Mild Observations By Anna Benson

Fooling Around

The summer heat beats down through green canopies and I watch them still.
Their twitters of affection flicker through the March breeze as I lean forward, resting on my elbows, lazily waiting for them to turn round the corner and feed my sight.

I watch with smirking eyes as Lily takes my side, watching them approach.

They're playful today, exchanging harmless banter that compliments the way they seem magnetised to each other. Prodding fun, poking shoulders and wit.

"Hiiiiii Anna!" I get tackled in a hug as the lumbering frame of Chris Rodgers follows up from behind the lovely sprite who currently has my head in her clutches.

Keeping it simple, he nods towards me in silent acknowledgement.

I smile.
Chris Rodgers plays the cool kid well.

Fast flowing conversation follows as I take their movements in. I answer absent-mindedly to what I can, too invested in the game they lay out for me unintentionally.

His expression has traces of mischief lingering under the surface. His appearance rumpled and casual as he lets the ladies do what they do best; talk. He moves to stand next to Zara with a subtle shift and I grin as he puts his arm in my line of sight.

CHRIS IS POOP

Proudly claim the bold scraggles done artfully with a blue gel pen. I find the attempts at making poop emojis around the declaration to be endearing.
Apparently Chris does too, as he smiles down briefly at his arm when he notices I'm looking.

He looks back to Zara and I can swear I know he's up to no good as he discreetly raises a finger to her left shoulder and gives a sharp prod.

She ignores him.

However, the thing to be noted, ladies and gentlemen, is that Chris Rodgers does not like to be ignored.

The poking persists and within a few minutes Zara Ryder bursts like the metaphorical mount Vesuvius on the outskirts of Pompeii.

"Stop touching me!!!" she snaps as his eyes glint with mischief and from his face you just know he's going to pull in his best move now. I watch with horrified fascination as Chris Rodgers digs his own grave and says-

"That's not what you said last night."

Every person in the vicinity listening to the conversation finds their jaws dropping open.

Silence.

Absolute silence.
Then-

"HOLY SHIT!"

"Get a ROOM you two!"

"Awwwww man!"

"We did not need to hear that!"

And the cacophony continues as I sit there watching the two off them pull of their endearing antics for the world to feast on.

..................................
(A month later)

I walk down the familiar corridor that seems strangely silent today people moving along smoothly, caught up in their own lives.

Something is wrong.

Ahhhh I realise as my gaze flickers to a large frame leaning against the wall. Zara Ryder is away for work.

The usual gaggle of troublemakers looks incomplete today. It seems like Lily is shouldering the cause of making noise on her own. Chris Rodgers is unusually silent as he nods his head in acknowledgement to me.

I smile.

He goes back to brooding as I chat up Lily.

Zara Ryder is in Melbourne, I'm told. She'll be back in ten days. And as I discuss the pros and cons of being in a choir with Lily, Chris Rodgers heaves a quiet sigh.
His empty arms, bare of any ink, look forlorn to me....

_______________________________________________

A/n: Update, update! After a month. Atleast I don't give you cliffhangers.

A huge thanks to for the nice cover. I still think the butterflies are weird, though they look pretty.

Lots of kisses to Chris and Zara for giving me another cute moment.(FINALLY)

Here's to hoping you never fall short of them.

Much love,
a.s.