Her parent's morning chatter is enough to worsen the headache she has. She knew the minute she went to bed she'd have a hangover the next morning.
She winces as they talk and move about the kitchen. She feels as if they are talking louder than usual and she wishes she hadn't drunk so much last night. She pulls her hoodie further over her head, concealing the hickey's Peeta had given her the night before.
She slips off her stool and heads back upstairs. Madge was yet to appear, Prim was still tucked up in bed. Katniss' body clock having woken her up and once she was up there was no way she was going back to sleep.
She sees Prim is awake and falls down on the bed beside her.
"I have the worst headache." She groans, covering her face with a pillow.
Prim chuckles, setting her phone down and removing the pillow from Katniss' face.
"Let's go sweat it out then." Prim suggests. "Come on, morning run and a big greasy breakfast. We'll get out of here for a few hours."
Katniss nods and Prim rolls out of bed, changing into her running gear. She leaves Katniss to rouse Madge, seeing if she wanted to join them. Katniss pulled on her running shorts and sports bra. She laced her sneakers and set some money in her pocket along with her phone.
"Come on, let's get this over with." Madge groans as she appears in the doorway. She looks worse than Katniss.
Their parent's are shocked when the three girls appear downstairs with their running gear on and tell them they're going for a run.
The morning sun beats down on them and they push their bodies, trying to sweat the alcohol out of their system and feel a little bit better than they were feeling.
"I won't be able to avoid mom and dad for too long." Katniss tells them, she was starting to tire.
"Did they say something to you this morning?" Prim asks. "See the hickeys?"
"No. I think they're waiting for the opportunity. Probably when Peeta comes over. This is going to feel like the birds and the bees all over again."
"But it's even worse because you're 18, not 12." Madge adds.
"What will they say to you?" Prim asks as they come to a stop, walking along the beach instead. They had been running for fifteen minutes flat, the terrain of the sand causing their legs to burn.
"I don't know. I just sense it'll be the two of us, how close we're getting, and Peeta. I don't know, they just like to have serious discussions, pointing out how unacceptable my behaviour has been."
"Well, just be honest with them."
"I'm not telling them we've been sleeping with each other. I'll just say we're dating and he's slept over a couple of times. Because I'll get the, 'boys only think about sex' lecture and be careful that he might have other ideas. And why didn't you ask our permission for him to sleep over. I can already hear it."
They stretch their muscles and feel much better than they had half an hour ago. They lightly jog up from the beach and across the pavement to a café for breakfast. Sae's wins out again and she greets the girls, telling them to grab a table.
"Where are the boys?" Sae asks, dropping off their drinks.
"Sam's working." Madge tells her.
"Peeta stayed at Finnick's last night. Our parents are home." Katniss adds.
"Oh, so no running round with the boys… I see how it is. You girls are acting like angels." She chuckles. "I understand."
"The parents have figured it out." Madge adds. "Katniss here is about to get a lecture from her parents about Peeta and her."
"Do they think he's in a outlawed motorcycle gang or something?" Sae asks. "Peeta's a parents dream. Send them round here and I'll have a talk to them."
"They're just protective. Over protective. They don't want me being led astray."
"Too late now girlie. The heart chases what it wants. You're heart's already too far gone."
"It's more the once we get back home aspect." Katniss explains to Sae. "They want me to go to medical school. They'll think about a music course if I don't misbehave on this trip, showing them how responsible I am. I think I've stuffed up my chances."
"Oh girlie, you still have the final say in your education choices. You're 18, follow your heart."
"That's what everyone has been saying to me. They just don't understand."
"Well for your sake I hope they do." Sae says, touching Katniss' shoulder.
Katniss sinks down in her chair. The more people told her to follow her heart the more it weighed her down.
Katniss didn't have much of an appetite for her bacon and egg roll. She picked at it and Madge polished it off for her having worked up an appetite.
"We can look around for a while if you don't want to go back home." Madge suggests as they leave the café and head down towards the beach to walk along the sand home.
