Chapter Twenty-Six

Blake pokes my side which sends me bursting into another round of laughter. There's something in the air that's making me extremely ticklish and Blake's taking advantage of my exposed body. Perhaps it's because I'm very exposed, there's the looming threat that someone might see us – which sort of makes this experience exciting. "Blake Rivers, I will poke you back!" I grumble. "Will you now?" he teases. "I will tackle you to the ground until you beg for mercy!" I growl. "I encourage you to do one nude run and you're this feisty, I like it." Blake nods his head excitedly. "What are you doing to me, Blake?" "Nothing you don't want to do." Blake lays down on the grass and looks up at the stunning view of the full moon. Despite the bright silver glow of the moon cascading down on us, I can hardly see the outline of Blake. The trees surrounding us to a good job of concealing our bodies to the outer community. I shuffle along the ground and lay beside him. My arm touches his warm skin, and I get chills running through my body. His foot taps mine and starts playing with my foot. I tap his back and lightly giggle. "Don't you find this weird?" I ask. I see the outline of Blake's head moving as he looks away to think. From the corner of my eye, I can see Jude and Tori running around the playground like children. Jude climbs up the ladder chasing after Tori, but she's already escaping down some steps. When Blake looks back at me, he grabs my hand and begins playing with my fingers delicately. "Not really." He shrugs his shoulders. "Probably a little because I'm seeing Jude very exposed. But bodies are just bodies. We all have the same bits and pieces, nothing we should be ashamed of." Blake is so casual about this, which relaxes me slightly. I'm not the skinniest, prettiest, flawless person standing here or in the world. If I had those perfect toned thighs, perky breasts, and a bottom worth a jaw drop – perhaps I'd feel more comfortable and confident to be striding around the playground naked like Jude and Tori are. But Blake says it perfectly, it's just a body, and you should love it no matter what. Flaws are what makes us human and keep us individual. "Right as always." "It's fine to feel uncomfortable, Ava, it's an internal thing you've got to come to grasp with rather than being told how you should feel about something," he continues to explain. "I, your, that makes a lot of sense." I nod my head. "A person is either actively searching for faults to make themselves feel better, or point out their perfect qualities to put themselves down. You've got to look at what make you, you," he encourages. "What makes you, you?" I ask. Blake stands up and turns away from me. He angles his body in a way that allows the moonlight to cast down and shine light on his back. Along the skin on his lower back, there's thick long lines of stretch marks jarring his beautiful skin. "What?" I frown. "Stretch marks from growing." He shrugs his shoulders, "Society says their not appealing, but it's a part of our bodies and a way of life, nothing wrong with that. You shouldn't need to fix yourself." "What are you talking about?" calls out Tori as she approaches us. "Bodies," answers Blake. "What about them?" Frowns Tori. "Just explaining that it's okay to be flawed, it makes us individuals." Then Blake points to his stretch makes on his back and smiles. "Don't even talk to me about stretch marks!" Tori yells with a sassy attitude, "Our daughter stretched my stomach out of shape and I'm doubting it'll ever nap back – not to mention what else she ruined." She shakes her head with annoyance. "But you love her." Blake pokes her arm. "I do, I love her very much." She nods her and smiles fondly. "We should be heading back now," Jude suggests, "Don't want our parents finding the clothes on the front lawn, which would be hard to explain." "Let's head back then," Blake agrees. I climb off the ground and stretch my limbs out. Jude and Tori start walking off, easily slipping into a conversation about something unimportant while Blake grabs my hand and we trail after them. As we walk out onto the street, the moon light doesn't light up the street, which leaves us in a blanket of darkness. We walk down the street with ease, but as we get closer to Blake's house we hear the voices of our parents talking outside. From the dime light outside their house, I can see my parents talking with Blake's. The light shining isn't bright enough to highlight the discarded clothing, but if they were to drive, the clothing would be brought to their attention quickly. "What are we going to do?" I ask nervously. "Grab the clothing," replies Jude. "Who's going to get them?" asks Tori. We all look at Jude and he rolls his eyes and frowns. "I guess I am then." We hide in the neighbour's bushes, which Jude creeps along the ground closer to the clothing. As he gets closer, he starts collecting each article in his arm, but when his father calls out – Jude disregards his sneaky act and grabs everything before sprinting and jumping into a nearby bush. Our parents easily drop their concerns with someone lurking around and