Thirteen Summers

fifteen

J O S E P H I N E

We were going on vacation, all of us.

Cameron had told me that he planned for the two of us to join the rest of our siblings a little later so I could focus on grief counselling.

Then he changed his mind, he told me that I could do them online via video call while we were abroad.

Cameron told me that he didn't want me to miss out anymore with everyone than I already had the past thirteen years.

And when I finally mustered up the courage to ask him about my school entrance exam, he told me and I quote, "Don't worry about it, everything's sorted."

I didn't know what he meant by that but I had come to my own conclusions. They've probably taken the results from the practice exam we did and used that to let me in, it was the only solution that made sense.

So now we were leaving the airport, having just gotten off the plane.

Madison and I were the last ones to arrive at the cars that were stationed outside, everyone else was waiting for us.

She took me to the bathroom, and held my hair up, where I'd thrown up, again.

I felt horrible.

Surprisingly, throwing up involuntarily did not have the same feeling as when I did it by my own accord.

I had gotten air sickness on the way here, it was a longer flight than when I had moved to live with them and I had already been sick on board twice and unfortunately for me, the feeling didn't subside even after stepping off the plane.

You would think, since most of my clothes weren't unpacked that it would be easy for me to have everything ready but it wasn't.

For me to be prepared for this vacation, I had to unpack everything and then meticulously pack the right clothes for this month-long vacation. That's right, a whole month in Greece.

I'd also been taken shopping with my sister for more vacation clothes so I had more than enough clothes to last me.

I already had a tendency to overpack because Mom always told me that it was better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

I slid into the second car, awkwardly climbing over the middle seat, taking the last available seat in between Nick and Kai.

"You alright?" Nick whispered, a worried look on his face.

I nodded sluggishly, putting the back of my hand on my forehead and closing my eyes.

Nick reached over me and pulled my seatbelt over, clicking it in for me.

Something that I forgot to do in the midst of my plight.

I rested my eyes a little as we drove to where we were staying. I must have dozed off because the next thing I knew, we were there, Nick had gently shook me awake.

I hopped out of the car to see Cameron standing near the front door, he lifted his sunglasses up and rested them atop his head as he spoke with someone.

I looked around taking in the large, beautiful villa we'd be staying in. It was on a mountain which, despite its beauty, scared me.

I watched as men walked in and out of the house, carrying bags and suitcases in and coming out for more.

I slowly approached the entrance, following after Nick.

Cameron waved off whoever he was speaking to and got my attention. "Josie."