The Bar and the Butterfly [BWWM]

Chapter 7

We were far out of the city, but I could still see the skyline in the distance. It looked so small, yet commanding. It was so surreal. I have never seen Chicago like this. All of my drawings of the city skyline didn't come close to what it felt to really see it. The breeze took my hair as I opened the door and stepped out of the car. Today has definitely gotten warmer. The sky was blue, not a cloud in sight. I couldn't tell whether or not we were still in late September or had stepped into May. The breeze from the large lake just below the bridge we had parked outstretched my entire view, almost obscuring the skyline, but everything together felt just right. I let out a soft breath as a soft breeze brushed against me.

"Wow," I didn't realize had escaped from my lips, breathlessly. I felt Ezra take his place next to me at the railing of the bridge.

"Yeah, I used to come here all the time with the fam when I was young... Never gets old." I kept my eyes at the sight in front of me, taking in the subtle beauty of the warm sun and the blue skies adjacent to the skyline, the sound of the chirping birds in the distance and the sounds of the large lake, rolling and crashing against each other. I could spend all day here.

"Come on," I soon heard Ezra suggest. I quickly turned to him to see him reaching his hand out with a thick blanket in the other. "If you think this is beautiful, just wait till you see where we're headed."

"You're rather confident you can top this view," I joked, grabbing his hand as he led us across the bridge.

"I'm rather confident I can top most of everything you've ever seen continuously." I wanted to roll my hands, but I couldn't help but let out a chuckle at his attempt to tease me.

"At least everywhere we go will be a new place I can take in and enjoy." I heard him let out a laugh at my attempts to come back at him. "Sure, laugh at me all you want, but I'm experiencing something you couldn't even fathom." I felt him sling his arm around my shoulder and pull me close.

"I'll take that as a 'you're so incredible for helping me do this Ezra'," he spoke with a higher-pitched voice trying to mimic mine. I gave him a curious look, not realizing what he was trying to do at first. As he spoke, we made our way off the bridge and entered a valley region and led to a long trail across the meadow region.

"I mean, I wouldn't use the word incredible, but I really do appreciate you doing this with me." He hummed to himself as he led us through a more woodsy area along the trail, shielding us from the crisp breeze and introducing us to the vast array of tall trees stretching out the view.

"Ouch, well I guess that's your way of strengthening our friendship," he spoke as he hummed to himself.

"By actively making sure my appreciation doesn't go to your head as something more than a friendship." I gulped. What was I doing lying at this point? It was already obvious I saw him as something a lot more than a friend. He let out a soft chuckle.

"You're sly. You know what you're doing." As he spoke, a mischievous smirk appeared across his lips. We walked over across another bridge as we followed along the trail. This time, just below was a small stream leading to the large river we were approaching.

"And what would that be?" I cocked my head innocently as I spoke.

"Making it seem like this is just us doing something like friends."

"I feel like it could be worse, people could think I'm walking around with my paperboy. Imagine the horror." He turned to me with a comically shocked look.

"Now you're just insulting my profession."

"Maybe," I said as I shrugged my shoulders.

"I should do something about that."