Burned Words

My cousin tugged me by the wrist out my front door, practically dragging me behind her.
"Jessica, calm the fuck down! They're not even on my road yet!" I said, trying to take my arm from her grip.
"Never!"
We laughed and she finally let go. I panted, as did she, as we sat down on the curb outside of my house. I looked over at her next to me, smiling.
"They will be here soon though," she said, "Right?"
I laughed at her enthusiasm. "Well, they live like ten minutes away, and Mikey called me" - I checked my watch - "about fifteen minutes ago saying they were leaving in a few minutes. So... yes."
Right after those words came from my mouth, the familiar black SUV pulled up in front of us. I ran back into my house and yelled, "Brittany! Haliegh! Ms. Donna is here!" My sister and stepsister came running down the stairs, my father said "Have fun!", and we all sped out the door. I don't even think we closed the door.
The three of us climbed into the back of the Way car; Jessica had already gotten in. Donna Way was driving, Gerard was sitting in the front passenger seat, Jessica was sitting next to Mikey and Mikey next to Frank in the backseat. Brittany made her way to the far side of the very back set of seats, I sat beside her in the middle, and Haliegh sat next to me. I was appreciative that I got to sit behind Frank, but disappointed that I didn't get to sit next to him. The SUV was big, but with so many people it felt crowded. The Misfits were playing in the speakers throughout the vehicle, the song was London Dungeon. All of us were singing along, smiling and laughing.

We piled out of the van onto the grass, running together towards the logs set up around the fire pit. My shoes were filled with sand from running through it, and I'd accidentally kicked it all over Jessica's legs. I saw her as we sat on the same log and laughed. "Damn, I'm sorry," I said, still laughing.
She kicked sand at me. "Now we're even." She smirked stupidly and I playfully punched her arm.
In addition to all of us that rode together, Matt was there waiting for us, and Cecile had brought along Hayley.
After everything was loaded out of the very back of the Way van next to the logs, the brothers searched for burning materials to add to the existing pile. Gerard lit one stick and threw it into the pile, and pieces of cardboard caught fire and not long after, the whole pile was engulfed in flames.
"Okay, who wants snacks and soda?" Donna yelled, holding up a bag of cheese curls and a bag of potato chips. She sat them onto the sand next to a blue cooler.
Basically everyone made their way over, talking amongst each other. Jessica, Frank, and I all went for the bag of puffcorn. I laughed and said, "Okay, so who gets it?"
"Share?" Frank suggested, smiling at me. I felt my stomach turn.
"Alright," I said, trying to brush off my butterflies. "Oh! By the way, Jessica, this is Frank, Frank, this is Jessica. She's my cousin who just moved in on Clearman Place."
"Hello Jessica!" Frank said, giving my cousin a hug. She gladly hugged back.
"Hello Frank!"
I smiled at them both and gestured towards the nearest log. "Sit?"

The three of us sat side by side on one of the four downed trees, me in the middle. I held the bag of puffcorn. Everyone was settled on the logs by now, as we'd all said our enthusiastic hellos. "Okay, so, Jessica!" I said, turning towards her. "You met Gerard and Mikey in the car, and Frank near the cooler... And you know Haliegh and Brittany of course." I motioned towards my stepsister and older sister on the log beside ours. "The boy next to Brittany is Matt, her best friend, and Gerard's friend." Gerard was on the next log, keeping control of the boombox and looking very lonely. "The girl with Mikey"- I pointed over to the girl with her hand in Mikey's -"is Cecile, his girlfriend." They were at the opposite end of the log that Gerard was on. "And, the other younger girl next to them is Hayley." Jessica had been looking around at everyone before then, but she kept her eyes on Mikey and Cecile.

We were there for a while before the sun finally set, and when it did, the fire looked gorgeous against the dark. The flames reflected in the water of the river, making it look like liquid fire.
"Marshmallows?" Mikey said, bag of jumbo marshmallows in hand. Everyone came to his attention, and there were various answers said that meant 'yes'. He handed everyone a stick, then poked a marshmallow through it. We all stuck our marshmallows into the fire; I burned mine. Frank laughed at me. "Shut up!" I said, pushing him.
"Make me!" he said back, still laughing. I put my hand over his mouth and he licked my palm. I still wouldn't take my hand away though. He set down his marshmallow stick and pryed my hand away using both of his. I was still giggling. He was grinning really wide.
I looked around the logs again, at basically all of the people I was closest to. Jessica had migrated around, trying to get a chance to have a conversation with everyone. Right now she was with Mikey and Cecile; they looked like they were enjoying her company. Brittany was now sitting next to Gerard and they were talking about music. Matt and Haliegh were talking about Gerard & Brittany. I don't think they had much else to talk about. And Frank was still beside me, as he had been since the bonfire started. Hayley had sat with us after she got herself a soda. Our log was right next to the cooler, so after she got a Coke (and one for me, and a Diet Coke for Frank), she started talking with us and sat down.
I felt a chill. "Gah, it's August, the nights aren't supposed to be this cold!"
Frank laughed at me, like he had many times that night, then put his arm around me. "Better?"
I hid my face to keep him from seeing my cheeks turn pink. "Much."
Hayley smiled at us and spoke up, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Ghost stories anyone?!"

I went home that night sitting beside Frank in the Way van, practically falling asleep on his shoulder. I hugged him before getting out of the car and then walked inside with Haliegh and Brittany. We didn't talk about the bonfire that night, just smiled at each other. I lay in my room awake, all night. It was partly because I was always so happy afterwards (and also about all the time with Frankie), and partly because I was scared that a ghost would murder me in my sleep. But mostly because I was happy.