FOURTH OF JULY PICNIC AND EXPLOSIONS THAT WERE PLANNED FOR [The beach, July 4, 2014]

[professor_lyman]

Since there was no need for a mid-summer welcome picnic, the administration had splashed out on this one: the tables (located under giant tents) were groaning with sidedishes from corn on the cob to potato chips to baked beans to several dodgy-looking jello salads and the grills were set up along the beach cooking chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs,

Comments

FIREWORKS

[professor_lyman]

Ooooooh, ahhhhh. Given who's on the school administration, you know the explosions are spectacular.

Re: FIREWORKS

[flickofawrist]

When the party was already in full swing and no one was really paying attention to new arrivals, Flick did finally come out. He stayed out of the way and back from most of the party but he'd mostly come out to see the fireworks.

Jude had liked fireworks. And he bet Frank would like them too when he got old enough so he'd come out for them. It made him even more melancholy and sad but it was good to be out and feel a little more connected with those he'd lost.

Re: FIREWORKS

[seveninchmotto]

Had he thought Isabelle wouldn't notice? Because she did. After a while. She approached from the side of his good arm and leaned right in against his side, sliding her arm around his waist.

Didn't even say anything.

Re: FIREWORKS

[flickofawrist]

Flick hadn't really thought anyone would notice, if he was honest. He'd been trying to be unobtrusive and unnoticeable but he knew she had an advantage in that area.

When she leaned in against him, he glanced down at her, a little surprised that he hadn't heard her coming. He tensed briefly but that went away when he realized who was at his side and he blinked a few times before he closed his eyes and breathed quietly.

Re: FIREWORKS

[seveninchmotto]

There were fireworks and she moved quietly a lot of the time. She would've apologized if she'd startled him more than she had.

She rested her head against hils shoulder, tilted towards the sky to watch the fireworks. Her hair was still a little damp from her swim earlier.

Re: FIREWORKS

[flickofawrist]

Flick hadn't expected to see her today so her finding him and cuddling up to him was a nice surprise. He liked it even if his overall mood wasn't illustrating that.

He turned his head up to watch the fireworks briefly but he kept sneaking glances at her face when he could.

Re: FIREWORKS

[seveninchmotto]

Her eyes were on the fireworks. Got wider whenever something was particularly impressive or pretty or loud.

She'd had a good day. She looked relaxed, and content. And happy to be gazing up at the sky.

Re: FIREWORKS

[flickofawrist]

Flick wasn't as relaxed or content as she was but he was trying. He looked at her for a few longer moments before he tied to focus his attention back up on the fireworks.

His mind was elsewhere, thinking of people lost, but he was trying.

Re: FIREWORKS

[seveninchmotto]

And Isabelle was not pushing him to be feel anything. She just kept her arm around him and kept leaning against his side while the fireworks were happening.

She was taking a rare moment to just be quiet and there.

Re: FIREWORKS

[flickofawrist]

Flick closed his eyes again but kept his face turned up to the sky. He breathed in a shuddering breath and let it out.

And then he was still and quiet.

Re: FIREWORKS

[seveninchmotto]

Isabelle gave him a squeeze.

But that might have been just a coincidence. Like maybe she was signaling for him to look at a particularly fun firework, or she really just randomly wanted to give him a squeeze.

(No, those weren't it.)

Re: FIREWORKS

[flickofawrist]

Flick looked over at her at the squeeze but didn't say anything. He blinked a few times and took another shuddering breath that seemed to dissolve some tension in his shoulders.

Of course, it just slivered down into his arms and back but still. He looked up again and watched the sky.

Re: FIREWORKS

[seveninchmotto]

For the first time, Isabelle glanced up at his face, or what she could see of it, anyway. But it was just a brief glance before her eyes were back on the sky above.

Fireworks were pretty. She knew he was having a tough time (and she knew she was still a litle angry at him for some of it) but she hoped he could still appreciate that a little bit.

Re: FIREWORKS

[flickofawrist]

The fireworks were nice. He could admit that. It was hard to forget everything else since he still wasn't in a good mood and he knew she was still mad at him and he knew that Joi was still pissed too.

It dampened some of the spirit and he wasn't really able to completely keep that out of his body language and off his face but he stayed still and watched the display.

He figured he could just slip away when it was over or something.

Re: FIREWORKS

[seveninchmotto]

Probably.

But it wasn't quite over yet, so Isabelle picked up her head and leaned up to press her lips against his cheek. Just for a little moment, with her eyes closed.

Re: FIREWORKS

[flickofawrist]

No, it wasn't over yet. And that particular move made him sigh and shudder again. Not what he wanted to do or reveal but it happened so he just let it go and licked his lips.

He wanted to look over at her but didn't. The fireworks were still up there, winding down and he knew this would end soon and he'd go back to being alone.