My Perfect Summer

Chapter 16

RENEE

We had arrived after what seemed forever, but not too long. But long. I mean we were riding in Maddy's golf cart. She had turned 16 in April but still hadn't applied for a "real" license. She said that she was good with her golf cart, and they'd stay with each other for eternity.

I mean yes, driving was scary, but who knows it might be fun. But I have no place to say anything, I am still 15. I will be turning 16 next month though! And I think the first thing I'll do is apply for my license. I have been practicing a little with my mother, but she was busy a lot during the school year, not to mention I was busy with volleyball, and just school in general. And overall I wasn't up for it. My mental health had been all over the place. And it still is, just not as much.

As soon as Maddy had turned off the golf cart's engine, Carrington jumped out of his seat first. He had been eager to come here because he was finally "hanging out with the big kids." Which meant he was all grown up. And by here, I mean someone's house, I don't know who per se. But we were at a house that overlooked a lake and the lawn was freshly cut, which meant just like any of the other houses I'd seen at the Bay, that this house was beautiful.

"Who's house is this?" Claudia blurted out. She was straight to the point, with no filter, that was her thing, "Knowing Samuel we might as well be breaking into some stranger's house for 'fun.'"

"Hey, who says that wouldn't be fun," Maddy says with a genuine smile.

"I'm sure we won't be breaking into someone's house," Taylor says, trying to give us a flicker of hope. And I don't know if such sayings would change anything for us. After all most people my age, not all but most people my age had stopped believing in "hope." Not everyone would get to live their High School Musical, not everyone would get their happy ending. "Sam would never do such things," she continued.

"Yeah, Samuel would never, and I mean never do anything like that," Claudia said dramatically and sarcastically, "he's just not that type of person."

"I mean, excluding that one time when we were thirteen," Taylor says, "No, I don't think so."

"Mhm," is all Claudia replies, and I guess maybe some people, like Taylor and those who were just born optimistic, can be too much for her, and she'll probably never understand them.

Looking at the house, it seemed like a lovely home, where a happy and lively family would live, but there wasn't. It seemed like it was almost lifeless, with no sense of life. And in some ways it resembled mine. I mean, I know my mother loves me, there's nothing wrong there but what I do know is that our summer house would never look as lively as it did before my father's death. It just wouldn't be the same. And maybe this house was like that, a happy family just not there? I'm not sure but I do know that this home would look ten times better if it had that sense of life in it.

"I promise if we get arrested," Claudia says with her arms crossed in front of her chest, as we walk towards the front door, "none of you will be able to save Samuel."

"Cheer up Clauds," Maddy says as she skips toward the house, "no more threatening, it won't be good for you or anyone for that matter."

When we reach the steps to the front door and are standing on the small platform, we are greeted by a tall panel-like door, with windows at the sides of it. And from the outside, it looks like we are in front of an entrance room of sorts. Then Carrington knocks obnoxiously, "Would you hold on," Claudia says lightly gripping his shoulders, and pulling him back, "there's a doorbell," she also says pointing towards the right side of the door.

"Oh yeah," Carring replies grinning. Claudia just steps back and shakes her head.

"You are honestly Samuel's doppelganger," Claudia says.

"It's okay Clauds," I say chuckling because even though she may seem to question her friendship and who she spends her quality time with on the outside, I know she loves us on the inside.

"Okay let's just try this the proper way," Taylor says ringing the doorbell. And unlike before, someone answers the door, I don't know who this someone is, and judging by the looks on everyone else's faces they don't seem to know who this is.

"Woah" Carrington says looking up at the guy, "you're like freakish tall."

And all the guy's reply is an eye twitch before Sam shows up, "Hey guys," he says with a smile that reaches his eyes, "don't mind the old Cooper here, he tends to be a little rude sometimes."

"I told you, I told you," Claudia says walking around in circles, with her hands on her head, "we're freaking trespassing on someone's property."

"Relax Clauds," Sam says seemingly calm, "Cooper here is one of Jamie's pal's from that rich school."

Then Cooper scowls at him, "You say it like you don't go to the same school," he says dryly.

"Anyways, welcome to the humble abode," Sam says opening the door wider.

"Isn't this his house?" Claudia asks.

"Yeah, but his parents are always working and are hardly here anyways, so this is our little hangout spot," Sam says. He then opens the door wider until Cooper pushes him out and holds the door stiffly, and looking at him, he has a strict wall up and keeps to himself. Like a closed-off nature. He is attractive, but nothing I would fall for, he's fit, and has black hair, not long but not short, brownish eyes, I'm not sure but everything about him seemed dark, "you better not be throwing a party, because you'll honestly regret it, Fisher."

"Hey, what's wrong with parties," Sam says smiling, "and relax these guys are cool," then Sam gets ahold of Carrington's hand and shoves Cooper over as they walk inside, "come on guys," he yells.

And before Sam and Carrington had walked in, it seemed as if Maddy's gaze had lingered on him, sometimes the way she looked at him did not always seem platonic like she didn't just want to be "friends" but you can't just make inferences and maybe I'm wrong I'm not sure. But as we walk into the house it smells of the lemon-scented cleaning supplies my Mother and I buy at the store. Even though Sam said that Cooper's parents are like workaholics.

As we follow the leader, which is Sam, we are taken to a tv room where James and Elijah are sitting on bean bags. "Brought some friends," Sam says, and then James' eyes meet mine and I feel all funny, which I already told myself that I shouldn't be feeling this way. And I have to keep that deal I made with myself. Because it was the right thing to do for not just me.

"Oo," Maddy gasps, "what are we playing?"

"We?" Elijah says chuckling.

"Yes we," Maddy replies, confidently and puffing her chest out, "I'll have you know that I might not be as good as Ren-Ren or Clauds here, but we can sure as everything beat you two."

"Uh-huh," he says, contemplatively.

"What do you think that women can't beat boys?" Claudia says fiercely. Showing her raging feminist side, which is by far one of my favorite sides of her.

"No of course not," Elijah says innocently.

"Uh-huh," she says with sarcasm before she drops onto the chair and signals for James to hand over his controller.

As Maddy and I walk to sit down beside Claudia, Maddy says quietly, just so I can hear, "I bet ol' Jamie Pooh over there is going to fall head over heels for you as soon as you show him just how good you are at GTA."