The full moon was low in the sky, a reminder that the night was young. It's rays shown down on us, casting an eerie glow on everyone. I looked around and saw some familiar faces and some not so familiar. It touched my heart that people actually cared enough to come out here even though they weren't part of the Lakas. Tears pricked my eyes and I hastily wiped them away without smudging my makeup.
"You okay?" Ben asked.
I leaned against him a little bit, "Don't tell anybody, but the truth makes me sad. The fact that so many kids are taken just appalls me. Who could do such a thing?" I murmured. My heart felt heavy.
"At least you're doing everything you can," Ben whispered back. He exhaled and his candle went out. "Oops," he whispered and wrapped his arms around me. He tipped his candle towards mine and relit his.
"I know how hard this is for you," I said, "I still hope that your sister is somewhere safe,"
"Me too," he said, hugging me tighter. The night went on without much excitement, but people that drove by did stop and look at us. It was getting close to eleven when I decided to call it a night.
"I want to thank you all for coming out here tonight. Even though not all of you are part of our... group, it's the thought that counts," Someone came up to me and said that there was a little after-party and that everyone was invited. I didn't feel like going, so I made up the excuse that I was tired. It wasn't exactly a lie, but I would've stayed up for another couple of hours. Ben caught onto this and asked if I wanted to go get a coffee with him.
"Are you asking me out on an official date?" I asked coyly. He grinned and snaked his arm around my waist.
"Maybe," he smiled. We had been hanging out, but we didn't want to call it a date for as long as possible. I looked around to try and find Lamai, but she had disappeared. Sheelin, I knew, had already left with Ben for her house. I shrugged and walked towards the car. They would have to find their own way home. I trusted Sheelin to find her way, but I was also worried that Lamai could get lost. It's not my job to worry about them, but I did nevertheless.
"You okay?" Ben asked.
I leaned against him a little bit, "Don't tell anybody, but the truth makes me sad. The fact that so many kids are taken just appalls me. Who could do such a thing?" I murmured. My heart felt heavy.
"At least you're doing everything you can," Ben whispered back. He exhaled and his candle went out. "Oops," he whispered and wrapped his arms around me. He tipped his candle towards mine and relit his.
"I know how hard this is for you," I said, "I still hope that your sister is somewhere safe,"
"Me too," he said, hugging me tighter. The night went on without much excitement, but people that drove by did stop and look at us. It was getting close to eleven when I decided to call it a night.
"I want to thank you all for coming out here tonight. Even though not all of you are part of our... group, it's the thought that counts," Someone came up to me and said that there was a little after-party and that everyone was invited. I didn't feel like going, so I made up the excuse that I was tired. It wasn't exactly a lie, but I would've stayed up for another couple of hours. Ben caught onto this and asked if I wanted to go get a coffee with him.
"Are you asking me out on an official date?" I asked coyly. He grinned and snaked his arm around my waist.
"Maybe," he smiled. We had been hanging out, but we didn't want to call it a date for as long as possible. I looked around to try and find Lamai, but she had disappeared. Sheelin, I knew, had already left with Ben for her house. I shrugged and walked towards the car. They would have to find their own way home. I trusted Sheelin to find her way, but I was also worried that Lamai could get lost. It's not my job to worry about them, but I did nevertheless.
