Grey Street // H.S.

Chapter 23: "Look how they shine for you."

"Plus, I thought maybe if you had something with a little more structure maybe your mum would be more open to the idea of you painting instead of becoming a doctor."

"I don't think my mom will be happy with me ever, unless I win a Nobel Peace Prize or find the cure to some rare cancer." I say quietly, following Harry further into the tall grass. I'm surprised he hasn't fallen over yet since he's still walking backward and Harry isn't exactly coordinated with his gangly legs.

"I'd like to think that isn't true," he says back but doesn't smile this time because I don't think even he can believe it fully either.

"How come even when we do something you want to do it's still revolved around me?" I ask because today was supposed to be about exactly that and he picked something that was far more in my interest than his. "God, I'm so self-centered that I even unconsciously manipulate my friends into doing things for me."

Harry laughs and then stumbles on his feet tripping on something on the ground. He luckily manages to catch his footing before falling to his ass, but it's a close call. He has a brief moment of terror as he's sure he's going trip to the ground but then he starts laughing harder and I can't help but join.

"I did it because you're my friend, Elle, and I like you better when you let yourself be happy not because I worship you or something like that. Plus, now I'm going to be the selfish one now because this is what I want to do."

He turns around now and decides to walk forward, not wanting to risk another almost fall. Even with the itchy grass brushing against my legs with every step I can't help but notice the beauty around me. It's nearly dark at this point except for a little bit of sunlight out in the distance. Harry walks in front of me with a backpack slumped on his back, taking large steps over the grass. Everything around us is yellow except for a few bunches of purple flowers that peak through the field. In the distance I see a cluster of fireflies, sparkling above the grass and it reminds me why I love summer nights so much.

"What are we doing anyways?" I ask because Harry has yet to tell me much about anything tonight.

"Hmm, I'm not sure I want to tell you since you rarely tell me anything until we're in the middle of it." Of course he chooses to be difficult. I probably deserve it anyways since I constantly put him in much more compromising situations.

"That's what is so great about you though. We're different, Harry, and you don't try to make my life difficult." Maybe if I butter him up he'll stop trying to pull a classic Elle move.

"A compliment and insulting yourself all at once, wow you really are good, Ellison."

"I know how to get what I want."

"You are pretty skilled at that," he looks back at me and smiles but doesn't finish telling me his plans like I hoped he would.

We walk a little longer through the grass field and the itch on my legs is starting to become harder and harder to resist. Damn me and my insistent need to wear shorts. After a few more moments of walking we get to a section of land where the grass is much shorter. I'm relieved when we walk through and I no longer have itchy grass bushing against my skin with every step. I'm not entirely sure where we are right now except for that it's a few minutes outside of town and there are no signs of people anywhere. I don't know how Harry even realized this place existed.

He walks to middle of the clearing and takes the backpack off from behind him. After unzipping it and pulling out a large blanket he spreads it across the dead yellow grass. He looks over at me for a moment to where I'm standing about three feet away and then he lies down on the wool blanket. He doesn't say anything and looks up at the sky that is getting sprinkled with more stars with every moment that passes.