Love Is What It Is (Leighade and hint of Pesy)

Fireworks

I'M SORRY :C I finally got inspiration and I can already tell this fic is coming to an end soon >.< I have bigger ideas for the next one though c: it's darker. I guess you could describe it as that O.o

  -Nykexx (:

----(>o.o)>----

Chapter Fifty-Three: Fireworks

The weather is better than perfect. Crisp chilly night wind and the warmth of the fresh firewood cackling under heat. Strong smoky scent that's mixed with an aroma of a BBQ taking place. They all had to drive to the beach which is an hour or so away, but their parents didn't mind. As long as their girls are happy then that's what matters.

Jade's mom has been on high alert. Well, actually everyone has been. The shooting, an unexpected visit, sneaking out; everything led to the four of them being questioned till they were sure none were left. It was obvious they couldn't avoid that situation, but all in all, they were glad of the outcome. More protection which leads to the four of them spending more time together. You could say they feel safer when all caught up.

  "I'll go get more towels," Leigh says back to her dad who's in charge of the grill.

  "Be careful, Leigh," he advises as per usual and goes back to his meat.

  "Leighly! Wait up!"

Leigh turns back to the center of the voice and smiles once she sees the familiar giddy blonde.

  "Hey, Pez. Need somethin' from the car?" Leigh asks as she twirls the keys with her finger.

  "Just some snacks for after swimmin'," Perrie hums pleasantly while Leigh shakes her head with a smile.

After getting the towels and snacks, both of them make it back to the sandy shore and grin wide once they notice their girlfriends already in their bikins, letting their restless hair out of their ponytails. They immediately drop their stuff and dash for their lovelies. Perrie breaks in laughter with Leigh following. Jesy and Jade shriek and were almost able to escape from Perrie and Leigh who slowed down by the grainy dry sand sucking up their feet.

It almost looks like moving pictures. The anticipation and glee filling up the lonely beach. Their cries and contagious giggles erupting. Perfect beaming smiles bringing a nostalgia memory of wide childhood teeth ready for the camera. The illumination of the moonlight bouncing off revealed skin, droplets of ocean water sliding down their cheeks as they stumble in the crashing waves. It's so picture perfect. As if everything is stuck in this frame of time and it will soon be hung on a wall with priceless moments only stored in memory.

  "Leigh!" Jade squeals as Leigh splashes her suddenly. Her body shivering and freezing at the unexpected rush of cold water.

  "Yous are gonna fuckin' pay as soon as-!" Jesy curses, her voice hitching into a shirek once Perrie springs onto her back.

  "As soon as what?" Perrie giggles and presses her nose against Jesy's damp cheek.

  "Ugh! Edwards you're so fuckin' lucky for bein' my girlfriend!" Jesy grumbles and drops Perrie into the water with a satisfying smirk.

  "Jesssss!" Perrie whines and pushes her soaked locks out her face.

  "That's what you get!" Leigh laughs at Perrie and squeals once Jade shoves her into the waves along with the blonde.

Jesy and Jade cross their arms and give their childish girlfriends a forced frown. Leigh and Perrie stare back with rised eyebrows, their so called 'innocent' faces creating groans of frustrations from the two towering girls.

  "Just make up already, you lovebirds!" Perrie's mom whistles and laughs in amusement at the four girls' expressions.

  "I know you want a kiss," Leigh grins smugly and holds her self up with her elbows propped since they're sitting in the busy shallow water.

  "Hahaha," Jade laughs with a dip of sarcasm and pinches the bridge of her nose.

  "C'mon, Jadey," Leigh opens out her arms and Jade grabs her slender hand then pulls her up only to realize Leigh has gotten taller than her during the months.

  "How tall are you, Leigh?" Jade asks as she tries to estimate their obvious difference in height.

  "five-five or five-six now I think. I've been eatin' a lot recently for some reason," Leigh says and recalls her new hunger.

  "Well, then."

"At least we can tell who's more dominant," Jesy snickers while her and Perrie sit beside each other at the shoreline.

  "Dirty!" Jade sticks her tongue out and sits between Leigh's legs once she takes a spot beside Jesy.

  "It's true," Jesy shurgs and nuzzles her forehead into Perrie's shoulder.

  "You've gotten taller too, babe," Jesy points out and places a small kiss on Perrie's pulse that's beating faster than usual due to the close contact with Jesy. She has never found herself so comfortable yet restless with someone before. Before Jesy, Perrie was laidback and just let things go by. Now, she's so anticipated for new experiences that don't involve her reckless past.

Leigh decides to keep a comment to herself and brings Jade's petite body closer. The remaining water cascading Jade soaks into Leigh's tank top as Leigh's arms snake their way and find a resting place around Jade's slim waist. Even though their bodies are still chilly, Jade can feel the natural source of warmth emitting from Leigh as it grows steadily. Sort of like a campfire. So warm, and comforting like a strong protective embrace. The heat warming up the coldest fingertips and numb toes. The heat just grows once it realizes there's not enough and it makes everything have a welcoming home feel.

  "The food's ready!" Leigh's dad hollers.

"Okay!" The four yell back in unison and help each other up.

  It doesn't take long to get their food and settle down on the blankets laid out. Jade pulls Leigh down to the spot beside her and giggles once her girlfriend stumbles. All of them make conversation with ease while juggling what to eat since Leigh's dad is that good of a cook.

  "Aren't there fireworks on tonight?" Perrie asks, leans a bit over to look over at the others.

  "I think so," Leigh says and places her head on Jade's petite shoulder.

  "I can't wait! It's going to be amazin'," Jade beams and giggles in excitement.

  "Yeah, 'cos it'd be like Disney," Jesy says and sets her plate aside.

 

  Along the lines of them throwing their food away, Jade scurries off to the car, she fumbles with the keys and finally gets in to find her bag safely on the seat. She rummages through the random junk and finds her Polaroid. After a triumphant smile of remembering to bring the object, she locks the car and begins to jog back with it in hand.

  "Mmmph!" Jade thrashes and squeals, her high notes and cries muffled behind a heavy hand. His breath is close to her neck, waves of needles and chills coursing through as her hands claw at his rough scratchy skin.

  "You need to relax." A soft cloth replaces his suffocating grasp and seals the space between Jade's last chance and finale. Her vision gets clouded and seems to zoom in from blurry to clear till the fogginess of her head ceases her abrasive movements.

The last audible sound was the crisp crack and clatter of the small camera and it's too late once Leigh's ecstatic smile slowly switched into a troubled frown. She takes multiple circles around the cars and wanders a bit further into the thin area of somber trees. Her forehead creases in frustration and forming anxiety as her calls receive no reassuring replies.

  "Leighly? Where's Jade?" Perrie approaches the high alert curly haired girl and eyes her curiously.

  "She's not at the beach," Jesy informs Leigh and stands on the other side of her stiff shoulders.

  "I...don't know."