The Law of Polarity

8. It Turns Out Fireworks Can Be Internal Too

"Aiden can you grab the last chair? My arms are full," Wren asks over the top of the open trunk, as I'm grabbing the last of our stuff from the backseat.

"Yeah, I've got it. Go ahead, I'll catch up in a second."

I close the rear door of her sedan and readjust the stuff in my arms: some chips, a lawn blanket, a football, and a box of sparklers. My sweatshirt is tied around my waist—the one from my bottom drawer—and it's weighing me down even further.

I somehow manage to grab the chair from the trunk, shut it, and trudge towards the group without dropping anything.

Yeah, I've got it. Uh-huh.

I spot them in the park, setting up our spot in the grass.

The whole park has a pretty good view of the fireworks that our University puts on every year. There are a few spots on and off campus that people gather, but this is one of the closest and best.

It's also one of the most popular.

But they chose a good open spot where there'll be room for the six of us and all of our crap.

I lug the stuff over and drop it on the ground, not caring where or how it lands.

The others make short work of setting up the chairs, drink cooler, and snacks. I just unfold the blanket and plop down, huffing in the early evening humidity.

"I'll take the blanket since there are only 4 chairs," I decide. "Since someone, cough Jasper cough, didn't bring the other two back from Mira's."

I give him a playful glare as I kick off my sandals to the side, then pull my knees up so I can dig my toes into the cool grass over the blanket's tattered edge.

He rolls his eyes, mumbling, "I said I was sorry already, gosh dad."

"He's more of a Daddy," Ronan smirks. "If you guys are done being lil' bitches anyone wanna throw the football around before the sun sets?"

Most of them get up to join except for myself and Wren, who's sitting in her chair right next to me.

"You guys sure? It'll be fuuuun!"

"Nah," Wren says. "I'm comfy here, you guys have at it."

I shake my head. "No, I'm good, thanks. Pass me the chips before you go?"

Jasper tosses the bag at the back of my skull.

They head far enough away so they won't accidentally hit us and spread out to put some room between them.

We watch the ball spiral through the air towards Ronan who leaps for it. He makes a fancy spin and tosses it high for Aster, and she lines up for a perfect catch.

"Nice catch, Babe!" Wren calls out.

She takes aim for Kal and sends it flying right to him. He gets his hands on it, but it pops out of his grasp, rolling away.

Laughing, he jogs to grab it and lobs it back to Ronan. Some of his curls fall in his eyes and he moves them off his face. He looks lighthearted, yet focused as he watches the ball sail between the others before he calls out something I can't quite hear. Whoever it was must've replied cheekily, because Kal just sticks out his pink tongue before the ball sails towards him again.