Chapter 7
The day of the Firefly Festival arrived and I couldn't help but feel excited to see Chase again. This was my favorite holiday. I loved watching the lit up flower boats sailing along the ocean. I had Renee help me figure out what outfit to wear and she told me to just go as myself. I told her it was a special occasion and I had to be more formal. So we decided on a peach colored tank top that was almost long enough to be a dress, and underneath I wore a white skirt that went down to my mid thighs. I wore brown sandals and I let my hair hang down. I forgot how long it was, since I usually kept it up all the time. I found a ribbon almost the same color as my shirt and I tied it into a bow and pinned it to my hair near my bangs. I looked gorgeous.
I heard a knock on the door and I figured it to be Chase. As it turned out, it was actually Luke.
"Hey, Luke. What are you doing here?" I asked in surprise.
"Oh, Hi Lovissa. You look great." He said. I started to think he forgot why he came over in the first place. "I uhm, wanted to see if you were still going tonight." He finally says.
"Yes I am going. Thank you for coming over to make sure." I say teasingly.
"Yea, sure thing. Well see ya." Then he ran off.
I honestly don't know what that was about but it was really odd. Anyways, Chase was on his way up the path 10 minutes after the awkward Luke encounter. He commented on my outfit and I did the same to his. He wore a white button up t-shirt with a dark blue tank top underneath. He had on light blue jeans and black sneakers. He looked hot. He held my hand the entire way over to Caramel Falls where the festival is being held. We show up and greet a few of our friends. Kathy and Owen eye me over and Kathy points over at Chase, who thankfully isn't paying attention. I tell him I'll be right back and he goes over to talk to Gill.
"So what happened to the getting Luke back thing?" Kathy asks.
I explained the whole night with Renee. "Well, I thought about it, and Chase makes me happy and Luke is happy with Selena so I didn't want to break up his happiness. So I'm moving on with Chase now." Kathy gives me a small hug before walking off with Owen to find a good spot to sit.
The festival begins and I end up sitting in Chase's lap, his arms wrapped around me as Mayor Hamilton talks about how the festival began. Once that's over, Chase and I select our flowers. We both pick blue. "I didn't know blue was your favorite color." He says. "Yea, I've loved blue for a long time. I just never wear it much or talk about it. Never came up." I confess. We both release our boats and he puts his arm around my waist as we watch them sail down the river. "I love this festival. I love seeing the lights from the boats out on the ocean. It's so beautiful." I exclaim. "I agree, the sight is amazing," says Chase. We both sit next to a tree and he wraps his arms around me again as we watch the boats float in the ocean. I can't help but look around for Luke, but I don't see him anywhere. Selena showed up but she wasn't with Luke. She was with Jake and Colleen and Maya. She was dressed in baggy pants and a plain t-shirt that still showed off her flat belly. Even if she was being casual, the girl was gorgeous. I see why Luke liked her so much. I couldn't help but wonder if he ever looked at me that way. I closed my eyes for a bit only to find myself dreaming about Luke. I missed him so much. I couldn't take it anymore. I had to talk to him sooner or later.
"Hey, Chase. I'm getting tired. I think I should go home now. I'm sorry."
"It's okay. I had a wonderful time with you. I'm sorry I wore you out." He chuckles and I feel his chest move with his laughter, causing me laugh along. He walks me home and neither of us want to say goodbye. We stand on my porch looking at each other for a bit until I start to move towards him. My body is moving on its own accord and I don't even care. He starts to move in closer too and I feel his soft lips touch mine. His hand finds my cheek and I keep both of mine at my sides, too nervous to move. He pulls away first and just stares into my eyes. For the first time I notice how beautiful his violet eyes are. The way they change colors in the moonlight.
"I didn't know you had company." We both turn to see an unhappy Luke a few feet away from us.
Chase turns to look at him, and then back at me. I can see that he is just as confused about this as I am. I look at both boys and address Luke first.
"Luke what are you doing here?" I say bluntly.
"I came by to talk to you but I see I interrupted something." He says firmly. His eyebrows are almost connected and his eyes show anger.
"You actually did, Luke. Lovissa and I were just saying goodbye." Chase smiles at me, which ticks Luke off.
Luke walks up to Chase and looks him straight in the eyes. "Listen bud, if you so much as hurts Lovissa in any way, you'll be sorry." He raises his fist near Chase's face, who doesn't even seem to care about Luke's threat.
I was the next to speak. "Luke, stop. I think you should go home. Now." I point towards the path leading to Ganache Mines and he stares at my finger. Chase decides to end the awkward silence by giving me a quick kiss goodbye and leaves.
"Luke, I'm really sorry about all this, but Chase and I are together." I hope the sympathy in my voice is able to calm him down.
"Don't apologize. I'm the idiot who intruded on you two." I reach my arm out but quickly draw it back, knowing a hug wouldn't be the best thing right now. "Bye, Lovissa. Hope you two are happy."
"Luke!" I yell but he's already taken off.
