The Way We Say Goodbye

Chapter 4

It was finally the weekend, and I had plans with Violet, Scarlet, Marco, and Joshua. We were going to Mukilteo to walk along the beach. I, like always, was running late. I was rushing around to get ready, and my dad was yelling up the stairs at me to stop stomping. As I ran down the stairs, my dad met me at the bottom, giving me a stern look.

"You sound like krava stampede. Why the stomping?"

I looked at him in confusion and asked, "Otac, what's krava?"

He sighed dramatically and said, disappointedly, "You must study, Nova. Krava is cow. You sound like cow running."

I laughed loudly, "I don't sound like a cow!"

"Da, you stomp, stomp, stomp. Just like running krava."

"Whatever, Otac. I'm running late to meet my friends, and I still have to pick up Joshua and Marco."

"Have fun. Be safe."

"We will!" I yelled back at him as I ran out the front door and to my car.

While the drive to the beach was short, it seemed much longer with Marco complaining the entire time. He didn't think it was fair that Joshua always sat in the front seat, and he made sure to tell us all about how unfair it was. He also complained about me always being late. Joshua and I both sighed in relief when we finally pulled into the parking lot at the beach. We quickly unbuckled our seatbelts and scrambled out of the car. Marco barely got out of the car before I locked the doors. Joshua and I briskly walked away from the car, forcing Marco to jog to catch up to us.

"Now you guys are leaving me behind. You guys are such dicks. I'm practically invisible when it's just the three of us."

"Maybe we would acknowledge you more if you complained less," I suggested.

I quickly scanned the beach for Violet and Scarlet. Marco spotted them first, and Joshua tugged on my sleeve and pointed in the direction they were in. Marco shoved us out of his way as he sprinted towards the girls. I shook my head as I walked behind Joshua in their direction.

"It's about time you three get here," Scarlet snipped.

Marco pointed at me and said, "It's her fault. She's always late."

Scarlet rolled her eyes at me and mumbled, "Slow ass."

I smiled and flipped her off.

The next couple hours were spent filled with laughter, pushing, teasing, and trying to shove Marco into the water. I was laughing at Marco trying—and failing—to pick up Violet so that he could throw her in the water when Joshua nudged me. I looked at him with a big smile stretched across my face, and he pointed in the direction of the parking lot. Bowie, Arvin, and Osbourne were walking this way. Bowie caught my eye, and he gave me a playful smirk while flipping me off. I rolled my eyes and looked away. A sudden nervousness crept through me. I looked back at Marco and Violet. Marco was lying on his belly on the ground, and Violet was sitting on top of him. I chuckled.

"Great," Scarlet growled sarcastically.

I looked up at her, and she was looking in the direction of Osbourne and his friends. The nervousness grew stronger, and I felt nauseous.

"What?" Joshua asked with a knowing look.

"Those losers are really walking over here." Scarlet shook her head in disbelief before scowling at me. "You ignored me and talked to him, didn't you?"

I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans. "Why does it matter? I can talk to whomever I want."

"Trust me, Del. You do not want to be associated with losers like them."