Tethered Tats

Chapter 5

We're in a forest with parts not level to the rest. I take a snapshot of the boys in front of me, they both have their arm around each other and look towards the sun, casting shadows behind them.

We come across a stream and start jumping across the rocks but I slip on one, almost falling until Tom quickly grabs me and almost throws me to the other side. I giggle and we carry on walking, not talking much as we soak in our surroundings.

We take a selfie and as the little picture comes out the top, I put them in my small notebook to keep them from scrunching and damaging.

I go to get the stone that found its way into my boot before I look up and notice I'm all alone.

"Flynn? Tom? Guys? Flyom?" I shout, cupping my mouth to make the sound travel further.

Shit. Where are they?

I feel someone throw me over their shoulder, fireman-lift style and twirl round, I yelp and hear the two of them laughing as Flynn plonks me down from his shoulder.

"Not funny," I sulk and cross my arms.

"Aww El, we were only joking! C'mon, I'll give you a piggyback." With that said, I jump onto Flynn's back and hold on, I kick his side.

"Giddy up!" I shout and he laughs, acting like a horse as he 'gallops' around for a bit before slowing.

"Guys I'm hungry!" Tom moans from behind us.

"Tough, we haven't even got halfway through the hike yet!" Flynn says to Tom.

"Don't worry Tom. I stole a little something from the kitchen before we left." I reach into my bag and throw a Galaxy's ripple bar at him and he jumps in delight. He takes a bite and moans with joy.

"Fuck, this chocolate is so good!" He says, taking another bite.

We end up within the forest where the trees have already thickened and now cleared into a wide open space, massive rocks scatter parts of this grassy place. Flynn puts me down on one of the rocks and he sits beside me. He looks into my eyes with his beautiful green ones, my heart thumps in my chest and he smiles widely at me, putting a few strands of hair behind my ear. Our foreheads almost touch.

"If you're gonna kiss, I'm going to throw up," Tom says and we all laugh.

I breathe in and close my eyes, letting the sun glow on me, the heat feeling good on my skin.

"Yo, what's that?" Flynn asks and I open my eyes, seeing a massive rainbow bug crawling up the rock we are on. I pick it up and Flynn Scooches to the end of the rock.

"You're afraid of this little bug?" I give a short laugh, letting it crawl across my fingers. "Legends say that if you kill one it'll rain."

"Well we wouldn't want that," Flynn says, coming closer. I look into his eyes and take his hand, letting the bug scuttle onto his palm and it slowly walks off his finger and drops onto the grass below.

"Guys I'm still hungry!" Tom yells, he's climbing a tree near us.

"Better feed the pet," Flynn says, pointing to his brother with a thumb. I laugh and we head back.

"What can I get you?" A lady at the cafe asks, her ginger hair pinned into a bun.

"Burger and extra chips and a chocolate milkshake, I'm starving," Tom asks.

"We know!" I roll my eyes. "Just some chips please and an ice tea."

"Burger and tropical smoothie will do me, thanks." Flynn hands her the menu and she strolls off to fetch our orders.