at least I have you

Chapter 15

Marcus POV:

It was a peacefully calm night with only the waves making sound as I strolled down the shoreline with Ainsley by my side. It had been a month since we had our first sign language lesson and she already knows so much, she could now communicate with Reagan, but still struggled over a few words.

"My 15th birthday is just around the corner," she stated.

I looked at her in shock!

"Why didn't you tell me?!" I asked, she laughed a little, "What day?".

"Tomorrow," She replied.

"You should've told me earlier I could've gotten you something," I said, "what do you want for your birthday?" I asked.

"For all of us to stay alive," she replied, "and for us to never be involved in chaos with those creatures" she laughed a little.

Gosh she's gorgeous— I admired her smiling face and her hazel eyes that glazed in the moonlight, and I admired her dark hair blowing in the wind. Yes, I have seen so many pretty girls in my life, like the popular girls at the school I went to, or the girls in my baseball team, but none of them can compare to the admiring beauty of Ainsley Coldwell.

"What are you staring at?" She asked with a goofy grin, crap she caught me staring. "Don't be shy, you can say that I'm beautiful" she smirked.

"Only if you say that I'm beautiful," I teased.

"But then I'd be lying," she teased, we both laughed and I nudged her.

Clive POV:

"We're running out of supplies," Evelyn started, I knew where this was going, "we need to go out their and fetch some".

"Which one of us is going to go out there?" Emmett asked as he kept switching his gaze towards me and Evelyn.

"I'll go," Reagan signed.

"No Reagan, you really shouldn't," Evelyn signed, patting her on the shoulder.

"I'm not a little girl! I know to fight for myself," she started, "why don't you trust me?".

"I do trust you, It's just that a lot chaos and bad things have happened when one of you kids went out there, we don't want that to happen again," Evelyn explained.

Reagan stomped her foot and went back upstairs.

"Why don't I stay here this time and you guys go out," Evelyn suggested, "I want to spend some time with Reagan".

"Yea, of course," I replied, "tomorrow we'll go".

- - - - -

Ainsley POV:

I woke up the next morning to the warm sunshine on my face, what a great day for my birthday! (Well, not so great since we live in an apocalypse).

I quickly rushed downstairs, hoping that they would all be down their to congratulate me. But no— no one was there except for Marcus, who was eating his breakfast alone at the table.

"Goodmorning Ainsley," he started, "happy birthday!".

"Thanks," I replied, "where's everybody else?".

"Emmet and Clive left early in the morning for supplies, Evelyn is with Reagan outside, and Liam is taking care of Buddy and my little brother," he explained.

Not going to lie, I was kind of upset no one was really their to congratulate me, but I won't be a brat about it. It's my birthday after all, and I shouldn't be complaining about things that didn't happen. I sat down and ate breakfast with him.

"Sorry your dad isn't here though....." he replied.

"It's fine," I replied,

"At least I have you,"

He smiled.

The day went on pretty swell, we ate breakfast, talked, then we went out to go surfing at the beach which was pretty funny cause Marcus kept falling off his board. I even taught him a few tips and tricks on how to stay in the board and not fall on his butt. I then tried getting him to stand up on the board but he didn't want to.

"Marcus you have to eventually try standing up!" I exclaimed.

"I surf with the waves and the dolphins Ains!" he exclaimed, I laughed as he surfed away.

"LOSER!" I yelled.

We surfed, took walks down the beach, and talked for practically the whole day—- but Emmett and my father still weren't here yet—-

"Why is my father taking long to get here?" I asked Marcus as we sat on the roof of the lighthouse, watching the sun go down.

"—- I'm not sure—" he replied, "hopefully they'll be here soon".

"Should we maybe go and check on them?" I asked him.

"We don't even know where they are though, we could get lost and personally I don't really feel like dying on your birthday," he answered.

"Guess you're right," I answered.

"Oh right! I haven't given you your birthday gift yet!" He exclaimed as he pulled a small box out of his pocket.

"Happy birthday!" He exclaimed, handing me the small box.

I opened the box to find a bracelet made out of shells! It was beautiful!

"I made it with the shells I could find at this beach," he said, "I hope you like it!"

"I love it!" I answered.

"I also made me one," he said, showing me his wrist with the seashell bracelet. "I thought this could be a way to remind us that we are always here for each other," he started, "I never thought I'd meet anybody who would be as accepting, adventurous, and bubbly as you," he continued, "I also never thought I'd meet anybody that would actually be a true friend to me, I've always had trouble with bullies and jerks before this apocalypse," he continued, "and that's why—you're my best friend".

At the moment, I felt like crying, I hugged him so tightly that I was scared I was suffocating him, but he just hugged me even tighter.

"You're my best friend too".

"Doesn't matter what happens—-" he started.

"At least we've got each other".