Summer (A 1D Love Story)

Chapter 1

Chapter 1-Zoë’s POV

http://www.polyvore.com/zo%C3%AB_ch/set?id=47644056

http://www.polyvore.com/sophie_ch/set?id=47644293

The candles are lit, and fire is dancing around the cake, making constantly changing shadows on Sophie and my brother’s faces. My father makes his way back to his end of the table, and I could see a wet streak on his face shimmering through the light of the waving candles. He looks back to my mother, and she has the same sad, proud look.

“Well, are we gonna start?” Travis asks, who is impatient at only 8. Everyone nods.

“Happy birthday to you,” they smile, carrying the classic melody. Not sure what to do with myself while they sing, I let my eyes wander across the room. I hear my phone buzz, but it’s probably just another notification from Facebook saying So-and-So wrote “Happy birthday” on my wall. My eyes drift to our fireplace, which, unlike most houses these days, can hold a fire. Usually it is lit, but there was one incident where Travis sat too close and burned himself, so my family has been super anal about it.  There was a mantle above it, crammed with christmas cards, trophies, and framed pictures. There was obviously too much crap on it, but none of us could decide what to take off. One picture is of my parents wedding, another of Sophie & I at the beach, and the last a picture from my best friend’s going-away party of 2008. Liam came to America just about every summer to vacation. His family owned the beach house across from mine. The first time we met was not pleasant, though. He and his friend, only 7, were throwing a baseball around, when he once threw a little too hard, and shattered one of our side windows. I smile at the memory. His father forced him to come to our house and sweep up the fragments still left. The whole time he was there we talked. About everything. Our favorite foods, music, friends, everything our little brains could imagine. By the time his father came back to pick him up, we were napping on the couch together. Every summer after that it was like we’d been joined at the hip. But Liam had stopped visiting after a while, so I hadn’t seen him in a few years and our communication had been sporadic and rare. Suddenly, someone snaps in my face.

“Travis!” My mom scolds, “don’t snap at your sister.” I realize they are done singing. Travis only mumbles an apology and sinks in his seat. I quickly give him a small smile to show everything was ok, and he sat up a little higher.

“Thanks, guys. This means a lot. How about a movie?” Everyone agrees, and we make our way to the 3 couches in my living room. I sit with Sophie who is smiling away. I’m not sure why, but it makes me want to smile with her.

“So, how does it feel?” She blurts at me. I looked at her with a confused face. “I mean being 18 today, silly!”

“No different than it did being 17 yesterday.” I answer honestly. She nods her head, understanding, but a little disappointed in my boring response. My mother puts in The Princess Bride, and I watch happily. A few times my mom gets up during the movie, but I do not bring it up because I know she can’t sit through a whole movie. She has an unbelievably short attention span. I don’t even complain when my mom pauses the movie and calls everyone back into the dining room. I was in a good mood.

When I enter the room my jaw drops. Presents are neatly arranged on the table, but there are so many that some are on the chairs. I feel my eyes watering. I can see everyone is waiting for me to start opening, so I rush towards the pile of bags and boxes.