"I saw fireworks from the freeway and behind closed eyes I cannot make them go away..." -- Jason Mraz 'The Remedy (I Won't Worry)'
12
Somehow, the rain had stopped just in time for a July fourth celebration, although the meteorologists were predicting rain the days following the holiday. The ground was still a little soggy from the past few days, so instead of celebrating in Marshall's back yard, everyone gathered on the two side-by-side driveways in front.
She couldn't help but watch Teddy as he bit the edges of his blue plastic cup.
He looks so cute tonight, she thought as she noticed his light blue jeans and the navy blue shirt that hugged his shoulders just a little.
He got a haircut too, she noticed that he wasn't constantly flipping his dark shaggy hair out of his eyes tonight. She imagined herself getting up and talking to him to apologize, but wasn't able to work up the nerve to actually go over to him.
- - - -
He sat on Marshall's porch, talking with Ty about something that he couldn't remember because he was trying to figure out how to initiate a conversation with Tess. He had yet to call her back, because he wasn't exactly sure what to say to her.
But she does look amazing tonight, he thought as he noticed she was wearing a gray v-neck and black cuffed shorts with her hair falling in loose curls over her shoulders.
"Teddy, man, you want a sparkler?" Ty asked loudly as he noticed that his friend had completely zoned out and lost all interest in their previous conversation.
"Huh, oh yeah, sure," he chuckled slightly as he stood up and followed Ty to wear the guys were playing in the street with enough fireworks to light up the sky for at least six hours.
"These are Tessa's favorites," Ty said and Ted noted the slight hint of thoughtfulness in his voice. "I'll be right back." He watched as Ty took his extra long sparkler over to Tess - who's eyes lit up at the sight of the bright object. She gave him a careful hug, and Ted noticed that he may have enjoyed it just a little too much for him to see her as "just a friend". He wanted to be the one who made her happy like that, but he knew he had to actually talk to her first.
Come on Teddy, you don't have a claim on her, you can't be jealous, he thought as his own sparkler sparked its last sparkle and burned out.
- - - -
Was this how their lives were going to be now? They were each just going to be casual observers of each others' lives, acting as if neither of them had any sort of feelings for the other? Of course she didn't like the sound of it, and she hoped that he didn't either.
"Ty give you that?" Marshall asked as he filled his cup with lemonade. She nodded and noticed as he gave a mischievous smile.
"What?"
He shook his head and kept that smirk on his face. "Nothing. Its just, you can't sit there and think that there's no reason he's always given you his first sparkler at every Fourth Of July."
"So?"
"This is the guy who lives for explosions and fire and crazy, extreme sports," Marshall said, "He wouldn't just give someone one of his most favorite things in the world."
She knew what he was trying to tell her, but she didn't want to acknowledge it. She felt that if she pretended it wasn't there, she could keep on her mission to Teddy. He was her goal and everyone else was just a distraction.
"Oh, by the way, we're playing at Battle of the Bands tomorrow night and they're doing this radio interview thing all day with all the bands and we're on at twelve," he informed her before winking slyly and re-joining his guy friends in the street.
"Tessa, come over here!" Ty called. "I want your help."
She knew nothing good could come out of this, after all, the kid who had been rushed to the emergency room almost every year after being hit with fireworks was wanting her to help out... But she went anyway. He was waving her over with his arm like a mad person.
"Come on, come on, hurry up." He laughed as she jogged up next to him. "OK, I want you to hold this out and I'm going to light it and you're just going to stand there and let it come out, K?"
"No way man." She laughed as she tried to hand it back but he shook his head and grabbed her by the waist to make her stand still.
Maybe Marshall was right. She squeezed her eyes shut nervously as he positioned her right arm all the way out to the right and then lit the explosive. She hated playing with fire or anything more dangerous than a sparkler, and this absolutely scared the pants off of her. She squeaked as the first burst flew out of the tube, but when she heard the guys laugh with excitement, she opened her eyes and watched.
"I seriously didn't think she'd do it, dude," she heard Cooper tell them and she laughed as she realized how exciting it was to be in total control of it. It felt good to be in control of something for once.
Afterwards, she preferred to stay on the calmer side of the holiday, with her camera in hand, she captured almost every moment of the fourth. It was what she really enjoyed doing, taking pictures of everyone at their happiest moments when they were truly enjoying themselves.
As everyone watched the Ty finish off the last of the fireworks, she flipped through the pictures on her digital camera.
"Am I in any?" She jumped as Teddy sat behind her on the steps of her porch. She nodded, a little too nervous to say anything to him, and flipped through to the ones she had taken of him.
"I didn't know anyone was looking then," he laughed as she showed him a picture where he was looking straight up into the sky with complete awe written on his face. "Are there any of you?"
She shook her head, again keeping quiet for fear of totally embarrassing herself. He took he camera from her and ordered her to go away and pretend like she didn't know he was taking pictures so he could get a few of her for her photo album. She started to protest, but he simply pushed her away and gave her a reassuring smile as she walked towards the sparklers.
- - - -
"So I need to get going," he said an hour later, as he found her sitting on the edge of a wooden picnic table with one leg crossed over the other.
"Early morning?" She asked and he chuckled.
"Yeah well, ya know, gotta take care of Gotham City," he joked and she laughed.
"Well when you need a Batgirl, let me know. I can kick some major evil-doer butt," she laughed and he smiled as he nodded and took one last picture of her as she sat there. He decided it would be his favorite picture.
"I'll see you later," he waved as he turned to leave. When he was halfway down the driveway, he looked back over his shoulder and gave her a shy smile that made her cheeks get warm as she smiled back and gave him a little wave.
At least we're on minimal speaking terms again, she laughed as she helped the women clean up the picnic tables while the guys cleaned up the street before everyone went home.
It was the first time in a while that she had let go and not worried about anything, and she liked that feeling. If only she could hold onto it for a little while longer.