Sixteenth Summer

I Love You

    Seconds ticked by. Minutes seemed to stretch out endlessly. Currently, I was on the floor, reading a book while my parents and grandma were playing cards on the coffee table in the living room. It seems as if my grandma was winning, followed by my mom, which got my dad a bit angry and annoyed. I smiled to myself and continued on reading.

    "Sweetie, want to play with us?" my grandma called while motioning to go over. I thought for a bit before surrendering to her. I walked over and seated myself next to my dad. My mom gave me my cards and we started to play.

    We were almost finished with a game when a knock interrupted us. My mom's face showed surprise and disappointment, which I suspected that it was because she was almost going to win again. I grinned at her and she giggled. My dad went over to answer the door to return with Ash, while talking animatedly to him. My grin was definitely gone when I saw Ash. I just looked down at my cards the whole time after that, which mom picked up at.

    "Come Ash. Sit down with us. We were just going to finish a game," dad told him, and I just cringed at realizing that I would have to talk to him because my parents didn't know what had happened between us. I slumped forward, and covered my face with my hair that had fallen out of my braid. I had to make it seem all natural, which I sucked at.

    Ash sat down and my parents instantly picked up on what had happened. One, I had not said a word at him the whole time he was there. Two, he had not said a word to me either. Three, he had not hugged per as per usual. Four, he sat between my dad and grandma, instead of next to me. I could go on and on with the list and never end.

    They stared between him and me, and awkwardness settled into the previous joyous atmosphere we had had. I kept on feeling smaller and smaller as time went on. I could physically feel myself curve unto itself as my family stared at us. Ash wasn't any better. He had his eyes casted down at his clenched hands, and his knuckles were white with how strong he was clenching his hands in his lap.

    "Why don't we just go start dinner, mom?" my mom told my grandma and off they went in to the kitchen. Lucky them.

    "I-I'll just go out to the shed and fix the tractor so that I can cut the yard tomorrow!" my dad said while smiling really big and forced, and off he went. How I wish the ground could just swallow me whole right now.

    There was silence between us. I kept fiddling with my hands and started to pick at a loose thread I had on my shorts. I was starting to think that coming here for the summer was a big mistake. A very big mistake. If only things weren't what they were right now.

    "I'm sorry," Ash whispered softly.

    It hurt me to hear his voice so small. He was a guy who had confidence, but was not cocky. He had the height and looks, but was the gentlest. A gentle giant my grandpa would call him.

    "I'm sorry for causing this rift between us. I'm sorry for blaming you for something you never did. I'm sorry for making you cry. God! I hate myself for making you cry. The one thing that I promised not to do and I had to just do it!"

    I could only just stare wide-eyed at him. The last statement brought in unwanted curiosity. What else do I not know of this boy?

    Ash probably misunderstood my reaction because he suddenly got up and left. Stunned, I could only just look at the door while sitting there. What had just happened?

    I stood up and went after him. Ironic, huh. Shouldn't it be the other way around? Whatever. I ran out to the patio and looked around to see where he went. The sound of the back gate door being closed caught my ears and I ran to the back. Dad just pointed the way in which Ash went and I followed.