Sixteen Read Online Free Page A

day."
    Claire laughed softly, and Nicole smiled. The two women sat for a few minutes, Nicole staring out the window and Claire studying her mother. Then Claire slowly, carefully, asked the question burning into her mind. "Everything... it sounds so perfect. How...?" She left the question hanging.
    Nicole looked back to her daughter. "How did you come about? It was the Fourth of July, and we went to an all-day picnic in the park..."

 
     
     
    "I'm gonna get a soda. You want anything?" Matt stood up off the old picnic sheet and brushed off his green T-shirt and blue shorts.
    "No, thanks. I haven't finished the one I grabbed at lunch yet." From her position on the sheet, Nikki watched him walk away. She wore a comfortable light blue dress with a simple necklace with her curls hanging loose. While Matt walked over to the coolers of drinks, Nikki looked around. Earlier the sun hanging overhead had made it almost unbearably hot. Most of the families, especially those with younger children, had waited until later in the afternoon to join the party. Now, the setting sun cast a golden glow through the thousands of vibrant green leaves hanging off the solid oak and maple trees. This picnic was one of several recent community attempts to make the local people more aware of the beauty of their town. From the outside, the park seemed to be a fenced-in thicket of trees. In reality, though, those trees enclosed a large, oval-shaped clearing, perfect for picnics, dog shows, games of frisbee, and anything else the town hall could come up with. A small pond for feeding ducks and fish lay at one end of the clearing, and an elaborate wooden gazebo stood at the other. Right now, that gazebo sheltered the tables of food and coolers of drinks available for the people gathered for today’s picnic and fireworks.
    Matt returned with his soda, but Nikki continued to watch the sky above her. The sun was just setting, and the sky burst into a brilliant array of oranges, reds, and pinks. Nikki sighed and rested her head against Matt's chest. The chatter in the park died down briefly as everyone paused to watch the wonderful colors blend and brighten, making the trees appear on fire. Then, the moment ended as quickly as it had begun, and the sky turned a colorless gray. The various couples and families scattered around returned to their tasks. After a while, the gray darkened into a deep purple, then faded into the navy blue of nighttime. She stared at the stars for a few minutes longer before turning her face up to see Matt.
    "I love sunsets in the summer. They seem to harness the beauty of fire every day, without any of the harm."
    Matt chuckled and nodded, falling back onto the ground. Nikki fell back with him, her head still propped against his strong, warm chest. They stayed that way for a few minutes, simply enjoying the perfect night. Then Matt looked at his watch.
    "The fireworks should start soon."
    Nikki just hummed, her eyes closed and her mind drifting. When the fireworks started, she opened her eyes to watch. The bursts and fizzles of color lit up the sky, and little children covered their ears. The lights occasionally formed shapes: stars, hearts, smiley faces. Then, the display ended with a dazzling finale in red, white, and blue bursts, snaps, and crackles. The silence echoed after such a loud show, and while families with sleeping children and couples who had been there all day began to pack up their things, Nikki and Matt stayed on the sheet and watched the smoke blow away with the clouds.
    After the majority of the other partiers had left, Nikki and Matt finally stood up and started packing away their things.
    "It's almost ten o'clock. When did you tell your mom you'd be back?" Matt asked as they headed for his car.
    "I told Dad I didn't know exactly, but we'd be back late." She grinned.
    Matt chuckled. "Well, we'd better hurry before your mom calls the police."
    Nikki laughed. "Race you!" She took off past the trees.
    "Hey, not fair!