Amore Mio ✓

LIV. Birthday Girl

Alice's POV:

I tucked my lips over my teeth. "Why are you like this?!" I hide my face by pretending to gaze out the window. I couldn't help but continue smiling, feeling the butterflies swarming around my tummy, feeling his thumb grazing across my left finger.

We exited the town, and I turned back to see the buildings getting smaller and smaller until it disappeared. The sun shines on all the dry grasses surrounding us, making it seem like a field of gold.

The low country song filled the quietness floating around us. I rolled down the window, inhaling the fresh air, feeling the wind blowing against my skin. There was a low, soothing humming, soft tone creating a wordless melody coming from the person beside me.

I smiled at him, then my nose twerked, and he stopped, "Oh my God! What's that smell!"

Neilson inhaled a deep breath through his nostrils. "Nature."

I looked out to see us passing a farm. "Is that cow poo?!"

He chuckled and nodded, "Breath through your mouth."

I inhaled a breath through my mouth and started choking, tasting the smell. He laughed, "Don't worry; we will pass it soon," he threw an arm over my shoulder, pulling me closer to him as my eyes started burning. I grabbed his shirt, breathing in his scent, attempting to lower the beautiful natural aroma.

He shook me lightly, "Alice wake up."

My eyes cracked, glancing up to see Neilson, "We're here?" I asked and smiled.

"Yeah."

I sat up from his shoulder and stepped out to stretch my aching body. My eyes gazed around, a yawn exiting my lips as I see...trees...many trees.

Neilson popped the trunk, and I walked towards him to see him taking out a pair of black shoes. He closed it, then grabbed my waist and put me on top of the car. "You know I can put it on myself," he got down on one knee and took off my heels.

He pulled on the white socks. "I know," he smiled, "but I want to do it."

I sat there staring at him as he pulled on the shoes. He held my heels, and I hopped off the car. I watched him as he grabbed two backpacks. "You're going to make the birthday girl do work?" I gasped.

"Eh, you need the workout. You just ate two boxes of chicken mcfugget and my fries," he said teasingly, and I stuck out my tongue at him.

He grabbed a large hat and tucked it on top of me. "Let's go," he held my hand, and we walked into the thick forest. The light streaks through the leaves, leaving shadowy beams. They were white, illuminating the greens into virescent riots.

I let go of his hand and walked backward, tucking my thumb between the holes of the backpack strap, wondering what's inside. "You're not taking me somewhere and making me disappear, right?"

He smiled, resting his arms around my shoulders. "That sounds very tempting, but no," he spun me around, and we continued walking down the trail.

A river caught my eyes, seeing it flow. Brief crescents of white arcing liven the water surface as they swim. We stopped at a pile of stones, and Neilson hopped on it, laying out his hand for me. I jumped on it, and we continued our rhythm until we reached the other side.

We resumed our walk on the trail that seems to grow much more narrow as time passed, and I wondered if Neilson is taking me somewhere no one will find me.

The sun was beaming above us, and I thank mother nature for granting us these freakishly tall trees. Quietly the birds chirped around us. There were some other unknown sounds stuttering between the trees. Once in a while, we took a break and ate the food inside the bags. We would frequently stop to take photos together.