It was nearing midnight as Jeanette sat upon her bed engrossed in the latest novel she was reading. Her sisters milling about in their areas of the bedroom, occasionally stopping to converse with each other. It was nothing out of the ordinary for the trio when they were out of school for the summer. She had been in the middle of a climactic part in the story when something out of the ordinary did happen.
Off to her right she thought she heard a slight tink on the window near her bed, but as she observed her sisters to confirm she noticed that they were still absorbed in what they were doing. Shrugging it off as nothing more than her mind playing tricks on her, she returned to the book she had currently been lost in.
Then it came again, and it nearly scared her out of her wits. With another tink sound she almost fell off her bed with a slight yelp of surprise. The two sisters now staring intently at her interested in what was going on in that mind of hers. Though, when the sound came immediately for a third time she stared with curiosity at the window before realizing who it could be. He was the only one daring enough to be outside during this time of the night, and he'd be looking for only one person.
With a low, frustrated growl she rolled her eyes before returning to her book again, "it's probably Alvin, Britt."
"What, in the world, does he want?" Brittany sauntered over from her bed with irritation, disregarding Jeanette as she found it quicker to climb over her legs on the bed than walk around. Her hands finally playing with the locks on the window before opening it to address the person outside.
"What do you want, Al….." Brittany's irritated voice trailed off and a confused look adorned her face. The name she said next had Jeanette's full attention, "Simon?"
"Brittany, is Jeanette there?" She would have jumped off the bed and pushed her sister out of the way to see why he had come for her, but she was too refined to display such emotion. Instead she sat up in bed with a bewildered look upon her face.
With a huff, Brittany turned towards her and with a wave of her hand as she walked off stated, "it's your stupid boyfriend."
Jeanette would have corrected Brittany on the word, boyfriend, but she was more interested in what was so important that Simon had decided to disregard the rules and come asking for her. So, instead, she simply shook her head and climbed off her bed towards the window, resting her hands on the windowsill to steady herself.
"Simon, you know it's the middle of the night, right?" It was a legitimate question, throughout the years she's never known him to disobey Dave so blatantly. The mere fact that he was out way past the acceptable time set by his adoptive father, and alone, was something not ordinary for him.
"I know," his demeanor changing from calm to excited as he waved his hand in a come here gesture, "come meet me outside."
"Now?" She watched him nod before she grabbed at the shirt she was wearing, "but I'm in my pajamas."
A faint grunt of frustration drifted up to her ears from down below before he called up to her again, "So? So am I," this was confirmed by the lounge pants and t-shirt he was wearing that weren't a part of his daily wardrobe, "just come outside."
With that final declaration she watched as he turned and jogged towards the front of the house. Even after he had disappeared from sight she continued watching the direction he ran with a look of confusion on her face.
"So?" Jeanette wasn't sure how long her sisters had been standing next to her, but she could guess it had been quite a while by the expectant looks on their faces.
"So, what?" It was the only answer that she could conjure up as her mind went blank.
"Don't keep him waiting," Eleanor spoke up and she felt two pair of hands grabbing her arms and dragging her towards the bedroom door.
"Okay. Okay!" She wiggled her way out of their grasp just by that same door, "I'm going."
And so she was. She silently opened the door a crack to ensure their adoptive mother was truly sleeping, but it was just another way for her to stall a few seconds longer as she knew the lady would definitely be asleep at this time. Just as she knew it'd be difficult to wake her as the elder lady's hearing wasn't as sharp as in her youth.
Satisfying only herself with the interruption, she finally opened the door wider and slipped into the dark hallway. She found herself rolling her eyes at the torrent of giggles coming from the bedroom she had just exited while she approached the staircase. Her descent slow and silent and she was thankful her footing hadn't failed her as she reached the end.
Slipping into a pair of flip flops and opening the front door she felt a little apprehensive. This was it, she would be disobeying her curfew, but she'd never hear the end of it if she didn't go find out what Simon wanted. With a defeated sigh, she stepped outside and silently closed the door behind her. Her arms wrapping around her midsection in an attempt to keep the chill of the cool summer night air away. Looking down as she descended the porch steps in route towards him.
As she looked up from the ground she spotted him leaning up against the fence with his arms crossed. A sideways grin appearing on his face as she got close to him, "I was beginning to think you weren't coming."
"Well, I was thinking you were crazy," she smiled as he raised an eyebrow at her, "but you know how sisters are."
"Just like brothers, I assume," he emphasized by shrugging his shoulders before standing upright, "now, come on, I have to show you something."
Before she could react, his hand reached out and grabbed hers. At that moment she wondered if he felt it too; the sudden spark and quickening pulse that ran through her as their hands made contact. But she assumed he didn't as there was no falter in his pursuit as he guided her to their destination.
The destination being down the street towards a pitch black field and that's when realization hit her, he hadn't told her what they were doing, "where are we going?" She stopped dead in her tracks and pulled her hand from his unsure of his intent; or the feelings running rampant within her.
"Out there," he pointed a thumb over his shoulder towards the ominous field, but when she just crossed her arms in apprehension he only sighed and held out an expectant hand for her, "just trust me, Jeanette."
Knowing he was right as he never proved himself otherwise, she reached out a hand and placed it in his before they continued the trek into the middle of the field ahead. Though, when they stopped, she could feel herself wanting to protest as his hand left hers and she watched in curiosity as he fidgeted around staring up.
That's when she turned her gaze towards the star flecked sky wondering what he could be searching for that she hadn't seen before, "what, in the world, are you looking for?"
"Um, just… just wait," she noticed the nervous stutter in his voice before he closed his eyes and took a deep breath to regain his composure. Then she was sure he was trying to drive her crazy as he placed a hand upon her shoulder and leaned in close, "you'll really enjoy it."
Her breathing nearly stopped as she could feel the warmth of him near her side when he didn't move away. All her senses fully aware of just how dangerously close he was, and yet, he seemed completely unaware of it as he continued to scan the nighttime sky.
Then it caught the corner of her eye, though she almost missed it as her attention had been elsewhere, "oh, wow," she breathed out as another streak made its way across the sky and she wondered how she missed there would be a meteor shower tonight.
"The news has been talking about it all week. I knew you wouldn't want to miss it," she almost had to strain to hear what he had to say; whether he intended her to specifically look his way or not, she found her attention returning to him. Her eyes landing on that sideways grin that always seemed reserved just for her. The one that always seemed to melt her heart.
And while their friendship had been strictly platonic, the night was only half over. In the matter of hours, minutes, even seconds anything could happen. A future could change or could stay the same. Even if, at this moment, it seemed as if nothing had altered.
I totally got inspiration for this from Randy Houser's song "Runnin' Outta Moonlight" It's such a romantic song. I guess one day I'll write the other characters. But these 2 are so fun to write because their personalities aren't THAT developed (and yet they are, if you understand that?) so you can manipulate them a little. Though I think I fail at it most of the time. XD I edited this 3 times and it still doesn't seem right. Oh well, I'm done messing with it already. I guess I could have emphasized on things more.
~Sharky