Summer Nights // Sodapop Curtis

Four

"Callie? Is that you?" I heard my mom call out.

"Yes," I said, walking into the kitchen, where everyone was sitting around the table.

"What's wrong?" I asked, they all had serious looks on their faces.

"We were worried about you!" Aunt Karen said, getting up and hugging me.

"Why?" I asked.

"Amy told us you went off with some gangsters," Dad said angrily.

"I did not go out with any gangsters! I made friends, just like you told me to!" I said.

"Amy has lived here for her whole life, I think she knows the people here a little better than you," Mom said.

"Go to bed, and we'll talk more in the morning," Dad said sternly.

I sighed and ran upstairs to Amy's room. Amy was laying on her bed, talking on the phone when I walked in.

"Thanks for telling on me," I yelled, ignoring the fact that she was having a conversation with someone.

"Be quiet!" She hissed, "I'm on the phone with Tom!"

I went over to my bed and dug through my suitcase, pulling out my pajamas. There was a bathroom connected to her bedroom, so I went into the bathroom and changed. I looked in the mirror at myself, and I looked different.

"Hurry up in there!" Amy yelled, banging on the door.

I flung the door open and Amy nearly hit me in the face.

"Are you gonna tell me why you lied to my parents?" I asked, leaning against the door.

"I was trying to help you. It was the truth," she said, putting her hands on her hips. "They're dirty greasers, you shouldn't be around them. They're dangerous."

"Have you ever talked to any of them? They're better people than you," I said, pushing her out of the way and climbing into my bed.

"Whatever," Amy said.

"This is going to be a long summer," I whispered to myself.

It took a long time to fall asleep, all I could think about was the boys I had met. Something about them was different.

I woke up the next morning to Amy yelling at me.

"Wake up!" She yelled one last time.

"I'm up, why are you yelling at me?" I asked as I climbed out of bed.

"I've been telling you to wake up for the past ten minutes," Amy said. "Breakfast is ready."

Amy left, and I made my bed. I went downstairs to the kitchen, and I was hit with the smell of something delicious.

"Good morning Callie," Aunt Karen smiled sweetly.

"Callie!" A little girl yelled, running up to me. I remembered Aunt Karen saying that she had a third daughter, but she was asleep when we had arrived yesterday.

"This is our youngest daughter, Julia,"
Aunt Karen said, picking The little girl up. "Breakfast is on the table, grab whatever you want."

I sat down at the table across from Amy, who was glaring at me, and next to Charlie.

"I heard you got in trouble last night," Charlie whispered.

"I didn't do anything," I replied, rolling my eyes.

"Callie, your parents and I are going out today to meet up with some old friends, so I thought you and Amy could take the kids out to the playground," Aunt Karen said.