The water beneath us

Chapter 1

  As I pushed open the two heavy door that lead to freedom I promised myself that this summer was going to be mine. Another school year had come and gone where I sat in a seat for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, and every second I wished to be somewhere else.  I've always found school dumb, the education part was valuable , but all the other stuff like the unnecessary trauma that comes with public school, I didn't sign up for. But at least Summer was here, and I was free to do what ever I wanted for 10 weeks.

  I hugged my bestfriend Mila before we parted, and then I made my way to the sidewalk. The golden rays of sun that shone down on me warmed my skin from the inside out. This summer I wasn't going to be forced to go to any stupid camp. I was turning 16 in a few months and it was time I made some of my own choices. The walk home wasn't long, just under 10 minutes. The walks alone gave me time to think, and to plan how I was going to shoot down every camp my mom would suggest I go to.  

  My house came to view, and I pushed my legs harder for the front door, longing to chuck my heavy bookbag off my shoulders and to jump onto my bed. 

  When I got up the stairs to my porch I could feel the energy from inside the house, and I mentally braced myself for what ever idea my mom had come up with now. I slowly turned the doorknob, and took a deep breath, what they had to say couldn't effect my perfect Summer. I pushed the door open and stepped inside. I carefully slid my shoes off and tried to make a break for the staircase but my moms voice hollered from the kitchen before I could do a thing. 

"Aurora, is that you". My mom called. I cringed. Shit. My suspicion was confirmed now. My mother never asked if it was me unless it was something important. Only myself, my mom, and my dad lived at home. My dad was already in the house when I arrived so the fact that my mom asked if it was me didn't make me feel hopeful. 

"Yep, be there in a second" I replied. I was in deep. I attempted to stall my time by walking the speed of a turtle so that I could think of what camp it would be this year. 

 What if it was math camp? Just the thought made me want to run into the forest and never come out again. No kid deserved to be sent to math camp. 

 Suddenly I remembered the stash of cigarettes Mila had asked me to hide for her in my room. Maybe this thing my mom needed to speak with me about had nothing to do with camp at all.  All I had to do now was concoct a speak about how they were mine but I could quit at any time. I knew that wouldn't work, but maybe then I'd get sent to an addiction camp. I internally laughed at the thought of it, who knows I'd probably have more fun there than at the other ones I went to in previous years.  

 My feet finally turned the corner into the kitchen, and my mind was blank. The only thought that ran through my head was 'I'm fucked'. 

 But when I finally met both their sets of eyes the only thing I said was "Can I not go to science camp again please".

  Dad burst out laughing, and mom sat staring at me blankly like she hadn't even processed what I had said. I instantly knew what I had said wasn't what we were going to discuss, but I still on high alert because of the cigarettes.  After what felt like 55 years, but couldn't have been longer than 10 seconds, dads laughing went quiet and mom finally began to express some emotion before speaking to me.

"Sit, we have something to discuss" she said. I reached for a chair, and sank into it hoping what ever they said could be talked about quickly and we could work out a solution, so I could get back to planning the best Summer ever.

  Mom and dad glanced at each other and then stared at me. "A wonderful opportunity has come up, and we've decided your going to take it".