Rowan 40
Rowan
Eli rifled through the dresser with increasing frustration. He shoved aside a hoodie, then yanked open another drawer. "Where the hell are my gloves? I just had them."
I tugged my coat tighter around me as I watched from my seat on the bed. "You say that like you're ever organised."
He sent me a look over his shoulder with an expression caught somewhere between a smirk and mild offence. "I'll have you know that I have a system."
"Chaos is not a system, Eli."
"Controlled chaos," he corrected, lifting a finger as if he was making some grand point. He glanced into the drawer he just opened, then abruptly pulled his gloves from between a pile of shirts with a goofy triumphant expression. "See? I knew they were in here."
I rolled my eyes, but the warmth in my chest lingered as I watched him tug them on and adjust his coat.
He'd just gotten back from spending a couple of days in London to pack up the last of his things, and sometimes I wondered how he ever found anything in that flat.
Every time I'd been there, it looked like someone had started unpacking and then gotten distracted halfway through.
Then again, maybe it didn't matter. He probably didn't spend much time there, anyway. Not enough to need a system. Or maybe this whole "controlled chaos" thing was just a side effect of being an artist. Creative brain, cluttered life.
Still, it was kind of impressive that he hadn't lost more than just his gloves.
Eli finished tying up his coat and turned toward me. His lips curled into a grin when he caught me watching him. "What?"
"Nothing. Just wondering how you keep your head attached to your shoulders."
He sent me a playful glare, but it didn't stick. Instead, he held his hand out. "Ready?"
I nodded and slid my hand into his. His fingers curled around mine like it was the most natural thing in the world.
We made our way out the front door and into the hall. The air was cooler out here with that faint draft that always crept in during winter, but Eli's hand stayed warm in mine. We hadn't even made it to the stairway when the door across the hall creaked open.
Mrs Cavanagh looked up and smiled as she stepped out of her flat. "Well! If it isn't my favourite troublemakers." She locked her door and tucked her handbag under her arm as she shuffled to catch up to us. "Out for the night, are we?"
I nodded. "Going to see the fireworks."
"Yeah? That makes three of us, then."
Eli flashed his usual easy grin. "You're coming, too?"
"Of course I am! Us old folk don't just sit inside and listen to everyone else having fun." She adjusted her scarf and gave us a pointed look. "Although, judging by the racket from your flat the other night, you two have been making plenty of noise on your own."
I nearly choked.
Eli just laughed. "Ah, you heard some of that, did you?'
Her eyes twinkled with mischief. "Heard it? I thought you were breaking the furniture. Or each other."
Heat hit my face in an instant and burned all the way to the tips of my ears. "We – we were not – I – " I cleared my throat and tried to recover some of my dignity.
Eli released my hand and draped his arm around my shoulder. "Guess we should've put a pillow behind the headboard, huh?"
I shot him a mortified look. "Eli."
Mrs Cavanagh just chuckled. "Oh, don't get so red, love. I'm old, not blind. Besides, it's good to see some life back in you." Her voice softened a bit, her teasing sliding into something more genuine. "You look happier now."
The heat in my face didn't exactly fade, but it eased away from panic into more of a flustered acceptance.
Even so, I couldn't help the small smile that tugged at the corners of my mouth.
Embarrassing as her approach was, I knew she meant it.
And she was right. The last few weeks had felt different.
I glanced at Eli, who was still wearing that crooked grin, and the warmth in my chest rose again. This time for a better reason.
I sighed and shook my head fondly. "Come on. Before we miss the show."
Mrs Cavanagh hummed in agreement, and the three of us made our way down the stairs, stepping out into the cold winter air.
By the time we reached the park, the festival was already in full swing. String lights criss-crossed through the trees, casting a faint glow over the crowd. Stalls lined the walkways selling all sorts of seasonal comforts, and the air buzzed with conversation and laughter.
We were barely through the entrance when I noticed a group of young girls standing nearby. One held her phone out at an awkward angle, fumbling with the screen as she attempted to take a decent selfie. In the dark.
I nudged Eli and tilted my head toward the scene.
He took one look, snorted under his breath, and leaned in slightly. "Told you."
I laughed quietly and watched for a minute as the girl lifted her phone a little higher, adjusting her hold in what was clearly a losing battle.
Mrs Cavanagh suddenly stopped in her tracks. "Well, lads, I think this is where I leave you two to enjoy the night."
I immediately became suspicious. "Wait, what?"
She gave me an indignant look, though her lips twitched with a barely contained smirk. "You don't need me to play chaperone all evening. You're big boys. You can keep yourselves out of trouble."
Eli chuckled. "Bold of you to assume that."
She arched a sharp brow. "Bold of you to assume I didn't just supervise you long enough to confirm my suspicions." Before either of us could protest further, she walked away and called over her shoulder, "Behave yourselves!"
And just like that, she disappeared into the crowd.
I glanced at Eli. "Did we just get played?"
"I think we did." He grinned and reached for my hand again, lacing our fingers as he tugged me gently forward. "Come on. We've got a couple hours to kill before midnight. Let's find something to do."
