STARLIGHT
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"Honestly, why does it matter so much?" Flynn started with a laugh as he skated beside Charlotte as she made her way down the street, formerly pristine white top brown with water that had splashed her from a nearby puddle as a car had drove past. "It will dry by the fire."

"It matters because I like him," she cried, tears streaming down her face as the rain poured down. Her heart was beating fast in her chest, and her breathing was shallow, she was on the verge of another one of her nervous breakdowns and she couldn't stop herself. "I really fucking like him, and now all my plans are ruined and I was already running late and I look a complete mess and he's probably waiting and he'll never forgive me!"

"Charlotte, it'll be fine-"

"No, it won't!" Charlotte shouted and Flynn flinched visibly coming to a halt. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," he answered. "It's not your fault. Have you got your meds?"

"Yeah, but I don't have any water," she sighed. Flynn reached into his denim backpack and pulled out his own water bottle, handing it to her. She smiled gratefully and took a swig from it, knocking back pills and trying to relax.

"I'm sure he likes you too," Flynn smiled kindly. "He'd be mad not to. Now, why not text your dad, he can pick us up, you can get changed and we'll make it to the cottage in time."

"I can't, he's working. Either way, I just don't understand how this will even work," she sighed, and they continued to walk. "It's far too rainy for a bonfire."

"One hundred plus school blazers, coal, wood and possibly gasoline will be fuel enough," he said, matter of factly. "But I promise, if the flames even start to dim, I'll throw myself in to make it roar again."

"Suicide jokes aren't funny Flynn."

"Who says I'm joking?" he asked. "Seriously, if it means keeping the romantic mood for you and lover boy alive, I'll do anything."

"You embarrass me."

"You love me."

"You're an idiot."

"You're right," Flynn smiled as they reached the bottom of the hill on top of which the Afasy's cottage stood. "But you still love me. Anyway, last one up the hill is a rotten egg!"

"God, how old are you?" Charlotte laughed, but ran after him anyway, a small part of her happy that her appearance was ruined or else she'd be far too occupied with keeping herself presentable to enjoy this small moment of joy.

By the time she caught up with her friend, he was already leaning against the wall of the cottage, awaiting her arrival. "You should knock."

So she did, and when Harry opened the door, looking perfect as ever, a small part of her wondered what he thought of her appearance as she stood their, muddy, wet and winded from her run up the hill.

"Hi," she grinned, moving to embrace him but thinking better of it. "Sorry, I'm super dirty."

"I don't mind," Harry smiled, pulling her into a quick hug and she truly wished it would have lasted longer.

"This is Flynn," Charlotte said, gesturing to her friend who waved from behind her.

"I'm only coming along so I can throw myself in the flames if things go wrong," Flynn said, reaching forwards to shake Harry's hand, before cracking up. "Look at your face! I'm only joking- I go to the school too."

"Ouch, Flynn," Charlotte laughed. "You really need to come up with some new material tonight."

"I just thought of a Phoenix joke I could've made," Harry grinned. "But I forgot the punchline before I could say it."

"Damn," Charlotte sighed. "There's a whole plethora of fire jokes we could be making right now, and none of us can think of any."

"Maybe the actual bonfire will jog our memory," Flynn said, dropping his skateboard and getting ready to move. "Last one down the hill is a rotten egg!"

"I am not doing this again," Charlotte started, but her friend was already skating away. She glanced at Harry who only laughed, stepping out of the house, closing the door and taking her hand, before jetting off down the hill, dragging her along with him.

~

The flames on the bonfire were luminescent in the dark of the park as they sat, Flynn, Charlotte, Harry and a bunch of other people from her year group at school. Charlotte glanced over at her friend who sat a couple meters away from her, chatting to a handsome blonde boy named Noah Pine, whom Flynn had shared several classes with, and envied him slightly. His conversation seemed to be going well over there, but were Harry and her were sat, the crimson embers that flew aimlessly in the air before extinguishing lasted longer than her will to speak, as she opened and closed her mouth like a goldfish for quite some time now.

"I need alcohol," Charlotte sighed, glancing around at the drinking/drunk teens around her, before realising that none of them would ever share with her.

"I come prepared," Harry spoke, and she raised her eyebrows, shocked. He pulled out a flask from his pocket a and grinned. "Nicked a bottle of Sirius's firewhiskey earlier- he definitely noticed, but didn't confront me about it, not really. Just transfigured this flask out of an old paperclip and handed it to me."

"Coolest godfather ever," Charlotte grinned, holding out her hand. "Go on then, give it over."

"It packs a punch you know," Harry warned, and Charlotte raised an eyebrow.

