up the world in a completely different way, glowing overhead like a disco ball twinkling in the night sky, reflecting tiny little stars that floated in the blackness like a fistful of glitter in the air. The water was calm beneath us, but in a distance you could hear the hushed roar of the waves crashing against the shore, kissing it quick before inevitably being pushed away.

The lads had one by one disappeared into the nightlife of Sydney, Liam making his way to the airport to pick up Danielle, and eventually the rest of the girlfriend’s were scheduled to join us for a good portion of the summer. But for now, it was Charlie and I with tanned legs intertwined on a chaise lounge chair on the deck of the boat listening to the still of the silence broken up by our hushed voices. It was almost too majestic of an atmosphere to speak – as if talking would only take away from the beauty, but Charlie’s voice sounded like my favorite song on replay, and there was nothing that could be much better than that.

Her dainty manicured hands played at the hem of my t-shirt, brushing ever so lightly against my skin. Her touch still managed to make goose bumps erupt all over my skin like a match falling to the ground and spreading like wildfire. It was amazing and yet no surprise that after all this time she still made me feel like it was the very first time she touched me, the butterflies were long gone by now, replaced with the beating drum of a bass: my heart thumped solely for her presence.  The ocean air blew by gently and the tiny hairs around my face tickled like her kisses that she planted lightly as we sat marinating in our own bliss. Without even looking up I could see the stars sparkling, because when Charlie turned her cheek to look up at me from her place on my chest, under the glow of the moon I could see them dancing in her eyes to the low beat of her music playing.

“What happened those months ago?” her voice was almost inaudible, her eyes shifting down as the words slipped from her lips.

“Before the accident, when you were always gone, that wasn’t this,” she said squeezing my hand, “that wasn’t you.”

My head fell back onto the chair, breaking the eye contact as I looked up into the stars. The boat was still and so was my heartbeat, while hers thumped to the music and her own wonder.

“I was out looking for something that I already had.”

“Which was?” she said falling back next to me, searching to see where I found my answers in the sky.

“I was searching for something to complete me: I had everything but something felt missing, until I realized… It was you; it was always you. Since the first time I saw you, I belonged to you completely. I guess I just needed time to see that.”

Her neck extended, stretching upward toward me, meeting my lips in the middle as I bent my head downward to retrieve her kiss. Her lips vibrated against mine, humming to the tune of the music that played as she kissed me deeply.

Aren't you somethin' to admire, cause your shine is somethin' like a mirror


And I can't help but notice, you reflect in this heart of mine


If you ever feel alone and the glare makes me hard to find


Just know that I'm always parallel on the other side

Cause with your hand in my hand and a pocket full of soul


I can tell you there's no place we couldn't go