CHAPTER 2
Mom had a tendency to be dominated by her hysteria and before she knew it, everything around her would turn into a blur. She's not a psycho, she just wanted to discipline me in the most possible way, even though I was eighteen already. Because there was only me, mom and Marshall. Our father was of another lifetime, he cannot be named. He's almost as nonexistent as my boobs.
I didn't want my Mom to throw me out of the only home I have. So I got to my feet, stumbled my way to the bathroom, the words Golden and Lowers ringing in my ears. Was I ready? To face my bestfriends from the past? The last time I saw them was in second grade. I hadn't seen how they bloom from innocence to maturity.
I tapped on the shower and welcome the drops of water cascading down my body. I directed my face to the shower head then I gazed upward, squeezing my eyes shut. Suddenly, I was seven, holding Dewn's hand. We were far beyond our friends sight because we sneaked out of our afternoon nap from the mansion, she wanted to buy us an ice cream. I whole heartedly agreed because duh, my teeth was begging for sweets.
We were running hand in hand, I had to take on a lot of effort to catch up to her pumping legs. My hand outstretching for her reach. She was taller, I would need to look up to take a good view of her.
Dewn's brown eyes flickered down at me, a lopsided grin on her pretty face, "Don't tell anyone, okay?" she was so dreamy.
I nodded. Dewn's smile was only for me to see. Fala and the other girls would tease her about how impassive she looked all the time. I felt special for the girl's fragile state was something I was free to see.
After our ice cream sessions, we scurried discreetly up to the mansion. We were both bombarded by questions from the four girls who were curious about our departure from our routine of afternoon napping.
Fala stood, pacing back and forth.
"Where the hell were you?" she scowled.
Involuntarily my hand locked with Dewn's. I was the youngest, they were all about the same age. Dewn and I sank down the chairs across from their prying eyes, she told me not to tell anyone, so I chose to keep my mouth shut.
Etha smirked, "Psh, they've gone to Daniels to stalk him again."
"No, we didn't." I growled.
Daniels was this cute ten year old kid that for some reason everyone fancied. They were enthralled by his presence everytime and I thought that Dewn too was feeling the same. Except me, I didn't want Daniels or any other boy around me and Dewn for that matter.
"You prawn eater!" Reeds squeaked, snatching the pillow from her bed.
Dewn ducked, so did I. The pillow missed us almost by inch.
"Clea, we're in this together okay?" Dewn gesticulated under the chairs where we tried to squeeze ourselves, our reveled faces were evidence of a childhood dilemma.
"Four versus two, doofuses!"
"Guys! Stop, Mom's gonna barge in here." Fala rasped between giggles.
I gave Dewn a sheepish smile.
Everyone was scurrying to find another pillow to grab and toss, it was a pillow afternoon fight.
I shook the reverie away and made my way down the kitchen with Mom conquering the whole place like a madman. My bestfriend Izzy was standing next to the stove, watching Mom in awe.
"I don't understand why I have to go there? This is so unbelievable Mom! I don't even know these rich people." I complained.
The Lowers and the Golden were the Forest Dream's pride and honor, they were locals here who started a business from everywhere around the world. They were business partners who had tons of connections.
Mom glanced at me in disbelief, "They were your childhood bestfriend! What's gotten into your head?"
Izzy ran a hand through her hair, "Mrs. York, why don't I go with her? It'll be an honor to see the Golden and Lowers' daughters."
Mom stopped slicing her onion or rather the chopping board because I was pretty convinced the chopping board was cut in half from all that strength she was giving.
"The girls only requested for Clea's presence, if I remember it correctly."
I choked on the banana that Izzy abruptly sucked into my mouth, "That's for breakfast, sis," she let out a hearty laugh gesturing me to the door.
My waiting little brother hauled me out the door onto the waiting van just outside our house.
"That's your service, bro." Marshall pointed at a white van. The windows were tinted so I couldn't pinpoint what was inside it.
"What do you mean my service?"
He scratched his head, "That van will take you to the airport."
"Clea, what are you waiting for? Go!" I heard Izzy rasped behind me.
I halfheartedly made my may inside the van, I slid the door close. The driver who had his back on me turned his head in my direction.
My eyes widened, "Chase?"
"Are you really going to sit in the back and let me feel unaccompanied here?" he smirked. "Get on the front seat,"
I quickly flung the door open and saw Izzy still standing outside the house with a knowing look. She planned this so I could have more time with Chase, I ignored her and trudged toward the front seat.
