Under the Summer Stars

Beth

OKAY I DON'T LIVE IN VIRGINIA BEACH OR BISMARCK NORTH DAKOTA SO THIS'LL PROBABLY BE INACCURATE. JUST WARNING YOU.

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"Ellen Marie Brady," I used her full name through gritted teeth. "Play that stupid Wiggle song again and I'll wiggle your face into the nearest brick wall."

She turned down her music as she stared back at me with a horrified expression. "Jesus, what crawled up your ass?"

"The rain," I answered gruffly, looking out the window grimly. "What if our flight gets delayed?"

"So?" she zipped up her bag. "At least then we won't have to fly to that hell hole."

"Virginia is not a hell hole," I rolled my eyes. "North Dakota is. Which is why I'm more than happy to be leaving it."

"What's there to do in Virginia? Visit Colonial Williamsburg?" she asked, sarcastically jumping with excitement.

"What's there to do in North Dakota?" I countered. "Look at the Scandinavian Heritage Park? I swear to God if we go there for another field trip I'll kill myself."

Elle laughed and leaned back against my bed's headboard. "I don't know, there's something about looking at the torn plastic at the bottom of the half-full ponds that just gives me a rush."

I laughed and threw her pillow to her, to which she caught and simply placed on top of her suitcase. "At least we're going to Virginia Beach. And we're staying in a beach house."

"True," Elle looked down at her arms. "I do need to get tan."

"Yes you do," I laughed jokingly, and she threw her pillow back at me before I could dodge it.

I chuckled as I tossed it on top of our bags. "But I guess we are staying with my Gramma Sherrie."

"Gramma Sherrie's the best," Elle laughed. "What are you talking about? Hold on, I'm gonna go play Wiggle for her."

I smiled as I shook my head, packing every last important thing I could think of. I grabbed my copy of The Beautiful and Damned, possibly my favorite book ever written during the 20th century.

Elle returned a couple of minutes later, seeming like she was ready to show me something on her phone. She pulled it out excitedly, but stopped when she saw something on my bed.

"You're not brining Nathaniel?" she pointed to my beaten up teddy bear I've had since the minute I was born.

I shook my head. "I think it's time I outgrow that thing."

Despite the sentimental value Nathaniel held, he being one of the last things I had to remember my mom by, I realized it was time to move on from him. I did always have the heirloom necklace from my mom's attic Gramma Sherrie and I found last year.

"Bring Nathaniel," Elle picked him up off of my bed and handed him to me. "You may be over him, but I'm not," she winked.

I gave her a grateful smile as I delicately stuffed him into the front pocket of my first suitcase.

I had packed 3 suitcases, which seems like a lot, I know, but I think it's necessary, you know? I'll be gone for an entire summer! In addition to those suitcases, I had two duffel bags filled to the brink.

I feel bad for having to check so many bags, but I told Gramma Sherrie I'd help pay.

"Ready?" Elle asked me as she grabbed her stuff.

"As I'll ever be," I sighed, unsure of just how great my summer was going to be.

A half an hour drive to Bismarck Airport and a stuffy, three and a half hour flight, Gramma Sherrie, Elle, and I had finally arrived in Norfolk Airport in Virginia Beach.