ϟ Drummer Summer ☼

Chapter 6

June 21st, 1988

I try calling Lucy once again, determined that if she doesn't pick up, I'll take it as a breakup.

I hear the line beeping after a few minutes and then smack the phone against the stand.

Breakup it is.

I dial my parent's phone number and wait for someone to pick up:

"Milo?" Someone answers after almost 10 seconds. It's my mom.

I can almost imagine her: standing by the stove, steering a delicious stew, the phone on her shoulder, against her cheek. Her apron is probably a mess of flour and eggs.

"Hey, mom." I try to sound happy since my mom never opposed me coming here this summer. My dad on the other hand... "Sorry I didn't call before, I was busy."

"Oh, that's good to hear!" Her voice sounds so sweet and endearing. I don't know how my mom married the brute my dad is. "Are you having a lot of concerts?"

"We had one so far, but we're getting paid soon. Also, we got part-time work for extra money."

"Oh, is that so? Where do you work?" I can't possibly tell my sweet mother that I'm playing with alcohol every evening. She'd faint right there and then.

"A restaurant." Not a lie. "We play for an hour and then serve the drinks to the customers." Also not a lie.

"Oh, that's good to hear!" Sometimes I think my mom should take some English courses to expand her vocabulary besides what she says when she's talking to her friends on the phone about the kids.

At least she doesn't mention my dad, which makes me relax.

"Well, gotta go. Hope you're doing alright!"

"Oh, sweetie, one more thing!" I groan - but only on the inside.

"Yes, ma?" I rub my hand on my face, knowing what she's about to say.

"Don't be angry with your father, he only wants what's best for you."

"Yeah, I know, mom." I try to hide the annoyance in my voice, yet I fail to do so. "Bye, mom. I'll try to call next week."

"Okay, goodbye Milo." I put the phone away and crash on the couch. There's a couple of cold beers on the table and I pop one open.

"Tough talk?" Jax emerges from the hallway and sits on the armchair by my right, helping himself with a beer as well.

"Yup." I take a drink from the bottle. "And also Lucy and I have broken up."

"Oh man, did she pick up the phone?"

"No, that's why I consider myself single." I take another sip.

"Urgh, sorry things didn't work out." Jax isn't much of a drinker, but he does like to share a beer. I'm amazed that he's even drinking when it's not even 11 am. "I know she's your type, but I never liked the girl very much, to be honest." I suck at his words and shrug. "You were talking to your mom, right? How's your dad?"

My dad. Right.

The brute that married my mother.

"Same old, same old."

"Did you tell him yet?"

"No."

I didn't tell him that I didn't apply for colleges, only some random community colleges away from home.

"Argh, man..."

My dad is the typical abusive father: he's big, strong, usually drunk, and smells like a trash can after a fraternity party. He has also married (and taken advantage of) a beautiful and thoughtful woman who always finds an excuse for his nasty behavior.

My father never hit my mother, though, and he stopped hitting me when I grew as strong as a 9-year-old can be and started fending for myself.

I don't even know why he cares so much about me getting into college, since he wouldn't even pay for it, and he never showed the slightest drop of interest in my performance in school.

We had a nasty fight before I left for Hawaii: he wanted me to apply for colleges this summer and work a part-time job at the car dealership he works at, and I wanted to come here and have my last summer of freedom before realizing that life isn't going to be as soft as my mother from now on.

"I don't care, at least I applied for community colleges."

"You know those aren't the colleges he wanted you to apply to."

"Well, I was only allowed to come if I applied, I had no choice." I finish the bottle and pop another one open with my hand. "At least I got a part-time job like he wanted."

"Guess you have a point."

"So... Are you into him or anything?" Avril is telling me all about yesterday's guy. One of the guys that were hanging out with us yesterday is "kinda cute" according to her, and she thinks she might be able to pull him off.

I, on the other hand, not only think, but I'm sure of it.

"Yeah." She's painting her nails while lying on my bed. "He's kinda cool, don't you think?" No.

"I guess..." I'm not even sure which guy she is talking about, I was too distracted, replaying the conversation with Holt - that name fits him so well - in my head over and over.

"June, he's like, soooo hot. His hair looks so cool too. We might go to the concert together tomorrow." A switch goes off in my head.

"You're going with him alone?" She blinks twice.

"Yeah, why? Wanna join?"

"Nah, I think I'm gonna stay in or explore a bit of the marina." Avril smiles and I start to trace my plan.