"I think I want some time alone." She tells them. "If that's alright?"
"Of course. We'll hold them off, you sit on the sand and watch the waves."
They take off their sneakers and socks and walk barefooted home along the beach. Katniss sits down out of view from the house and the girls go ahead. She stares out at the ocean and enjoys her time alone.
A body sits down beside her and she turns to see her uncle.
"Hey Kitty." He begins. "What's wrong?"
She bites her lip in hopes of suppressing the tears that are threatening to fall but the two words have opened the floodgate and they stream down her face. Her uncle wraps his arm around her shoulder.
"You feel like the world is against you?" He asks her and she nods. "Even if it feels like it is, I assure you it's not. The odds are in your favour."
She sobs into his chest and he rubs soothing circles on her back. He had comforted his niece a few times in her life. And he never spoke; which he learnt was the best way to comfort his niece. Just holding her and rubbing her back calmed her down and when she was ready to speak she'd speak.
Today the heaviness she had been feeling building up brings the tears flowing hard and fast.
It's almost half an hour when the sobbing has stopped and her tears have stopped. Her throat and eyes are sore from the crying. Her stomach aches as well.
"Hey, I've got it." She hears and turns to see Peeta approaching them.
Paul nods at Peeta and stands up, patting Peeta's shoulder.
"Look after her mate."
"I will sir."
Paul walks back up to the house and Peeta sits down beside Katniss, embracing her body tightly. She can feel his steadiness, his warmth and she never wants to let him go.
"They haven't spoken to me yet." She speaks softly.
He nods, and lets her go. Touching her face softly. "I know. Madge texted me, told me you were down here." He kisses her forehead. "Do you want to go into this one together?" He asks. She nods and he smiles at her. "Come on then, let's get this over with."
He helps her up onto her feet and carries her sneakers in for her. They walk hand in hand to the house. Her parents are seated on the back porch, almost like they are waiting for her.
"There you are." James says, smiling and then looks at Peeta and their linked fingers. "Peeta, how are you?"
"Good thank you, Mr. Everdeen." He replies.
"Let's go inside for just a second." She whispers to him.
"Katniss, we'd like to have a talk with you." Her mother says.
"I know. Just let me go inside first."
Her mother scowls slightly and Katniss leads Peeta inside the house. She takes him upstairs, dropping her shoes in her bedroom and she embraces Peeta, kissing him quickly.
"They're going to be full on, unfair and criticise you. You sure you're ready for this?"
"Katniss, I'm ready for this. I can handle your parents."
She smiles in relief that he's not backing out now and kisses him again, pulling his body closer to hers. She wants to feel more of him.
He pulls away from her. "Come on, we have a talk to have."
She fills up a glass of water for herself and Peeta and they seat themselves outside, in front of her parents.
"Katniss, we'd like to have this conversation with just you." Her mother tells her.
"No, Peeta can listen. I want him here."
"Katniss." Her mother warns.
"Rosie, she's an adult, she can make her own decisions." Her father tells her mother.
"But when it's about him." Her mother says to him in a hushed voice.
"Mr. and Mrs. Everdeen, let me tell you about myself." Peeta interrupts them. "I grew up on The Sunshine Coast. I have two older brothers and lived with my parents. They run a café bakery. I was born overlooking the Mudjimba surf lifesaving club. I've grown up surfing, skating and working in my parent's bakery. I was home schooled until year 10. When I was 14 I was being published in a surf magazine. I got my first guitar when I was 17, two years ago and I'm a self-taught musician and I make a living out of music. I live in a van and I have for almost two years now. My two years have made me grow up quickly. I'm not here to use your daughter. I think she's beautiful and an amazing person. And I know I want to spend every day of her holiday with her before she returns home."
James clears his throat and sits forward. "Well, you seem like a nice boy Peeta…"
"We just don't want you leading our daughter astray. She can't have any silly thoughts put into her head about her future. She has to think seriously about it."
