The Last Summer

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The Beginning

May 14th 2022

    As I packed the last painting into the back of my Jeep the thought occurred to me. "With the shutting of this door it'll be officially summer." I hesitated for a moment, resting my hand on the rim of my rear door. Did I really want to start my summer? I mean I had to, keeping this door open won't have any impact on the fact that I just left my last spring class and it was properly the start of summer break.

    Sighing, I looked at the dreaded college building one last time and threw my hand forward. Slamming the yellow Jeep closed. I didn't really like college but I'd rather sit in that hot classroom then face the impending months ahead.

    Normal people have seasonal depression around the colder months, my depression hits its peak in the blaring hot, sunny days of Western Nebraska. Summers have always been hell for me. Whether there's a death in the family or my boyfriend decides to break up with me. They've always been horrible.

    It'll be the same thing day in and day out. Wake up, go to work, come home, take a nap, play video games until the early hours of the morning and repeat. A very lonesome break in the year.

May 17th 2022

    And that's how the next couple of days went. Until Miros texted me, and soon "The Plan" would be formed. Miros was one of the two friends I had from work. We met in the small but popular coffee shop known as Jax and hit it off almost immediately. Miros was a short, energetic character. She had deep thoughts and wasn't afraid to speak what was on her mind. She has bad road rage and loved to listen to Hobo Johnson as she yelled obscenities to the people driving too slow. She loves to sing along to her music very loudly. Her car was always clean, she liked it that way and it always smelled so good. She likes getting baked and talking about anything that comes to her mind. She likes girls and her dogs and she's one of the most caring friends that I could ever ask for.

    M: Hey... What are you doing right now?

    H: I'm gonna take Roxy to the dog park if you wanna come with

    M: Sure!

    We met at the park, Roxy bouncing up and down at the sight of my friend. The small white blue heeler, owned by my cousin (and roommate),  could barely contain her excitement. Her little body trembling with the anticipation of all the new smells that lay ahead.

Entering the fenced area and taking off her leash I remembered something.  

    "We gotta hang out more before you move." I said

    Miros was moving by the end of the summer, having graduated high school she was ready to move onto bigger and better things down in Texas. Maybe even attending culinary school

    "Ya... you, me and Bell." She muttered aloud. The thought of moving still scared her. It would be a big change and it would have to be something she'd do all on her own.

    "We could make a bucket list!" I almost shouted, Roxy bringing her head up from the grass she had been sniffing.

    "We could go fishing!"

    "And finally watch all the Star Wars movies!"

    "Mmmmm good plan that is" Miros said in her best Yoda impression. Holding her hands before her to create even more drama.

    "And do that one painting thing! You know? Where do you trade it every five minutes?" She continued in her normal or almost normal voice.

    "Hold on. Hold on, I gotta write all this down!" I said excitedly, pulling my phone out and opening the notes app. "Hey! My cousin is leaving for a week, we could do a sleepover at my house!"