Last Summer 🔪Scream 1996

Ch. 16: Floor Boards

Days pass of nothing but reading and cleaning. Sophia is about to crack while my mom acts as if we don't exist as she spends all her time working. Sophia is also on high alert with her mom coming tomorrow, meaning a restless Sophia won't sit still.

We already packed up for the beach house and will be leaving in just two days. It'll take about three hours before we even make it to the area, and most of that will be the most boring thing in the world.

I also haven't heard from any of my friends since the night Stu scared the shit out of me. I don't even know if Tiff will be able to go now...or if we'll even have fun...

"Christina!"

I turn towards my door, setting the folded pants on my bed as I look at my cousin. She looks around outside before shutting the door and rushing over to me. I look at her utter confusion as she gets close to me and whispers.

"I need to ask you a big favor...."

"What?"

She silently walks back towards the door, opening it before peaking out before shutting it softly and rushing towards the window. She does the same as I watch her in amazed amusement.

"What are you doing?"

I laugh a little as she shuts the curtains and rushes over towards me, grabbing my arm and pulling me over towards my closet. She shoves me in before before shutting the door behind her.

"Okay...this is becoming less funny and amusing..."

"This is serious....my mom will be here in less than twenty-four hours. She looks through everything! I have no privacy with that woman, okay?"

"Okay..."

"I need your help..." She reaches into her bra, pulling out a baggy of a slightly familiar herb. "I need a place to hide this where she won't find it..."

"Is that..."

"Yes. I got it at the party."

"From a reliable source?"

"Well...the guy gave me a 'safe-party' chat while eye-fucking Tiffany..."

"Joseph?"

"I have no idea. I just know that he gave me free weed before I bought this."

"How often do you..."

"Often enough."

I nod as I look around, trying to think of a place. I smile immediately when I remember the loose board that is in the far corner of my closet. I walk over, moving the floor length mirror out of my way before flipping the carpet back. Sophia walks over, watching me in curiosity as I grip the loose floor board, wiggling it until it pops free.

This house is about fifty years old and these floors haven't been updated since the sixties. As I move the wood, I see my old diaries lined up perfectly. I pull them out, looking at them with a nostalgic smile. I haven't wrote in a diary in a while...maybe I should pick it back up.

"What're these?"

"My old diaries...I found this by mistake when I was eight. I was paranoid that Gilly was going to read my most secret secrets and thought this was the perfect place. I don't think anyone even knows about it...."

She bends down, laying the baggy down before grabbing the closest out of the three diaries. I also see a metal box in the bottom of the hidden cubby. I reach down, pulling it out before opening it up. Pictures and letters spill out as I look down at them.

I gently grab the pink envelope with my name on it, looking down at it. Sophia continues to flip through pages before stopping on one with a smirk forming on her lips.

"June 18, 1987...Dear diary, Billy and I were playing house again today. He played the daddy, I played the mommy, and Gilly played the baby. It was like any other play date until..."

She stops as I rip the book from her hands as I roll my eyes. I grab the other two and get up, moving towards the other side of the closet and putting them on a dresser before exhaling and turning back around. I tense up when I see her holding the pink envelope, looking at it in curiosity.

"Why isn't it opened?"

I walk over taking it before shoving it back into the box, along with all the pictures that fell out. I don't answer Sophia as she watches me in confusion, studying as if I'm the guide to a test.

"Was that your dad's name?"

I exhale before brushing my hair back, not looking up at her as I grab the baggy and put it in the metal box before shutting it and putting it back into the floor.

"It looked a little old...at lest three years old..."

"Look...I really don't want to talk about it, okay?"

I get up and walk over to the diaries, grabbing them before walking back over to the hole. I arrange them in their original order before snapping the board back into place. I fix the carpet before standing and moving the mirror back into place.

I'm smoothing out the carpet, making it seem as if it hasn't been moved, when I feel a hand rest on my shoulder. I look up, seeing Sophia looking at me with loving eyes. She bends down, getting at eye level as she brushes a strand of my hair behind my ear.

"Whenever you are ready, don't be afraid to come to me...even with other things...you are my best friend, cousin, and sister in one, okay?"

I nod as she pulls me into a hug, rubbing my back as her chin rests on my shoulder. I hold back the tears as she squeezes me tight.

"I love ya, kid..."

"I love you too, Smiles..."

——

After the minor breakdown in my closet, Sophia and I both decide to lay on my bed while talking about anything and everything. She's currently sitting up, munching on chips as she looks at me.

"So..."

I look at her, popping an M&M into my mouth. She smirks at me as I look at her confused, and a little worried...

"Billy was your first kiss, huh?"

I scoff as I roll my eyes, shaking my head as she smile at me. I knew she would bring this up...

"Yes. Are you happy now?"

"Hmmm..." she thinks for a moment, shrugging a little before speaking again. "Not really. How about telling me how it happened?"

"He just turned nine and I was about to turn eight, okay? We were playing and he kissed me. That's it."

"Awww...that cute and boring all at the same time..."

"What did you expect? A fairytale story?"

"No..."

I shove her a little as we both laugh, continuing our talking as our topics switch up.

🗡🔪

A/N

How's everything going?

Drink water!!!!!!!!

Love
-The Author