The Leaf Catcher (on hold)

Chasing the Stars

Chapter 15

The day after I visited Kaiden's house, Nora and I went shopping, trailing down the bumbling mainstreet in an attempt to buy some Christmas presents. It was fun, being in her company and joking about all the trivial little things she liked to joke about, primarily how stupid Ollie was, and how she didn't feel like she could own a cat without killing it.

That was a real nice subject that she brought up as we were reached the checkout, much to the alarm of the assitant there. 

 It felt like forever since I'd had some quality girl to girl time with her, and it felt as if it was just what I needed.

The only thing that wasn't dandy about the day was how frustrated I got when I couldn't find the right presents. With me, it was all or nothing. If I didn't think that a present wasn't exactly right, or exactly what I wanted to get someone, then there was no way in hell that I was buying it. And with Midwich's limited supply of haphazard shops, it was no surprise that the inside of my cheeks were just  a little raw from biting them in annoyance.

Mum came home the following Saturday, buzzed with how well her conference had gone, and full of apologies for not being at Tommy's appointment. It was hard, saying that it was fine, that I was fine with it, because I wasn't. Not really. I loved her. Oh of course I loved her, but sometimes I think that in her attempt to escape her grief, she'd somehow left behind the knowledge that she was now a single parent - a single parent with two children still living at home - and it made me angry.

Slogging through homework for a solid day and a half, I smiled every single time I thought of Kaiden. Actually, it was rather alarming how big my grin was, even when I was around Tessa or Tommy. I just couldn't seem to wipe the stupid thing off my face. 

Kai and I hadn't spoken, which in a superbly odd way, was actually really nice. Not amazing, or brilliant, or even great. It was just nice. The kind of nice you experience when you see people reunited; the quiet understanding and acceptance of an onlooker, an outsider even, to the scene. 

 I liked that we were doing separate things but I didn't know what, because it left so much to imagination. Whilst I was inately interested in what he did - of course I was, for heaven's sake - I was also keen to guess, because it made me feel like I knew him. Really knew him.

It also gave me something to daydream about when I was procrastinating completeing my mechanics in physics, but that's by the by, isn't it?

On the 18th December, the annual Christmas beach bonfire took place. Whilst every other normal English community had a bonfire night on, believe it or not, bonfire night, Midwich had it during the run up to Christmas. I didn't know why, although I'm sure my history teacher would've, but for as long as I could remember, Nora and I had walked down to it together, arm in arm, each time complaining about how we hadn't worn enough jumpers.

It was exactly the same this year.

"Oh sweet baby Jesus, if he actually exists, why do we do this to ourselves Meg? I swear every single bloody year, we agree that we won't be so stupid and actually wear something warm but no. No! We have as much common sense as a fucking bat when it comes to this god awful freezing night. I swear. I swear next year, I will wear something warm. Argh!"

That would be Nora.

"Well, there is something called a fire down there tonight.You do realise that, right? A fire? You ever heard of it? It's pretty rad actually; quite orange...quite warm...really cosy."

And that would be Ollie.

Yeah. It was usually just Nora and I. Go figure.