Diane Young [Camp NaNoWriMo July 2014]

Diane Young [12]

12

I stayed at the West's house across the pond for lunch, four o clock dessert and eventually dinner. They were very welcoming, and less odd than Elijah West was. His sister told me stories about him, and I soon learned he was the oldest in a family of oldest child's ( of course, apart from Ruth), which meant that he was going to be the next 'Don West'. I didn't get the reference, which shocked all of them.

Elijah West tried to make me swim to my door, but I convinced him that we should take boat and that the government agents wouldn't surround us this time. We were lucky that I had, because my mom came home as soon as we had sailed halfway through the (quite admittedly huge) hallway. I think she would've fainted if she saw me 'swimming' to my door.

"What are - You know what, forget it. Stasia, I'm making chicken tonight."

"Thanks mom!"

She opened the door and went inside, leaving it open for me, most likely. "Don't be long."

We didn't take long, in fact, we hurried up after she arrived.

"Thank you for visiting my home today." Elijah West said. I nodded.

"I had a ball of a time. Thanks for inviting me."

"You're coming tomorrow, and we're going to bake cupcakes and watch The Godfather three times." He declared.

"Isn't that movie like three hours long?"

He sighed. "Okay, twice. But you need to watch it more than once to get it!"

"Relax, I've got all summer, and you live just there."

Elijah pouted and then rested his hand on my shoulder. I blinked at him. "I'm going to do something very strange and slightly unnecessary."

"Only slightly?"

"I feel that it's somewhat necessary."

I nodded and he gave me a hug. When he let go, I propped my hands up on my hips and gave him a look.

"See? It was only somewhat necessary."

"Only somewhat." I repeated, very amused. I started to smile at him and he stepped back dramatically, his eyes wide.

"Oh my gosh, is that emotion I see on your face? Call the police! Call the ambulance!" He yelled. I had to punch his shoulder for him to stop.

"I'm capable of emotion."

"Sure you are!"

"I just proved I am?"

"Whatever!"

I rolled my eyes and started making my way into my house without so much as a goodbye.

"Diane Young, I was right about the smile thing."

"What?" I asked, irritated. He grinned at me before I could close the door.

"You do look prettier when you smile."

My Ma was on the phone with someone, speaking in hushed Flemish when I came in. I guessed it was my Grandparents, or even my brother, but I didn't really involve myself. I did get curious though, when she told me that there was a 'big surprise' waiting for me next week over dinner. I think she hoped that I'd question her like any other normal teen (at least, her definition of normal) would do.

She asked me about Elijah, and what I did today, and whether or not I wanted her to buy strawberries. I told her he was weird, that I had spent my day at the house across the pond and no, I'd go and get some in the morning. We didn't speak after that. Admittedly, that was probably the most we had ever talked to each other on the dinner table.