Back to Black (girlxgirl)

Hot

        My moist skin sticks to the giant t-shirt I had thrown on hours ago. All I can do is sprawl my limbs out on my bed as I let the heat devour me. A cold bath filled with ice or a dip in a pool would be ideal. My mind reminisces back to the chapter in The Great Gatsby when everyone goes to town to try and beat the summer heat. Why would anyone go to New York City for some cool air? What silly people they all were.

                I’d much rather be vacationing in St. Barts or the Maldives but I passed up a summer of fun for an internship at this new startup company that my father’s friend just launched. It deals with creating apps for companies so that consumers can search their products with the click of a button Personally, I couldn’t care less about all of that but my dad’s friend needed an assistant. So, I help the guy keep his life in order.

Old Nicky boy decided to up and leave me. The kid took the first chance he got at backpacking through Europe with some of his high school guy friends. He sends me these incredible photos of forests and mountains. It almost makes me jealous. With Nick gone, I’m stuck in Manhattan for the summer, with no one but myself and Jacky.

                It might as well be just me though because all Jacky des is work. It’s already the first couple weeks into June and I’ve seen her maybe ten times. This is supposed to be the summer of my life, the summer before college; instead it’s a nightmare of agitation and loneliness. With another sigh and my eyes never leaving my ceiling because that would just be too much work, I hear my name being called from downstairs. The muffled voice gets closer and finally, my door swings open.

                “Darling, please try not to be so depressed. It will cause wrinkles,” my mother says passively. Her high heels click against my floor and finally, there’s a dip in the bed. “Where are all your friends? I know Nick is away but what about Jacky? The girl can’t possibly be working every second.” Her criticism over my life already starts to bug me and I can feel an argument approaching. Heat brings out the worst in me.

                My eyes settle on her own scrutinizing gaze, “Mother, when I want to see Jacky is my own business. She is working. Sorry to burst your bubble but I don’t exactly have many friends.” Suddenly, the memories of hanging out with Taylor and the band hit me. Her friends were my friends. Well, minus Alie and Jenna but I think anyone can agree that they aren’t even proper human beings let alone human beings capable of friendship.

                She slaps my thigh lovingly; I’m sure, and she starts to get up. “Why don’t you call that Sloane girl? Where did you meet her again?” My breath catches and I grow nervous. Yes, my mother met Sloane first when that whole tragic night occurred, but she’s met her plenty times after. Sloane and I have grown closer since our first encounter and it was actually nice to call her a friend. Any time she would visit Taylor, she would make some time for me too. Of course, Taylor supposedly doesn’t know that. We never even bothered to talk about my ex when we would hang out. I think it was better for the both of us to just pretend she didn’t exist. In the times after our break up, it was nice to have someone there who understood why I was so upset and was willing to just let me talk about it.

                I haven’t talked to Sloane since graduation; however, it might be nice to catch up. If I’m lucky enough the girl may even be in the city. Trying to push aside my uncomfortableness on this hot day, I click on Sloane’s contact and wait for the dial tone to start. Within three tones her voice answers always just an octave higher than Taylor’s. It’s hard to remember they’re sisters by looking at them but their voices can come out a bit similar some times. “Hello?” she says into the speaker.