The Red Song

Chapter 3 - Part Two

Summer break!

Finally! Our semester has ended today, I took my last exam and I'm very confident about it. I've been taking good grades this semester, although my reports from the weeks after the concert weren't really that good. It was hard trying not to think about that night, but three months was enough time to recover.

Professor Leslie, my Chemistry teacher and boss at the lab liked my internship. It wasn't as great as I expected, but he's known to be a hard one. It's hard to please that guy, and getting a "Your experience on this lab was very satisfactory, Miss Skye." was good enough for me. He gave me a good letter of recommendation and I expect to get another internship next semester. Maybe even with Professor Johnson, who's one of the greatest Chemistry teachers on our University.

But that's something I'll think about later, because right now, there's only one thing I can think about:

My trip to Miami with Claire!

Oh, I'm so excited about going to Miami. I've never been there before. Claire has, of course, and she's planning on taking me to all of this amazing places and beaches.

No doubt we're going to have a lot of fun, because surely that girl knows how to party. I've never been the kind of girl who goes out on parties and gets drunk and hook up with a bunch of guys. I've always been more of an Audrey Hepburn kind of girl, instead of allowing myself to be the Rita Hayworth I've always wanted to be. Having red hair just like her, makes me admire her. Even though I don't have her confidence or sexual appeal.

But perhaps that's exactly what I need. I haven't gone out much after the Thorn concert, I went to get a couple of drinks with Claire and some friends, but that was basically it. I've been studying so much and I really need to get some fun and let some things go.

And that's exactly what I plan on doing.

Claire and I started packing our suitcases for the trip, since we're travelling tomorrow already, and I realize I have no idea of what to pack.

Bikinis, that's for sure.

Claire's suitcase is huge, how come she needs so many things for one trip? We're only spending a week there.

"Which one?" Claire asks me, holding two bikinis, one in each hand and with an eyebrow raised.

"The blue and white one." I point.

"Hm... You know what, I'll take them both." She says after thinking for a while and I laugh.

"Of course you will."

After we're done packing, Claire's phone starts ringing, she looks at the visor on her cell and widens her eye. Then she leaves the room almost running to answer her phone.

That's weird. She always answers her phone in front of me, we've never had this problem.

It must be that guy she's been talking to. She told me she's been talking to someone she's met recently; I see that she texts someone once in a while, it must be him. I realize I don't know who he is and I don't even know his name, she told me he was just 'some guy' she met, that it wasn't a big deal, so I didn't really care that much about it.

And with so many reports to deliver, it was hard to think about anything else. Or anyone else.

She gets back to the room, trying to hide her smile by biting her lower lip.

"Can I ask who that was?" I ask, raising a brow and with a twisted smile.

"It was just a friend of mine. He's in Miami too and he was calling to see if we could get together there." She answers, closing her bag and not meeting my eyes.

"Oh... Do I know him?" I ask.

"I'm gonna order us some pizza before the pizza place closes. Same flavors, right?" She says while she's heading for the living room and before I notice, she's out the door.

Did she just run away to avoid my question?

I look at the clock over my table and see that it's almost 11 pm. The pizza place is almost closing indeed. Maybe she just realized that and ran out so we wouldn't catch the place closed. And I am starving indeed.

I shrug and head for my purse to grab my phone. I decide to call my mom, I haven't called her this week because of my finals, I'm sure she's desperate to see how my exams went, plus I promised to visit her after the end of the semester.

"Sam, darling, I thought you wouldn't call me anymore!" Sometimes I feel like she always answers the phone sounding worried.

"Oh, I'm sorry, mom. I've just been busy studying for the exams."

"And how did they go?" She starts to sound calmer now.

"I think they went well. My Chemistry teacher who was responsible for my internship on the lab said I was very productive. I think he's gonna give me a good letter of recommendation."

"Oh, that's great honey! I knew you would do great!" I can hear that she's smiling over the phone.

"Thanks, mom." I smile back.

"And when are you and Claire leaving for my Miami?" She asks.

"We're leaving tomorrow, we've just finished packing."

"Oh, I hope you have a great time. You deserve it, honey. And will you stop by after you come back?"

"Yes. I think Claire is going to London with Aunt Mary and Uncle John when we get back. I'm thinking about spending the rest of the break with you, is that okay?"

"Absolutely, honey! Oh, I would love that. I miss having you here!" She sounds excited.

My mom's name is Amelia and even though she married Brian when I was sixteen, I feel like she feels a little alone sometimes. She broke up with my dad when I was five and most of the time, it was basically me and her. My dad has never been really present since then, he only calls me twice at a year, on my birthday and on Christmas. We were never really close, I think he just wasn't born to be a father. And I don't blame him.

But I think my mom really misses me since I've left for college. She really likes Brian and I get along with him too, he's great to her and I really appreciate having him around to make my mom company since I'm not there anymore.

"I miss you too." I smile and I hear the doorbell ring. "Mom, Claire ordered us some pizza and I'm starving. I call you tomorrow before we leave to Miami, okay?

"Yes, sure, honey! I hope you guys have a nice trip!"

"Thanks, mom. I call you tomorrow. Good night."

"Good night, darling. Sleep well." She uses the tone she used when she would get me to bed when I was a kid. I smile and we hang up.

My heart shrinks, I really miss her. But right now, my stomach is shrinking even more.