The Summer I Left

Chapter 1 The Summer I Left

— ᕚ◊ᕘ —

The mourning doves are humming a tune outside my bedroom window. I sit in a chair next to the window, my green eyes staring down at the paper before me as I journal my life down on the page. As I'm concentrating on writing, I see a figure move out of the corner of my eye. I look up to find my brother standing at the doorway.

"What do you need, Barron?" I ask plainly.

"There's something I want to talk to you about." He said quietly. I become anxious by his tone of voice and quickly close my journal to listen.

"What is it?" I say.

"I think it's time we considered living elsewhere." He said, cutting it dry and not bothering to ease into such harsh news.

I felt like the air was knocked right out of me, I couldn't believe he would say such a thing. I stand slowly, shaking my head at him with anger. "You can't be serious!" I yell.

"I think it's for the best," He replies softly. "River, we've lived in this old house for a long time, but we can't afford it now!"

I want to cry but I fight back the tears and pull myself together. "Have you any idea what this house means to me? It's what little we have left of mom and dad!"

"I know." He said, "But it's time we move on. There's nothing for us here anymore. Alex and Hunter offered to let us stay at their house."

Alex and Hunter were our parents best friends, they were also my godparents. They lived in Austin, Texas, which was nearly 9 hours away!

"What about my friends?" I then say, trying to talk my brother out of it.

"What friends?" He said a bit harshly. Okay, so maybe I didn't have any friends, but I still didn't want to leave!

"Don't try making excuses with me. The house is reminding us of them everyday, it's just reminding us of the horrible memory; and you're not friends with anyone in this town anyways. We're going whether you like it or not." He finished, uncrossing his arms and walking out of sight.

I'm so angry that I don't know what to do with all of it. I know Barron is trying to do what he thinks is best for the both of us, but this house carries so many memories that I cherish deeply. This house was everything to me. Dad and I bonded over building this house! How could we let all his hard work go in vain?

I feel tears burning my eyes, and a cry escapes my lips. I put a hand over my mouth, trying to muffle myself, but it's no use. My legs give out beneath me and I fall to the floor.

My name is River Devon. 5 months ago my mom and dad died from a terrible storm that hit right outside our town. They were on their way home from a date when the car hydroplaned off the road and hit a tree. The police showed up at the door right after Barron and I had gotten home from school, and ever since then, the two of us have been on our own.

I'm seventeen and Barron is twenty. While we're both old enough to live on our own, neither of us have a good enough income to pay for the house. Barron is a mechanic and I'm a store clerk. If we wanted to get a job that could pay the bills we would have to get a college degree, which we didn't have the money for. After thinking it over, I realized Barron was right. Perhaps moving in with Alex and Hunter was the best route.

Then Barron appeared in the doorway again, holding a bar of chocolate and Bunny. Bunny was our dog's name, he was a yellow labrador retriever who was more white then yellow. We called him Bunny because he would jump around like a bunny and loved carrots. My dad had trained him as a hunting dog and his bunny-like personality made it easy for our dog to catch prey for some reason. Whenever I was sad, Bunny was there for me.

I smile at Barron through my tears, appreciating his efforts to make me feel better. Bunny ran over and rubbed himself up against me. I hug him tightly, my face resting upon his soft coat of fur.

Barron walked over and knelt down beside me, putting an arm around my shoulders for comfort. "I'm sorry about all of this, I know it's the last thing you wanted."

I looked up towards him, my vision blurred with tears. "I know you're right, it's just hard for me to leave this place."

"I know, me too." He said, kissing me on the forehead before pulling me into an embrace.

— ᕚ◊ᕘ —

Early the next morning, Barron helped me pack up all of our things into the two vehicles. Barron drove our mom's black Dorango while I drove my dad's red Ford F 150. I recently just finished my driver's education and I can confidently say that I'm a much better driver than my brother; he drives as if he's blindfolded.

After getting all of our stuff into the vehicles, we put all of our parents' stuff into boxes and put them in the storage shed that was off limits to the new people who were moving in. The things like clothes, cooking products, and anything else like that either Barron or I took and anything we did not want was going to go to Alex and Hunter.

Once we had finished, the two of us leaned up against the truck, taking in one last look at the old house.

"I'm gonna miss this place." Barron said.

I was too emotional to speak, so I didn't bother to say anything. We stood there for a moment longer before Barron turned to me with a sad sort of smile. "You want a picture with it before we leave?"

"A picture?" I repeat with my eyebrows raised, as if it was a stupid idea.

"You know you want to." He grinned.

I smile, "Alright." I give in. The two of us turned and took a selfie with the old house. After Barron took the photo he brought his phone down so we both could examine it.

"We look horrible!" Barron exclaimed.

I let out a laugh. It felt good to put a smile on my face, especially on a day like this one...

I hate changes, especially big ones like these, but this is for the better. I only fear what life has in store for me ahead.

I fear my life could change for the worse.