My Riptide

Chapter 20: Taste

River-

"What was christmas like for you?" she asks, with her hands clamped together and her eyes looking up at me as she drinks her smoothie. I hesitate before speaking. The question is unexpected and kind of makes me hurt a little already having a thought on what her holidays looked like.

"Well, for Christmas eve we uh, always had a christmas party and all my cousins and grandparents would come over and we gave out presents. Then that night we would make cookies with everybody for santa." I look down to break eye contact and smile at my plate of muffins. The memory plays in my head so clearly. "And for Christmas Day we would wake up at almost five o'clock in the morning just to open our presents. The cookies would be gone and the milk would always be half drunk. Then after that our family would have a big dinner then after that we would go to the movies and watch whatever just came out in theaters always in our christmas pajamas."

I look up back at her to see her slightly smiling. I want to say she looks disappointed in her family, or sad that she doesn't have those types of memories, but the only look i can make out on her face is that she seems happy. Happy for my family.

"Who is 'we'? I thought you were an only child?" she asks.

I sigh, "My cousin practically lived with us because his parents, my dad's sister, were always gone on business trips and always at clubs and would never fucking take care of themselves. Gavin stayed with us every year except for summer break." I watch her face fade into confusion.

The silence between the two of us becomes longer as we just stare at each other

"Where is he now?" The exact words I was trying to avoid hearing comes from her mouth. I pause.

"He uh, uhm, he overdosed when he was thirteen." I watch the slightest shock in her face appear.

"Im so sorry for bringing it up."

"Nah its fine it doesn't bother me much anymore now that i'm older. But the worst thing about his death was that my parents hold it against my life just so I wont end up like him." I grab her soft, blonde hair and twist it in my fingers.

She just nods and stares down at the table. We are interrupted by the bell above the door to the cafe.

I turn to see Milo and all the rest of my friends chatting near the front counter. I lock eye contact with Jamie and he starts making his way towards our table. I watch Milo turn and stare. What the hell does he have to say now?

"Rivo! We've been calling you all morning. You missed your shift at the shack today." Jamie says as he glances over at Peach. He nods at her then turns back to me.

"Yeah I uh, had to help Peach with something. I thought all we had to do was close and switch the flags because of the storm?"

"Yeah but nobody was getting off the damn beach cause it wasn't closed earlier."

"But the storm isn't till late tonight?"

"Dumbass." He scoffs.

"What?"

"The fucking rip currents are to strong today because of the incoming storm. You know that. That muffin had something in it."

"Hey! Don't you dare trash talk about my muffins in front of me." I demand. Pointing my finger at him. What did he eat today, fucking rude ass.

"Fine I won't." He turns to Peach, "There is something seriously wrong with those muffins."

"I think it's the chocolate chips." She says with a grin as she glances back at me. Betrayal has suddenly crushed my ego, and my muffins.