"And I am." Katniss tells them.
"But when you're hanging round these homeless townsfolk who don't have stable careers, live out of their vans and spend their days surfing, it puts ideas into your head. Ideas we don't want in your head." Her mother states and looks directly at Katniss' neck, seeing the hickey.
"Mom, don't insult Peeta." Katniss says through gritted teeth and repositions her ponytail. "He's the nicest boy I've met in my entire life. He has a lot going for him and just because he lives out of his van doesn't make him a decent person. His status doesn't change the way I feel about him, or see him. You taught me to never judge a person before I got to know them. I've gotten to know him and might I say I really like him. He's admirable what he's doing. I bet you couldn't see yourself living out of a van and not caring about status. He's gained perspective and I think you should have some."
"See what I mean, silly ideas have been put into your mind."
"Are you even hearing what you're saying?"
"I'm your mother Katniss. I'm right."
"I'm 18. I'm an adult. And I should have a choice in my future."
"No. Not if we're paying for your college. We'll have a say in what we fund you in. We don't think music is a wise choice."
"I got accepted into music. There's a future for musicians."
"You'll have more of a chance being a doctor."
"I don't want to be a doctor. I can't watch people die, day in day out. I don't want to become a shell of myself. Please let me decide what I want to do for my future."
"No. When we get home, you're accepting one of the offers for premed and that's that."
"You said we'd talk about it when we got home."
"I think this conversation had to be had now before you let yourself think you're going into music. You're going into medicine and that's that. No more arguing."
"Dad!" Katniss pleads, looking at her father who has remained silent.
"And we don't appreciate having boys around the house. Think of your sister." Rosie adds.
"You're unbelievable. You're ruining my life."
"And this thing you two have going, nip it in the bud. It can't go any further."
"We're in a relationship Mom."
"I don't care. End it now. And you two are not to be seen together anymore. You're a bad influence on my daughter young man! No more coming round here! You're to stay away from my daughter, understood?"
Katniss can't believe her parents. She looks between the two of them for confirmation of them not being serious.
"Rosie!" Paul warns her from the back door. "You can't forbid them to see each other."
"Paul, this is a private conversation."
"She's 18 Rosie. She's not a child." Paul reminds her. "She's allowed to make her own choices."
"This is for her own good. I don't want her having a broken heart or worse."
"She'll have a broken heart if you forbid them to see each other. They care for each other, don't you see that."
"He's just like every other 18 year old boy. He just wants nothing but sex. He's bad news."
"He is not." Katniss states, getting choked up. "Peeta is different to other guys. He's different."
"Katniss, we've put our foot down. This is the final say. You broke our promise. You can spend today together but after that it'll have to be a goodbye."
"Rosie." Paul says, shaking his head. "You can't."
"Paul, I'm her mother."
Katniss looks at her parents in disbelief and pushes off the seat and past them, rushing inside, past the rest of her family who have heard everything.
She rushes up the stairs, slamming the bedroom door shut behind her and falling onto the bed, bursting into tears. She can hear the arguing coming from downstairs and she cries harder.
The bed sinks at the weight of the person and she knows its Peeta straight away. She rolls over to cry into his chest and he holds her, soothing her. Comforting her from the tears.
"I'm so sorry Katniss." He whispers into her ear and she sobs harder.
The arguing seems to stop and her tears stop flowing.
He kisses her hair and anywhere else he can with comforting kisses and she buries her face into his neck, gripping his shirt in her first. She doesn't want him to let her go. She never wants him to let her go.
"Stay with me." She pleads into his neck.
"Always." He tells her. "Forever and always."
They lay together for an hour, unmoving. The bedroom door opens again and she knows it's her father right away.
"Just leave me alone." She tells him, not bothering to look up from Peeta's chest.
"I just wanted to know if you wanted some lunch?" He tells her. She squeezes her eyes together tightly and wishes she were elsewhere. "Ok, well if you get hungry there's lunch waiting for you."
