❤️

Luella and I were sprawled out on the blanket under us. We were in the middle of tall sunflowers. August and Trev who are by our feet, previously complaining that we were taking up too much room, were now both finishing the food we had left up from our picnic.

We had been here for hours.

August was quiet. Really quiet.

But he wasn't moody, he smiled a little when he was talked to, nodded and gave short word answers when he needed to. He was just quiet.

Luella and I on the other hand were not.

She was unnaturally loud and cheerful considering the stress she's been though the past few days but where Trev was watching her with concern, I was going with it.

Concerned eyes were not what she needed. She needed the distraction.

So, we were just chatting our sides pressed together as we looked up at the clouds, the sky a beautiful colour as the sun fell from the sky. Our peripheral is full off bright yellow flowers which always made me think about this quote I once read about sunflowers.

A sunflower field is like a sky with a thousand suns. I think her name was Corina Abdulahm-Negura. I remember the name because I remember reading it and thinking... pardon? I also remember thinking the same with the quote to be honest. The concept. A sky with a thousand suns... you mean stars? You mean literally what happens when the day turns to night and then suddenly the sky is filled with a thousand suns. They're just far away. Like what August said...

"You know I need to get my hair recoloured." Luella whispers and I turn my face to hers.

"Mm?"

"Yeah I go to this place, they do all sorts there."

"What are you suggesting Lue?"

"I don't know." She grins and reaches for my hair. "You wanna go blonde?"

I grin back. "It's not really my vibe."

She looks offended. "But it's my vibe and we vibe so what do you mean it's not your vibe."

"Oh god." Trev mutters and I sit up, throwing him an amused look and then my eyes widen when he has my camera and it seems as if he's been taking a few pictures.

He's bored. I can tell. I think the boys ran out of food.

"Trev do you think I should colour my hair?"

He shakes his head. "I have room for only one blonde in my life."

I smile at that, looking down at Lue and she just looks frustrated.

Oh goodness.

"I think you'd look so hot as a blonde." Luella says. "We would be sisters."

"I mean I don't know how matching hair equates to siblingism."

She narrows her eyes at me and I laugh.

"Lue I will be your sister, just with brown hair."

She smiles at me a little and then her face turns sour, not having got her way.

She sits up.

"August you think Emersyn would look hot with blonde hair right?"

Leo looks up from his phone and he looks at her and nods. "Yeah sure, whatever."

"You think I should dye my hair blonde?" I ask and his eyes turn to me. Then he frowns.

"Oh. No don't do that."

I smile and look at Luella, and she just glares at all of us.

"Fine." She mutters, collapsing back on the blanket.

I look at August and he was still looking at me, I smile a little and he nods. His eyes flicking down to his phone.

His good mood from earlier has left, like the brightness of his smile, eyes, gone. But he was still pretty energetic, fidgety. So was I though, I wanted to be closer to him.

But even though Trev had seen us this morning, I wasn't going to act as if it was normal to do anything with him. It wasn't. And he'd probably pull away.

I lie back down.

"How was last night Em?" Lue asks.

I had avoided this question earlier. How can I re-avoid it now?

"I got very high." I whisper, an amused smile on my face. "It was a lot."

"Oh god. Who did you get high with?"

"August."

"Oh." She laughs quietly. "Don't get high with August he always has weird weed."

"Yeah, found that out." I mumble and she just smiles.

"So what happened?"

"Nothing too bad." I whisper. "Nas kissed me again."

Her eyebrows raise. "You'd think he'd have got the hint that you won't sleep with him and moved on aye?"

"You would have thought." I smile. "I have more things to tell you." I whisper. "But later."

Her eyes spark with excitement. "Can we just go now?"

I laugh at that, shaking my head and sitting up. This is at the same time August's phone rang and my eyes lower to his screen as an impulse.

Nia.

He picks it up.

I cringe and lay back down, goodness I was getting dizzy. All this sitting up and lying down.

