The Summer of Us

three

"Annie! It's so good to see you!" My dad came rushing over to me and I rolled my eyes.

"Maybe you shouldn't have moved," I gritted my teeth and my dad laughed it off. "I don't see how that's funny but I guess laughing works too."

"You're just like you were before. Nothing's changed that much hasn't it?" My dad showed me around his home.

"Where's Brennan at?" I asked.

"He went out back to check out the beach. Your mother is just about to leave. His brother and sister are upstairs." He told me. "You can go out there to see him if you want but make sure you tell your mother goodbye okay?"

"I already told her goodbye and I told her I would text her before I went to bed," I crossed my arms and leaned back on my heel. "Didn't we go over this or?"

"I know I just don't want your mother to bug me about it," He informed. "If you and your friends get hungry, there's some chips in the cabinet."

"Wow dad you're really running a resort for teens around here, but I guess I'm going to go find my friend." I sighed and walked from the living room to the sliding glass door that lead to the back.

I kicked up some sand with my sneakers as I strolled my way down out of the backyard. It was nice out here, the sand was a tan yellow and the sun was still shining. I finally got to Brennan who was standing down near a bunch of rocks.

"I like the striped shirt. It was a nice touch." I ran up next to him, surprising him.

"Annie!" He smiled at me, acting like he hadn't seen me in months.

"Alright Brennan the last time you saw me was like a week ago. What's your deal now?" I laughed slightly to myself.

"Oh Annie, just like usual."

"Enough of the chit chat. We have a whole boardwalk to hang out at. Grab your skateboard and get going." I patted him on the back and starting walking off.

"Where are we going Annie?" He asked, catching up to me.

"I don't know but I'm not sitting in that house all day while my dad is there. It's not happening," I sighed. "You did bring your skateboard right?"

"Yeah of course. It's almost late though, will your dad have a problem?"

"He's my dad, does it really matter? I can do whatever I want and he'll yell at me but I'll just bring up the divorce and we'll be back to where we started. It's pretty simple if you ask me." I smirked.

"Clever as always." I heard Brennan chortle from behind me.

"I was thinking we can get out boards and ride all the way up to the ferris wheel. Maybe I'll steal a couple bucks out of my dad's wallet to get some pizza. He won't notice." I added.

"You're so mischievous. How'd we ever become friends?"

"How'd we ever become friends? Well your mom was dumb enough to not get you crayons in second grade so you came over and I let you use mine." I craned my head toward him. "That's how we became friends."

"Gosh, second grade? It was that long ago?" He seemed surprised that we'd been friends for that long.

"Yeah can you count? Now hurry up I'm dying for pizza okay?" I groaned. Brennan found it so funny that he just had to laugh.

"Alright I'm going," He huffed. "race you to the house from here."

"You know I'm not running Brennan. I'll beat you like that." I snapped my fingers at him and he crossed his arms.

"Oh really? Well–" He started to say but I started to sprint as fast as I could back to the house. I beat him by a long shot, just like I said.

He eventually caught up to me and as I turned around I could see him tumble to the ground. "Ow, ow. Annie help me. Help me." He murmured as he was on the ground.

"Oh my gosh Brennan are you okay?" I began to get worried. I kneeled down next to him and out of no where he shot up.

"Gotcha!" He burst into uncontrollable laughter.

"Yeah, yeah cut it out mister before I clobber you." I rolled my eyes. "Oh who am I kidding. That was kinda funny Bren, I'll admit."

"I'm going to go grab my board. I'll get yours too okay Anne?" Starting to walk in through the back gate, Brennan told me.

"Okay." I smiled, standing there waiting for him to come out.

Soon, Brennan came out of the back of the house holding our two skateboards in his hands. He gently handed mine over and I thanked him. Brennan was probably the only person I was genuinely kind to, other than my mom. Other people had to get to know me better before I could actually be nice.

"So are we going now or?"

"No we're going next year. Yes we're going now. Gosh Brennan, get it together man." I pushed him ahead of me.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Since when were you my English teacher?" He turned around and looked at me.

"Ooh Mrs. Harrington," I shuddered. "that woman gives me the creeps."

"She gives everyone the creeps Annie." Brennan pushed open the gate and started walking to the front of the house.

"The sun is setting," I pointed out. "We better get going."

"Yeah." Brennan replied, setting down his skateboard on the road.

I gently put down my skateboard, put my foot on it, and started to push off. I was a few inches ahead of Brennan but he caught up to me. I managed to push myself up the steep ramp that lead to the boardwalk.

Man. I thought to myself. There are a ton of shops.

"This place couldn't get any cooler," I admired the place. "I could stay here for days if I wanted to."

"Same. Too bad Maryland doesn't have much around, I'd die for this back home." Brennan glowered.

"Less looking around, more skateboard riding." I commanded. Brennan looked at me in a funny way like I said something really stupid.

"More skateboard riding?" Brennan guffawed loudly.

"That's why you're laughing?" I repeated it back in my head and then quickly cringed. "Never mind that sounds so stupid now that I think of it."

"Ya' think?"

"Shut up Brennan." I friendly punched him on the arm as we kept going until we saw a large colorful ferris wheel. There was a bunch of kids crowding around and I was looking for some fun. "This is the place."

—

Annie is such a savage and I love it.
7 votes for more
- meg