Katniss exhales a shaky breath into Peeta's chest and grips his shirt tighter. The door closes and her father disappears back downstairs.
"This is so unfair." She says into his chest.
"I know."
"They can't forbid me to see you. They're hardly here to watch my movements."
He kisses the top of her head and she peaks out from his chest.
"We're still going to see each other aren't we?" She asks.
"Of course we are Katniss. I'd never leave you."
"We still have Annie and Finnick's wedding song to practice."
"We'll practice it. Don't worry."
"And my gig at the Treehouse."
"Katniss, it's fine. We have it all organized. We can still talk when your parents are here. We can work around it. We will."
"I'm good at climbing trees too." She smirks.
He smiles at her and kisses her. "I just don't want you getting into any more trouble than you already are." He admits.
"What will they do, ground me? Send me back home? I don't think so." He smiles at her and brushes her hair away from her face. "Please don't let them take you from me." She pleads.
"Never Katniss. I won't let them."
"Promise?"
"Promise. Always."
Madge and Prim come into the room sometime later. Katniss can tell it's getting on into the day and neither of them have moved. Scared that if they move that'll be it.
"They are being so unfair." Prim says. "So unfair."
"It's fine Prim."
"It's not. Mom, I don't know what's come across her." She admits. "And dad, he didn't say a word. He just let her continue. At least Paul tried to stand up to her."
"She's stubborn." Katniss reminds her sister, sitting up from Peeta's embrace and leaning against the headboard. "She always has been."
"I don't think they're going home this week." Prim tells her. "I think they'll go home when Paul and Michelle come back."
"Well they can't keep tabs on us the whole time." Madge states. "How are they to know where we are and who we're with?"
"They'll know." Prim tells her, rolling her eyes. "Byron is a small town though, there's a big chance you two will run into each other."
"We have it figured out." Katniss tells the girls. "Don't worry about it."
"You know if you obey their orders, Mom will think she's won this. You need to fight her back."
"I'm so tired Prim. I have no fight left in me."
"Katniss, you're never like this. They're treating you like a child."
"Oh well. They'll have no control of me once I move to college and I'm out in the real world."
"Katniss…" Prim starts.
"Don't Prim. It's easier this way."
"No it's not. Don't think for a second it is. You're 18 Katniss. You're no longer a child. It's time for you to live your life. Live your life. Please."
"I will." She tells her sister, lowering her voice. "I don't want to give them any more ammunition." She whispers. "Please, if you love me, you'll keep your mouth shut."
"Ok."
"Promise?"
Prim nods. "Just don't let them win."
She smiles at her sister and squeezes her hand. "I won't. I'll be fine. We'll be fine." She tells them smiling.
Peeta nods confirming this and kisses Katniss' cheek.
…
The four of them manage to leave the privacy of the bedroom and Katniss grips Peeta's hand with all she's got. Paul is the only adult downstairs.
"Hey kids." He greets them.
"Hi Daddy. Where is everyone?"
"Gone into town to do some shopping." He tells them with a smile. "I thought I'd stick around here, see if you all needed anything?"
"We're fine Dad." Madge replies.
Paul looks at the two star-crossed lovers, the now forbidden lovers with sadness. Much like a Shakespeare tragedy. Katniss knows he wants to say more but he's unsure at what to say to the young lovers.
"Want some lunch?" Katniss asks Peeta.
He nods and she takes him to the kitchen. They pull out the leftovers from lunch and make themselves a wrap each. They cuddle on the daybed outside with River at their feet. Madge and Prim have gone to the beach for a swim.
Paul sits down out with Peeta and Katniss and looks out the ocean and finally finds his words.
"Katniss, your mother is being unfair."
"What Mom says, goes right?"
"Katniss, she needs to understand you're 18. You have a choice regarding everything in your life. Including school, boyfriends, friends, career and extracurricular things. She needs to understand this."
"She still thinks I'm a 12 year old."
