Carolina [h.s]

forty nine

"Yeah, it should be their biggest performance yet. I'm kind of worried though, aren't the weather reports saying we're supposed to get a big storm tonight?" I turned to grams.

"Yeah, they have been saying there is something bigger coming in a few days from now, but I think we will be fine for tonight, maybe a few rain drops, but nothing major." She reassured, calmly.

"A little rain isn't gonna melt the last splash away." Juliet waves the worry off as well.

"I should get going soon though," Grams looks at her watch. "The other vendors usually get there pretty early, and I want to get my booth in a good spot this year." She states.

Every year since I could remember, my grandparents have sold their strawberries at every farmers market and county fair that rolls into town, but the last splash was always their biggest event.

"Are you two gonna help out still? Or are you too cool for us now that you're big city girls?" She smiles in a playful manner.

I knew this could possibly be the last of our traditions since grams broke the news about the motel and moving to Florida and I was so desperately trying to hold on to them for as long as possible.

"Oh please, grams," I scoffed back. "We're never gonna be too cool for your strawberry booth."

"Yeah don't worry, when I'm a rich fashion designer, and V's a famous author, your business in strawberries will overtake the entire world, Rose." Juliet promised.

As the rest of the day soars by, Juliet and I spend time up in my room getting ready for the rest of the night.

And when our hair finally works and our makeup is perfect we shimmy into our dresses, pairing them with chucks and Doc Martens, laughing at stupid things while turning up the volume on the radio, dazzling in the anticipation of the night.

Then my best friend takes a shot of vodka that's been sitting underneath my bed since the last time Harry slept over, and it tastes just as empty as I feel when I think of him. When I'm not supposed to think of him. I take a shot too.

"It'll be perfect, V. The whole night, absolutely fucking perfect!" Juliet is buzzing as we leave my empty house and walk to her jeep. "I can't wait to see the band play up there, it's crazy how far they've come, y'know?" She says as I take her keys and she rides in passenger.

"Yeah, I still remember their bowling alley, and broken down bar days." I started the engine and pulled out of the long driveway, turning up the radio.

"A weather report for the evening, major thunderstorms scattered across the nation, causing intense winds with an outcome in possible damage and flooding—"

Juliet sits up, turning the station to Billy Joel as he sings a song about moving out.

"It's weird though, right?" She turns to me, her brown eyes just as heavy as the day I met her.

"What?" I wondered.

"I don't know, tonight just seems different." She shrugged.

I'm quiet for a moment as we drive up the road and turn into town, before I shrug back.

"Different is good though sometimes, right?"

Juliet watches out the window before she turns back to me, her smile not matching her eyes.

"Yeah, you're right, V. I'm ready for some new life of different."

***

The whole town gathered under beach waves and slick tunes coming up the boardwalk. The air smells like fried food, and sweet dough batter, as couples played ring toss and children chased each other up and down the sand bank.