Moving into your new home with friends and family is the only way to do it and get it all done in a single day. The house that started the day with only a few blankets and pillows and a laptop now had boxes piled to the ceiling in nearly every room, furniture was placed in the designated rooms and that was enough effort for the day.
Pizza boxes littered the kitchen, and Leia bounced back into the pool as soon as Jasper brought in the last box from my jeep. There was a vibe in the house that made me the happiest I'd been in a long time. I never wanted it to end. Though everyone knew good things didn't last forever.
Two days after Carly, Leia and Brittany showed up, they had to leave. But before they left, we were going to make sure they had a day in Florida that's as the just unpacking their friends new home. The day after they arrived, and after a good amount of boxes had been emptied and delivered to the dump, we went to the ocean.
My father and Jasper had been the only ones in our group to have ever been to the ocean before. For the rest of us, it was brand new and it was amazing.
We sat along the sandy shore of Cocoa Beach. The sun was shining and felt warm on our skin without being overbearing. The water lapped at our legs as we sat, every so often collecting a sea shell that washed ashore.
Brittany rested her head on my shoulder as we watched Jasper and Leia snorkel under the water to get a better look at the sea creatures just below them.
"I'm going to miss this." She says quietly as she puts her arms around me and pulls me in for a hug. "Going to miss you. Maybe I can convince Leia to move down here eventually. Hospitals here do pay better than back in Rosenwood. I'm sure she'd want to get away from the snow back home. I know I do."
"Yeah," I bummed. "I'll be perfectly okay never seeing an ounce of snow ever again." I squeezed her back. "If you ever need a place to stay here, you know Jasper and I will welcome you with open arms no matter the time."
Brittany pulled back. "I know." She turned back to them just as Leia popped out of the water with a strand of seaweed, whipping it in Jasper's direction who then proceeded to yelp and dive back under the water.
We both laughed at the scene in front of us. "Who knew double dates at the ocean could be so much fun."
"Where are your parents?"
"They'll be here soon, they wanted to do a little Sunday drive around the area." I laughed. "Probably to look at potential retirement homes for when they finally decide to retire." I glanced down at the sand. "I don't think they'll ever truly leave Rosenwood though. No way will they leave Blaine there by himself."
Brittany promised that her and Leia would go to Blaine's grave at least once a week to spruce it up and leave fresh flowers and to give him some friend time. They'd be there when my parents couldn't, also they'd be there because of Jasper and I no longer being there. It was nice to have friends liked that, friends that cared about something that meant so much to someone else.
Eventually I found my way into the water, swimming up to Jasper who caught me in his arms, holding me close. Putting my arms around his neck, I kissed him.
"Nothing like a day at the ocean." He murmured. "Glad the weather decided to be nice today."
The nice weather wasn't supposed to last long. A huge rainstorm was supposed to come the day after my parents left which was only a few days away. Hurricane season was also right around the corner. We had a lot to prepare for.
I only bummed my response as Jasper and I swam in circles. He didn't press me for an answer, content to just hold me in the water. It was one of the first moments since we got here that we had a moment to ourselves, though we weren't alone, we still felt like we were in our own little world. It was peaceful.
After my parents showed up, we got out of the water and had a little picnic my mom packed for us. She always loved taking care of others, it was her motherly instinct coming back to her in full force. It was nice to see her in the element she loved so much and hadn't been able to do in a long time.
"Thanks, mom." I told her as I sat down with my plate. "You guys enjoying the ocean?"
She hummed. "Definitely. I know I'm going to be sad to leave it behind."
"Me too." Leia said longingly, staring at the waves crashing not far from us. "I'm kind of jealous of you and Jasper."
"I'm definitely jealous." My dad said, elbowing Jasper as he did. "Drive an hour and be at the ocean?" He shook his head as he took a bite of his burger. "Why we didn't move here when you guys were kids is beyond me."
"Jasper wouldn't have come." I say. "His parents were intent on him staying in Rosenwood for his education, didn't want him switching schools."
Jasper nodded. "Yeah. Who knows where we'd be now if you had lived here?"
"Away from you." I say. "Unhappy until I had my friend back with me. Also I probably would've had my brother be an absolute bully to me without my protector to save me."
Many times as we'd grown up, Jasper would step in and defend me if he thought Blaine had taken things too far. It didn't happen often but when it did, Jasper always made sure to make it so I was never in harms way even when there was no chance of any kind of harm happening. He'd always made me feel safe, even then, and even more so.
We spent the rest of the night at the ocean until the sun went down before going back to the house. My father and Jasper began to start up a fire in the fire pit the last owner had left behind. Setting up chairs around it, we huddled in a circle as if we were out camping in the woods.
The night was far from chilly though the fire till felt good and comforting. We told stories and are s'mores like the good old days. Then we made plans to go to the theme parks the next day. When we crawled into our hastily prepared bed that night, I voiced some concerns to Jasper that had sprung up on me when we discussed the next days plans.
"Jas?" I asked, pulling up the cover to my chest. When he hummed in response, I continued. "Tomorrow, at the parks, I have to admit I'm a little scared."
