Chasing Summer

Chapter 2.

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Chapter 2.

I awoke the next morning back in the beach house, I was lying on the soft couch with an old blanket over me. The sunlight was streaming in through a gap in the curtains covering the huge French doors. I could hear clinking noises in the kitchen so made my way over, I walked in through the arch to find Violet attempting to make breakfast. I say attempting as already I could see the numerous dirty pans though there was still no food, and ingredients and recipe books filling almost every surface.

“Need some help?” I asked, my voice coming out thick and croaky, I wasn’t surprised after my outburst during the night, a startled looking Violet turned to where I stood her hand on her heart

“Summer! You nearly gave me a heart attack!” she gasped, I giggled

“Sorry but um what are you doing? You don’t cook” I said confused, she only ever made soup, everything else either came from the ready meal department in the supermarket or a takeout box. She looked at me and gave me a sarcastic smile

“I WAS trying to make us a special breakfast, I told work I would be in later today, I figured you might need some company this morning” her expression changed to one of sympathy and I fought with myself not to scream, I had received more ‘sympathy looks’ recently than Santa Claus has Christmas lists.  “what happened last night Summer?” she asked looking confused, I didn’t have an answer, I remembered crying in the church with the reverend but I don’t recall how I got home at all

“I don’t remember how I got home...” I replied trying to think back

“The reverend dropped you off, there was a knock at the door around 4, he said you went to see him in the church and you got a bit upset then fell asleep” she explained “you know Summer if you ever get upset I’m he-”

“I’m not upset” I interrupted, she looked at me and raised her eyebrows

“Summer, your parents died, I’m sorry but they did, you are going to be upset and you don’t have to keep pushing people away” I opened my mouth to protest but she held up her hand silencing me “I know you don’t want to hear it, you always were as stubborn as Scarlett, but I care and I am here for you so please don’t keep me in the dark” I knew then that she was right, ok so I wasn’t ready to talk about it yet but I didn’t have to push her away, I wasn’t the only one that had lost them, Violet had lost her sister. Violet couldn’t be Violet without Scarlett, the two colours. My Gran had loved colour, I remember her house, each room painted a different bright colour, it had become a weird tradition in our family to name your child after something you loved, my Gran loved colour. My mum loved summer and weirdly olives so Summer and Olivia. Crazy but true.

“I won’t, I’m sorry” I replied.

After breakfast, which I ended up making after Violet managed to burn the eggs for the fifth time, she went off to work while I cleaned up. The kitchen took me a while after the mess she had made so it was just after 1pm when I finished. Violet had reminded me of the party tonight before she left, I grimaced at the thought of being introduced to strangers for hours all giving me pitying looks when they realised I was the one with the dead parents. I don’t know why she was so excited about the Mason family, they must be really good people in the community to be attending one of the Governors events. Apparently I needed a dress, something elegant and classy, I had plenty of dresses that would suit but it was an excuse to buy something new so I followed the directions Violet had gave me to the main clothes shops in town. When I reached the street I smiled, it looked so perfect, light stonework and delicate glass windows. I found a little boutique on the corner and wandered in; the woman was putting out some more clothes in the window and smiled over as I entered. I headed straight to the back where I spotted the dresses, eventually I narrowed it down to three, a white one that pulled in at the waist, a light blue one with a chiffon skirt and the last; a lilac coloured dress with one shoulder that pulled in perfectly at the waist and ended just above the knee.