Every Summer

Chapter 4

My weekend was a bore. I went to the country club on Saturday but decided to skip Melanie's party because I just needed to sleep. I had to talk to so many people and give them subtle answers to the questions about my life. I spent the whole day Sunday ripping up the cabinets and then moving out the furniture.

It was Monday now and I was kind of weary to see Preston. I saw him at the country club on Saturday with a black eye and cut on the ridge of his nose. He didn't even look at me when I was talking to his father about flooring with my mom. When I had a chance to pull him aside, I asked him what was wrong and he replied, "Nothing. Why do you ask?" I know he wanted me to forget about it but those marks on his face make it hard. I had to be super fake to his dad. I really didn't want to talk to a guy who wasn't man enough to keep his hands off his son. He had problems he needed solved and I'm pretty sure none of it was Preston's fault.

I took my anger out on a wall we were removing by beating it with a sledge hammer. We were taking out a lot of walls in the downstairs area to make it more open so I was getting it started. I had on my rock music and I was just going at it until my Paramore kicked off.

"Quick question." I look over at Preston who was walking over to me. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Why do you ask?" I mocked him. He nodded his head and made a face, telling me he understands what I was doing.

"I told you I wanted you to forget about it."

"And I'm telling you, right now, that I can't forget about it." I hit the wall again until the sledge hammer was ripped from my hands.

"It's not your problem. It shouldn't be your concern. This has been going on for years. I'm use to it."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "It's been going on for years and you're still taking his shit?" He looked away from me. "You shouldn't have to take your father's abuse. You are old enough to move out so why don't you?"

"How? I don't have any money."

"That's what jobs are for." I took the sledge hammer back from him.

"I do have one." He took it back from me. I guess this is being used as the talking stick.

"Then all you're doing is making excuses. You have good reason to leave so there shouldn't be any problem with you doing it."

"It's just not that easy."

"Then make it easy or keep taking it." I grab the sledge hammer back from him, turn on my music, and start hitting the wall again with pieces flying from it. I knew he was still behind me, watching me.

******

"I love that opening now." My mom came home as I was laying on the couch, exhausted from beating the hell out of the wall and stressing about Preston. After our talk, he left and didn't come back, despite the flooring that needs to be done.

"It makes the living room brighter. Don't you love it, Matt?" My mom asked Matthew that was walking in behind her.

"I love it. Nice work, Eliza!" He smiled at me and I gave him a thumbs up, too tired to lift my head to smile at him.

"Why isn't any more of the flooring done?" My mom sat on the chair next to the couch I was laying on.

"Preston went home."

"Why? Is there something going on between you two?" I could hear the scolding in her voice.

I sat up and gave her a look. "Why would anything be going on?"