Elsie puts the basket and takes out a small blanket as she frowns at me “I didn’t put this in here.” I nod as I pull on the ties, testing them.
“Well, I figured we would need an extra one.” I smirk as her hands wrap around the cars blanket. I hold back my laughter as much as I can. Her angry expression is still adorable.
“Fine.” She mutters under her breath and I grab the box that has a tent to build. Elsie helps me follow the instructions, not that I need any help but she’s persistent.
After building the fort, I chose an easy one to build so it won’t be heavy for us to carry.
Elsie spreads down the cars blanket inside the tent as I walk around gathering small sticks. She has a bag of chips open, munching on them as I put down the sticks and grab two stones, trying to spark the flame.
“I want to try.” I nod as she sits beside me on her knees and I let her hold the stones, my hands over hers as I maneuver her. “You scratch them together quickly but the rocks should have sharp angled edges, and it would cause a spark that catches on the sticks and make us a fire.” her eyebrows are pinched inconcentration, tongue sticking out a bit from the side of her lips as she tries and nothing happens.
“Try again.”
Her ice blue eyes gaze at me and she tries again.
And again.
Her hands lower down in disappointment as I raise them back up, squeezing her hand “one last time, focus.”
She takes a deep breath.
A spark ignites onto the sticks as I lower down and blow on it to encourage it to grow and she copies me. Once we get our fire and feel the warmth around us she smiles and punches the air. “I did it!”
Arms wrap around me as her body weight falls onto me, I catch her as my glasses fall over from the impact.
“Thank you, Clay. For all this.”
my eyes widened. Elsie is the first person to ever thank me for anything. Everyday I live as a burden, all the basic needs should be deserved. Her hug makes me feel the constant weight on my heart evaporating. My arms hover inches from her back, hesitating.
Would she realize how messed up and undeserving I am and pull away when I hug her back. Her arms tighten around me as if her soul read my mind and assures me.
I slowly let my arms touch the soft texture of her sweater and bury my face in her hair. My body sags as I let the warmth envelop me.
Wow, hugs do feel good.
“Thank you, thank you.” She keeps going.
No Elsie, thankyou.
She pulls away a bit, my fingers tighten onto her for a second then let go.
“Come on now, we need to try all these snacks.” She crawls into the tent and I follow her.
We inhaled all the snacks in record time, laughing as Elsie’s cheeks were full of candy. I never had tears in my eyes with how much I laughed. We both hold our instant noodles as smoke swirls between us.
The fire crackles in front of the tent as we bask in the warmth and the comfortable silence.
“Tell me about your family, Clay.”
My heart drops a beat as I stare at the fire. Why is she asking about them?
“What do you wanna know about them?” I swallow, swirling the noodles in the water.
She inches closer as she chews “Did they fall in love when they met? My mom always told me the story of how she met my father while she was driving her car on a road trip and her car broke down and dad helped her. The beach was beside them and they decided to take a walk and talk together and since then they have been together.” the wonder in her eyes how she talks about her parents sickens me.
“That’s…nice” I struggle to find a way to sound more enthusiastic.
She looks at me with that soft innocent smile that’s still full of hope. I open my mouth to create an imaginary story of how my parents are amazing and sickenly in love. How everyday we sit together at the same table and eat delicious meals that are made with love. How they tuck me in my bed and read stories or we watch tv together. But my throat tightens, the collar of my sweater feels heavier as I reach up and pull onto it.