"Of what?" He asked, turning towards the bed after shaving. "We won't make you go on anything you don't want to."
"That's not it, though I appreciate that sentiment."
He sat on the bed. "I'm not following, Sades."
A sigh escaped me as I lifted the covers from my left leg, what remained of my left leg. The prosthetic was leaning against the wall next to me, I had to air out the leg.
Jasper's eyes darted to it and widened as he understood what I was trying to get at. His hand drifted to my thigh, stroking soothing circles into my skin, I felt the comfort in each stroke.
"Sorry, Sades, I didn't even think about that." His eyes lifted to meet mine. "We don't have to go if you don't want to."
"No!" I nearly screamed at him. Then with a lower, more comfortable tone, I went on as I put my hand on top of his. "I still want to go, Jas. It's just, I'm not sure if I'll be able to do the things I've been wanting to do since I was a kid. And we only have the one day with our friends so, we probably won't even have to worry about it tomorrow, it still just sits at the back of my mind. I still want to go, I know we'll still have fun. No coasters tomorrow but maybe at a later date. I just wanna stroll around and visit Harry Potter world with you."
He squeezed my hand. "Then that's what we'll do."
And it was exactly what we did.
The next morning at the crack of dawn we all piled into our cars and made the drive to Universal Orlando Resort. After Jasper and I talked about my nerves, I was able to relax into a fit of excitement. I wasn't able to sleep for an entirely difficult reason that I had thought. Jasper couldn't sleep either and from the sounds we heard within the rest of the house, it was a contagious feeling. Electricity was in the air.
Getting out of the car and to the metal detectors made my heart race once more. Though when the guard waved me through and the machine beeped at me, the guard was kind enough to smile at me and help me through the short experience by complimenting my shirt.
"You came prepared to become a wizard?"
I grinned. "Witch, and I'm sure you hear people say that all the time."
"I do." She agreed with a smile, waving me through. "It's still special to see someone's first time though. Have a great day."
"I will, thank you."
Once through security and through the arches that welcomed us to the park, I was in awe. Through all the people, all the attractions and the food, I never wanted to leave. Forget our new house, I wanted to live here instead.
Jasper pulled me to various rides, helping me with the prosthetic leg. After the second ride, it was me pulling Jasper with Brittany, Leia and my parents and Carly trailing behind us. I felt a new excitement course through me, nearly what I had felt when Jasper and I were in Paris. I felt free, I felt like how I used to before the accident.
I felt like me.
We sat down for lunch after a while just before we got onto the train to head over to the other park. We had gotten out of Diagon Alley only when Jasper and managed to loosen my hands from the bricked entrance, telling me we had to eat and visit the other side of Harry Potter. But I was in love with this place, I wasn't sure how anything could stack up to it.
While I wasn't sure then, I knew now. The train dropped us right at the entrance of the castle. The sun was beginning to set already making me feel a little sad. This had been the best day I'd had in the longest time, it was also my last day with my friends. My parents would be here for a few more days but my friends left tomorrow.
Getting off a couple of the rides had us walking along a bridge with a gorgeous view of the Hogwarts castle. The way the sun hit it was unlike any view the films ever gave us. I leaned against the wooden railing just staring at the castle next to my mother when I felt eyes on me.
Slowly I turned to find Jasper staring at me. He was staring at me with his head cocked to the side, his cheeks were flushed from either the heat or something else and his eyes, those hazel eyes seemed to glow with the setting sun. He was beautiful. And apparently, he was thinking the same thing about me.
"What are you looking at?"
"You." He responded coming up behind me. "Do you know how beautiful you look when you're staring at something you're in love with?"
"I'm not in love with it." I tried to say but even as I said the words I knew they were a lie. Nothing had been as beautiful as the castle that helped bring a part of my childhood to life.
He only gave me a look that told me he knew I was lying but would be nice enough to not say anything about it right now. That would come later I was sure. Probably as we were watching one of the movies because there was no way I was coming here and not going home and watching one. I was staying in this world one way or another, whether it be physically or mentally, I'd be there.
He tucked some hair behind my ear. My mother laughed quietly as she pushed herself away to join my father who was down a little ways from us to give us a small space of privacy. After Carly and the girls left, I'd give my parents some one on one time, I was sure Jasper wouldn't mind a bit.
Together the seven of us walked out of the dark and now closed park. Heading back to the cars to go home to spend our last night together for god only knew how long. My arms were tucked in with Brittany and Leia while we rode with Carly back to the house. I was going to soak up as much time with these girls as I could before they left in the morning. They had plans to leave at the crack of dawn. It would be another night of little to no sleep for me.
With Harry Potter playing on the television, Brittany, Leia and myself laid on the floor of the living room as if we were having a sleepover as little girls. Even now as fully grown women, we cuddled up to each other and watched our movies with popcorn and soda strewn about us. Carly was in a recliner just behind us. My last night with my girls.
I wished morning wouldn't come. I had no problem not sleeping if it meant tomorrow wouldn't happen and my friends would still be here.
If only wishes came true.
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