The fire licked up at the night sky. The bright flames hypnotized the shadows into dances behind those who gathered round it. Harper had taken a stick with some meat that was stuck into the ground and bit at it aggressively. She looked around for a place to sit and she was greeted with welcoming smiles. She caught sight of a few possible seats but one in particular was most tempting – the empty seat beside Murphy. She swallowed hard and bravely moved toward him, sitting down on the log next to him.
He turned to look at her with an irritated gaze and she smiled back at him in ignorance, nearly beaming. Her eyes sparked with the light of the flames and she began to dig her teeth into the meat she had taken. Murphy shifted uncomfortably in his seat, unsure of what to make of Harper's gesture. He crossed his arms and hunched over, furrowing his brow.
"What do you think you're doing?" Murphy asked with a deep frown.
"I'm eating," Harper replied innocently.
"I can see that. Why are you sitting here?" Murphy insisted, getting riled up.
"'Cause I felt like it," Harper answered.
"Oh, well, that just explains everything. Don't you know who the hell I am?" Murphy replied darkly.
Harper giggled a little at this and took another bite of meat.
"I know who you are, Murphy. You're the class jerk-face and joker," Harper replied, "So…you're a funny guy. Do you know any jokes? I could use a good laugh after today."
"You think I'm a joker?" Murphy turned to her, slightly off-put by her statement.
"I think you can be funny…sometimes," Harper teased him. Murphy smirked.
"Sometimes? I'm not funny, I'm hilarious," Murphy laughed.
"Sure, Murphy," Harper smiled shoving him with her shoulder. The flames dances across their faces, outlining the happiness in the creases of their smiles and the wrinkles by their eyes.