If Summer Never Ends

Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

       "This summer is going to be amazing!" Viola exclaimed as we walked down the hallways together before class started. "My brother is doing some research in Italy and managed to score our whole family first-class tickets to Rome. Did you hear that? First- class. Can't you picture it? Imagine me standing in front of the Coliseum or the leaning tower, hitting on hot Italian guys, and eating loads of pizza. Who knows? It may be better then Chicago's."

       Envy settled in the pit of my stomach. My close friend, Viola would be spending her summer in Europe while I would be spending mine in purgatory. 

       "Don't even get me started on the shopping," she babbled on. "Do you think Italy has good bargains?"

       "There aren't that many deals. Their stuff is nice, but super expensive," I replied. 

       "You've been to Rome before?" Viola wondered. 

      "Yeah, when I was about seven years old." It was a long time ago, but I still remembered it clearly. My mom was hired to take pictures in Rome for a wedding and took me along with her. She would state random facts about the city, stop to take a picture, and then continue on. When our trip was over, I told her that I wanted to stay in Rome for as long as I lived. She laughed and told me that she wanted to too, but that we had a perfectly good life back at home. I had to say arrivederci to Italy. 

       Viola chewed on her lower lip. "I'm sorry, here I am bragging about what a fun time I'm going to have when you have to go back to Florida."

       "It's okay," I lied. She didn't need to sympathize for me. "It'll be fun."

       She raised an eyebrow and I knew that I didn't fool her. "Why do you need to go back anyways?"

       "Doctor Pierce claimed that I needed," I began making quotation marks with my fingers, "to confront the scene of my trauma."

       "That sounds so pathetic!"

       Relief rolled right off of my back. "Thank you for agreeing with me!"

       Viola picked at the corner of her folder. "What's so bad about going back? I mean, I know it's the place where your parents...er you know, but is it that hard to be back there?"

       "I'd rather not talk about it," I answered shyly, not wanting to meet her honest eyes. 

       "Trust me, if I could, I would sneak you into my suitcase and take you to Italy with me, but security would probably detect you in the scanner."

       I laughed with her. "I should probably get going for my next final," Viola mentioned, looking at the clock. "Text me this summer! Take lots of pictures! I can't wait to see them when I get back. See you in senior year!" she chimed as she walked in a different a direction and disappeared into the crowd of students. 

       "Sure thing," I mumbled to myself. 

       The last day of school used to be my favorite, but knowing where I would be for the next three months, I had actually wished that school would continue on. 

       Over the past few weeks, I've debated against myself with the subject. Would going really be that bad? I would have a chance to catch up with old friends, relax, relive old memories. But then I swiftly remembered that they were painful memories and started my argument all over again. 

       The warning bell went off and I hurried off to my last final exam. Apparently, finals weren't enough for me to worry about, because I had to worry about returning to Florida too!