Summer of Love

For the fourth time on Saturday morning, there was a bang on the door and I growled with annoyance. It’s the weekend and I want to sleep in. On the fifth, I bolted upright, glaring daggers at the door.

“What the hell do you want?” I growled aggressively and watched the door inch open a crack only to see a familiar glowing silver eye filled with amusement.

I sighed and flopped back down in bed, covering my face with my pillow. “What do you want?” I mumbled as I listened to him step into the room and close the door behind him. Suspicious, I moved the pillow to see what he was up and gave a cry when I found his face inches from my own.

He chuckled and moved away only to sit on the edge of my bed, while I curled away from him wearing my fluffy blue kitty pajamas. He eyed them with a raised eyebrow.

“Cute,” he said and I glared, suddenly aware that I still had bed head and hadn’t brushed my teeth yet.

“I don’t care about your opinion. Why are you in my room? Better yet, why are you even in my house?” I demanded, hitting him with my pillow which he deftly blocked with his hand. He smiled around it.

“You seriously can’t forget what day it is today,” he said in disbelief, looking at me as if I had grown an extra appendage and I narrowed my eyes. I tried to think of what today was, but nothing important came up. I gave a shrug and he frowned, mocking an expression of hurt surprise.

“That hurts, Misa. It really hurts that you’ve forgotten such a special day,” he said and looked away with a sigh, rising to his feet.

Curious and suddenly worried about what was so important, I grabbed his sleeve. I wonder if it’s someone’s birthday. That would make me a terrible friend if I forgot their birthdays!

“What is it?” I asked hurriedly and he opened an eye to peer down at me, that smile sliding across his lips.

“My birthday,” he said smoothly and I gave him a bland look before releasing his arm and covering myself with my blanket.

“You woke me up for that? Here I thought it was something important...” I muttered tiredly and yawned. The blanket was jerked from my head and he glared down at me with annoyance.

“It is important. That’s why I came to wake you up. You’re taking me out today,” he said with a sly grin and I stared at him in disbelief.

“No I’m not,” I said sternly with the shake of my head and his grin widened as he backed away, and I sat up nervously.

“No, seriously, I’m not!” I cried as he backed out the door, closing it behind him with that wild grin of his. He paused and winked.

“I’ll be waiting downstairs,” he said too cheerfully and closed the door behind him, leaving me fuming.

Unable to do anything else, I snatched my pillow and screamed as loud as I could into it. I rolled my eyes with a sigh and rose from bed and stormed into the bathroom to shower. I took my sweet merry old time doing my hair and getting ready, while thinking of the man downstairs. I narrowed my eyes, wondering why I had to be the one to take him out. Where was everyone else?

The more I thought about it though, the more I began to realise that I owed him for what he had done for me. He deserved to have some fun on his birthday and I suppose if that included wanting me to take him out, then so be it. It couldn’t be all that bad.

I stepped into the living room and saw all my friends nice at home and glared, folding my arms.

“Don’t you guys look all cozy,” I said sarcastically and snatched my bag from the table near the door and moved to get my shoes.

Sara snorted from her place on the couch, snuggled up to Jack. “Of course! We do live here now after all.”

I glared at her as I slipped my shoes on. “I don’t remember asking you guys to move in.”

Hannah looked up at me from her place on the opposite end of the couch, cuddled up to Fox, who looked like he could care less. Her eyes were bright and worried, her forehead creased. I hated that look; it got me every time. Speaking of which, I could already feel the guilt creeping up my spine and I sighed in defeat.

“We didn’t mean any harm, Misa...we just wanted to be with you so you wouldn’t be alone...” she said softly in her girlish voice and I lowered my head. That girl knew how to work people with that face of hers and those damn eyes. She could master being a snake charmer.

“I don’t mind at all,” I said sheepishly, feeling ashamed for making Hannah look so unhappy while I tried to ignore the triumphant smirk from Sara. “I’m glad that you guys have stuck by me throughout this whole ordeal.”

I smiled honestly when I realised just how much I loved having them around all the time. It made living in here easier without Derek. My friends had done a lot for me, so no, I didn’t mind them living me or the fact they just welcomed themselves in. I wasn’t alone like I thought I was going to be and that made me happy.

Cian rose from his perch on the chair and walked over with a smile. I stepped away as he leaned over to slip on his shoes and he smiled at the deft move.

“Are you ready?” he asked silkily and I narrowed my eyes suspiciously and pointed to the others.

“Why aren’t they coming if it’s your birthday?” I questioned and Jack looked over with a grin.

“Cian said he would only celebrate his birthday if you spent the day with him. Sara and Hannah have been planning a party, so we agreed to stay home,” he said happily and I slowly turned my glare to Cian and shook my head.

“You are the creepiest person I’ve ever met,” I muttered and stalked out the door, leaving Cian to wave to the others and follow out behind me.

Shoving his hands into pockets, he caught up with me and lifted his brows. “So where are we off to?”

I looked around in confusion before settling my gaze on him and shrugged. “I don’t know, it’s your birthday. Where do you want to go?”

He mimicked my shrug and I slapped myself in the forehead with a sigh. “Well, do you want to shop, have lunch...what?” I asked with annoyance and he just shrugged again.

I clenched my hand into a fist and clubbed him over the head and he glared at me.

“Birthday boy here. You’re not supposed to hit me,” he said with irritation and I growled in warning while rummaging in my head for something to do.

Suddenly I remembered a carnival that was coming to town and smiled. I suggested it to him and he just shrugged and looked away in boredom. I shook my head with a hopeless sigh and led the way to exhibition grounds.

