Summer After High School

Chapter 1- Last Day of School

Chapter 1- Last Day of School

My 18th birthday had come too soon. Lissa glared at me as I sighed. "What are you so unhappy about?   Your favorite day should be your birthday."

It was true, I guess. My birthday happened to be on the last day of school this year. The thing about having birthdays on holidays or special days is that everyone will wish you happy birthday. Not that it's a bad thing (more presents), but even people I've never talked to will say it, just because they heard someone else say it.

And I don't mean to sound rude, or stuck up because I've never talked to those people, but they're just my classmates, and I have hundreds of them. I don't have time to really get to know all of them, and they don't even know me. As if to prove my point, some random kid just bumped into my shoulder, yelled a quick "sorry!" and a "happy birthday, Stacy!" 

That's not my name. (More on that later.)

Everyone was acting crazy this morning, and for good reason- summer was right around the corner, and summer meant freedom. Adventure. New beginnings (and endings). But this summer wasn't mine, apparently.

It was the summer after senior year, the summer before college. I was going to USC in the fall, and Lissa was going to UCLA. Even though they were close, I couldn't help but shake the feeling that we might not remember each other by next year. Some of my friends were even going to colleges across the country, and I would probably never see them again. Take Jason Wright, for an example. He was one of the smartest people I'd ever met (and my prom date), and so of course he was going to Harvard, all the way in Massachusetts. And of course, that nerd didn't have a Facebook. Or email. Or any kind of social media that I could message him on. Like, seriously? His parents didn't even let him have a cell phone. I explained this to Lissa, but she just brushed it off. "Duh, he's obviously socially challenged. You should hang out with Michael more."

I closed my eyes and screamed in my head. "Lissa. How many times have I told you I don't like Michael?!" Seriously. Since the beginning of the year, Lissa had been bugging me to go to parties with Michael, dances with Michael, and football games because Michael was there. I guess she felt like I was left out, now that she spent most of her time chasing after Brendan, Michael's best friend. But really, Michael and I were on opposite end of the social ladder. Obviously he would not want to be seen at a dance with me. Still, Lissa always blamed me when she saw me alone, and him talking to some blond girl at an event. "Sophie. At least try, okay?" she always urged me. "He'd like you more if you gave him the time of day." Yeah, right. Clearly he was more into leggy blondes than average, mousy me. 

She interrupted my thoughts again. "And this summer, is going to be the best summer! Mom said we could have sleepovers, and we can go to the pool, and OH MY GOSH at our barbeque I'm inviting all the guys on the football team! This is so exciting!" she squealed.

I groaned softly and mentally face palmed. Just great. Sometimes I think she's just out to get me. Inviting people I didn't know how to talk to? Gosh, she was such a great friend. I knew when I went to that party I'd have no one to talk to, and she'd scold me for being a loner. Again.

She continued, "And it just gets better! Mom said I could invite six people on our road trip in August! So of course you're coming! And Michael! And..." She pursed her lips. "Well, I'll think of someone."

My eyes widened. She was making everything worse! "No, Lissa!" I was sputtering for words. "Y-you-i-if-I- just no!"

She frowned. "Michael's a nice guy, Sophie. If you just got to know him, you'd get along fine."