Reckless Abandonment Over Summer

Chapter Twenty-One: Short skirts, short hair and short something else

Chapter Twenty-One: Short skirts, short hair and short something else

My clothes were all packed. I was just waiting for dad to come back from grocery. He wanted to pack me some snacks and foods I could store in my cabin. Even though I told him foods were not allowed in cabins, he still insisted.

Mom was checking everything, making sure that I didn't forget anything and even my medicine kit, she checked it.

Dad arrived two minutes after. They carried my things in the trunk and told me to just wait inside the car.

"You ready?" dad asked, buckling his seat belt.

"Ready as you are," I said.

I buckled my seat belt too before dad drove away. I was looking outside the window the whole ride to the camp. It's four hours away from home but with the excitement I was feeling, I was sure it'd be lesser than that. I asked dad if they had mentioned my comeback to my friends but he requested Mr. Donald not to tell it to them. So it would be a surprise for them. It got me more excited now.

"Have you talked to Gustav again?" mom asked all of a sudden.

"No, why?" I asked. My brows creased together.

"He called last night to check on you. I told him you're okay, of course and don't mention anything about you coming back to the camp," she said.

"You know mom, you shouldn't talk to strangers," I said with a chuckle.

"Funny how it came out of your mouth."

"Totally funny that you're talking to someone younger than you. Dad, does she have an approval for this?" I asked, awestruck.

"Your mom hadn't mentioned anything about this conversation with Gustav guy. I'm about to think now she's only using you so she can talk to that guy," dad joked. Mom punched him on the shoulder jokingly.

We're back as a family. We were back to our own selves. I was being me again and I was free once more. They were back to their selves, which was totally amazing. I didn't want to have any arguments with my parents anymore. I wanted them to be there with my decisions.

We arrived at the camp, sometime around one forty-five. We ran to Mr. Donald's cabin office so no one would see me. It's not like they were hiding me but I wanted my friends to be surprised that they would almost piss their pants out. That would totally be funny if someone did that.

"Welcome back," Mr. Donald said.

"Thank you," I said, smiling like usual. I looked around and saw no presence of Gustav. I thought he'd be here, assisting Mr. Donald.

"Are you sure you want to come back here? Middle of summer here is hectic compare to the start of it. There would be more tiring activities and—"

"It's all good. It's not like my condition is going to block me from everything. It's just irrational heart beating. There's nothing really you should be worried about. I can manage anything," I said, reasoning out myself. I wanted them to see that I could do anything still.

"I know where you are going, Riley, but this condition shouldn't just be ignored like that. What if it makes you hard to breathe?" Mr. Donald said.

I quieted myself then. He had a point. All of them had a point. My condition was the one blocking everything. I couldn't do anything normal anymore. All I could do was, chess maybe. And scrabble. And draw. Maybe even singing would make my heart beat times ten than usual. I hated myself now for having this condition. I wished I never knew this.