"Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow." ~ Helen Keller

• • •

The repetitive sound of knocking has me rushing down the stairs. Opening the door, I'm nearly knocked over by Rolo and Rani who shove their way past me.
Ana, being the mostly civilised person that she is, says hi and calmly walks in.

Rani and Rolo barrel their way upstairs and into my room while Ana and I follow slowly. In the momentary silence, I decide to question Ana on Raphael.

"So you and Raph huh?" I ask

Ana immediately flushes bright red. "Oh he's just a friend."

"Mmhmm, that's why your blushing. Because you're just friends."

Ana ignores me and enters my room to meet the others.

"So what happened with Abel, Keziah?" Asks Rani immediately.

I clear my throat. "Um, so we finished working on our presentation-"

"Get to the interesting part already!" Shouts Rolo.

"Let me speak!" I yell while throwing a pillow at his fat head.

"Geez woman how does Abel handle you."

Ignoring the comment, I continue. "And then he suggested we watch a movie." Ana sits there nodding her head and hanging on my every word. "Halfway through the movie which was Fast & Furious 7 by the way-"

Rani Shouts at me. "No one cares what you watched Keziah! Just tell us what happened!"

"Stop interrupting me! Let me finish for once or you'll never know."

"I really hope Abel can remove that stick up her butt." Mumbles Rani to Ana.

Ana bursts into laughter but attempts to hide it behind a cough.

I give them all a dry look and roll my eyes. "As I was saying, halfway through the movie, Abel tells me how he likes us together since we were cuddling. And then he leans down and he kisses me."

Rani and Ana both simultaneously squeal while Rolo claps his hands.

Ana speaks. "I'm so excited for you!"

"Are you guys dating now?" Asks Rani.

"Im not really sure, we didn't exactly discuss that..."

Rolo snores loudly. "Of course you didn't , you were too busy snogging his face off."

"So he didn't mention anything about what happens now?" I shake my head.

"I'm gonna call him." Rani says while grabbing my phone.

"No! I'll just see what happens Rani. I don't want to seem clingy."

"I'm pretty sure you're not the clingy one here Kez. He's already texted you." Says Rani.

I quickly snatch my phone from her hand before reading the message.

Sexiest man alive: Can I call you? I want to hear your voice.

Keziah: I can't right now. Rani, Rolo and Ana are staying over.

I throw my phone onto my bed without waiting for a response from Abel and focus my attention on my friends who are smirking at me.

Rolo begins making kissy faces accompanied by the obnoxious sound.

"Abel and Keziah sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G." Sings Rani.

Ana just smiles at me.

"You guys are so immature." I retort back.

"So what's the plan for tonight."

This time Ana speaks. "The plan is for you to keep talking to lover boy while we make ourselves feel at home."

"But you all came over here."

"Yeah. To hear what happened. Now we don't care what you do." Says Rani.

"What they said." Agrees Rolo.

Before I have time to respond, they're already leaving my room arguing about the best type of popcorn. I think about how great my friends are for a moment before diverting my attention to my pinging phone.

Sexiest man alive: But I miss you.

Keziah: You saw me like 4 hours ago Abe.

Sexiest man alive: That's practically a lifetime. I'm having withdrawals.

Keziah: You're so stupid.

Sexiest man alive: You love it really.

I honestly do.

Sexist man alive: Anyway, how about I call you later before bed? Sound good?

Keziah: You really don't have to do that.

Sexiest man alive: I want to Brown eyes.

After my conversation with Abel, I head downstairs to find Rani and Rolo playing tug of war with my TV remote while Ana munches on popcorn. At this point, I think it's best to let them handle it.

"So are you guys staying over for the night?" I ask.

"Heck yeah!" Shouts Rolo.

"How did your chat with Abel go?" Asks Ana.

I immediately get all shy and try and divert the attention from me.

"It was alright." I respond.

"Just alright? We need more than that Kez." Replies Rani.

"Okay fine. He wants to call me later to say goodnight."

"Aw! He is so adorable! He so likes you! Exclaims Ana.

"Obviously he does, they've kissed and he's always following you around Keziah. You're like his sun; his world revolves around you." States Rani.

I think about what Rani said and question whether or not it's actually true. Everything I've seen or noticed points to the idea that he really is interested. That possibility actually makes me really happy.

"Speaking of liking people, what's going on with you and Raphael Ana?" I ask.

