I shuffled onto the tar, my shoes squeaking slightly. I could see Hayley in her bus, sitting comfortably on her armchair until she emerged from the bus.
She looked quite pretty today, her tiny body layered in warm clothes. I liked the way the street lamp on the other side of the car park and the moonlight made her bright orange hair shine in their dim light. She bounded over, grinning as I stood quite awkwardly.
"Hey Zachary" she chirped, waving as she reached me.
"Hey, Hayley" I smiled, taking my place beside her. She linked arms with me eagerly, we didn't look at each other at first. I just smiled at my feet as her grip warmed my insides and she looked at the sky. How different we were, I was quiet and anxious and shy, looking down at my feet in both worry and shyness and she was happy and proud and confident, looking to the stars were everyone could see her. it was though the stars were bowing down to her, they to intrigued by her actions.
"W-Where are we going?" I asked softly, she turned to me and smiled.
"On of the best places to look at the stars" She whispered, looking back up at the sky. Something inside of me warmed at her child-like grin, yet she looked so adult, so serene and calm and gentle.
We walked, arms linked, the only light guiding us were flickering streetlamps and the faint glow of the moon and the only sound being our own footsteps on the sidewalk. She didn't say anything, but I was grateful because that meant I could enjoy the silent side of Hayley, the grown up side that fascinated me so much. I found myself looking at her, watching her eyes flicker from the stars to the moon and back and her mouth curl into small smiles. Her grip on my arm was comfortable, and I felt as though it would hurt my heart if it was loosened.
She looked at me, and no matter how much my eyes wanted to escape to the safety of my feet, they stayed on her. She smiled warmly and for the first time, looked down at her feet. I looked forward to see the faint outline of a fence and the shimmer of the ocean. We reached to fence and she looked at it , signalling that we had to climb over it. Clambering over the wooden frames I planted my feet into the soft sand, and offered my hand to help her over.
"Princess Hayley, may I be at your acquaintance?" I joked in a posh accent.
"Why thank you Prince Zachary" She replied in and equally as snooty tone, and laughed along with me. When we were both safely on the sand I turned around to see the shimmering tides of the sea, and the fluffy white sand the bordered it.
She linked arms with me again, strolling along the shore. The sea was beautiful, its dark blue depths edged with a sliver lining of the moonlight and shaped by the cool breeze. We walked a little bit further before we sat down on the soft sand.
We were silent for a while, soaking up the sea air.
"I love the sea" She whispered, peering at the water.
"yeah...it's quite something isn't it?"
"It reminds me of a story I once heard, that if you truly love someone you should write them a letter in a bottle and throw it in the sea, and if they get it...they are meant for you, It's silly really I know bu-"
"I don't think it's silly Hayley..." I whispered, interrupting her mid-sentence. She looked up at me, shocked, but her eyes filled with the child-like hope she possessed.
"Really?"
"Yeah." She looked away but the corners of her mouth pricked up in a faint smile. I watched her, content with just being here with her, with someone I could be myself with.
"You're my favourite person right now Hayley... you know that?" I whispered. She turned her face to look at me, she had a gentle smile on her face, and her eyes flickered from me to the sand below us.
"Zachary... do you mean that?" She asked, a hopeful expression adorning her face.
"More than anything"
"You are my best friend Zack..."
"You're mine too" I smiled, wrapping her in a gentle hug. The feeling of having her in my arms made that warm sensation build up inside my body and my mind calm.
