Night Sky (Harry Styles)

00. summer break

PROLOGUE: SUMMER BREAK

May, 23rd 2016 - Brookings, Oregon

The waves crash silently against the rocks. A few waves crawl their way up the beach only to vanish the next second, going back into the width of the sea. The air is salty and clammy, even a bit muggy due the warmth of a summer night. It dawns already, the night is coming closer and closer. You can already recognize the shadow of the moon which will hang above our heads, unreachable for our hands.

"I hope we manage to make a fire. The branches are a bit damp." Sam calls as he exits the little wood behind us with an arm full of branches. I turn around, my back to the sea as I give him a little smile.

Jessica and Dylan roll a fallen stamp to the middle of the beach, creating a place for us to sit. Both of them laugh the whole time, adding a dulcet sound to the noise of the waves.

"It will work, somehow." I say and help Sam to create a little pile as we have seen it in multiple movies before. Dylan tries to kindle the fire with only two branches.

"Dude, that doesn't work like that. Here take the lighter." Sam says, rolling his eyes and hits Dylan's head with it. We all laugh as I take a place on the fallen stamp where a dark blanket is spread out. I immediately feel an arm around my shoulders which are only covered in a thin cardigan. I snuggle a bit closer to Sam, enjoying the warmth coming from his body.

"How long until the other's are here?" Dylan asks impatiently, rubbing his thighs.

I roll my eyes. "So desperate for booze?"

"Ha-ha," He says, "No but seriously. I need something to keep me warm."

If only he had listened a bit better in chemistry because then he would know that alcohol is not keeping him warm. His body only thinks it. The alcohol is tricking his body which is why he most likely will get a cold, at the beginning of summer break.

Suddenly we hear chanting and laughing. Our heads turn to the side, all at the same time, and we see many people coming towards our little place. One of them already wobbles a bit, holding his hand up with a bottle of alcohol. Dylan jumps off his seat and greets a few of his other friends.

Sam and I stay put. If people want to greet us they have to approach us. I enjoy my sitting position way too much at the moment and I don't want to give up my seat. Maybe later when the music is on and I persuaded Jess to go dancing with me.

A few of my friends greet me and I can already smell the alcohol in their breath. We chat for a few minutes before the say hello to other people. I feel Sam scooting even closer to me. His breath tickles my ear and he tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear to press a kiss against my cheek.

+

One or two hours later I'm dancing with Jess and another girl named Hannah to the music which is coming from an iPod. I don't really listen to the music but the little amount of alcohol in my blood, makes me feel good and uninhibited so I could dance to almost every type of music,unless it has a good beat, all night long.

I stumble a bit forward when I stop dancing because I see a tall figure moving around on the edge of the woods. Looking around to see where Sam is I find him sitting in the sand with a black haired guy next to him.

As curious as I am I slowly walk the sandy and pebbly way to the figure, which is moving around in the shadow. It surprises me I could recognize him from the little party we have going on at the beach because when I peek over my shoulder I see how tiny the campfire and the dancing people look, and I'm only halfway at the woods.