Smile

Chapter 6: The Long Game

'A new game.' Freddie said and I wished for this devilish duo of Mary and him to cease with the antics.

It had only been about 2 hours since we'd left campus and I felt as if I'd tipped my toe already in several colours of intense emotion at the opposite ends of the spectrum. I needed to wake up. The fire was making my sleepy so I got up and nearly fell over a heavy-duty sound system that had magically appeared on the floor.

'Watch it!' Roger said from where he sat way too late and I laughed openly at my ineptitude and his.

'Help me shift this.' Brian said to me and I tried to lift one side of the speaker at my feet with great difficulty.

I groaned and collapsed into laughter that was bordering on infectious again, Roger's quieter laughter accompanying it. Mary giggled adorably from the kitchen where she had a dangerously colourful mix of liquids in one giant jug. My excitement heightened and Brian had to yell at me to focus.

'Sorry!' I cried. 'Ahh!' I had a hard task catching up on what he was saying.

He was looking at me dead-on and talking but my brain was elsewhere.

'You know she's not taking in any of what you're saying.' Roger informed Brian, leaning his upper arms on his knees in the rocking chair.

Charming endearment coloured his amusement and this was directed at me. I received it well, grinning especially for him.

'I am! I'm trying!' I contradicted but Brian wasn't having and pushed me towards the kitchen.

Laughing and smiling, I greeted Mary with a flourish.

'I've been shunned, Mary.' I told her.

'Oh no!'

'Yes, it's really upset me.' I insisted, nodding to prove this.

'Shut her up!' Brian called and I cackled, leaning over the breakfast bar in reflex.

'Get her a drink!' Roger shouted over my laughter.

'Yes!' I agreed and took a long time to climb up on one of the stools.

Glee reigned supreme over this portion of the evening. I liked the way my legs delicately crossed themselves upon this stool, and how my hair was soft against my back and neck. I felt very handsome indeed.

'I have made a Rainbow.' Mary said with large excited eyes that slightly scared me and a nervous grin found my face to mask the nerves.

'And what's a Rainbow, Mary?' I inquired with an intelligent air, keeping my back straight.

I reckoned my terror-grin undermined the elegance I was going for. My emotions were too changeable.

'Well.' She was about to tell me but burst into a fit of inward giggles and bent over, covering her mouth that was spilling laughter onto the floor.

'What have you done to her?' Freddie called behind; he was helping Brian out with the sound system that looked in better working conditions.

'I swear nothing!'

Roger stepped over a black cable and sauntered over to me.

'Fucking hell, what the hell is that?' He exclaimed in mild terror at the rainbow jug of destiny on the counter.

He leaned over me, his hair touching my chest, and took a sniff from the jug. I waited with held breath.

'No fucking clue.' He said and I again collapsed into loud laughter.