Chase grinned at me as soon as I closed the door, he started the engine and accelerated down the road.
"I don't understand how someone so rich would even choose to be a driver or a worker in a small diner?"
He ruffled his long hair, "I'm not a driver, okay? I just miss Reeds and Summer... Okay, maybe not Summer but I sure do miss her sister Reeds,"
It didn't occur in my head for some reason that Reeds and Summer were indeed sisters, they were a bit alike but then I couldn't really confirm since the last time I had the chance to be engrossed in a conversation with them was years ago.
"You were appointed to get them to the airport?" I asked.
He glanced at me for a brief second, "No, I volunteered, I didn't know you were their childhood bestfriend and when I overheard from Uncle Phil that they wanted you to go there, I didn't waste my time."
"So you don't really miss your two cousins?"
His face turned crimson, "I do but if the opportunity of being alone with a pretty girl again can happen then who am I to decline?"
I gaze at his direction in disbelief, "You told me you volunteered,"
He groaned, "Geez, I just wanna enjoy your pretty face, please calm down."
I smiled at his joke. "You're funny."
He shrugged, "Well, that's me."
While on the way, I learned from Chase that the five of them were still inseparable as ever. They lived together in a large house in New York which was only for them, they go to the same university together and decided to stay in Forest Dream for a vacation. I couldn't help but sigh at the mention of them being college girls, the picture of those ten year olds looking like a complete adult now made my insides turn into turmoil. How would they gonna react when they see me, a highschooler? Fuck, why was I overthinking?
I quickly calculated in my head that they were probably in their early twenties now while I on the other hand was still eighteen, inexperienced and a virgin. Wow.
An hour and a half to the trip, My fingers tightened around my seatbelt, my other hand fidgeted on the softness of the foam of the chair inside the car. We were almost there, I could feel their presence like they had been waiting to ruin my life.
When they left years ago, I remember sobbing inside my room, shaking and breaking down. They were my bestfriends, they were the ones who used to protect me, care for me... Especially Dewn, she was my best, bestfriend. My sketches of stickman versions of us were still plastered on my wall which was totally intentional because I didn't want to forget the memories.
We were outside the airport in no time, Chase handed me this piece of gigantic DIY cardboard, my eyes gave a furtive gaze upon it.
"My childhood friends?" I cringed, reading what was written on it, Chase mirrored my reaction, "What the hell is this thing for?"
"Izzy said you would need this so the girls could find us," he explained.
I groaned, "Oh, that little bitch."
Inside the airport's over populated crowd, Chase and I snaked our way inside and joined the line of people each holding their own cardboard, I decided not to use mine since it was ridiculous. Every wayfarers were starting to find their precious ones.
I disregarded how much of a nervous wreck I was at the moment but my knees wobbled. Luckily, Chase had steadied me just in time.
He chuckled, "Relax,"
"I haven't seen these people since forever."
"I know something to loosen up that feeling,"
"What?"
His finger pointed at the mass of crowd where the five girls would soon emerge, "Who was the closest to you amongst all of them?"
My brows knotted, "Why?"
"Well, maybe you'll feel less nervous if you approach someone first,"
Dewn was my best, bestfriend, I almost forgot that they know her by her second name. "S-Summer,"
"You feel more comfortable around Summer than any of them?"
"I-I'm not sure, I mean--"
He cut me off, "This is what you gonna do to fight tat anxious feeling, when you see Summer come out, you go and embrace her with all your might,"
I looked at him incredulously, "Why would I do that!?"
"Because, in that way you will release the tension out of you and plus, this is your chance after so many years to be with Summer again, so why not take all the time, right?"
My head was on a quick pedestal mode, my jaw dropping at his words, I couldn't really think straight. What was going on? It was hazy, like my body lived inside a smoke and every step I took was me potentially falling down the cliff.
My heart throbbed as soon as my eyes caught a sight of a group of girls emerging out the door, "There they are! Go Clea!"
Chase shoved me to their direction, surprisingly, though, my feet weren't glued and I was actually sprinting towards them without even thinking. I had to scan their faces one by one to find Dewn's.
I kept running towards her.
There she was so close now! In a second, I jumped onto her and wrapped my arms so tight all the while forgetting why I was doing it.
I heard her gasp in surprise.
Maybe, I had missed her for so long or maybe, Chase's spell had gotten the best of me.
I inhaled her sweet scent, she was softer now and tall... Fudge.
"Dewn, I miss you!!" I hung into her neck and I was pretty sure she was gasping for air based on how tight I was holding onto her.
"W-who are you?"