That Damn Summer

Chapter 2

9:05pm

I'm shaken awake for the second time today and I swear I'm going to punch the next person that does. For such a short trip I'm surprised I even fell asleep to begin with. I must have been even more exhausted that I thought.

Unbuckling from my seat, I crawl out of Gran's car and rest a hand on the hood to steady myself. My legs have the numbing feeling and I walk slowly around the car to bring the life back into them. They've been crammed into tight places with literally no leg room and I can tell my body is just as miserable as I am.

It's weird how I've been sitting for half the day yet I would like nothing more than to go inside and do just that.

Is this what jet lag is?

If so, I fucking hate it.

As I continue this conversation in my head, I grab my bags from the trunk and shrug off my Gran when she offers to help. No offense or anything but I don't want some 80 year old woman trying to help me carry my own damn bags up to their apartment.

"It looks like our company has already arrived. Oh I can't wait for you to meet the neighbors. They are very good people. You could use some good people in your life dear."
My Gran gestures up to a balcony on the second floor. It doesn't have any decorations, just a few chairs. I can't see the inside because the sliding doors are covered up by a white curtain from within the apartment. A few dark, shadowy figures pass by so I can tell Gran wasn't lying about people being inside.

Great.

Maybe if I'm lucky they'll leave me alone but luck is hard to come by these days.

For me anyway.

I decide to ignore my Gran's comment about me needing good people and let my gaze wander about the outside of the building. It's actually quite nice. The outside paneling is a light blue and it has a brick foundation. From the looks of it, there's around 4 stories and each floor, excluding the first, has a balcony. The building takea the shape of an L and there's a rec room with a gym and whatever other shit they stuffed in it sitting right across. I don't see a pool but this place probably has one and it's just not on this side.

A swim sounds nice.

Too bad I'm too fucking exhausted.

Once I'm done gawking at the place like a damned idiot, my Gran leads me up the steps and down a short hall. It's quiet but I know that this moment of peace will be short lived. Gran pushes open the door to the apartment and the commotion from inside immediately floods my sense.

"Look who I brought home!"
My Gran exclaims as I walk in behind her, kicking my foot behind me to shut the door. I recognize a few faces amongst the crowded bodies of people. Other than my Gran, there's my Aunt Margret, my Uncle Roy, and their two kids. The rest are unknown.

My Aunt is the first to approach me, a bright smile plastered on her face. She looks the same as I remember her. Long, brown hair, silver bracelets, those black high heels that make her look 2 inches taller, and, of course, the same ugly, frilly green dress.

Seriously, who wears frilly dresses anymore?

And those heels?

She's going to fall on her face because of those one day.

I only hope I'm there to be a witness.

She wraps her arms around me and gives me a tight squeeze before kissing both of my cheeks. She did this to me a lot as a kid and I can see that some things never change.

"It's so good to see you! It's been, what? 10 years since I've last seen you? All I know is that it's been a long, long time. You've grown so much! Just look at you!"
And I thought that Gran was pushy with her welcome.

I smile awkwardly and step to the side of her so I can get out of the doorway and gain some distance.

I've had a long day. Can't a man breathe?

"Uh, yeah. It really has.. but-"
I'm cut off by my Gran as she pulls my arm to take me further into the room. I begin to wonder if I should even bother talking at this point. She stops me in front of a short, dirty blonde haired woman wearing a light blue blouse and jeans. Fair skin, rosy cheeks, very easy on the eyes. Though her eyes are a very pale blue, reminding me of ice. There seems to be a subtle touch of danger in those pale blues. I can feel them taking me in, preparing to strike a knife into my heart. The thought shrival down my spine.

The woman smiles warmly up at me, a total contradiction to the cold depths of her eyes.
"Hello darling! You must be Crow. I've heard quite a bit about you during the past week. Your Gran was thrilled to hear you were staying with her for the whole summer."
Charlotte has a slight southern twang that accents her voice. I can tell she's trying to tone it down a bit but it doesn't seem to be working in her favor currently.

"My name is Charlotte, I'm the mother of Meo. I'm not sure if your Gran has mentioned him or not on you're way here. Speaking of which, where is he? Meo! Meo sweety!"

I might just go deaf with her yelling for her son.

Okay, she's not actually being that loud but still.

She could have toned it down a bit.

Just as she begins to make a move to go look for him, the door to the bathroom swings open. A slim built blondie that's not that much shorter than me steps out. He smiles apologetically at his mom and walks closer and I find myself staring, trying to get a better look. My eyes rake down his body, taking him in. He's wearing a black shirt that rids up partially on his neck and knee length jean shorts. For some unknown reason he thought it'd be a good idea to pair his selection with a baggy red jacket and yellow knee high socks that stick out of his black boots.

What was he thinking when he got dressed this morning?

His fashion choice is certainly odd to say the least but somehow it manages to suit his lean figure. His blond hair has slight curls and I find myself admiring the way the strands bend ever so slightly around his forehead. His eyes are pale just like his mom's but they aren't so pale that they look like an ice shard that could tear right through me. His are softer and they go perfectly with the tanned skin of his body.

Oh no.

What am I doing?

Yeah, he's real easy on the eyes but I shouldn't be absorbing every detail.

That can't be normal.

I freeze when he turns to face me, afraid that he might have caught me staring. But, when he looks up at me and those blues mine, I know that I'm in for it.