Socializing

Chapter 29. Sunny Skies

"Could you please grab the other end," I said to Adrian as we set the picnic mat. I placed the basket in the middle and looked through it at what Ana had packed; cookies, apple cider, sandwiches, crackers, cheese, Twizzlers, apples, and chips.

"That's a lot of food," Adrian said reaching for the Twizzlers. He had a peach t-shirt on and black shorts. "I'm guessing this is like your safe haven?" He added looking around to the flying kites and running kids.

"Pretty much my chill zone," I replied.

"I get it. I completely do," he said with Twizzlers hanging from his mouth.

My heart was racing as I watched him slip off his sneakers and lay on his back with his eyes closed. The sun made his curly hair shine and he seemed brighter with the peach shirt. His lower lip had the red tint from chewing on the Twizzlers

"Would you like a sandwich?" I asked.

"I'd like some Apple cider," he said keeping his eyes closed.

"Sure, let me just get the cups."

And of course, we had no cups. What was Ana expecting us to do, drink straight from the bottle? Damn you Ana and your essentials!

"So, we have no cups," I said embarrassed.

"I'm no germaphobe," he said sitting up on his elbows smiling, "May I?"

It was the way the bubbles rose as he drank that drove me to do what I did once the bottle left his lips. I leaned in, caught the drop of apple cider from the corner of his lip and kissed him. For a second I was sure he'd push me away. Butterflies danced in my tummy when he kissed me back and pulled me closer, letting the apple cider spill on the grass.