Bluegreen Summer

Chapter 02

I leave to work through the back door to avoid meeting my parents, and right after I cycle a block away, my phone starts buzzing in my pocket. Thinking it probably was my mom noticing I left, I grab it lazily and frown at the caller's ID.

"Autumn?" I ask as I answer it.

"Edgar!" Her voice sounds so loud on the phone I have to remove it slightly from my ear. "Why didn't you tell me you were here already?"

"Oh..." The truth is that I completely forgot. Everything happened in such a hurry since I came back to my parent's house that I didn't have any time to think. "I'm sorry."

"I met your mom at the market yesterday and she told me you arrived on Saturday. You're a horrible person." She sighs soundly.

"I just got distracted by some stuff in my head... But I'm really sorry; I was going to call you."

"Hey, if you need to talk, I'm here for you." She sounds worried, like I expected her to. Sometimes she acts more like a mother than a best friend. "You were very distant these last months. Did something happen at college?"

"Nothing, actually. Don't worry, I'm just confused about my life choices."

"I told you that med school wasn't for you." She clicks her tongue. "We should meet to talk about this and everything. It's been a year, right? I have so much to tell you, and I also want to hear from you. Kyle is also in town, she'd love to see you."

"Yeah." I shrug.

We fall in an awkward silence, like she was expecting me to say something, but I just can't pronounce a word.

"Hey." She suddenly says, bringing me back from my thoughts.

"Yeah?"

"Your mom told me, it's ok. I'm not going to judge you."

"About...?"

"Your summer job?" She chuckles.

"Oh." I gasp. Well, thanks, mom. She made something easier. "Yeah, that."

"It's probably related to your confusion about your life choices, right?"

"Kind of. I actually don't know the exact reason; I just wanted to try something different."

"I understand." Her gentle tone calms me a little. I guess I forgot why she's my best friend; we know and understand each other better than anyone else. "You're working at Shine, right?"

"Yeah... On the day I arrived, I overheard Ms. Smith talking to my dad about looking for someone to the day shift, so I called her and said I wanted the job. She was very surprised, but luckily she accepted me."

"Wow, you were quick." She chuckles again. "And you started yesterday?"

"Yeah, I'm on my way there right now."

"Hm." She pauses for some seconds, like she was thinking. I was about to ask her if something was wrong when she starts talking again. "So, you met Alexander?"

The mention of his name surprises me. "Yeah, he's at the same shift as I am. Do you know him?"

"Sort of." She says, mysterious. "Well, he's actually my cousin."

"What?" Since when Autumn had a cousin I've never heard of? "How come I never met him?"

"We're not close." Her tone continues being mysterious. "I barely see him."

"He seems cool, you should talk to him."

"Yeah." She says dismissively. "Well, I won't make you late. Call me later so we can hang out sometime."