"And you're not. You're growing into a young woman. She has to let you go. We're finally accepting to let Madge go and your parents need to do the same. They need to accept you for you who are and respect your wishes and goals."
"I just hope they'll come around."
"I know my sister, she is stubborn. She's got your Nan's stubbornness. And let me tell you, your mother was nothing like she was now when she was your age. She was a free spirit. She was with all the wrong guys, uninterested in college, which I will tell you our parents were pushing us to medical school. She was more interested in travelling and adventuring. She didn't think about her future rather than the present. She went to college but saw it more as a social thing. She changed courses 3 times before finally settling with a premed course. That's where she met your father who was exactly the same as her. Uninterested in his own parents wishes and didn't really want to settle with medicine. He was in my course and that's how they met each other. Your dad used to have a motorcycle, a bad hair cut and used to speak like he was a hillbilly. Our parents worst nightmare." He snickers. "But they accepted him because they saw how much your mother loved your father. It was love at first sight and they were married before she graduated college."
"So why can't she accept Peeta?"
He shrugs his shoulders. "I don't know how to answer that. It's something you'll have to talk to her about. But I think she's being harsh and unfair on you two."
"It's a bit hypocritical."
"It is. And we both felt the pressure from our parents to follow in their footsteps despite us not really wanting to. I'm glad I did but you don't deserve that pressure. You should be allowed to do what you want."
"Exactly my argument. If music fails, then I've learnt. I just don't want to go into medicine. I can't do it."
"I know. Want me to have a talk to your parents?"
She shakes her head. "No. It's something they have to see for themselves. I have a gig booked at the Treehouse on Friday. I've been doing modeling, surfing and adventuring. They need to see I am doing what I love. This is what I want."
Paul smiles. "I know it is. Fight for it Katniss. I almost gave up everything and lost this life." He reaches over and grabs her hand. "I can see the light in your eyes. If this is what you want than fight. Fight hard."
He gets up leaving Katniss and Peeta to be. Peeta squeezes her knee and she leans her head on his shoulder.
"He's right." Peeta tells her. "You have to fight."
She nods. "I will. Just let me get through this trip."
He kisses her on the forehead. "Will you come back here?" He asks.
"You'll have a hard time keeping me away."
The young lovers are torn apart before dinnertime. Her father having pulled Peeta aside to have a chat to him. Peeta returned even sadder than before. She knew exactly what her father said without asking.
"Time to say goodbye to Peeta." Her mother announces as they sit on the back porch.
"Can't he at least stay for dinner?"
"No. We're having a family dinner." She tells her daughter.
"It's fine. I'll go to Sam's." He tells her.
"Bye Peeta." Her mother calls out.
Katniss clutches to him tightly, not wanting it to end.
Peeta holds her, embracing her for a long moment.
"Katniss, come on now!" Her mother calls out.
She kisses him; she doesn't care if her parents watch this. It's full of pain and hurt.
And it's probably the most painful kiss she's ever shared with someone.
Even though it's only for now, it still feels like it's forever.
They pull apart, tears streaming down both of their faces. He manages a smile and pecks her lips a couple more times.
"Time to go." He tells her.
They stand up from the chair and walk through the house, past everyone. She walks him down to the front door. They share one more painful kiss on the threshold and he kisses her knuckles, places a butterfly kiss to the side of her eyes. He kisses every inch of her face.
"I love you Katniss Everdeen." He tells her. "I want you to know that."
She hiccups a sob, nodding at him. "You love me?"
"I love you." He tells her.
She feels her heart beat faster in her chest and the rest of her feels empty. She brings his hand to her heart and he smiles at her. "I love you too!"
He smiles at her, at her declaration and grips her hand. "I'll see you in my dreams Miss America." He tells her. "Thank you for teaching me so much."
"Don't go." She pleads.
"It's not forever." He reminds her. "Maybe in the future I might come and visit the Californian Coast and I might run in to you. You might be busking by the street or riding a wave. I'll be sure to look for you." The tears fall faster down her face and she can't speak. "Bye Miss America."
