The Deathless Trilogy

3.12. Happy

The party is marked with a huge bonfire at the center of a cleared area around the desert bushes. Not the best idea to have a fire of that size so close to dry bushes, but I'm trying to stay positive about this party. A group of Originals teenagers and adults dance around the fire to music strummed from an acoustic guitar. Nina's. Flynn O'Brien finally has his audience, and they listen and celebrate as he plays some upbeat song from before the blast about how life is good.

Some of the adults my dad usually hunts with caught a few snakes, which they've skewered and now cook on the outer, less intense curls of flame from the fire.

The rest of the Originals undress down to their underwear, and wade in the water, letting their bodies adjust to the cold gradually. Personally I think it's a bit too cool, even in the desert, to go swimming, but the blazing fire warms the area, and if I can't enjoy all my adolescence like these idiots, then at least I can enjoy what I have left this evening. With my jumpsuit on at all times, of course. None of the Originals need to see me in my underwear.

Dressed only in his boxer shorts, Julian finds us and trudges from where he's been playing in the water to greet us. Celia waves, then turns back to whisper, "Do you see his abs?"

I'm trying not to, but yes, they're there and easy to spot. Daniel has always been prone to jealousy, so I take his hand and squeeze his fingers between mine. But instead of staying silent, he smiles at Celia and says, "Try not to get too distracted." She laughs and turns back around as Julian approaches.

"Hey guys. Welcome to the party," he says. "Have you ever been to an Original party before?"

Daniel shakes his head, as does Celia, but I can't help but let a little bitterness slip out. "Nope, every time I'm around Originals, I'm either working to make inventions for them, fighting to protect them, or being held prisoner."

Celia forces a laugh. "Isla," she sighs to Julian, who looks like he's mostly just confused about my comment. "She's so funny."

"Oh okay," he says, letting out a delayed, fake laugh to match Celia's, then he lets his eyes linger on Celia's face for a little longer than is comfortable for me to witness.

"So, time to swim?" I ask.

"Yes," Julian says to me and Daniel. He looks back to Celia. "Bueno. Te gustaría nadar conmigo?"

Whatever he said has caught Celia off guard. She blushes. "I, uh, can't swim. I never learned."

Julian waves her concern away. "I'm a fantastic swimmer, I'll teach you. C'mon," he says, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the lake.

Daniel and I stand back, watching our little sister run off with a boy who seems just as bubbly as her. From our safe distance, we watch Julian try his best not to stare at Celia as she tentatively removes the fabric from around her body. I laugh to myself, until I realize that Daniel is staring at me with the same longing eyes Julian has for Celia.

"What?" I ask.

He laughs. "Can't I look at you?" he asks, and then, just like Julian's focus on Celia, Daniel's gaze stops on my lips longer than is normal. He leans toward me and kisses me gently, much less impassioned than he had when I found him, but no less loving. "Our first lake party," he says.

I turn my head slightly to see Julian leading Celia down the diving board. "Our first double date."

Daniel straightens up, and, taking my hand, leads me to the place on the shore where the swimming Originals have left their clothes. He begins to undress.

"You're going in with just your boxers?"

He shivers, and goose pimples cover his skin. "Now I'm rethinking it, but I'd rather be warm later."