Under the Gray Willow Tree

Chapter 22

I grabbed a bit of all the food laid out in front of me and had to resist the strong urge to stuff everything in mouth all at once. It was all so tempting but no, I really couldn't.

So instead, I ate it all very slowly, savouring all its taste to the very end.

I finished the meal by popping one last green grape into my mouth. My teeth sunk into the juicy flesh of the grape, tearing the skin as it's sweet juice burst into my mouth.

So delicious.

I swallowed the last of the juice forcefully down my throat, and washed it all down with a huge swallow of the lemonade. I dabbed my mouth with a white napkin that Gray had brought. My throat felt oddly dry, so I took another swig from the plastic bottle to quench my thirst.

I am stuffed.

I feel like a stuffed turkey on Thanksgiving Day.

"Hey, Willow?"

My head immediately perked up at the sound of my name.

"Yea?"

"Come over here."

I turned to look directly into the striking grey eyes of Gray. He patted the soft grass beside him, indicating that he wanted me to sit next to him. He was leaning against the trunk of the weeping willow tree.

Too lazy to actually get up and walk, I just crawled towards him, and snuggled up next to him. I leaned my head on his chest and just sat there, perfectly comfortable. The last streaks of sunlight were already fading out, and we were soon left under the tree in the night.

The bright night.

"Do you want to go and see the stars?" Gray asked, sounding as if he was asking a little kid.

I shrugged in reply. "Whatever works."

He got up first, and grabbed my right hand to help me up. He pulled me towards him and his arm snaked around my waist. He pulled me in and walked me towards the open sky, pushing the dangling leaves of the willow aside to let us through.

We went out into the open night sky and lay down on the soft grass, my head on his chest. I was snuggled up to him once again, and we were both staring at the dark, starry sky. It was the night of the full moon, and I've never seen the sky full of so many stars before.

The city is just too bright to see the stars. But in the countryside? It's perfect. It's breath taking as well.

And that was exactly what we did for a whole thirty minutes; just lying there, staring into the night sky, which somehow soothes my heart.

"There's something I want to do," I heard Gray mutter.

I looked at him, curiosity and amusement twinkled in my eyes. "What is it?"

"Come here, I'll show you."

For the second time that evening, he pulled me up and led me, this time, back towards the middle of the willow tree. He went straight towards the trunk of the tree itself. I cocked my head and watched him curiously as he produced a pocketknife out of his pocket. He flipped it open and turned his back towards me.

"What are you doing?"

"If you want, you can come here and see for yourself."

Curiosity easily got the better of me, so I went to see. I grinned goofily at what he was doing.