Bright Summers (Norminah)

Chapter One

I never thought summer break would be like this.

Escaping the blue walls of my high school for the freedom of summer should be spent going to the beach, not working at the local library.

I was planning to have some fun; you know, going to parties, hanging out with friends and sleeping all day. But no, my summer was to be spent working at a dusty old library in the middle of town.

You're probably asking, "then why are you here?"

Well, my adoptive parents Mike and Clara wanted me to get out and do something instead of sit around and read fanfiction.

I of course defended myself because, one, fanfiction is freaking amazing, and two, there's​ nothing better to do.

But no, they said that reading Riverdale fanfics were unhealthy for me.

Clara's just mad because I ship Beronica over Jarchie, but whatever.

But yet here I am, standing in front of the downtown library of what would become my new job.

"This won't be bad if you don't make it out to be bad," Mike told me for the seventieth time that day. He'd been repeating the mantra ever since that one Monday when Clara broke the news that she signed me on to work here. In my opinion, it was the most agitating thing in the world.

I rolled my eyes, shifting my weight to my right foot. "You're not the one spending summer break working."

"Actually, I spend all year working. The whole 365," He chuckled. The smile that was spread across his chubby face slightly angered me.

"Not a laughing matter." I huffed.

He pouted and rubbed my shoulders. "Calm down, Ruby. Just look at the good things, you'll be able to make your own money. Your very own paycheck. You'd be lying if you said you didn't like the sound of that."

I smiled a bit. "Maybe a little."

"That's right," he grinned. "Just think, your friends are probably wasting their lives away on their phones and partying, while you're using your time wisely and working."

My smile went away. "But Mike, I used to waste my life away on my phone."

His face fell, cheeks reddening a little. "Oh, yeah. Sorry Di."

I giggled. "It's fine." I looked up at the library, the grayish exterior looking dull and unlively. "I better go now."

"Before you go," Mike began shyly, "Can your pops have a hug?"

I smiled and hugged him tightly. He was like a giant teddy bear.

"You're all grown up now," he sighs, pulling away to look at me. Was he…crying? "It seems like only yesterday when you were six and Clara and I brought you home from the orphanage and you became our daughter."

"Mike," I groaned. I was never good with emotions. "Come on, d-don't cry."

His beefy hands reached up to wipe his eyes, smiling at me. "I'm proud of you, mija. Get out there and do good."

"Mike, I'm going to work, not leaving for college." I laughed.

He laughed too. "Sorry. Just, be good and have fun. Things will be fine."

"Thanks," I gave him one last hug before disappearing inside the library.

I adjusted​ my bookbag further on my shoulder as I stepped through the halls.

"Hi," I said as I arrived in front of the middle-aged man that sat at the main desk. "Um, my name is Dinah Jane Hansen. I'm the teen for the summer job here?"