"What are your summer plans?"
My teacher asks the class. My classmates respond with the basic responses, vacation, beach, and hanging out with friends. I respond with vacation, but I don't even want to go to Orange County. It's not too far from where I live, but Sana Cruz and OC is a long drive. The bell rings, that means it's summer, that means I have to spend a whole summer away and with my dad, but my friends and I have plans to go have a bonfire at the peer tonight so at least ill have that before I leave all summer.
"And so they were high schoolers"
My friend Ava says.
"Freshman year, here we come!"
Says Jeremy, rushing to put his arm around Ava, I have a feeling they are going to break up before the summer ends.
"Sucks you're going like 6 hours away all summer"
Ava says, giving me a pouty face.
"Yeah, but at least ill still be in California and not in like Florida"
Ava says, looking at me with a weird face
"Wait, you've been all pessimistic about going to your dads house, and now you sound ok with it"
I think for a moment, I don't want to go, not because of my dad but because my dad has a whole separate family away from me now, and I don't want to have to deal with them.
"Eh, I'm going to have to deal with it all summer, so why don't to convince myself it will be fun"
I say, shrugging my shoulders as we meet the last 3 in our little bonfire group. I grab my skateboard just to have it shoved it out of my hands by annoying 7th graders with absolutely no life. I pick it up as Seb moves his bike next to me. He moves his red hair back and smiles at me, then next thing I know I'm getting hit in the back of the head by Wyatt long board and when he walks in front of me he sticks out his tongue.
"Enough of that red hair and blue hair"
Says Ian to Seb and Wyatt. All three of them have been close for as long as I remember.
"At least my hair is natural"
Says Seb getting on his bike he claims is the best bike ever made,
"at least I'm not a ginger"
Wyatt sticks out his tongue and just as fast, Seb is off his bike and chasing Wyatt out of the bike gate.
"These two, I swear"
I say, walking out of the bike gate.
"At least you havent had to deal with there bickering all your life."
"True, but-"
Ava and Jermy are yelling at each other as we walk to them,
"You dont have to deal with those two Ian"
He laughs a bit, but it wasnt a enough to make Ava stop her yelling
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOUR NOT GETTING A JOB"
Not this again
"Why is it so important to you to control my life!"
Jermy says more toned down to Ava's loud voice.
"Becuase if you want a car by sophomore year you have to start now idiot!"
Ava walks away, actually she storms away.
"Shes always so dramatic"
Jermy pinches the bridge of his nose
"I mean shes been is drama since like birth"
I say putting my skateboard on the floor and putting my foot on it.
"I should after her huh?"
Jermy takes off his flannel and stuffs it into his backpack.
"Probuably she'll be pissed if you dont"
Ian says before im able to say the same thing
"See you all tonight!" he runs after Ava.
"Hey"
Ian says
"Oh no what are you about to say"
He looks at me seriously indicating i should be serious
"Did you tell Ava that your not just leaving for summer anymore?"
"No," Ian gives me a look that tells me hes asking why
"Well how am i supposed to tell her hey you know how i was only leaving for summer well not ill be gone all freshman year because my moms job"
"wait what?"
Dang it, i turn around and Wyatt and Seb are behind me.
"And you didnt tell them either??"
Ian says
"I thought you would have!"
"All freshman year?"
Seb says with shock on his face
"My mom is in brazil for longer now so i cant come back for longer"
Wyatt releases Seb who he had in a head lock
"I havent even told Ava guys chill"
"YOU HAVENT TOLD AVA?" wyatt says
"Wait arent you two like best friends?"
Seb still has the same expression on his face
"Can we just drop this? You guys know now so can we just pretend im not leaving forever its just a year"
"We cant even do new years at your place this year"
Wyatt says crossing his arms
"You can do it at Jermys he livs next door to me!"
I say picking up my board and walking away
"Its just not the same!"
Wyatt says rushing next to me.
"Its not her choice wyatt"
Ian says
"But cant she just stay with one of us!"
Ian and Seb catch up with us
"Her mom hates you Wyatt"
Seb says
"Yeah but like she can stay at Ava's"
"Yes because shes going to live with Ava and her 7 siblings"
Ian says, Wyatts face starts to go sour
"Well it wont be that bad, i wont be across the country and i may come home for the 4th"
"you better or im going to Oc to find you"
Wyatt says. Since my house is the closest to school we got there fast,
"Ill tell Ava, you three keep your mouths shut"
"Yes mam"
all three of them say in unison. I walk into my house put on my blue bathing suit with daisies on it and flop on my bed and fall sleep.
.................
I hear my mom say
"BECCA, SEBASTION IS HERE"
I get up and grab my beach tote and my hydro flask. I rush out of my room and my mom tells me when i get to her
"Remember not to stay late, we leave in the afternoon"
I nod and kiss my mom on the cheek
"Take care of her Seb"
She says
"Always"
We walk out of the door
"Wow i thought Ian was my moms favorite"
"Thats only because he had a head start by two play dates"
Ian, Wyatt, Seb, and i have been friends since kindergarten, the three of them since preschool but after teasing of my littlest pet shop shirt and we became friends, ill never forgive Wyatt for that thogh, Lps is a great toy line. We reach the beach and Ava looks at me with a concerned look, oh no.
"Sorry it just slipped out"
Wyatt says looking disappointed
"WYATT I TOLD YOU ID TELL HER" i
say really aggressively
"WHEN WHERE YOU GOING TO TELL ME! YOU LEAVE TOMMOROW BEC"
Ava's eyes tear up, i cant do this i want to go home, i start stepping back but my back meets Seb he puts his left hand on my right shoulder as a form of comfort
"im sorry Ava i-"
Ava stands up grabs her towel and just leaves. She just walks away.
"Well that escalated quickly"
"Shut up Jermy!"
Wyatt doesnt look up once while he says that. Jermy also stands up and walk tword Ava. I havent moved once since Ava looked at me. I take off the sun dress i had put on and run twords the ocean. I need to clear my head. Once i get deep enough i jump into a passing wave and get my hair and face wet.
"Becca."
Wyatt says as he comes up to me. I just stare at him, he's not that tall so i dont have to look up, just stare right in front of me.
"Im really sorry i didnt mean to, i promise"
I dont know what come over me because i start crying, not because of Ava but because this is the last time ill see my friends for a long time. I cover my face and i hear more people coming tword us and splashing the water. Seb puts his arms around me and gives me a hug. Wyatt also goes into the hug once Ian wraps all of us together. We stand like that for a few seconds before a big wave comes and crashes all of us down. Once we all get back up we are all laughing our heads off and everything is how it always was, the four of us just us, before Ava before Jermy,
it was us.