The Reality of Growing Up//Wattys 2k16

❃maeryn❃

chapter 16: ❃maeryn❃

published: 7.22.16

The minute I wake up, the night's events come crashing back over me like I'm standing directly under a wave.

I look around and see that I'm snuggled right next to Cora in her bed, back at her house. It's familiar to me, like I had just waken up in my room.

But I feel disgusting. I run a hand through my hair and stop instantly when I touch something sticky. Bringing my hand down to examine what the hell I just pulled out, I made a face and try not to vomit. It's whipped cream with dirt mixed into it.

"Morning," Cora greets me, looking like she's trying not to burst out laughing at me. But jokes on her, because there's food tied up in her blonde hair.

I return her smile and jump out of the bed, walking to her mirror, which is hung up behind her door. "Oh sweet Jesus," I groan, looking at my reflection. The whipped cream is mixed into my hair mostly, and it's usual curls are matted down like a car ran over it. There are pieces of candy in my hair and even sticking to my neck. Dirt is smudged on my face, along with some ash. "What happened last night?" I murmur even though I know the answer. Truthfully, it was probably the best night of my life. Even though the night didn't go the way I thought it would, it turned out even better.

Looking at Cora, I offer her a sweet smile as she's trying to pull hair off her face. "Can I use your shower?"

"Sure."

Part of me doesn't want to wash off the sticky food and grime off and keep it there as a reminder of how much fun I had.

But I turn the water on anyways, wait for it to get warm enough, and jump in. I start to shiver a bit from how hot is actually is. The tub is filled with little pieces of candy and whatnot. The water at the bottom is a murky yellow-green color.

I use a loofah to scrub at my neck, wincing at the knots all in there.

After a good twenty minutes I'm finally (somewhat) clean enough to present myself to the world.

Cora trudges into the bathroom after me. I peek my head into Blake's room and see him, Luke, and Parker all on the bed. Blake and Parker are normally laying down, while Luke is at the foot of the bed horizontally. The three guys are sleeping soundly, Luke letting out a few snores.

Going downstairs, I rummage through the fridge for something to eat. Mr and Mrs. Simmons are out at the patio enjoying each other's company. The sight is sweet, but it reminds me about how my own mother and father used to do the same thing every morning we spent in Kendall. They would sit at our little table in the backyard, my dad reading a book and my mother reading the newspaper. Brandy and I would bicker or gossip about the town while my mother gave us disapproving looks.

"Uh, why are you smiling?" Cora asks, furrowing her brows.

I quickly wipe the smile off my face. I realize I had just been smiling creepily at Mr and Mrs. Simmons. "I'm just happy," I answer, sticking my tongue out at her.

Cora rolls her eyes and pulls out a plastic container of raspberries. She offers come to me. "Well, I'm hungover."

Popping a raspberry in my mouth and I wag my finger at her. "So am I. But it was totally worth it."

After a light breakfast, I make my way back to my own house. I figure that now it the time to attempt to fix things with Brandy and me.

"Brandy?" I call into the house.

Walking into the kitchen, I see her slumped down on the floor against the island. "Brandy!" I shout, running to her and shaking her shoulders.

She isn't responsive so I tug my phone out of my pocket and dial 9-1-1. After placing my call I hug my unconscious baby sister close to me. Of course while I was having the time of my life, my sister was here drowning in her own misery.

Looking over her, I see a bunch of mom's old antidepressants that we must've forgotten to throw out years ago. Shaking my head, I want to slap myself. How could I have not seen this coming? The whole summer and the past year starts flashing back in my mind. The signs so obvious, yet I had been wrapped up in my own grief.

Eventually the ambulance gets here and takes Brandy away. Of course I ride in the car with her, as I see EMT's trying to do whatever they can.

They ask me questions and questions and the whole thing just goes by quickly. I sit in the waiting room for what seems like forever when a doctor comes in and lets me know that my sister will be okay.

My vision seems to clear up when they allow me to see her. Brandy's still asleep, so she won't know that I'm there until she wakes up.

The doctor tells me that Brandy will have to stay at least twentyfour hours until they can release her, plus she needs to see a therapist.

While the doctor is explaining everything, my dad bursts through the room. He looks a lot more different than when I last saw him. For one thing, his normally brown hair is completely gray. He had a beard and his shirt is wrinkled.

He gives me a weak smile, the same one that he gave me at mom's funeral. But the smile is quickly gone when he see's Brandy.

To my surprise, he starts to cry. I cry along with him.

"I think you should come home," I say, between sniffles.

Dad looks at me in confusion. "What do you mean? I've been working most of the summer at home."

Looking right at his eyes, I keep my gaze steady. "Stay with us for a few days, dad. Please. The beach is really nice right now."

He lets out a chuckle and wraps his arm around me. "We'll see."

After the whole fiasco and Brandy comes home, there's one night when she knocks lightly at my door.

"Come in."

She obeys and sits on the edge of my bed. She looks deathly skinny and her eyes are empty, like someone just doused a fire. "Hey."

I look at her. "Hi."

Brandy tucks some hair behind her ears and her eyes dart around the room nervously. "Look, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for trying to do that and making you worry and for being nasty this whole summer."

Tears well up in my eyes, but I don't want to ruin the moment. "Thank you," I croak. "And I'm also sorry for what happened when mom-when she died. I wasn't the best sister."

To my surprise, tears start running down her face but she's also laughing. Within seconds, I'm doing the same thing.

So it's just us, two sisters, laughing and crying and hugging each other. The waves are lapping at the shore and the sun is shining and people are outside eating ice cream. The world keeps going. 

A/N: this all felt really rushed to me but oh wellllll. 

enjoy!