We didn't have much of a plan. We just kind of wandered.
Stopped at a few stalls, debated whether the overpriced festival food was actually worth it.
We even caught a street performer cracking a flaming whip in increasingly dramatic flourishes – all while narrating in a truly awful French accent.
The air smelled of fried dough and sugar, and the laughter of passing strangers blended with the distant hum of live music.
Then, just as I was tearing off a bite of the soft pretzel I'd caved and bought, I spotted a familiar face and almost choked on a laugh. "Oh, my god."
Eli turned to me. "What?"
I pointed. Mrs Cavanagh had reappeared in the crowd – but she wasn't alone. She stood a fair distance away, deep in conversation with none other than Mr Hodges. Not polite neighbourly conversation, either. No, they were standing close. Laughing. Leaning into each other.
A slow grin spread across Eli's face. "No way. That's your landlord, isn't it?"
I was already shaking from trying to hold in my laughter, so I just nodded.
"Oh, this is gold." He pulled out his phone, and I caught a glimpse of the message he typed out: Hope you're "behaving yourself," Mrs C.
I snorted. "You're actually sending that?"
"Obviously." He hit send immediately, and he got a response back almost as fast.
You nosy little shite.
I doubled over laughing, and Eli cackled beside me. "She didn't even deny it."
"She knew she was caught." Still grinning, he typed out a quick reply: Takes one to know one.
His phone soon buzzed again. This time, it was just a middle finger emoji.
Eli let out a bark of laughter. "Oh, she is fuming."
We drifted back into the flow of the crowd, still laughing as Mrs Cavanagh sent a few more snarky replies.
The festival buzzed around us – voices louder now as the press of people began to drift toward the main field where the fireworks would go off soon.
Somewhere nearby, a group of kids suddenly got very noisy and took off at a run.
Eli veered slightly off course. His attention caught on a small vendor stand that sold mostly small handmade keychains, charms, and other trinkets meant to be impulse buys.
I watched as he plucked something from the display board and looked it over.
I couldn't see what it was, but he soon turned to the vendor and handed over a few coins.
When he came back, he held it out to me.
It looked like a small silver compass charm, the kind meant to clip onto a phone case.
The needle inside was just decorative and painted on, and the thing was clearly cheaply made.
I stared at it for a second before carefully taking it from him. It was light in my fingers, smooth and cool to the touch. "What's this for?"
He shrugged, but there was something softer in his expression. "Seemed fitting."
"Why?"
His arm slipped around my neck and pulled me in. To anyone watching, it probably looked like nothing more than two people trying to hear each other over the noise. But he leaned in close enough that his breath tickled my ear when he spoke.
"Because you're the one constant I've got," he said quietly, his voice low enough that only I could hear. "No matter how lost I get or how far I wander off, I've always known you'll be here. You keep me pointed in the right direction."
Heat crept up my neck as his hand came up to tip my chin so he could see my face. He leaned in and pressed a light kiss to my lips, then pulled back to meet my gaze, his thumb tracing along my jaw. "You're my way home, Ro. Always have been."
My breath caught. The way he was looking at me, the gentleness in his touch... I had to clear my throat and look away before I did something stupid in the middle of a crowded street. "Christ, Eli. I think that's the corniest thing you've ever said to me."
He grinned and stepped back, but not before giving my cheek one last brush with his lips. "Maybe. But it's true."
I swallowed around the lump trying to form in my throat, then unclipped my phone case to carefully hook the charm onto it. "Thanks."
He leaned over and lightly bumped my shoulder. "Don't mention it."
The sound of distant cheering suddenly snagged my attention. The crowd started to move fully toward the field now as people gathered for the countdown to midnight and the fireworks show.
Eli started to wander that way, too, but I reached out and caught his sleeve to tug him back. He turned to me with a slightly confused look.
I gave a small nod toward a quieter spot near some trees. Away from the crush of people. It only took a second for him to catch on, and he changed course to follow me. A shout went up to start the countdown somewhere in front of us, but I wasn't really listening.
We settled along the tree line, far enough from everyone else to breathe. Eli sat beside me, one knee drawn up and his shoulder leaning against mine. Our hands were loosely clasped between us, his thumb tracing lazy circles on the back of my glove.
The first fireworks cracked through the night sky. Light bloomed in bursts of gold, purple, blue, and red above the town. The crowd erupted in cheers, but here, it all felt distant. Muted and softer. I was glad we hadn't moved any closer so we could still have our own quiet spot.
I stole a glance at Eli. He was already watching me, and I could see the glow from the fireworks flicker in his eyes.
I leaned in to kiss him, and he met me halfway. His free hand came up to cradle my face, steady, calming, pulling me just a little closer. I pressed into it, into him, letting the noise of the crowd and the sky fade around us.
He barely pulled back and smiled against my lips. "That was very dramatic of you, Ro."
I laughed quietly and kissed him again.
Things were going to be different now. And I was looking forward to it.