The Perfect Summer (re-writing)

Chapter 1

I was sleeping ever so peacefully, when I feel something soft hit my head. Hard. I open my eyes, not so asleep anymore, to find my annoying brother, Tyler, hit me with the pillow again, a smirk on his face.

I swear, if I could throw daggers with my eyes... he would not smirk anymore.

"C'mon lil sis," he laughs slightly as he jumps off my bed. "It's time to get up!" He then turns on his heels, running out of my room.

"You're only 10 minutes older!" I shout after him. Tyler and I are twins, and he loves to remind me how the best 10 minutes of his life, were before I was born. I swing my legs off my bed, yawning as I take a hand through my messy hair. I change into a black skirt and a blue shirt from my closet, before making my way downstairs. Tyler is sitting at the table, eating breakfast with my parents, scrolling down through Facebook on his phone. I check the clock on my phone as I sit down next to him. 7:10. I yawn once again, dreaming myself off to the end of the week, and it's officially summer.

"Morning, honey," mom says as she hands me the milk for my cereal. I smile, mumbling a morning back at her. I take a spoonful in my mouth, checking my phone for messages. I have an invite to go to the mall after school with two of my best friends; Megan and Keegan. Megan is my best girl friend, and I've known Keegan ever since kindergarten. I also have an invite to hang out with a guy named Justin, who I've been seeing over the last few months. He's one of the hottest guys in school, too. I do decide on hanging out with Megan and Keegan instead. "Ashley, sweetie, could you please get your feet down from the chair?" mom asks me ever so politely. I have a habit of sitting with my feet up on my chair when I'm sitting with my phone. I don't answer her, I just do as I am told. We're probably what you would call an over-class family. Which is fortunate for mom, as she acts that way too, always straight with her back and formal clothes and words. Gets tiring sometimes.

Not too long after, dad has driven Tyler and I to school. Tyler quickly runs off to his friends, and I make my way to my regular meeting place with Megan and Keegan; a huge stone on the way to the main entrance. Megan is sitting on top of the stone, talking to Keegan who just leans against it. "Hey guys," I say as I get up to them. Keegan pulls me in for a hug as Megan slides down the stone, doing the same.

"Am I the only one too excited for summer?" Megan asks, as I roll my eyes.

"As if you're the only one," I laugh, about to say something when I feel a pair of arms slide around my waist.

"What's up, beautiful?" Justin's voice speaks softly in my ear. I smile, gently pushing his arms off me, before I turn around to look at him. He pulls me in for a kiss, sticking his tongue in my mouth. I let him kiss me for a few seconds before pulling away. "I actually came here to invite you guys to my party tomorrow. You know, celebrating the end of sophomore year."

"We'll be there," I tell him.

"Great," he kisses my cheek quickly before running off to his friends yet again.

"Why aren't you guys official again?" Megan asks. I shrug. Justin and I have been dating the last few months, not seeing anyone else – that I know of.

"I don't know, I guess I'm just not ready for it," I tell her. "Plus, he's not getting with this all that easy." Keegan laughs as Megan rolls her eyes at me.

School was a bore as always, but I finally made it to the mall with Keegan and Megan. I spot Justin and his friends hanging out too, which they usually do. Megan and Keegan often hung out with them alongside me. Justin spots me, smirking. "What's up babe?" he says, nodding at me. I roll my eyes as we are making our way over. He's pulling me in for a kiss, but I turn my cheek at the last minute.

"I'm not your babe," I say to him, giving him a huge smirk, as I hear his friends just yell out uuh's. "Yet." I have to give him something to keep him interested. It's not like I don't like him, I do. But I also know he likes the chase, and even though I've already been quite the chase, I'm not done. I'm having fun, but in the end; I probably am his babe.

I do peck his lips, before walking off with Megan and Keegan. I slightly laugh as I grab Megan's arm. Megan rolls her eyes; she still doesn't get why I'm willing to risk a relationship with one of the most popular guys at school. "I really don't get you and Justin," Megan says as we sit down outside a frozen yoghurt shop, looking at the menu where all the different flavors are devided into categories. "I mean; he's obviously trying."

"I just don't want to be that easy to get with, you know?"

"Ash, you've been going out for three months," Keegan comments. He's usually not one to interfere with my relationships, but he does comment once in a while.

"Technically, technically, he hasn't asked me out. We're not even going out, so to speak, we're hanging out."

"You haven't exactly given him the signals that she should either. You're signaling what you have is just hanging out and making out." I roll my eyes at her.

"Hanging out and making out? Please, more like Netflix and chill," Keegan jumps into the conversation again. I hit his arm, although a laugh escapes my lips. He does have a point.

"But if he asked you out, like for real, would you say yes?"

Probably. "I don't know. Maybe." Megan squints her eyes; she knows that I know I would.

"I don't get you." I laugh, standing up to order some frozen yoghurt.

-----

Later on, Keegan drives Megan and I home to each our houses, as he is the only one with a car. I skip up to our front door, humming to myself a song that was on the radio. Just as I close the door, mom appears in the hallway. "Great, you're home just in time for dinner!" Her voice sounds chirpier than usual, but I don't think too much about it. I kick off my shoes as I make my way to the dinner table. "Had a good day?" she asks, signing to Tyler to put down his phone.

"It was alright," I tell her. "Can't wait for summer though, it's going to be great. Just hanging out with Megan and Keegan at the mall-"

"Actually, honey, we've made some plants for the summer." I stop my movement in taking some salat from the bowl, staring at her.

"What?"

"Yeah, we thought we'd go to this beautiful lake in a forest-"

"Nuh-uh, no way! This is too last minute!" Mom sighs, looking at me.

"We're well aware of that."

"Can I at least come back here once in a while to see my friends?"

"It's a six-hour drive, pumpkin, so no," my dad tells me, making me lean back in my chair.

"Then can't I just stay here?" I try to argue. I've been looking forward to this summer for months, and they are going to take it away from me in two days?

"I'm sorry sweetie, but you're not old enough." I let out an offended puff as I let me hands fall down into my lap. "Sixteen is not a mature age enough to be left alone for so long." I don't say anything, I know it's no use. I do stand up, storming up to my room. I slam the door, knowing my mom absolutely hates it. And because I know this, I open the door, slamming it even harder. I grab my phone, texting and Megan.

Guess whose summer just got ruined. 6hour drive to a fucking lake!

I let out a frustrated groan as I lay on my bed, my phone soon buzzing. It's Megan.

Megan: You're actually kidding right?

Me: believe me, I WISH I was.