I want to thank you all for following this sotry, favouriting and reviewing! I really would like if more would review, with any feedback whatsoever, but thank you for your support :) I thought I would give you a light chpater today :) Sitting here with my hot chocolate watching the bonfires! Love you all x
Delight.
The enthusiasm was electrifying as the commotion blurred around her. A Cheshire-cat grin was illuminated across her face as she inhaled the pleasure and the ecstasy that pumped through each beings skin. Anne's birthday had touched them all, to have a magnificent event to work towards; the chance to celebrate life, not death was embraced by all. Even Pope had contributed to the festivities with a three tier cake, beautified with marzipan. He even made petite medical equipment ornaments to frame each separate tier. Merriment was addictive, each child had a bounce in their step as they played, and for once, every adult had a sparkle in their eyes. Lourdes set out to show gratitude to the teenager behind it all.
His tongue stuck out the crook of his mouth as his eyebrows furrowed in focus, it was well known, Anne had a passion for calligraphy, and subsequently Hal had roused at daybreak to instigate on the banner, brightened by multicolours, the sign stretched from wall to wall.
He squealed at the unexpected glow stinging his eyes as the entry was unbolted.
"You should have knocked!" Flailing his arm in alarm, he attempted to cover the banner from her inquisitive eyes, too late of course; the skilled medic can retract infinitesimal particles of shrapnel from a person in blistering heat. What stirred Hal to assume she would overlook the multicolour, calligraphy styled, ten foot banner?
"And miss you jump and squeal like a five year old girl? No chance." She bent to join him, evaluating the banner in silence. Her tranquillity nerved Hal.
He indicated to the adornment at his feet, his hands at his hips, in a mighty stance, arrogance and pride radiating from him. "Good, isn't it?" He didn't trouble to wait for her reaction as he applied the final letter upon the streamer.
"Could be better." Her melodious voice, laced with humour and hilarity articulated.
Hal Mason simply grimaced at her good-natured criticism, and motioned towards the door, stipulating in sullen silence for her to take leave. Her playful laughter lightened his heart as she exited, not before, naughtily ruffling his hair. It was pleasurable to see her smile.
The sun was dazzling, heating her skin, the yearning to twirl and dance was fervent, so she strutted down the hallway, the world strutting with her. Colliding with Maggie in the process.
"Whoa! Steady there church girl," Maggie's russet eyes glittered in enjoyment, Lourdes twittered in comeback. Maggie's left eyebrow was arched at Lourdes' non-fluent utterance. "Let me guess. Been to see Mr Hal Mason?"
Her unswerving and unflawed deduction hardened the grin on Lourdes' coffee-skinned face. Was her reaction Hal's presence that obvious? She countered in the exemplary way a teenager would on the matter of her affection. She stuttered, stumbled, spluttered. Her cheeks had blazed with scarlet incandescence, her eyes unnerved and frazzled. Hot flush at the highest point.
Margaret did not hesitate to chuckle at the poor girl's expense.
"Wha-I'm no-Listen I'm ju-"Metaphorically speaking, a sweat had broken on Lourdes's brow.
Maggie extended her arm in a soothing gesture, a couple of months back, she wouldn't even have the inclination to pat a dog, but being at 2nd Mass had softened her. Still the resilient combatant she strived to be, but at least now, she could smile. Being part of Pope's Gang gave her close to non-existent opportunities to that.
"Relax! I wasn't suggesting anything." Maggie swivelled around with the intention of departing, however not without remarking cheekily, "For what it's worth. You and Hal make a brilliant team." With a final wink in Lourdes's direction, she left, abandoning a disquieted Lourdes in her wake.
In what way he never got the sensation to asphyxiate his babyish brother right through their childhood, he will never know. Hal weaved in out of the crowd within the Mess Hall with an eager Ben on his tail. The youngster had spent the previous hour taunting Hal on this so-called "romance" he had existing with Lourdes. He swore being harnessed had wired his brother delirious.
"For the millionth time, I do not have a crush on Lourdes!" Hal fastened his step in attempt to shake off his brother who had now gone to lengths of prodding Hal on the arm, chanting "Who's got a wittle crush? This guy!" every second beat.
"Aaaaw you're blushing Hal-y!" Ben's face was cheery eyed, living and breathing off his elder brother's suffering and embarrassment. A tanned jacket was detected in the midst of the crowd; sienna tinted irises collided with his as the subject of Ben's taunt made her way towards the two bickering brothers. Hal's foot stomped down on Ben's to quiet him.
Her smile was radiant, as relief flooded her eyes at the sight of him. "Hal. I need you to come with me to set Dai and William up with the music." Her smile widened at the sight of Ben beside Hal's right, although her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she observed his facial expression scrunched up in pain.
"Ben…are you okay?" He nodded mutely, which was juxtaposition since he had tears forming in his eyes. Lourdes turned her eyes towards Hal, they were critical; he grabbed her arm before she added two and two together. His hasty retreat did not prevent the occurrence of Ben's careless and risky comment.
"You two are precious together!"
Hal quickened his step, his hand still possessively clutching her elbow, muttering obscenities under his breath in aim to condemn Ben Mason to the deepest pits of Hell.
Anne wept with exhilaration when they sang "Happy Birthday!" at the top of their voices. She infolded Lourdes for perpetuity while fastening clench of the three Mason brothers and planted a schmaltzy kiss on their cheeks. She did the exact equivalent to Captain Weaver, he may have fought her off in alarm, nonetheless a beam fashioned, reaching his crisp eyes.
They cut the distinctive tiers of cake, coated in their strawberry marzipan, the vanilla zest oozed into their taste buds, enthralling the mass, in spite of his tempestuous mien, a flush of reddening materialized on Pope's cheeks. Hal's banner was rewarded applause; the superfluous labour disbursed on the calligraphy style secured him a further smacker.
The lights dimmed and melody thumped the floor, Tom claimed Anne's hand and they pirouetted in the spotlight, mesmerized in each other's trance. Maggie and Lourdes manned the food table, slapping away any impatient hands snatching for an extra piece of cake. Ben and Matt's hand were red by the end of mere ten minutes.
As Lourdes filled drinks up, a set of burgundy eyes surveyed her every single shift across the room, he gently made his way across the hall to ask the fair lady to dance.
Unfortunately, they were interrupted by Dai's slurred bellowing. Interrupted. As they ceaselessly were.
"Heeeeeelllllloooooo people! Could I-hic-have you attention please?-hic-Thanksss! Now I know, like the rest of you, this would not happen if it hadn't been for our awesome-hic -medic and our-hic-Will, I'm gonna kill you! Anywaaaay, I just wanted to thank Lourdes and Hal for their hard work. Let's raise a plastic cup to them!"
Hal's eyes flittered over to Lourdes, as the room exploded into uproar of clapping hands. He felt soft pats on his strong shoulder, but all he could converge on was that single lady, shrouding her blush with her long liquorice, black hair.
"They make a fantastic team."
"I'll say!" Ben snickered from behind him, that interpolation splintered his enchantment, surrounding him to reality. Images of Karen flashed in his mind, his heart tugged at the thought of the betrayal he was about to cast upon Karen.
Always Karen. No-one else.
The belief was not durable enough to fissure the imperceptible, magnetic, force that enticed Hal towards her. He would have kissed her supple, elfin fingers and they would have waltzed, gazing dearly. He would have caressed her upper lip under the starry night.
If the glass had not shattered, if their sanctuary had not detonated
If the Mechs had not hit.