She woke up that morning excited. She hopped out of her bed and started to change into the close she left out last night. She sat in a chair and put on her shoes. They were slightly new Nike walking shoes. She broke them in the week before today. There was no way she would be able to handle a blister this next week. Then she got out her suit case and list. She scanned everything to make sure she had everything she needed
“Toothbrush? Check. Water bottle? Check. Swimsuit? Check. A body to go with it? I think we can skip that one,” she said to her stuffed animal. “I’m not the life guard anyway. Now I need band aids.”
When she was alone she always talked to her stuffed animal. It is a little brown bare with a heart on its stomach. It was the last thing her father gave her for her birth day. At first she complained about it being to childish for a sixteen year old. Now being one year older it was her most prized procession.
She went into the bathroom and searched through the cabinets until she found the band aids. They were kid band aids. They were covered in little dinosaurs. Some were T-rexes, some were the ones that fly, and some just looked like blobs. She went back to her room and threw them in her suit case.
A sound came from outside. A truck was pulling into the drive. She zipped up her suit case and ran into the kitchen.
“Ava, he’s- there you are!” her mother said. “Here take this. You need something to eat.” She handed her a bagel with nutella. Then there was the knock on the door.
She ran over to the door and swung it open. Hayden was standing on the other side. Ava grabbed him and pulled him into a hug.
“What’s this for?” he asked hugging her back.
“I’m just really excited about this week.” She let him go.
“I’m excited about all the pranks I’m going to pull on you.” He said in a serious voice.
“Hey, just remember: Whatever you do to me, I’m going to have enough energy to do it to you.” She turned to get her suit case. “Bye, mom!” She gave her a hug.
“Alright, make sure you call me, ok? And don’t drive fast. You don’t need a ticket. And if either of you get in to trouble you’ll have to deal with me. She assured them.
“Are you done?” she joked with her.
“Can I not worry? Hurry and go.” She pushed them out the door.
They walked out to Hayden’s truck. “You can put it back here,” he opened the back door and put her suit case on the floor. “Get in.”
Ava climbed into the passenger seat. Hayden climbed in after her and started the truck. It roared to life and they drove down the driveway, out to the dirt road. They just sat there for a while without talking. They talked at school all yesterday.
Hayden lived right down the road from Ava. That’s probably why they are such good friends. They see each other all the time. At school, church, and home. They’ve been pretty close their whole life. Both of their parents were close to each other. They even had a day to exchange gifts at Christmas. So now Ava and Hayden will both be volunteering at a local summer camp. It was a community service project for college. It will be the first time they will be away from home together.