"Hey... yeah no I am busy tonight." He says and I let out a small sigh of relief, Luella watching my face carefully and I just look back at her, not pretending I wasn't listening.

"But I can do tomorrow. Mhm. Yours is easier."

Oh okay.

"See you later." He says and Luella is looking at me concerned as August puts his phone back. Trev is silent too, just staring at August and then I sit up.

May as well dismiss the little hint of tension.

"What are you doing tonight?" I ask cheerfully.

Lue's staying at mine. She said she needed to get away from her mum but didn't wanna slob at Trev's. We're going to do some art. I am forcing her, she'll like it in the end though I am sure.

We're doing it outside, I have plans for her to be able to express herself. Also plans where we get the patio dirty but I will clean it before my parents shout at me. It's fine.

August looks up at me, his eyes analysing my face and I keep it neutral, my usual smile present.

He exhales a little, seeming relieved.

Then he answers my question. "Rayne wants to go for drinks just us."

My eyebrows raise at that and he nods, as if acknowledging my surprise.

"I wonder what he wants to talk about." He mutters sarcastically and I smile then, knowing exactly what he wants to talk about. Then I realised I needed to get Rayne to protect my pride.

I take out my phone and open up my messages to Rayne.

"Are you really asking him what he's going to say?" August laughs a little bit, more confused than anything and I look up at him quickly, shaking my head in amusement.

"No you just reminded me I needed to text him."

Leo nods, taking his eyes off me.

August clears his throat and when I send the message to Rayne ,I look up at Leo and he has his hand outstretched for my phone. I shake my head slowly.

Definitely not.

"Phone." He demands.

I pull a face. "No way."

August sighs. "Just give me your phone Em."

"No." I laugh, sitting up properly and moving away from him so I was sat cross legged, at the opposite end of the blanket. "You aren't reading my messages August."

"Whenever you say my name now it seems so serious." He chuckles. "No Leo then?"

"Like I said before, Leo is when I am liking you."

His jaw drops slightly in amusement and then he leans forwards and I watch in shock when in front of Lue and Trev he grabs my crossed thighs. Then he raises his eyebrow at me, as if to say, what are you going to do and I go to knock his hands away when he suddenly pulls me down the blanket towards him.

"Lue." I gasp, turning around to grab onto her and she laughs and grabs my arm, trying to help me and well as I try to cling to her, August grabs my phone from my hand and then then next thing I know he's off.

He jumped up and headed into the flowers and I just gape at my friends; Trev is amused and Lue just pushes me up to go after him.

This bitch. How old is he, 12?

I run after him, literally just following his path of mass destruction. Poor sunflowers having been crushed and as he disappears into the even taller sunflowers I pause, my phone is locked anyway, I just stare in.

What the hell man?

The sun was lowering and as I started to slowly walk into the taller flowers, the golden rays sort of magically wrapped their way around the stems, beams bouncing, covering, shadowing the area.

He has disappeared.

Sunflowers are slightly rough by the stems, the little spikes to ward off predators didn't feel great against my bear arms or legs and I called out for him.

"August?"

Silence.

Okay I was getting nervous.

"August?" I call again, walking further in and looking around me.

"Leo?" I whisper and then I get tackled, arms around my waist and we fall to the floor, me gasping and him actually laughing at my face.

"You asshole!" I gasp, trying to move off of him but he just sits up, pulling me so I was sat on one of his thighs, my legs thrown over the other one.

"Hi." His voice is amused, his arms strong as he holds me to him.

I just try and get my phone out of his hand, pulling it to me and he lets go of it easily.

"What's your password?" August asks and I breathe a sigh of annoyance.

"You aren't reading my messages August."

He smirks at me. "Why? Secrets?"

"Maybe." I mumble but annoyingly I settle down, my back against his arm and he places his chin on my shoulder.

"You're so stubborn." He says. Really? How can he say that to me.

"Me?" I gasp. "You are-"

"I was gonna give you my number Emersyn." August says quietly. "That was all I was going to do."

