The Hardest Summer

Chapter 1

"Tony!" I yell out, "Tony!!" I'm screaming now, not trying to. All of a sudden, I'm shaken awake by my mom. My eyes pop open. It's just a dream, I think. But for some reason, I can't stop crying. I struggle to sit up and wipe the tears from my cheeks. It's just a dream, I tell myself, just a dream....

"Are you alright Juliet?" my mom asks sounding concerned, and wiping the last few tears from my face. As I look at her, she sits on the bed next to me and strokes my hair. I've always been a little distant from this women; my mother. We never had any of the serious 'mother-daughter' talks about life and happiness and taking care of myself like most teenage girls do with their moms.

"Yeah, I'm okay, you can go back to bed now if you want," I say, pretending that everything was perfectly fine. And when she finally leaves, I roll over onto my side and try to fall back asleep. But I knew I wouldn't be able to. Tears begin to fill my eyes as memories flow in my mind like a river, but I push them to the side, and try to clear my mind before falling asleep.

It has been 7 months, since the accident. Although I continue to figure out ways to dodge the subject, it's always brought up. I've refused to talk about it, with anyone. My mom had set me up for counseling sessions for a while, but eventually I just stopped showing up. I knew it wouldn't help.

During the first few months I'd lay awake at night just thinking and worrying. When I would finally fall asleep, I'd later wake up in a pure panic, screaming at the top of my lungs. Although the outbursts are very seldom, I still can't help but continue to think about how everything went down that night. I've had dreams, that quickly turn to nightmares within time. Once in a while, I'll wake up in a cold sweat, yelling to someone I knew could never hear me anyway.

I only got two more hours of sleep, and although I'm disappointed, I just want the last day of school to be over with. I take a quick shower, wrap myself in the towel I hung for myself and begin digging for clothes in my closet. I don't have a specific outfit or clothing item in mind, so I settled on a pair of jeans shorts and a babydoll top I got last time I was shopping.

I pull my hairbrush thru my snarling mess of blonde hair. Tony always loved how long my hair was, so I couldn't ever bring myself to cut it after the accident.

I finish my look off by applying eyeliner, mascara, and my favorite sandals. After I decide that I'm done, I run down the stairs to the kitchen. My mom already had breakfast going , eggs and toast. I grab a piece of toast and sit at the counter, watching as she frantically runs about, phone in one hand and a spatula in the other. Suddenly the house phone starts to ring.

"Sweetheart, will you get that for me please?" she asks me, trying not drop her phone in the eggs.

"Sure," I say looking at the screen.

"Hello?" I ask. To my surprise, it wasn't the school district calling to tell us to have a safe summer, but someone who I hadn't spoken to in quite some time.

"Hi baby girl," I hear.

"Daddy!" I yell. I definately could have brought my volume level down a few notches, but it was the last thing on my mind. "How are you? What have you been up to? I can't wait to see you next week." Him and I had talked about me going down to Texas for the summer this year, and I was so excited I couldn't contain myself.

"I can't wait to see you either kiddo. But I've been good, just getting ready for your visit next week. And I can't wait for you to meet Angie," he says. I completely forgot that she would be there. Angie, my dads new girlfriend, I've heard is a stuck up, high maintenance, barbie doll who is only with my dad for his money. But, my mom can be a little dramatic.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot," I say rolling my eyes, I can see my mom laugh across the kitchen.

"Well, what have you been up to little girl?" he asks, like he doesn't already know.

"I was about to go to school, but I can call you later."

"Ok baby, well you let me know ok? I'll talk to you later, bye."

"Bye," I say, and lay the phone back on the counter.

When 7 am finally comes around, I go upstairs to grab my handbag and head out the door for my little Kia. Last day of school, I think, here I come.

I pull up into the school parking lot, top down, the sun in my face, it's a new day, I tell myself. I start to smile; Tony said that all the time.

I get out of the car, slamming the door behind me. I grab my purse out of the back seat and start to head up to the front of Riverside Highschool. I already know people are staring at me as I walk, it happens all the time, I just get used to it.

Since it's the last day, juniors get the auditorium this year, to watch movies. The seniors get the gym, while the sophmores and freshman get the courtyard and lunch room. You can basically do whatever you want and nobody can say anything because it's the last day of school. I head down to the auditorium, looking for a nice quiet spot to sit and relax for the next 7 hours. But I can see the second I walk into the room, that almoswt every placce it taken; soon enough, I find a spot in the very back. I sit down in a small chair and take out my phone to listen to music, and when I turn, I see Justin Rodrigeez is sitting right next to me, staring.

"Can I help you?" I ask, pulling my music out.

"No, I was just wondering if I could sit here," he asks, pointing at the seat next to me. I shrug, I don't really want to be around anyone, but I'm not a rude person for the most part.

"Sure I guess," putting my headphones back in.

"Thanks," he says smiling, then he sits down. I see his friends, Dalton and Jackson calling him over, but he stays. What's going on?, I ask myself a little confused. The room starts to dim as the movie starts, and I can see Justin in the corner of my eye still staring at me.

"What?" I say in frustration.

"Nothing," he says.

"Okay, well why are you sitting here anyway?" I whine.

"I was just trying to be nice," he says, "I know you've had a hard year, with everything that happened with Tony. I was just trying to be nice, but if you'd rather I left, then I will," he stomps off.

I feel bad, but I know it's best. I never had many friends when I was young, only Tony. Now that everything has changed, I know that my ability to interact like a normal high school student is very limited.