Chapter 8: Fireflies
“I heard that if you squeeze their butts the glowy stuff comes out and you can draw with it.”
“If you squeeze them they’ll die.”
“Well I don’t want to kill any of them.”
“Then don’t squeeze them.”
“I’ll remember that.”
“I got one! Get the jar.”
I rush back towards the center of field where we last left the jar and quickly scoop it up and run back to Heath. He’s waiting patiently with his hands cupped together and just the tip of his tongue sticking out the corner of his mouth as he concentrates on keeping the small insect between his hands without squishing it. I lift the lid just enough for him to drop the bug inside before quickly covering the jar again before any that we’ve already caught have time to escape.
“How many does that make?” He asks as I hold the jar up so that we can both gaze into it as the lightning bugs flash on and off.
“I count sixteen.” I say after a moment.
“Well we have to catch at least twenty.” He smiles before bounding back out into the open field.
You’re probably wondering why Heath and I are out here in the middle of a field catching fireflies. Well, it’s part of our first date. He asked me out that next day after I stayed with him on New Years. I only slept in his room—in case you were wondering. We weren’t even in the same room let alone the same bed. Anyway, Heath showed up at my house this evening with two bags of groceries and we made dinner together. He’s an excellent cook, by the way, and he actually taught me a lot. I was more expecting him to take me out to a restaurant when he asked if I wanted to go to dinner with him. This was so much sweeter though and I really had a great time. I wasn’t nearly as nervous as I would have been if we went out to some stuffy restaurant and what woman can resist a man who can cook?
So after we finished making and eating dinner he drove me out here to this big open field and we sat atop the hood of his car until it got dark and just talked and got to know each other better. Once it was dark enough to see the fireflies the hunt began. When Heath pulled out that jar and told me what we were going to be doing I nearly melted right then and there. So we’ve been running around barefoot acting like little kids again for the past twenty minutes or so. Even though I’ve only managed to catch just one of the sixteen fireflies we’ve caught, I’m still having a lot of fun. The only reason I caught the one that I did was because it happened to land on my shirt. Heath had to get it off because I was scared to touch it. I know that sounds pathetic, but they just feel weird in my hands. Every time I catch one I quickly drop it when I feel it moving against my hands. I never used to be scared of them.
“You have some catching up to do Elli.” Heath laughs coming to stand behind me.
“You’re doing a fine job. You don’t need my help.” I laugh over my shoulder. His hands mold to my waist as he pushes me forward a few steps and towards a bunch of lightning bugs flying just above our heads. When we come to a stop he cups his hands over mine and brings our hands up to snatch one of the glowing bugs from the night sky. I squirm and squeal at the feeling of the insect crawling around in my hands, but Heath keeps my hands clamped shut as he walks up back toward the jar illuminating a few feet away.
“It’s not going to hurt you Elli.” He chuckles, peering over my shoulder to look at my scrunched up face.
“I know, but it feels weird.”
“You were one of those girly-girls when you were little, weren’t you?” He asks just as we reach the jar nestled in the tall grass. “The ones that hated the out doors and anything that even resembled dirt.”
“I was not!” I shoot back defensively.
“Don’t open your hands.” He instructs has his hands leave mine and he picks up the jar.
“I used to catch fireflies all the time thank you very much.” I answer back haughtily. After disposing the insect into the jar Heath seals the lid and takes my hand to lead me back to the car. Being the gentleman that he is, he carefully lifts me to sit on the hood of the car before handing me the glowing jar. He boosts himself up to sit next to me. “My dad and I used to catch them all the time when I was little. My mom was always in charge of the jar.”
“My mum steered clear of any and all insects.”
“I guess my mum was just way cooler than yours.”
“Are you making fun of the way I talk?”
“Of course not.” I tease, before answering in all seriousness. “I love your accent.”
“So you’re just making fun of my mum?”
“Pretty much, yeah.” I laugh and so does he.
“That’s what I thought.”
“You know what was always my favorite
part about catching fireflies?” I whisper after a few minutes of gazing silently into the open field.“What’s that?”
“Letting them go.” I smile holding up the jar for him to see. He nods giving me permission to set the little things free. I smiles wider in my excitement, my mind taking me back in time to when I was little and my dad was still around. Using Heath’s shoulder to steady me I stand up on the hood and slowly unscrew the lid. I look back down at Heath as I take the lid off completely and hold the jar up in the air. The fireflies fly out almost immediately and I only have to shake out two of them.
Heath tugs on my hand and I lower myself back down to sit next to him. He drapes his arm over my shoulder and nudges me just a bit closer. I lean my head back to rest on his arm and we just lay there looking between the stars and the glimmering fireflies in the distance.
I don’t think I could have possibly imagined up a more perfect night.
~*~*~*~
I’m on a date with Cameron Diaz and I can’t stop thinking about Elli Montgomery. Cameron’s been blabbing on and on about….uh….something and I can’t get the thought of Elli with Heath out of my mind. Do you think she slept with him? I mean the Elli that I knew three years ago never would have, but this new her? I don’t know what to think.
I know that Elisha is the one that set her up with Heath. Why did she have to go and do something like that? He’s not good enough for her and I don’t trust him.
“Justin?”
“Hm?” I look up suddenly at the sound of Cameron’s somewhat annoyed voice.
“Do you want dessert?”
If it means I have to sit here and listen to you yammer on some more, then no thank you.
“I’m kind of full, but if you want to get something feel free.” I offer hoping she won’t actually take me up on my insincere offer.
“You won’t split something with me?” She asks with a coy smile. She really is beautiful, but I’m just not into this right now. I know Elli went out with him tonight and it’s killing me. Trace told me, that’s how I know. I didn’t even ask, he volunteered the information on his own. I would have preferred not to know at all.
“I’m really not hungry enough to even split something.”
“You’re mind seems to be somewhere else tonight.” She sighs, protruding her bottom lip in a heavy pout. I really do feel bad for asking her out and then pretty much ignoring her all night, but I just can’t help it—it’s all Elli’s fault. “Or maybe on someone else?”
“No, I just—I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”
“You want to talk about it?”
“The new CD is just a lot of pressure, you know?” I explain, scratching at the back of my neck as I try to come up with more to say. I mean sure I’ve thought about this stuff and it has been wearing on my mind, but that’s not what’s been distracting me for the actress across from me. “And we’re supposed to start touring soon and still have yet to figure out who’s going to open for us. Everything is just going to start getting really hectic really soon.”
“Justin,” Cameron smiles sweetly as she reaches across the table to caress the top of my hand. “Everything is going to work out fine, you just wait and see. Things just have a way of falling into place.”
I sure hope she's right.
TBC......
