The Last Summer

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen....... Waverly

The next few days I tried to stay as far away from Kayleb as possible which was really hard. My birthday was coming up, and I really wasn't in the mood for celebration, especially, since I would probably be forced to spend the majority of the day with the Corelli family and my dad and Paxton. I didn't have anything against them I just needed some space.

The day of my birthday I woke up late. I stayed in bed as long as possible, trying to waist the day away. When I couldn't stand lying in bed any longer, I took a long hot shower and picked out my clothes very carefully and slowly. I wore skinny jeans and a sky blue fitted T-shirt. I flat ironed my hair super straight. Since I didn't have any more excuses, I unhappily trudged downstairs.

"Happy Birthday!" I was greeted loudly by everyone.

"Thanks guys." I said as Kathleen placed a plate of pancakes in front of me.

"You're welcome sweetheart." She said. "When you're done eating you can open your gifts!"

"You guys didn't have to get me get anything." I grinned as I reached for the first present out of the stack.

"Nu uh, finish eating!" Kathleen said, swatting my hand away from the pile.

"Here's one more." My dad said, placing another gift on the top of the pile. I shoveled pancakes into my mouth happily, temporarily forgetting my problems.

"Open mine first." Jaycob insisted. I took the gift and quickly unwrapped it. I gasped in surprise it was a gift card to the nicest restaurant in town.

"This must have cost you a fortune!" I exclaimed.

"Anything for you." He said sweetly, kissing my forehead.

"Do mine next." Kathleen said eagerly. I took the tissue paper out of the bag and lifted out a couple of T-shirts and a pair of earrings.

"Thanks Kathleen these are really cute." I said, inspecting the earrings closer.

"Here Waves." Paxton tossed me a package. I opened the wrapping and found a couple of books on Egyptology and a Wal-mart gift card.

"Thanks. This is awesome." I said.

"My turn." Kayleb said. "Here." I found a small box under the wrapping paper. It was one of those that you would get at a jewelry store. I looked at him suspiciously and opened the box. I gasped it was a beautiful gold charm bracelet.

"Kayleb! This is- I can't except this. This is way too expensive." I exclaimed.

"No, keep it. I saved up to get it just for you." He said. Does he still like me, even after I gave him the cold shoulder the last few days? I really don't deserve this, but if he really wants me to have it, then it's the least I could do.

"Fine." I said. "At least help me put it on." I commanded. He took it out of the box, and I held up my wrist. He clasped it together. His fingers brushed against my wrist. Electricity passed from his fingers and up my arm. I gasped and looked up into his face. His expression told me that he had felt it to. "It looks even prettier on my wrist." I said, covering up the real reason for the gasp.

"Here Waverly, open this." My dad said, handing me yet another gift. I carefully unwrapped the last gift. Underneath the folds of wrapping paper was a sparkling gold locket. Inside was a picture of my mother and I laughing. I started to tear up.

"Thanks dad." I said.

"That's not the only the part of you present. I have arranged for you to get your boating license." He said.

"No way! That's amazing! Thank you so much dad!" I yelled, jumping up to give him a hug.

"Well, it's not every day that your youngest child and only daughter turns eighteen." He said with a pained expression on his face.

"Daddy, I will always be your little girl." I tried comforting him. "I'll just be a big little girl now." He chuckled.

"I know. So how about I teach you how to drive the boat right now?" He asked.

"Yes!" I screamed. "Let me just go upstairs and get my sun glasses." I said, already racing up the flight of stairs.

"Get some sunscreen to!" He ordered. I hurried into my room flustered. Where did I put those darn sunglasses? I wondered as I found the sunscreen where I thought my sunglasses would be.

"Looking for these?" I turned to find Kayleb with my sunglasses in hand.

"You found them. Thanks." I said, grabbing them from his hand.

"Wait. Waverly can we talk for a second?" Kayleb said.

"Kayleb, not right now. I really have to go." I said, giving him the brush off. "I'll talk to you later. I promise." I said as I tried to take away the pained expression on his face. Without an answer, I walked back downstairs. "I'm ready to go dad."

"Then let's roll." He said. We got in the boat, and he drove us far into the ocean so that there wasn't much of chance for me to hit anything. He showed me all the gears, shifts, and buttons. It was so much fun. And after a couple hours, I was already a pro.