Nature Writing, Narrative, and Self- Expression

Summer Déjà Vu- Erika Jing

I waved goodbye one last time and walked into the house with a smile on my face.
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I shifted my weight from my toes to my heels as I waited for the man in front of me to finish paying for his drink.
"I would like a raspberry caramel macchiato- "
"I'm sorry what is that?" the cashier looked at me confused.
"It's um, this," I said as I showed him a photo of the drink.
"I'm sorry sweetie I don't know what this is." he said, long discovering that I was a Starbucks Newbie.
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"Do you want to go shopping?" asked Allie. A grin spread across my face, "Yes!"
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Princeton hit me like a Déjà vu. A flood of Summers, friends, parades, and carefreeness washed over me and left me glowing in the sunlight. Allie watched me amused, "Do you want to get something for your sister first?" I nodded my head abash. I had forgotten to buy something for my sister and was feeling quite guilty at the moment. We went to "Ja Zam", a toy store that was lined from top to bottom in playthings and knickknacks. Origami cranes dangle from the ceiling, and paintings of fairy tales hang on the wall. I found a squishy, rubber panda toy and two mystery boxes for my sister. I even found a little something for myself. Stepping out of the toy store was like stepping out of a children's book.
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A cupcake can be eaten, or it's a memory. I bit into the bubblegum pink frosting and the tangy sweet flavor spread across my tongue like a droplet of ink on paper. Pictures and voices blew across me, and floated away like dust.
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"Can you take a picture of me?" I asked.
"Sure." said Allie as I gave her the phone. I walked into the alley with my back turned to her.
"Do you want a picture?"
"No, I'm fine." said Allie, "Well we better get back."
"Yeah."
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"Is this where we drop you off?" asked Allie's parents.
"I think so," I said uncertain, all the buildings looked the same.
After ten minutes of wandering we finally found the Raymond house and said our goodbyes. Though it won't be actual goodbyes. Because we will see each other again.
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Though time will pass and we will all grow old, your relationships with people never change. Spend your time with the people you care about and don't waste your time on anything else. As long as you can laugh with those people even when you are ninety, everything will stay the same.