I look at him, surprised. And then I lift my leg, and turn to sit more traditionally in his lap, wrapping my legs behind him.

I did it carefully, not to flash him.

He helped.

"You wanted to give me your number?" I ask, my voice soft.

"Mhm." He hums. "But you got all defensive."

I smiled. "Leo I already have your number."

August's face immediately scrunches up and I laugh, lifting my hands to it and pressing out the lines so his face relaxes again.

"You have never messaged me."

I grin, he was adorable. "I have never wanted to."

He's not adorable Em, guard yourself jesus.

I force the giddiness to go away.

"Did you really need to separate us from Trev and Luella?"

"Felt like they needed to talk, you and Lue haven't shut up all evening."

I narrow my eyes. "Well you wanted to come."

"When did I say that?" He asks, his voice challenging, amused.

I don't even know.

"I feel like you aren't the sort of person that does something he doesn't want to do..."

He smirks a little. "Maybe I just have little self-control." He whispers, his hands on my hips and I just blink a little confused, I think we may be on separate topics here.

August's hands tighten and I feel conflicted Because he did just fully arrange to see Nia. Which is their arrangement. They just mess around. That's all that August does.

All that he's doing.

Right here.

"Okay." I whisper and try to get up. "Time to go back to Trev and Luella."

"No."

I sigh. "August." And I try to move out of his hold.

"Stop trying to get up."

I huff. "You are so demanding."

This is when a small smile graces his face. "Isn't that what you usually like? Demands."

I pull a face and look down.

"I bet all your girls like you being demanding."

He sobers up then, lifting my chin up. "Some do, most pretend to. They think it's sexy. What's sexy is being responsive. Like actually."

"Huh?"

"When I grab a little roughly, use a harsher tone, demanding words, girls go a long with it, they find it hot, they think it'll turn me on more to be submissive. You on the other hand actually, truthfully, respond to it, you can see it in your eyes."

"My eyes?" I whisper.

He nods and taps my arms, which means put them around his neck, I am learning these things.

I do what he wants.

"Your pupils." He whispers, looking straight into my eyes. "Your blue gets darker and it's because it shrinks as the black grows."

"And You say you don't pay attention." I whisper.

"I don't." He smirks.

"Your eyes go darker, like the colours, the light green disappears." I tell him. When he's turned on, when he's conflicted, his eyes grow dark.

"You aren't the first to say that." August chuckles and I pull a face at him.

"Shut it." I mumble, raising my hands to his lips. "I don't wanna know that."

He lifts his hands to the ones around my neck and he links our fingers together and pries my hands away.

"I don't do jealousy Emersyn."

"You don't do it?" I say then I shrug. "Okay August. What you feel and what you don't isn't really any of my business." I say, smirking a little at his frustrated huff.

"I mean that I don't put up with it."

I smile a little. I am being told off, his tone stern. I annoyingly like it.

"Well you also don't let girls sleep in your bed." I whisper, leaning in and I press a small kiss to his cheek. "You don't let them mark you." I press another a little higher, just below his eye. His eyes close. "You don't give them hickies..."

His head jerks back suddenly, his eyes opening. "Don't start thinking you are special Emersyn."

Usually a statement like that would have hurt me. For some reason, it amused me.

"But I am."

He exhales in annoyance but he lets go of my hands and he rewraps his around me, mine travelling back up to his neck.

"You might not think me as special. But others do." I say, softly tickling his neck with my nails.

August remains silent and I laugh at that, searching his eyes.

"Back to my original question Leo." I say. "Do your girls like how you are?"

He frowns at me. "My girls. You make me sound like a pig."

"You said it not me." I laugh. "No like um..Nia." I pout and I watch as his lips tug up slightly. "And Ebony? Was it. Oh Dena, the one in the car... and we can't forget about princ-"

His hand comes to cover my lips.

"Shut up Emersyn."