He departs with one last kiss. His lips are damp from her tears, his neck also covered in her tears. His own face covered in his own tears.
He doesn't say a word as he walks down the steps and down the pathway to the gate. She falls onto her knees, her whole body numb as he climbs into his van and drives away.
"Katniss?" Her father says, touching her back.
She flinches away. The only person she wants more than anything in the world is gone.
"Katniss. Come on now." Her mother pleads, coming to stand beside her father. "This is ridiculous."
"Leave her alone." Michelle tells them. "She needs time."
Her mother and father retreat back into the house and leave Katniss to grieve on the threshold.
When her legs are no longer numb she stands slowly, closing the door and sitting down at the table with the rest of her family. The dinner plates have been cleared and they share dinnertime conversation.
Her aunt brings Katniss her dinner and squeezes her hand briefly before sitting back down at the table. Madge and Prim give her sympathetic looks while her mother and father show no remorse.
She can hardly keep her dinner down, it sticking in her throat on the way down. It takes her several attempts to swallow each bite.
They don't bother engaging her in their conversation.
She leaves her dinner half eaten, unable to stomach the rest. She takes her own plate to the kitchen where Madge and Michelle are scrapping the dishes and stacking the dishwasher.
"Come on, let's go an get some gelato and watch the sunset." Michelle suggests. "I think some time out of the house will do you some good."
"I won't be allowed to." Katniss speaks.
"Come on. I'll take you girls." Michelle tells her. "We'll walk, enjoy the fresh air. It's my shout."
Katniss manages to nod and goes and puts her shoes on, placing one of Peeta's sweatshirts on and pocketing her phone.
Michelle tells the others she's taking them and rebuffs Rosie's offer to join them.
"No, it's fine. I want to spend some time with the girls alone."
"Straight there and straight back." Rosie tells her. "I don't need them out and about this late at night."
"They'll be fine." Paul tells her.
"Bye." Michelle tells them, dousing any more conversation.
Madge holds River's leash and they navigate the street. They walk past Sam's house, seeing Peeta's van in the driveway and Katniss feels her stomach knot. Prim squeezes her hand and supports her big sister. Michelle and Madge are the only ones speaking.
Michelle shouts the girl's gelato, buying them triple scooped cups and they sit on the sand on Main Beach watching the sunset. Michelle wraps her arm around her niece offering her own comfort and they watch the sunset.
But it makes Katniss cry even more. The sunset. It's his favourite colour.
And she doesn't know why she's crying so much; she's still going to see him. But she feels it's because of her parents and their behaviour. Their thoughts on the busker, the boy who wouldn't hurt a soul and is so gentle, kind and caring. Who is thoughtful, who expresses his mind and soul in his writing and songwriting.
Her busker who loves her so much, she's the first girl he's sure he really loves.
"You can't let them dictate your life Katniss." Michelle whispers in her ear. "You can't let him go. You love him. Anyone would be blind to not see the love you have for each other. I know it hurts."
Katniss lets the fat tears roll down her cheeks and soak her aunt's cardigan. Her aunt wipes the tears from Katniss' cheeks and looks deep in her eyes.
"Promise me you'll see him when we're gone." Katniss nods and hiccups. "That kind of love, you only get it a few times in your life. Embrace it now and don't let it out of your grip."
"But…" she begins to say.
"No buts. You see that boy every chance you can. You promise me."
"I do."
"I'll cover for you baby girl. I'm on your side."
She smiles at her aunt and lets her aunt kiss her forehead.
"So are we." Madge tells her cousin.
"Fight for what you love." Michelle tells her brushing a stray piece of her hair behind her ear.
They walk back along the beach home. The light fading as they approach the house. They walk by Sam's house and Katniss looks at the house hopeful to get a glimpse of her busker.
She does hear a guitar being played, carrying out to sea and she knows it's him.
She dodges her parents and showers, getting into her pyjamas and under the covers of her bed, listening to his Soundcloud page.
