Saving Us ✔

6.

I haven't talked to Axel in two days, neither of us have had to work so I don't have to face him after the argument we had in the car. If that even classifies as an argument.

Unfortunately, I can't ignore my parents though. When I walk down the stairs this morning, they are both sitting at the kitchen table. Luckily, when I walk into the room they both stand up to put their coffee cups in the sink, and my dad grabs the keys off the hook.

"Hey, honey. Sorry I didn't get to get those forms and things from you the other day. Leave them on the table tonight and we'll look through them." Mom kisses the top of my head and grabs her purse.

Dad gives me a quick hug before falling in step behind mom, "We're pulling long shifts today, so we'll see you tomorrow." He calls over his shoulder.

The front door closes and I hear them back out of the driveway minutes later, leaving me alone in this big house.

I grab a granola bar and a bottle of water before heading back up to my room and turning on Netflix.

It isn't long before my best friend Katie texts me that she is outside, and a few minutes later we are both laying on my bed watching a movie, snacks spread out around us.

"So any big plans for the summer?" Katie asks as the movie ends and she reaches across me to get a handful of chips.

"Not really. I'm working at the store again, and that's pretty much it." I shrug as I put a handful of m&m's in my mouth.

"It's our last summer before college, McKenna, you have to do something epic and fun."

"Like what? What epic thing are you doing?" I raise my eyebrows at her, knowing for a fact that she is also working all summer in order to buy a new car before college starts.

"Josh and I have some things planned."

Josh is Katie's boyfriend, and also one of my close friends. The two of them have been dating since the eighth grade, and as far as couples go, they're my favorite.

I turn off my TV and get up to clean up the mess we had made, sweeping crumbs off my comforter.

"Oh! That's it!" Katie jumps off the bed and claps her hands together excitedly.

"What?" I ask, my eyebrows raise once again as I watch her clap and jump up and down.

"A boy! We need to find you a boy for the summer!"

My eyes flash to my bedroom window, and I can see Axel's empty bedroom through his open blinds. If Katie notices, she doesn't say anything, instead she is rambling on about where and how to hook me up with someone. I hear mention of Josh's cousin Tate, and that's when I choose to speak up.

"Not Tate, he threw a frog at me at camp that one summer, remember?" I shudder at the memory, and Katie laughs.

"Okay, no Tate. Maybe you'll find someone at Duke, a hot future doctor and you two can be a power couple like your mom and dad."

I flinch at the mention of Duke, but Katie doesn't notice because she is digging under my blankets trying to locate her ringing phone. Once she pulls it out from under a box of Twinkies, she grabs her purse from the floor.

"Sorry, Josh is here and we have a date. See ya later?"

I wave her goodbye as she hurries outside to meet Josh in my driveway.

Katie is gone, but the mention of Duke brought the heavy weight back onto my shoulders, reminding me that I'm going to have to tell my parents about not applying soon. They're already asking questions, I can' keep this lie alive much longer.