"SO YOU'RE DITCHING ME FOR THE ENTIRE SUMMER?"
The brunette shuffled through the contents of her locker with a sigh. She expected a response like this, but it didn't mean the pout on her best friend's face made it any easier.
"It's not exactly a dream vacation," she reasoned, reaching for her physics textbook before sparing her friend a glance. "I don't want to spend my senior summer like that, either."
"Spence," April whined, and Spencer had half a mind to fold herself into the small metal compartment in front of her just to avoid the guilt trip her friend was about to send her through.
"I'm sorry," she told her earnestly, pressing the door closed, and turning to face her friend. Her mom was all about being forward in relationships, and Spencer was trying her best. "It was my mom's idea, she wants me to get to know him better before I go off into the world."
(Spencer emphasized the last part because college was coming! and she was under no restraint to attend familial gatherings.)
"But you see your dad like every Christmas," April reminded her, tilting her head so that her strawberry blonde braids hit her neck. "And sometimes on your birthday - he does realize it's summer, right? Your last summer of being a kid?"
Of course, Spencer realized this. She was the one living it. But just as much as her summer plans and hopes were getting wrecked - so were April's. The two of them did everything together.
"April," she said. "I promised my mom I'd do this." she reached into her back pocket and slipped out a dollar bill as the two started their way down to the fifth period.
Spencer eyed one of the cute popular boys. She was supposed to have a boyfriend by now. She was seventeen, prime dating age.
But that was less of a priority right now, as she looked at her pouting friend, who was furious with the idea of being abandoned during the best summer of their lives.
Readjusting her backpack strap, Spencer added, "Plus, apparently my dad had a bad relationship with his dad, and he's been all afraid of history repeating itself."
April looked unaffected. "So?"
"So," Spencer said. "I'm going. Gonna fix the family tradition, or whatever."
"Doesn't he live in New York?" April asked. "That's half a world away, Spence."
"Trust me," Spencer almost laughed out, "I won't be having any fun." She pressed the numbers into the vending machine in front of her. "I'll probably be doing summer homework all break."
That was only half a lie. Because Spencer's dad was super over-protective - when he came to visit, he was concerned with anything that could possibly be wrong with Spencer medically. A simple cold was like a death sentence to the guy.
But he was a doctor or something, Spencer reminder herself. He was probably just used to seeing the worst?
Spencer knew that if she wanted to leave the apartment, she could. She would. Her dad barely ever got strict with her. Spencer thinks that's half the reason he gave her up to her mom - he didn't know how to raise a kid. He just didn't have that strict, firm act about him. If Spencer really wanted, she'd just walk out of his apartment.
Spencer wouldn't do that.
"Alright," April said. The promise of her friend's boring summer was comforting. "Fine. But you'll call, right? And video chat?"
Spencer laughed, relieved that her friend was finally understanding. "Yes," she said. "It's not like I won't be bored there anyway. I've known my dad since I was a kid, okay?" she leaned down to grab her peanut m&ms from the vending machine slot as she added, "Bruce Banner isn't exactly the most interesting guy out there."
✰✰✰
"I WANT YOU TO KEEP A JOURNAL, OVER THE SUMMER," Mr.Turner told her. Spencer could barely hear him over the chatter of all the students.
It was the third period, and the last day of school and Mr.Turner was assigning summer homework. Apparently, Spencer was the only student from this class following his next course.
This was probably the only class Spencer enjoyed. The rest of her schedule was filled with advanced math and sciences that, once her teachers found out she was smart, pressured her into.
And Spencer didn't care enough to correct them. She took the classes because her dad was a genius, and half of her wanted to prove that she was that smart too. She never liked them, but she never failed them.
Senior year meant more of those classes, leaving Spencer with only two courses she had a pick in: creative writing and zoology.
So while all her other classes were giving her packets and textbooks, Mr.Turner, the creative writing teacher, was handing her a blank notebook.
She took it in her hands and brushed over the smooth composition cover. "What am I supposed to write?" she asked.
"Anything you learn," he told her with one of those smiles that aren't really a smile. Spencer thought that she was probably Mr.Turner's favorite - but that was only because she was the only one doing the homework in the class. "Maybe it's a lesson or a fact or something about yourself," he told her, "anything you think is important."