Arriving, I was happily surprised at how big the amusement park was this year. I could see a Merry-Go-Round and a good deal of other rides. Suddenly I felt excited for a day out instead of working or having to go to school. This was my first real fun thing since Derek died. I don’t include the dance because it was extremely hard to enjoy myself to the fullest, though I do have fond memories of it.

Having thought of the dance, it brought up Cian’s confession to me and I stole a glance at him from the corner of my eye. Did he really mean it or was he just messing with me as he always does?

He took his eyes from the grounds, catching mine with a look of surprise. “We’re going to a carnival?”

I looked back to all the pretty lights, chattering people and flashy rides with a frown. “You don’t like carnivals?”

He stared at me for a moment and just as I began to get uncomfortable, he smiled and shook his head, looking towards the amusement rides.

“We may be a little old for this sort of stuff, but I loved these as a kid, so why not?” he said with a carefree shrug and started ahead, leaving me staring after him in awe. So easily he was able to make up his mind, even though it included something childish.

That was the start of being able to see him a different light, though I hadn’t even realised it had started to happen.

I hurried after him to the gates where I paid for us both and smiled at his horrified expression. We explored the grounds to see what all there was and eventually I dragged him onto numerous different rides and found myself having fun. I hadn’t laughed like this since Derek passed away. That was when I knew everything was going to be okay.

After riding the rollercoaster, we headed down a strip we had overlooked and I spotted a large photo booth. Curious, I grabbed Cian’s hand and ignoring his surprised and blushing expression, dragged him inside to discover it was one of those dress up booths!

In the end, I had decided on an old western photo. The background was chosen to be inside of a saloon and I was dressed in a long brown trench coat and brown pants with cowboy boots and a white Stetson. My hair was mussed up to look like I had just arrived from a day on the old dusty trail and I had a gun holstered to my side. Cian didn’t look too impressed about playing dress up in a matching trench coat with black pants with matching cowboy boots and a black hat, holding a huge glistening black rifle. Man...did he ever look sexy. Right beside our heads in between us was a wanted poster of our faces.

I laughed on the way home in the setting sun when I took another look at the picture. Cian shook his head, and ran a hand through his hair.

“I don’t see how that was funny. It was totally embarrassing,” he mumbled in exasperation and stole a glance at me. I continued to laugh, sneaking another peek at the photo and missed his warm expression and relieved smile.

“I surprisingly had a lot of fun today,” I admitted freely with the nod of my head as he wove through the crowds of people in town.

Cian smiled and gave a shrug, shoving his hands into his pockets. “I guess it wasn’t too bad.”

I shook my head and turned to smile at him. “Liar. You enjoyed it as much as I did. I saw your face,” I teased and poked his cheek as we continued on, but his eyes never left my face. Surprised, I met his gaze and blinked.

His lips didn’t smile, but his eyes did. “You enjoyed yourself too.”

His voice was quiet and looking into his eyes, I knew what he was saying. Thinking of Derek, I smiled and turned away. I was unaware as to when we had stopped walking and arrived on the bridge. I gazed over the edge down at the river and sighed, feeling happy.

“I did enjoy myself today. I guess I’m the only one who has realised that I actually was more myself and laughing today,” I said serenely, watching the golden light from the sunset sparkle on the water as it rippled in the crisp breeze.

I heard him walk over and felt his presence behind me, though he kept his hands to himself. The heat from his body warmed my back and sent chills down my spine. I really, really had fun today and surprisingly...it was with Cian.

“That was the real reason I wanted you to come with me today,” he said quietly, his breath tickling my ear and my eyes widened in surprise. Slowly, I turned to face him, stunned.

He had forced me out of the house so I could have fun? He had pretended to be a spoiled brat, wanting only me to take him out when really he wanted me to just be happy. My heart swelled and instantly I felt warm and fuzzy all over. The butterflies had awakened, but they were lazy, slow and just...warm. This boy...this man who had always hated because he was always mean to me, went this far just to see me smile and hear me laugh?

Out of the blue, I felt hot tears prickling my eyes and he gasped in horror, instantly reaching out.

“Oh no, why are you crying? Whatever I did, I’m sorry!” he said in a panic, his eyes wide with concern and confusion. Obviously he didn’t know what to do with crying girls.

I laughed despite the tears and wiped them away on my sleeve. He looked so adorable and freaked out because I was crying, but inside I was just so happy. I couldn’t believe he went that far just to make me happy, to see me smile and have a good time. Oh, Cian...you are so strange.

I smiled over at him and gave a tiny sniffle. “I’m okay, its okay. I’m just really happy,” I admitted with a faint blush and watched his cheeks tint with embarrassment before he looked away with a boyish face.

“Well, all you were doing was moping and bringing everybody else down, so I had to do something,” he lied, feigning annoyance and I laughed. My God, I felt so happy.

I reached out to him as he began to walk away, blushing furiously and grabbed his jacket sleeve. He stopped with surprise and turned to look at me, but I didn’t want him to see my face so I threw myself against him, burying my face in his chest. He gasped, his arms held out in astonishment while I wrapped my arms around his neck. I closed my eyes, though my face was burning hot and held fast.

“Thank you...and Happy Birthday, Cian,” I whispered, feeling close to bursting with happiness.

He was silent, but eventually I felt his arms wrap around me and hold me close. It was so embarrassing, but in that moment I couldn’t care less. Right now, he had the most points in my book for being the one to help me through Derek’s death.

His breath tickled my neck. “I’m just happy to see you smile.”

I buried my blushing face deeper into his chest and smiled widely.

Thank you, Cian...thank you so much for helping me find my happiness.