"And how much of this firewhiskey have you drank, Romeo?"

"Loads. All the time."

"More like butterbeer," Charlotte scoffed. "Which I'd great by the way, don't get me wrong. Crave it all the time. But pass that whiskey."

"If you insist," he shrugged, a mischievous look in his eyes that made Charlotte rethink her decision to drink first.

But she ignored this feeling and screwed open the flask, downing a mouthful and immediately shoving the drink back into Harry's hand. Charlotte's heat tolerance had never been very high, and this was certainly no exception, her mouth, lips and throat burned as she yelped.

"God," she shouted as Harry laughed hysterically at her red face. The burn was beginning to subside now, leaving a giddy, drowsy sensation in it's place. "Was the fire over there or in my mouth? I can't tell any more!"

"I told you it packs a punch."

"A punch?" Charlotte laughed, loudly.  "A punch? That packed a poke- I mean, a kick- I mean it's your turn!"

"You're extremely lightweight aren't you?" Harry grinned and she nodded giddly, before urging him on. He took a tentative sip before shaking his head as he panted dramatically, face growing ten times redder than hers had ever been. "I take it back!"

"How much have you drank, I said," Charlotte cackled. "Loads, he said! Absolute bullshit! We have to finish this flask now, definitely!"

"I suppose it would be a waste to leave it," Harry laughed, chugging down even more of the firewhiskey and the two of them passed the flask back and forth (it seemed to last forever) and when the flask did finally empty, they made their way around the other teenagers around them, swiping bottles and cans here and there until they were both completely rowdy and completely drunk.

It had gotten to a point where the fire had dimmed down to a far smaller size, and Harry and Charlotte were the only people left in the warmth beside it. They had abandoned their log and lay on the floor in an effort to get closer to the flames but had only ended up closer to each other, connected comfortably as they lay on their backs, gazing at the dark night sky above.

"Ever been in love?" Charlotte found herself asking, out of the blue.

"Nope," Harry answering, before making a bunch of popping noises with his mouth, that mildly amused them both. "Had a girlfriend last year though- didn't go well. She was jealous of my best friend."

"Sounds like a bitch."

"Nah," Harry shrugged. "She was just very sensitive. Went through some terrible things, wrecked with grief."

"Nobody's gone through anything more terrible than you have," Charlotte spoke, gently. "I've heard of it all of course. You're awfully brave, you know that, right?"

"Have you ever been in love?" he asked quickly, ignoring her words. But she'd allow it.

"Nah," she answered. "I want to be though. So badly. I get really lonely and, well I know romance isn't all there is to life, but it's important, especially to me."

"How so?"

"When I was younger, my father would tell me tales of my mother, how he much he loved her and every single little thing about her. I used to wonder if anyone would ever love me enough to notice those kinds of things, and I always wanted to be loved like that," Charlotte sighed. "Then when he finally moved on, it was perfect. Marilyn was perfect for him, she was so beautiful and radiant and he loved her to the ends of the earth and she him. I used to look at them together and pray I'd have that one day. And now..."

"Now?"

"Now she's dead, and he's grieving, no matter how much he hides it," Charlotte said, turning her head to face Harry and he looked back at her. "And it's beautiful. His grief is different to mine, to Theodore's, not stronger, just different. And it's a beautiful thing, even if it's concealed beneath an awful thing. It shows their love has still lasted."

"I can't grieve for you yet, Lottie," he replied, and she could feel his breath gently fanning her face. "But I could always kiss you, if you don't mind."

Charlotte waited for the butterflies and jitters she usually felt whenever Harry said anything, let alone that he wanted to kiss her, and that's how she knew her brain was far too hazy for her to kiss him now.

"I've never kissed anyone before," she grinned. "But I'd like to remember it when I do. So maybe come back when I'm sober, and I might just take you up on that offer."

"I'll make it my priority first thing tomorrow."

But he wouldn't make it his priority, because the next morning the couple would wake up with abnormal migranes and no memory of the night before, wishing they'd never drank so much and forever trying to put their finger on that one important conversation they'd so late on the starlight, to no avail whatsoever.

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Hi everyone! I really appreciate you taking the time to read this chapter of Romeo today, and thoroughly hope you enjoyed it.

Today was my first day at school so this chapter was a little bit of a wind down for me- you might even get an update tommorow depending on how quickly I get the next chapter edited (it's already written) so look forward to that!

Qotd: Do you like/love/dislike/hate/feel conflicted about school?
Aotd: conflicted definitely- I love to learn but don't always enjoy the school environment m.

-Amber.