"Why?" Spencer asked, not in a rude way, but like she was actually wondering what the whole point in this was. Creative writing meant escapism, right? She didn't need to know anything about herself to write, right?
"It'll help you find your voice," he told her. "And by next semester, you'll be ready to write outside of your comfort zone."
A paper airplane flew by her ear.
✰✰✰
THE CLOTHES ON SPENCER'S BED WERE TOSSED ABOUT CARELESSLY.
It had been two days since her mom had told her about the trip, and Spencer did her best not to lose her mind with the agreement her parents had come to. She loved her dad, really, but she hardly knew the guy and he was kinda awkward and so was she and that's just not a good mix.
She had tried to keep her cool in front of April, and for the most part, she'd succeeded - but now, alone, she was kinda losing it.
Hence, the torn-apart room, and half-packed suitcase.
The summer. And of her senior year, nonetheless. She was supposed to be having her coming-of-age moments, and now she'd be spending her summer days in some horribly decorated apartment, trying to figure out why her dad had such an issue connecting with her.
She shoved a folded hoodie into the suitcase.
"Try not to break the suitcase?"
Spencer glared up to see her mother at the doorway, watching as her daughter shoved crumpled t-shirts into an old bag. "Hi."
"So you're not over the whole summer vacation thing," Nicole noted as Spencer sent another look. "Okay, I get it," she promised, venturing further into the room. She tested the waters and decided it wasn't wise to get comfortable.
Not with the steam practically coming out of her daughter's ears.
"You're gonna make his summer, Spence," she promised, after a moment of quiet. "He's gonna love having you there."
Spencer didn't doubt that. Bruce never really gave her a reason to doubt that - he always seemed happy when she was around. He was always smiling and playing around, and sure, it's not his fault he's a quiet guy. But you'd think that if someone really loved someone else, they'd visit a little more often.
"I think you're going to have a lot more fun than you think."
Spencer wasn't sure if she should nod or agree or something, because she didn't believe her mom, but Nicole seemed pretty sure of herself.
"Is April coming over for dinner?" Nicole questioned, shifting her attention away from the tension. "I could make-"
Involuntarily, Spencer's nose scrunched. She shook her head immediately at the thought of her mom cooking. God, she was so bad at that. So good at like, everything else, but so bad at that.
"She's coming over," Spencer told her, "to help me pack. And then I think she wanted to go out for Thai, or something."
✰✰✰
FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER, APRIL WAS SLIPPING IN THROUGH SPENCER'S FIRST FLOOR BEDROOM WINDOW.
Spencer grinned up as her friend landed on the carpeted floor, saying, "Hey."
April grinned back. "Hi," she replied as she ventured further in the room, eyeing the mess on Spencer's bed. She made her way over, examining the clothes her friend was packing.
"Wow," she mumbled, holding up a pair of ratty sweatpants. "You are dressing to impress. Don't you think-"
"April," Nicole's voice sounded, and the two girls spun to the bedroom door. She was standing there, unimpressed, "Do you think you could use the front door? I promise it works."
"I could, Ms.Negan," April conceded. "But that's no fun."
She wagged her finger. "I'm putting bars on the window," she threatened.
"Prisons don't foster healthy children, Ms.Negan!" April called out as Nicole disappeared in the hallway.
Spencer smiled at her friend. April collapsed on her bed, eyeing the remaining unpacked outfits.
"Don't you think you should pack something cute?" April tested, and Spencer rolled her eyes as she shoved another t-shirt in the suitcase. "Just in case you see a really cute boy. New York boys-" she propped herself up, pointing her finger at Spencer, "are so much cuter than Kansas boys."
Yeah, Kansas. Kansa boys were definitely something different than New York boys.
"April," Spencer said. "I'm going to see my dad. Not get a boyfriend - which, I'm sure, he'd freak if he found out I had one."
April was unphased. "Maybe he's got a really hot, young coworker," she imagined, grinning at her friend. "You could just say you want to shadow him, and then, in actuality-"
Spencer threw a pillow at her friend's face, exclaiming, "I'm putting the bars up!"
✰✰✰
journal entry #1
I'm starting to wonder if adults really know what's best for their kids, or if it's all just a guessing game for them.