Contagious Chemistry, Sian Webster [good beach reads txt] 📗

Alex and I were in my backyard, soaking in the warm spring sun. His fingers were laced through mine and we lay side by side in my Dad’s excellent job of his freshly cut grass. The sun shined from directly above us, so I guessed it was around midday, and picturesque white fluffy clouds were floating through the sky. Because it was spring, the plants filling my backyard had started getting buds, some even blossoming earlier than they usually would.

All the colours that spring seemed to look a whole lot brighter than I remembered them being the year before. The contrast of the bright blue of the sky, the almost neon green of the grass and the purples and reds of the blooming flowers, the scene the colours created, was practically mesmerising.

Alex moved next to me, lying on his side and looking down at me. “What are you thinking?” He asked casually.

“I’m thinking,” I sighed happily, “that I’m the luckiest girl in the world.”

He laughed. “Come on, what are you really thinking?”

“Well, I was thinking about how pretty everything looks in the springtime. All the colours look ten times as bright; we get the first bit of warmth since autumn…” I trailed off, staring into the distance.

He smiled down at me. “You putting it that way makes it sound wonderful.”

“It is wonderful.” I pointed out.

“I never really noticed before,” He said simply. “But when I’m with you… everything seems to have so much more meaning.”

I blushed and looked down.

“Hey,” he said, taking my other hand and pulling me up into a sitting position. “I got you something.”

“You didn’t have to,” I reminded him. “I said I didn’t want presents.”

“But it’s your birthday.” He pointed out. “And I’m your boyfriend. It’s not my fault that I feel a strong obligation to get you a present, even though you told me not to.”

A smile made its way across my face. “Go on then, what is it?”

He took a small velvet box out of his back pocket and handed it to me.

Very carefully, I opened it to find a thin silver chain with a charm on it. The charm was a silver love heart locket with blue crystals pressed into it. They looked like sapphires, but I didn’t want to think that he spent that much money on me just for a birthday present.

“Alex, it’s beautiful!” I told him happily.

He reached over and opened the locket. Inside was a picture of Alex and I on one side, and on the other side, something was engraved. I read it aloud.

“‘Today, I love you more than yesterday, but less than tomorrow.’” I smiled at him.

He nodded, a smile on his face too. “Here,” He said, taking it out of the box. I moved my wavy blonde hair to one side, and he put it on for me.

When I turned around, he leant over and planted a soft kiss on my lips. “Happy birthday, Abby,” he said simply, and we went back to soaking in the sun and admiring the spring time.

For once in my life, everything was good.

And Alex promised me it would stay that way.

Text: Sian Webster
Images: Sian Webster
Publication Date: 12-10-2012

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
To Sam, Layne, Jess, Taylor and Mikayla for being the greatest best friends I could ask for, And to Matt, for believing in me when I couldn't believe in myself.