She uploads their cover to her channel, linking her other social network accounts to the cover. She tags him in every post, and watches as her phone lights up with likes, comments and shares.
She listens to his calming voice and lets him carry her, give her strength to survive the separation.
Prim comes to bed and cuddling up to her sister when her phone lights up with a message from Sam.
Katniss, it's Peeta. I've left my phone at your house. Don't think that I'm ignoring you. I don't want to ignore you. I want to know if you're okay mostly. This fucking sucks so much.
She replies to him quickly. I know you'd never ignore me. And I agree. This fucking sucks. I just hope this is a nightmare and I'll wake up and you'll be at my side.
Meet me at midnight.
Where?
The beach.
I'll see you at midnight.
At midnight.
Prim looks at her curiously.
"Can you go and look for Peeta's phone?" She asks Prim.
"Of course."
Prim leaves to go searching for the phone and her father steps into the room instead.
"I don't want to talk." She tells him.
He comes and sits on the bed beside her. "I though Peeta might be looking for this." He tells her, handing over Peeta's phone.
"He will be. Thank you."
"I'm sorry this has had to happen."
"I'm sure you are."
"Listen, I'm sorry but we are protecting you."
"You aren't. It feels like my heart has been ripped out of my chest. I really like him. I'm falling for him."
"You can't fall for anyone in three weeks."
"You can. You and Mom did." She tells him, looking at him right in the eye and seeing no emotion. "Just leave me alone."
She stays awake, staring at the clock of her phone. Just before midnight she slips out of the bed. The house has been quiet for a couple of hours now. She pulls on his hoodie and opens the door to the balcony. She climbs down the tree and moves quietly around the house to the back gate. She jumps the gate and walks along the sand until she finds him. He's facing the water; his shoulders slumped like he's lost the biggest battle of his life.
Her hears her approaching and turns; a smile spreads across his face, grateful that she actually came.
She falls down beside him and embraces him, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly.
They fall apart and she hands him his phone.
"Thank you."
"No worries. I uploaded our cover."
"Sam said. We sound good."
She smiles at him and cuddles into his side. He wraps his arm around her body and they sit on the cold sand as the sea breeze blows.
They sit for a few hours. Not speaking. They share kisses, long kisses and lingering touches.
She kisses him one last time, when the night is fading into early dawn.
"I should get home." She tells him.
He nods and stares at her for one last moment before they go home. He squeezes her hand and offers her a reassuring smile before they depart.
She walks back along the beach, turning back to wave goodnight to him. He waves back sadly and they turn their backs on each other.
She climbs the back gate and can't help but feel as if someone has been watching her. She brushes the sand off of her feet and climbs back up the tree, onto the balcony and slipping back to the bedroom. She strips off the hoodie and slides back into bed, staring up at the ceiling. She can still taste him on her lips and feels his soft touch on her body.
Her phone lights up and she checks the message.
P – I wrote a song. Plug your headphones in.
She smiles and reaches for her headphones, plugging them into the jack of her phone. She clicks on the video and listens to the strumming of his guitar and then his singing.
"Lets find some beauty in the silence before we go,
some beauty in the silence before we leave,
cause nothing makes me nothing nervous,
nothing makes me nervous like you,
so lets find some beauty in the silence before we go,
some beauty in the silence before we leave,
cause nothing makes me nothing nervous,
nothing makes me nervous like you close to me,"
She smiles, feeling her eyes fill with tears.
K – What did I do to deserve you?
P – I ask myself that same question every day. Sleep well my dear.
She scrolls through their messages, going to the first text that really meant something meaningful to the both of them.
I'm sorry but I fell in love that night. My mind has since been filled with thoughts of only you and the way you looked at me. The sound of your voice and the warmth of your skin became the only home I've ever known because I felt more at home in your arms that I ever did in my own house. I fell in love that night, the night your eyes met mine.
She felt her heart beat pick up and she knew, she was never going to let her busker go.