Unconditionally

Chapter Twenty-three

"Don't hold on to Anger, Hurt or Pain. They steal your energy and keep you from love." -Leo Buscaglia

Hands wrap around my waist, and I pull back with a smile on my face. Ashton smiles back at me, kisses my forehead, before resting his chin on my shoulder. The last of the fireworks blast and sparkle into the air. Everyone claps as the sparks of the silver firework shimmers down lazily. I look around. People watch the sky, waiting for more even though they know it's over; and others sip at their drinks while talking to the person beside them. I can't find Haze or Carter. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

"I don't see Carter or Haze." I speak out loud to Ashton.

"They'll be fine. Sooner or later they'll make up and everything will be back to normal."

I stay quiet, contemplating if that's true. Will they make up? "What if they don't?" I ask.

Ashton sighs and nuzzles his head in the crook of my neck. I scrunch up my shoulders as his messy, brown hair tickles my neck and ear while trying not to laugh. Ashton smiles against my neck. "Let's not think like that." He mumbles. Ashton groans and leans back. I turn my head to face in confusion. "You smell too good."

I keep a smile escaping, even though that creeps me out a little. I smell good? I can understand if he smells good. Ashton always smells like spice and him. But I never knew what I smelled like. Ashton might think he smells like apples, but he doesn't.

"You always smell like spice." I tell him proudly. Seconds later I blush at how I said that. Internal face palm, please. Ashton chuckles. "You smell like strawberries."

I furry my eyebrows. I don't even use strawberry body wash. "I don't use strawberry body wash."

"And I definitely don't use spices." He says with a mocking smile.

I roll my eyes and hit his rock hard chest. "That's not what I meant, Lotest!" I exclaim while laughing. Ashton smiles and motions for me to turn so I'm fully facing him. I turn my body and wrap my arms around his neck, smiling at him. Ashton grabs my waist to bring me closer.

"I really smell like strawberries?" I ask him.

Ashton chuckles and kisses my chin. "The best strawberries in the world." I roll my eyes. My eyes happen to glance over Ashton's shoulder and I see Haze stumble towards us with a half filled bottle of vodka in her hand. Who gave her the vodka?

"Mackenzie," She exclaims. "They have sparklers!"

Ashton turns his head, groans loudly, before letting go of my waist. When Haze reaches us, she hands me a packet of sparklers with a beaming smile on her face.

"Are you okay, Haze?" I ask her as I stand up.

Something crosses her face but she smiles even brighter. Looking closely at her now, I realize it's a fake smile. A smile that's plastered on her beautiful face so the world doesn't know she's getting drunk to forget.

"Peachy." She tells me. "Let's light some sparklers and dance."

I fully notice the music playing and some people dancing. Lighters are passed around with teenagers smiling beaming smiles. Haze tears open our packet, flicks the orange lighter on, and lights the sparklers. Sparks fly and she hands my sparkler to me. A smile crosses my face and the sparkler casts a glow of light around my hand. Slowly, I wave it in tiny circles. I feel like a kid again.

The music becomes louder and Haze grabs my hand, spinning me around in circles as she laughs. I begin to laugh with her. The circles become bigger. Haze and I try to make different shapes in the air but it disappears before it's completed. Haze sips at her drink as she makes lazy infinity signs. Arms wrap around my waist. I know its Ashton as his scent hits me and as he kisses my neck.