That Summer

Chapter 1 : Summer at Grandmas

I watch as the city lights of Vancouver start to blur behind me.

Agitated, I drive away in my mother's beat up GMC red truck. I swear this truck is as ancient as the pyramids.

Okay maybe a bit of an exaggeration

But still it's old. My parents bought this truck on the day I was born eighteen years ago today.

My mother has trouble letting go of things, this truck is an example of that.

I was five years old when my dad left my mother, my brother, and me, for the women he was having an affair with. My mom was shattered. She gave up on trusting men and after that only had flings, no real relationships. 

My mom raised me to never trust men. Kind of messed up

My dad soon remarried and invited us all to his wedding in Bali. My mother never let my brother and I go.

I don't really keep in touch with my dad other than the usual phone calls on my birthday or during the holidays. It's hard to keep in touch since he lives in India with his wife and two daughters. Dad has tried to have a relationship with me over the years but it's hard for me to reciprocate when mom hates him. Ben and I choose to stay out of it, it's easier this way.

Ben is my best friend and the best big brother I girl could ask for. A year older than me and the total opposite of me, he is star athlete, mr popular, and extremely outgoing. Growing up we leaned on each other a lot, it made the tough times a bit easier to digest. I am beyond thankful for having him in my life.

Mom was not always the ideal parent she struggled with alcohol and gambling while we were growing up.

My grandparents always came to our rescue when mom was absent. Nonna and Nonno as I called them. They were everything for Ben and I. My grandparents made sure we had the best childhood growing up and thanks to them we did. The summers were full of biking the seawall, or exploring various different foods at Granville Market, and the ferry rides to Vancouver Island. We had the best holidays, grandma and grandpa would decorate the inside  and outside of our  home with lights. It was magical. I loved celebrating Christmas with them. Those two made Ben and I feel so special and distracted us from our parents messy divorce and constant fighting. 

When I was twelve my grandparents moved back home to their beach house in California. After mom promised that she had got her shit back together. She did..... for the most part.

So here we are, mom and me driving to the beach house right after my graduation ceremony had ended. I wanted to stay back another day or two before departing from my best friends, Jenna and Sara. But mom had other plans...

Us three were going our different ways after summer break, and the reality of that was terrifying. I couldn't imagine not seeing them everyday sine we did everything together. Us three had been best friends since the 8th grade. My whole life revolved around them, and now it feels so strange not being able to be with them in this next chapter of our lives.  It feels unfair, life feels unfair at this moment.

Mom insisted we leave as soon as possible to grandmas since she had just ended her fling with Ryan. She wanted to get out of the city immeidatly so she could avoid Ryan. Classic Mom.

We finally reached the beach house after what felt like a week of driving. 18 hours to be exact. Mom promised me her and I would take turns driving. I was the one who drove most of the way since mom was a pain to wake up once she knocked out.

I was yawning and sleepy as I pulled up into the driveway of the beach house. The Californian sunrise was beginning to take place. Warm light entered the truck and illuminated everything it touched. I instantly felt at ease. This place was my comfort and my home because this is where my grandma lived, she was home for me.

"April, my beautiful girl. Oh, how much I missed you," said my grandma as she opened her arms and gave me one of her hugs. I missed her hugs, they felt so warm and safe.

"Nonna! I missed you more." I replied. This was true, there was no one I loved in this world more than my grandma. After my grandpa passed away suddenly of a heart attack two years ago, grandma was left alone in this big house. I worried about her being out here all by herself I would feel so guilty not being near her. So I started spending more of my summer breaks with her and any break I got for that matter.

While my entire senior year went to Miami for spring break I flew to grandmas. I stayed with her for two weeks. And honeslty that spring was full of memorable moments. I spent my time with grandma and her friends at the beach were we swam, watched sunsets, made smores, and had delicious home cooked dinners. My grandma even got high with me one night, it was pretty epic.

The thought of her being all alone here made me sad. But I knew she wasn't alone alone. She had her wonderful friends and neighbours around all the time. There were always parties and gatherings happening at this house when grandpa was alive and even now when he is gone. This home is full of happy times.

"Girls! let's go, let's go, get inside. I made your favourite chocolate chip waffles and they won't stay warm for long."

"WAFFLES!" I yelled, and ran inside leaving mom with all the luggage. 

Hope you guys liked the first chapter! These characters have been in my head for a while now.

This is my very first time writing something, lets see how it goes.