The Reality of Growing Up//Wattys 2k16

☁blake☁

published: 3.8.16

chapter 5: ☁blake☁ 

Seeing Maeryn that broken makes my own chest hurt. It's like that time in fifth grade when this girl Bernice was making fun of Cora and her weight. Bernice ended up with both of her pigtails on the floor that day. After that, it was known that anyone who messed with my sister had to deal with me.

I wish there was something I could do. Like Cora and Luke, I came into Kendall hoping that the summer would be full of our regular shenanigans. But Unlike Cora and Luke, I at least have the sense to try and keep Maeryn happy, despite what I want.

"Do you need anything?" I ask, trying to help in some way.

Maeryn looks at me with her red puffy eyes and shakes her head, looking out the window. I know she feels embarrassed. Hell, I would, too, if I was in her position. Usually it was Cora with the tears or even Luke, sometimes. Never Maeryn. "I'm okay, thank you," she declines my offer. "Actually, I think I want to be alone. Can I catch up with you guys later?"

Cora nods and puts her hand on Maeryn's forearm. "Of course. Text me, though, before you sleep."

She agrees and we start to head out before she calls after us. "Next time...don't-don't make Parker leave, alright?"

I feel sort of guilty because it was me who make Parker go, but it wasn't because I didn't like him, or anything. I figured Maeryn didn't tell the guy yet and he would just be confused if he saw us just hugging Maeryn like sentimental idiots. We weren't, though. I mean...well maybe we were. It's a little terrifying how much older I was than when I first came to Kendall.

"Sure," Luke says. I look at him. Liar. We all know it.

We finally head out and look at each other. Cora's still wiping her eyes, Luke is shaking his head and me? I realize that it's now my job to take care of everyone.

I steer Cora and Luke towards the town. "Let's go do something instead of just standing here like weirdos," I command.

They don't protest and their feet move mechanically away from Maeryn's home. As we leave, I give one last glance through her window and then jog to catch up to the rest of our broken group.

We end up going to the beach and renting surfboards. Each summer, towards the end, there's this competition between anyone of the ages fifteen to eighteen for surfing. Ever since I was a kid, it was a dream of mine to win. Last year I came in a close second. According to some of the other kids at the beach, the champion of last year was coming back to reclaim his title.

Cora rolls her eyes as we bring our boards to the water. "Why do you need to practice? We all know you're going to win," she says.

I keep my gaze on the waves which are lapping at the shore. It's so loud at the beach, but I like it. There's so much noise coming from everywhere that it all mashes up into one loud thing that doesn't really sound like anything at all. "You never know," I tell her.

Luke rolls his eyes and sprints towards the waves. I run after him, catching up within only a few seconds. He was never the athletic one out of all of us.

He groans when he sees me so close to him. "I don't understand how someone can be as fast as you," he says to me.

"I was born this talented," I respond, putting my board in the water and paddling to the deeper part of the ocean.

Cora, who somehow caught up to us, scoffs and follows us into the ocean.

The waves aren't too great today. It's been sunshine and cloudless for the short amount of time we've been here.