The Last Summer

Chapter 23

The next day is extremely rainy. The drops of rain on the window roll down like tears. The trees blow, attempting to resist the wind's push.

I sit on the windowsill in Hannah's room. I've been here so much this is practically my spot. I'd be like Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory if someone sat here.

Hannah's been trying to get me to smile all day. I smile every now and then, but it's fake just to get her to leave me alone. She's always happy when I smile and says how I'm like the old Macy again, but that'll never happen. Not after this.

I'm currently in the bathroom putting the medicine on my burned arm. The stuff smells horrible, but works really good. My arm is still bright red, but not as bright like it was two days ago.

Wow. That happened just two days ago. It seems like so much longer.

Hannah's been on her laptop almost all day. I'm not sure why, but my main theory is for my birthday in two days. I'm so excited for it. I'll finally be eighteen. It's the only thing keeping me going at this point.

I'm leaving for college in a week. I had to change the date so I'd be settled in by the time soccer practice starts up.

I finally got my schedule today. I got special effects, directing, English and philosophy. Philosophy isn't required, but I've always loved it. It really makes me think.

I cap the medicine and go back to Hannah's room. She's trying furiously on her phone.

"What's going on?" I ask her.

Hannah looks up from her phone. "Oh, nothing." She looks back at her phone, typing even faster, if that were possible. Her face gradually softens a few seconds after she quit typing.

"Okay, seriously. Tell me what's going on," I insist. I don't care if I'm being annoying. That's what best friends are for.

"Oh, um, that was.... my grandma."

"Uh-hu," I respond. "And you're mad at your grandma why?"

"I'm not mad at her."

"Considering how fast you were typing and the look on your face, you were pretty mad." Hannah sighs in defeat. "Seriously, H, what's up?"

She hesitates before answering. "That was Drew, Jason's friend. We've been talking a lot lately. He said that Jason's a complete wreck. I told him that Jason needs to suck it up, but he told me what he's really like. Jason wouldn't stop pacing mumbling 'why did I say that' and 'it's all my fault.' Drew said he's barely slept. And that's just what he told me. Who knows what else he's done."

I stay quiet for a moment. "If he was sorry, he would have come here by now."

Hannah sighs. "Don't you get it? He's at Drew's because he can't stand to see your car in my driveway because he feels so guilty. He said Jason's been trying to come up with a way to make you forgive him."

"There's no way I can," I whisper. I look back out the window. Suddenly the water droplets don't seem so different from actual tears. "Plus, doesn't Drew know what happened that night?"

Hannah shakes her head. "He was drunk too."

I put my head on my knees. Hannah goes back to typing on her phone, probably to Drew. I bet Jason's just using Drew as communication to me. Well, to Hannah.

"Drew said that what he does remember, Jason swore he wouldn't drink. He knew you wouldn't like that. But one of his friends spiked the soda cooler with a whole bottle of vodka and it just went downhill after that," Hannah tells me.

I don't move a muscle. "What should I do?"

"Well," Hannah gets up to sit next to me. I sit up and scoot over for her. "I know this must suck. It can't be easy having two of the most important people in your life get taken away from you because of alcohol. It'll take time to forgive him, but since I'm your best friend, I have to be honest. I think you should give him a chance and see how much he wants this."

I rub my eyes. "I'm not going to him."

"I know."

"But if he comes to me," I begin.

"He probably will," Hannah interrupts.

"I guess I can listen."

Hannah wraps her arm around her shoulder. "That's good. The only way this'll work is if one talks and the other listens."

"How do you know so much about this?"

"I watch reality TV," Hannah says.

I smile the first real smile I've put on my face since the whole incident. Hannah gives me one last squeeze before getting back up. I look back out the window across the street. Jason's car still isn't back in the driveway.

I look up at the sky. It's hard to see with the rain drops on the window, but it makes me feel better because there's someone else in the world looking at it too.

Jason's POV

I haven't left Drew's since I remembered what I said. I've been trying to find out a way to make her forgive me, but all of my ideas are crap. They make absolutely no sense.

Drew's been texting Hannah and filling me in on Macy. So far, all I've found out is I am a complete utter jerk. I feel like a lovesick puppy.

"Dude, why are you moping around? If you really want Macy back, then go to her," Drew says.

"I know; you've said that to me a million times. It's just what I'm going to do to make her forgive me," I admit.

"If you haven't found out a way at this point, that means the only way to fix this is to talk to her!"

I sigh and chuckle. "What?" Drew asks.

"We're acting like teenage girls," I say.

Drew chuckles along with me and soon, we're both laughing our heads off, clutching our stomachs trying to regain our breath. "But seriously," Drew says after he can breathe again. "You need to talk to her."

"But what would I say?"

He shrugs. "Just what's on your mind. Girls love honesty."

I think for a minute. What is on my mind? I can't just go up to her and say, "Hey I'm sorry I was a drunken idiot and said you'd end up like your dad."

Nope. That would definitely not work.

I sit down on Drew's bed and dig deeper. I remember when I first saw her. I hear the first phone call we had. I hear her laugh as I carried her down the stairs during hide and seek. I see her smile every time I've seen her.

I remember her running around Hannah's yard on the Fourth of July. I remember her jumping off of the tree in the woods. I remember her when her mom came to her work. She looked so broken, abandoned.

That's when I finally realize what's been burning through my head. What I haven't been able to clarify because I wasn't sure it was real.

I'm in love with her.