Ana begins to stutter and flush bright red. "Nothing!"

"Why are you even bothering to lie Ana?" Rolo says while rolling his eyes.

Ana sighs. "I just don't know what to do guys. Raphael is different to other boys; I can never tell what he's feeling and it's just confusing. I don't know where I stand with him. I mean I think I like him but I'm not sure anymore."

"Ana, don't think like that. It may just take more time for Raphael to open up." I say with a shrug.

"Yeah, you just have to be patient. I see the way that boy smiles at you. And he never smiles! If that doesn't tell you something then I don't know what will." States Rani.

Rolo just eats the popcorn. "Okay enough of all this lovey dovey crap. Let's watch some horror films."

For the rest of the night, me and my friends spend time together talking and watching films. Rolo and I have been friends since we were little since our parents are really close. We've gone on holidays together and told each other things no one else knows; we have a bond that isn't shared with anyone else. I met Rani and Ana in year 7 and we've been inseparable since. All of us are pretty different to each other yet it hasn't stopped us from staying in close; in fact, I think our differences are what brought us together.

Eventually, we begin to drift in and out of sleep so I decide to call it a night.

I head back up to my room after sorting my friends out and check my phone to find it's just past midnight. Thinking Abel is asleep, I text him rather can call.

Keziah: It's really late so I'm guessing you're asleep now. We can talk on the phone tomorrow though. Goodnight Abel.

Just as I'm getting in bed, my phone begins to ring.

"Hello?" I ask.

"Brown Eyes."

"Abel? I didn't think you'd be awake right now."

"I was waiting up for you. I like listening to your voice."

"It's nothing special."

"To me it is Brown Eyes. And you've got to stop undermining yourself Keziah. You're greater than you think." He states.

"I don't even know what to say."

"You don't need to say anything, I understand. Now tell me about your night with your friends."

Almost all night, Abel and I talk about absolutely everything. I learn that he's part South African, part Hawaiian and part British. No wonder he has such an exotic look. I also learn that he moved from Preston which is about four hours away from here-that explains his accent. He also told me basic things like his favourite colour (red) and his favourite season (Autumn). Talking to him at night makes it feel more intimate even though it's over the phone. His voice is the perfect mix of husky and deep especially when he says certain words. But his laugh, I could listen to it all day; it's just so him.

At 3am, we both agree to call it night and I fall asleep to thoughts of Abel.

• • •

I hear the sound of distant voices echoing around my room. All of a sudden, several pillows smack my head. "WAKE UP KEZIAH!" Shouts Rolo right in my ear.

"Just five more minutes." I mumble.

I don't hear anything again and assume I've been left alone so wrap my sheets around myself tightly.

Almost immediately, a cup of ice-cold water is emptied on my face waking me up straight away. Sputtering loudly, I wipe my face to remove any remaining drops.

"Are you kidding me!" I yell back at them.

"I was still asleep, what is wrong with you all!"

Rani scoffs while Ana rolls her eyes. "You sleep like the dead Kez. We've been trying to wake you up for the past hour." States Rani.

"Yeah, it's 1 in the afternoon already. Get your lazy butt up."

"What? How is it 1 already? It feels like I just went to sleep."

"Wait did you talk to Abel last night?" Asks Rolo.

"Yes..."

"And how long were you on the phone for?" Asks Ana.

"Only till 3am."

"3am!" They shout in unison.

"I guess we got carried away. But I loved it guys. It felt like it brought us closer."

"I'm still waiting for you two to become official you know." Adds Rani.

"Me too Rani."

"So, you admit it!" Exclaims Rolo.

"Admit what?" I ask.

"That you like him!" shouts Ana.

"Of course I do you idiot." I roll my eyes. "I thought it was pretty obvious."

"Oh it was. I just wanted you to say it." responds Ana.

"Now get out of bed and shower Keziah. Your breath stinks like a donkey's arse." Says Rolo.

Just to spite him, I breathe heavily in his face before running to the bathroom.

After I shower, I head back to room only to bump into my dad. "Afternoon dad."

"I heard you talking late on the phone last night." He says with a raised eyebrow. "I assume its that Abel boy your mother was talking about?"

"Um, I guess so."

My dad sighs before walking away. "Be careful Keziah."

Thinking about what he just said, I make it back to my room.

"Get dressed Kez, were going out for lunch."

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