'Why?" I mumble against his hand and he drops it.

"Because you don't need to-"

"I am just curious."

"No you are nosey. There is a difference."

"Fine I am nosey." I grin. "Call it my character flaw."

"No your character flaw is trying to get under my skin."

"I am pretty sure I wanna get on top of it actually."

He tenses and I lift my hand to my lips and cover them.

"That one was accidental." I mumble.

"For a virgin you sure know how to flirt." He mutters and I smile at that, leaning in and I press a small kiss on his other cheek, he moves this time, as if he was pressing his cheek against my lips to help me.

I smile as I look at him.

"You like it when I flirt with you." I say, watching his lips. He has such good control over his facial features, but I see you Leo.

Just smile.

"No. you're going to drive me crazy."

Would it be inappropriate to tell him I am too late there? I think so. I keep quiet, a small smile on my lips as we stare at each other.

"Is that your goal? Baby Em." He mutters. "To drive me insane?"

My stomach flips.

"Maybe." I whisper. "How is it that when you call me Baby Em, even though I know you are patronising me, I end up swooning?"

His lips tug up in a little smirk and his hands start to rub my lower back a little, tracing circles with his thumbs. "Because really you are the insane one."

I smile. Maybe. "I have my wits about me." I whisper. August's face was so close to mine that I could smell the sweet ropy fragrance of orange he had just been drinking, and I could feel the forever growing need to move even closer to him.

"Are you sure about that?" He asks, his eyes drawn down now and I moisten my lips and his eyes flick back up to mine.

I felt again the rush of helplessness, the sinking yielding, the surging tide of warmth that left me limp as he drew closer. And the quiet face of August Parker was blurred and drowned to nothingness as I closed my eyes.

"I asked... are you sure?" He asks, his lips brushing over mine and I just exhale a short breath, knowing he'd feel it hit him directly.

"No."

I wasn't sure. I wasn't really sure about anything.

And then he kissed me. Again. His lips moved softly at first, and then with a swift gradation of intensity that made me cling to him as the only solid thing in a dizzy swaying world, I had to try and keep up. August pulled back but I shake my head and so his mouth is back on mine and he kisses me roughly. Completely unyielding. His hands are on the back of my head, holding me in place and I feel the heat spread over us, I almost look up to see if the sun has suddenly risen again and was shining on us but I knew it hadn't.

We were just sat here in a field of a thousand suns and I knew I was making a mess for myself, my life even. But I battled his lips with my own. My own little way of saying although I know he has a dangerous amount of power here, I too was in charge. A little anyway. And as we kissed again I think something bad happened because this next kiss is the kind that breaks open the sky. It steals my breath and gives it back. It shows me that every other kiss I've had in my life has been wrong.

I knotted my fists in his shirt, pulling him harder against me. Leo groaned softly, low in his throat, and then his arms circled me, leaving my face, gathering me against him, and the suddenly we were rolled over in the grass, tangled together, still kissing.

And it is I that pull back.

He says I am not special. But the way we kiss says something else, I don't even care.

He sits up, holding me back on his lap and then he throws me a glare.

I look at him shocked, leaning my head back.

"You kiss too well, it annoys me."

My lips part and he leans in and pressed another against my lips, short, almost sweet if his tongue hadn't dipped out and make me squirm a little against him.

His hands are on my hips, making me freeze.

"What is that meant to mean?" I try to say, my voice is pathetic. Fuck kissing August literally effects my whole body.

"It means that you are so innocent and then your little mouth isn't and it fucks me off."

"Why?" I whisper, leaning in and I press my lips softly against the corner of his mouth. "I like kissing you like that."

Partly because I hope when he goes to someone else for more, he won't be able to forget me.

"It makes me think of the other times your lips have been touched and it annoys me."

"Annoys you..." I fish for more. "How?"

He frowns at me, his forehead falling down on mine and I smile and close my eyes.

"Knowing you've been kissed pisses me off."

Doesn't do jealousy huh?