return to their conversation. Jude ever so slowly steps out of the bush and starts to walk to the side of the house. Tori steps out and follows Jude. "You should go next," Blake encourages. "Come with me," I say. "Just go, I'll be right behind you." I don't question Blake, but I obey his orders and follow in pursuit of Jude and Tori. As I creep along the side of the bushes, I catch the voices of Tori and Jude. Their tone of voice freezes me to the spot and I stand very still and listen. "They're going to find out eventually," says Tori. "Nobody has to know!" Jude cuts off Tori before she can add anything onto her first sentence. "Don't you think they have a right to know, especially Ava, come on, wouldn't you like to know?" she questions. "Some secrets are better taken to the grave, Tori, just remember that." Jude and Tori disappear further down the side passage. I quickly count to ten in my head before continuing down the pathway. I'm a little nervous about walking past the windows despite knowing our parents are out the front chatting. I make a run for it – as fast as my legs can go. I don't stop until I'm slipping through Blake's front door and concealed inside the house where it's safe. Jude and Tori are standing in the lounge room half dressed – Jude has his jeans on while Tori has her shorts and bra on. I sneak up and conceal myself behind the hallway door. "Can I have a towel or a blanket?" I ask. Jude nods his head and grabs a towel off the floor and chucks it at me. I manage to catch it in one hand. I'm quick to wrap the material around my body – which gives me that feeling of safety. "Thanks." I open the door and walk into the lounge room. I awkwardly smile before quietly making my way upstairs to retrieve my clothing. The room is mostly dark when I enter, except there's a small light near London's cot which illuminates the room softly. I drop the towel on the floor and grab my underwear and quickly tug them on. As I grab my shirt, I hear someone coming up the stairs. I slip the shirt over my head in time. Considering I just spent some time running around naked, wearing this feels slightly over dressed. "Blake?" I look around and see Blake entering the room with all his glory. "Shoot." I spin around and cover my eyes, "Sorry." "Don't worry about it." He laughs. I hear the noise of his draws opening, the sound of clothing rustling and then he lets me know it's okay to look. I'm hesitant to turn around, afraid of what I'll see. As I slowly turn around to face him, I quickly notice he's wearing a pair of boxer shorts and a loose shirt over the top. "Decent enough for you?" he teases. "I prefer indecency." I wink. "Oh do you, girlfriend?" He charges towards me with an excited, mad expression on his face. With both hands, he clutches either sides of my face and kisses me hard. "What will I do with you, boyfriend?" I ask. "Strip me naked?" he offers. "Oh, wouldn't you like that." I flirt back. "Hm." He licks his lips. "Too bad I'm not that type of girl." I grab my pants off the ground and slip into them before brushing past him and heading downstairs. Jude and Tori seem tense, but Jude is trying his best to smile his way through it all and make it look like nothing has happened – but I'm onto him. There's a knock at the door which clears the tension in the room and suddenly gives everyone a purpose. "I'll answer it." Jude practically sprints to the front door. I take a seat on the last step and wait for Blake. Tori if fully dressed and sitting on the opposite couch looking rather nervous and a little lost. "How's London? Still sleeping?" she asks. "Still sleeping." I nod my head to confirm. "That's good." Jude returns to the room with my mother and Angela following behind her. Just as they enter, Blake appears behind me. "What are you kids up to?" asks Angela. "We were just deciding on a movie," answers Blake. "Really? What movie?" "Don't know." He shrugs. "We were actually considering having a movie night," Blake explains. "That sounds nice." Both our mothers say. "Did you want to stay here, Ava?" my mother asks. "Seriously?" I know my parents are lenient with me being over at Blake's house so often, but this is a new step for them. "You're almost eighteen, and we trust you to make your own decisions." Angela nods her head with agreement. "Can't say the same for Blake," Angela teases. "Beautiful miracle," replies Blake, "Just remember that when you're snuggling your favourite granddaughter." Blake moves past me and walks over to the DVD collecting. "Don't wake my beautiful granddaughter with your movies then!" "I'll be sure to bring her to you if she does." He pokes his tongue out childishly. "We should leave them to their movie night, Angela," my mother says. "Be safe." Those words send a swirl of heat to my cheeks which makes me feel very uncomfortable. I get that it was a joke, and sure I'd laugh if it wasn't slightly directed at me as well. "Movie?" Blake holds up three options. "Don't mind." I shrug my shoulders. "Don't Let Me In, it is then." Blake busies himself with putting the movie on while I sink into the couch and try and forget what his mother just said.