| Chapter One |

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"Oh look! A toddler on a tricycle's overtaking us," I commented from the backseat.

I rested my head on the window of the car while staring vacantly at the sky. It painted a great scene; the white, fluffy clouds greatly harmonized with the bright, blue sky.

"I'm driving slow for your big brother and you know that honey," my mom replied, not turning her attention away from the road.

"His motion sickness seriously needs to be checked!" I exclaimed while leaning closer to the seat in front of me.

My brother crossed his arms, gently shoving my shoulder. "Oh shut up! At least I'm not afraid of little dolls, Kenny!"

Just when I was about to reply, he emptied the contents of his stomach into a sick bag. The pancakes we ate earlier made a re-appearance. The sickly smell made my stomach turn.

"Ugh, you're gross!" My face contorted as the scent invaded my nostrils.

He was about to say something when he vomited again. The sound of him extracting whatever was in his guts filled up the whole car.

I think I'm going to be sick too.

"Mom, I think we should stop, for Kevin's sake that is," I said to mom while I opened the window of the car.

The ocean breeze immediately cleansed my nose. The wind was moist, the caw of the seagulls melded with the crash of the waves by the shore. Sunbeams broke through the clouds, landing on my face. My eyes strained with the sudden exposure.

The heart inside of my rib cage suddenly went crazy. I began fidgeting with my fingers as the sudden realization that we just arrived crossed my mind. Excitement sprinkled with a little bit of anxiety filled my insides.

Summer was that one thing in life that I was genuinely thankful for. Summer for me was an escape, it was my paradise after the stressful winter.

"You probably noticed, but we don't need to make another stop since we're here." My mother stepped on the breaks in front of a large beach house.

It was mostly made out of wood while steel railings supported the exterior. The outside was painted bright blue, while the roof was brilliant yellow. It looked large from the outside, framed with sunflowers in the garden bed. 

"Ah! The colour's hurting my eyes!" I squinted, shielding myself.

The summer house filled me with nostalgia. I inhaled the fresh air around us. It smelled of the ocean, flowers and freshly cut grass. It smelled like summer. A small smile made its way to my lips as I indulged myself in the feeling that I really missed. The sun seeped into my skin, the sudden warmth radiated my soul.

Seeing the summer house again felt so foreign, yet deep inside, it felt like home. The painful feeling of longing that had been eating me alive subsided, like gray clouds disappearing after a storm. Now, the rainbow's finally here and the sun's warm kisses enveloped me.

"Don't say that honey," my mother chuckled while she helped my brother get out of the car.

Kevin was still holding his plastic bag on his right hand. He was shaky when he got out and without my mother, he would have fainted.

"Mom, let me help you with that," I offered while I rested Kevin's shoulder on mine. The dreadful smell from his vomit bag wafted, causing me to heave. "And mom, can you please get this bag out of his hand!"

"We'll definitely walk next time we travel," Kevin said groggily as he handed the bag to my mother.

Just when I was about to comment about how dumb my big brother was, my mother suddenly shouted as if she saw a superstar.

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