Much Like Falling

Chapter Seventeen

It had been about two months since I first started going out with Mia and we had seen each other nearly every day and still weren’t sick of each other. Things at home were beginning to calm down again and Bradley and his wife were able to move back to their own house. Hayden still acted as if he hated me, though. But I couldn’t blame him. He blamed me for Dad’s death and I guess, in ways, it was my fault. If I didn’t drive off, he wouldn’t have come looking for me.

When did he ever go looking? It was only when he was going to beat some ‘sense’ into me.

School was starting in a weeks’ time, and trust me, I wasn’t ready for year thirteen. Soon I’d be starting my last ever year of high school. I think it was safe to say that I was scared as hell. I wasn’t going to admit that to anyone, though. Not even Mia.

I took her in. she was smiling shyly beneath her hair, looking out towards the ocean. I lay amongst the cushiony grass and closed my eyes, smiling when I felt her body next to mine, gently putting her head on my chest and her hand at my waist.

This was the first time we had visited the lookout together since we saved each other. It was peaceful, as if we needed to do this to get over what happened. I breathed in deeply, matching my pace with hers. I could sleep here, in her arms. I wish.

I broke the silence, “I wish we could see ourselves through other people’s eyes,”

I heard her sigh, “I don’t.”

“Why not?” I asked; lifting my head a little to peer at her, but all I could see was her hair.

“What if you see me how I see myself?” she sat up, folding her legs. She kept her hand on my stomach, so I lifted my top to feel her skin on mine. I loved the way her skin was so gentle and cool on mine.

“We don’t,”

She turned her heard to look at me, “Really?” she asked as if I was lying.

“Really,” I smiled. “You’re really beautiful, Mia.”

“Thanks,” she said. “You’re beautiful, too.”

I shook my head, “Boys aren’t beautiful,”

Mia shrugged, “Yes they are.”

“You know I’ll always be here, right?” I wondered. “Unless I die in a car accident, or fire, or serial killer, or a disease, or-”

“OK, OK, I get it!” she laughed, lightly slapping my cheek. I grabbed her wrist and pulled her to me, so she was now lying on me. Our eyes met and I couldn’t help but smile. She really was beautiful; there was no doubt about that.

“You’re cute,” she smiled.

“I know,” I said, flicking her nose lightly. She wrinkled her nose and poked her tongue out in response, so I licked it.

She pulled back, “Ew, Emerson germs.”

“What did you say?” I teased, rolling over so now I was on top of her. I placed my hands on either side of her ribs, and started tickling her. She squirmed, laughing.

“Get off!” she screamed, trying to push me off her.

I just shook my head, leaning my face close to hers and licked the tip of her nose.

She laughed, “You’re so weird.”

I smiled, cupping her face in my hands, and kissed her.

The sun was going down now and soon we’d have to go home. I didn’t want to leave, I wanted to stay here with Mia and never have to leave, never have to worry about anything ever again.

“Are things at home OK?” she asked me as I rolled off her, sitting up to watch the sun go down. The rays looked beautiful, shining down on the ocean.

I nodded, “Yeah, they’re getting better.”

“Did you ever question whether your parents loved you or not?”

“Nah,” I said, shaking my head. “I mean, we may be an unstable family but the love my parents had for us was obvious. Why?”

She sat beside me, resting her head on my shoulder. “Sometimes I hear Mum cry at night. I wonder if I should comfort her, but then when I cry, I don’t want anyone to notice. So in the morning, I act as if nothing happened. I think she prefers it that way.”

I put my arm around her. “Maybe one night you could see her,”

“Do you think I should?”

“I think she’d like that.”

 A/N: I'm trying to finish this book as quickly as I can, so I apologise if I am rushing it a bit.. It's just a first draft anyways.