If Summer Never Ends

Chapter 1

       "I signed you up for a therapy session today. It's just a quick forty- five minute appointment with a therapist at noon."

       My eyebrows scrunched together. "Why do I need therapy? Is there... is there something wrong with me?" I asked, putting my spoon in my bowl and swallowed. 

       She looked at me discreetly, like she was trying to be cautious about my feelings. "No. No, there isn't anything wrong with you, it's just... I'm worried about you, Gabby. I understand that it has to be extremely hard losing your parents; trust me, I miss them terribly too, but it's been six years and you act like it just happened. When someone suffers a loss, their emotions eventually rise back up, but your still down there suffering and as your aunt, I want to help you the most that I can." 

       I recalled learning something about it in psychology class, but I guess that it never occurred to me that it was happening right under my nose! Half of me was upset that my aunt basically just called me mental, but the other half wanted to be helped. I didn't enjoy feeling this way. Maybe it was time for a change.

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       The ventilation system released cool air into the room, instantly relieving my body of sweat from the summer's uprising heat.      

        "Now, imagine that you're twelve- years old again. Place yourself back to the moment when you first found out about the news," Dr. Pierce's soothing voice said. She had told me to go over every little detail that I could remember from the incident, which wasn't hard because I remembered everything about the darkest chapter in my life. I remembered how it was a spot on 88 degrees that day. I remembered that I was wearing denim shorts, a bright yellow tank top, muddy flips flops, and that I had my hair in a high ponytail. I remembered how bad it tasted when I took a big swig of orange juice after brushing my teeth that morning for breakfast, but most importantly, I remembered the pain. 

       I inhaled a large gust of air and began my story. "It was just like a normal day. My dad had gotten some time off of work and wanted to spend the day with my mom; he was a heart surgeon and was busy working all the time. They were going to have picnic on the beach. I, on the other hand, was going to hang out with my best friend at the time, Luke. We spent time together everyday as a matter of fact."

       Dr. Pierce interrupted. "Tell me more about your friend, Luke. Friends are a great importance to include in our lives. I'm just trying to place myself in your shoes. Continue."

      "I met Luke when I was five. We were just starting first grade together."

       I dove off into the memory.

       "You're hair looks like a rat's nest!" he exclaimed, making all of the other kids laugh at me. When I was five, I could sleep restlessly and not brush my hair the following morning, so his statement was true. 

       "You take that back!" I yelled. I charged at him, head on, and began to punch him in the stomach. I was a feisty child back then. The teachers had split us apart and put us in a room alone together, our backs facing away from one another.

       "I was just kidding you know," Luke had said to break the silence. I crossed my arms over my chest, pouting. I heard him sigh and decided to cut him some slack. It had seemed like he was having a hard time making friends.

       "It's okay," I replied. "I forgive you."

       "Really?" I could hear his voice light up.

       "Yeah, but answer me one thing," I told him.

       "What?"

       "Does my hair really look that bad?" We laughed together and from there on, became the best of friends. I was also introduced to a hairbrush.