Dying Wish

[17]

Food, friends, fireworks. You can get all three at a Fourth of July picnic.

What night would be better than this to give her the gift? Everyone from school jetted off for vacation afterwards. The neighborhood was going to be dead. Yeah, this was best. Music woke me that fateful morning. I knew why.

Downstairs, Alice was bouncing off the walls, super ready to go. Hips already squeezed into a pair of jean shorts, arms sleeveless, buried into her hair were the temples of sunglasses. She was stuffing towels into a backpack when she noticed me.

"Morning, sleepyhead," she said.

I smiled, "Alice, did you sleep at all last night?"

"Not a wink. I packed your bag, too. Think you'll be ready around one?"

"I think I can handle that."

"Great! Today's going to be the best!" Alice went back to putting the finishing touches on her bag. I took the memory of her smile with me as I got ready. Some shorts went on my legs, a sleeveless shirt over my chest, and a bag slung around my shoulders. The white box went in the bag while she texted at the door. I told her I was ready. Her reply was, "You know, we could transpose there."

"The teleportation thing?"

"Sure, why not, Gray? We'll get there faster. No one will see us. Promise." She winked.

Images flashed in my mind, stuff I'd rather not relive. I told her, "How about we walk? It's such a nice day." Alice craned her neck out the window. My muscles loosened when she smiled. She would agree.

Her bag came off her shoulders. "All right. Enjoy carrying everything, Gray." 

"All right," I said, rolling my eyes with a smile. I carried her bag by the head loop. We glided through the sunshine to a grassy field of green, where frisbees soared across the bright blue sky. Where laughter lulled us under a shady tree. Overhead, birds rustled through the leaves. Our feet stopped at the piles of backpack surrounding the trunk. I reluctantly added ours to the pile, to not give myself away.

Nearby, wood benches enjoyed the shade. So did our classmates. Those who wanted to talk and keep an eye on the sizzling hamburgers and hotdogs. Nothing beat the mouth-watering smell of barbecue.

Fourth years took turns managing the post. Styrofoam plates began to fly off. I grabbed mine from Alice. The hamburger was halfway decent, actually. I use this word "Halfway" because that's as far as I got on my meal. A sudden swap left me with Alice's ketchup and mustard hotdog.

To burn this off, someone held up a rubber red ball. "Kickball anyone? Boys v. Girls?"

"Right here," I said. Hands cupped, the ball popped into my palms. I stood and reached my hand toward Alice. "Only if they can handle the heat." She smirked and grabbed my fingers. We cleared a spot, threw down some bags for bases and a pitching mount, the game ended with a victory for the boys.

"GRRRR! YOU GUYS CHEATED," Hannah screamed.

"Now, now," Alice tried to calm her. "But you guys did cheat."

"Pshhh! Says you," I grinned.

Everyone broke out their towels for the main event. We found a spot where I could lay flat on my back and watch the clouds drift until the first firework whistled across the dark veil of night. The explosions shook the world. We begged for more hissing flames and crackling light. Being there was every bit the wonder I hoped. So terrific, it earned the approval of Hannah. She told me so, in her own special way.

Fingers pinched my ear. "Ow!" I wailed. Hannah told everyone within earshot not to give us any attention. She told Alice she needed to borrow me for a second, something Alice allowed despite my agony. Hannah pulled me off to the side.