Lauren is driving, her directions being controlled by the map app on her phone. We plugged in the address Mr. Legend gave us and started on our way. Charlotte isn't sleeping at the moment, which is strange. She is happily chatting away with Banana about Amanda and how she wants to go back home. My daughter's words remind me of something—Amanda.
I pull out my phone, scrolling through my contacts and finding the one marked 'Favorite Teenager'. I click on it, holding the phone up to my ear as it rings.
"Camila." I hear July's voice deadpan from the end of the line.
"That's me!" I reply cheerfully, earning a playful groan from July. Lauren shoots me a confused look; she clearly doesn't know what is going on or who I'm talking to.
"What do you want?" July asks, shuffling noises sound in the background. Then the plopping sound of a body falling onto a couch fills the air.
"Can't I call my favorite teenager whenever without a reason?" I inquire innocently, tilting my head.
"Nope." July says bluntly, popping the 'p'.
"Fine, you caught me." I sigh, rolling my eyes to myself.
"Spill." July commands and I can imagine her crossing her arms while cocking an eyebrow. I can hear Chris in the background shouting and asking about where the pineapples went.
"Where did the pineapples go?" I ask slowly, feeling suddenly confused and intrigued about where the tropical fruit could've gone.
"Oh, Michelle ate them." July scoffs. "She was using them for her tea party and apparently it was the teddy bear's fault we have no more acidic yellow apples."
"I don't think anyone calls pineapples that, July." I furrow my eyebrows, pursing my lips as well.
"I will call them whatever I please." July retorts. "But, really. What did you call for?"
"Amanda misses you." I blurt out, receiving a strangely silent line from July. "I ran into her at Camp Hunt and she seems upset that you guys haven't been talking."
"She's the one who stopped talking to me!" July remarks, suddenly defensive. "It's her fault!"
"Just send her a text or whatever." I suggest, shrugging.
The line is quiet for a good minute. "Are you lying to me?" July asks unexpectedly, her tone sharp like a knife before being whittled down to nothing. Her voice comes out tiny. "Does she really miss me?"
"I'm pretty sure she does." I respond whole-heartedly. "Just give her chance. I think she wants to talk but doesn't know how to break the ice."
"Fine." July spits. "I will. But if I get my ass rejected, I'm calling you back."
"Call me back anyway." I tell her, keeping my voice light. "I miss you when we don't talk."
To my surprise, I don't get a snarky remark. "I miss you, too, Aunt Camila." Then, she hangs up on me.
"Trouble in paradise?" Lauren asks once I shove my phone back into my pocket.
"July is always trouble in the summer. You know her." I shrug, running my fingers through my hair—a trait I picked up from Lauren. "She doesn't call me on the phone anymore. She's never listening, I swear! But she is coming around. She's a good kid."
"She is fourteen." Lauren reminds me. "She's bound to be a smart-ass but she isn't a child, my love."
"Don't remind me." I sigh, crossing my arms across my chest. "They grow up too quickly."
YOU ARE READING
The Sixth Generation
Fanfiction--SEQUEL TO "THE CAMP OF ELEMENTS"! PLEASE READ THAT BEFORE READING THIS!-- "There are four types of people. Water, Forest, Air, and Fire. Each person has a certain type, but only some people can activate it. Only the people who are on a fifth and a...
