Mackenna's POV
Summer. It had always been my favorite time of year. Even though there was never anything new in town I always looked forward for school being out for 3 months. But this summer would be different from all the other summers that I've ever experienced. It was my last one before I would start my senior year at William Penn High School. I had worked hard through that jail cell that they called school. Every day I woke up at 6AM and had to board the bus just to endure a long 7 hour day of stress. The past three years have been stressful and turned me into a sleep deprived zombie. But the summers had a huge effect on your school year.
Every school year the slates were basically wiped clean. (Well except for the reputations of the nerds). Your school year rep was determined by the stories that you could tell about your summer. The wild parties that you attended, the scandelous vacations taken, the outrageous people you met, the long hours of sleep you got all was taken into consideration. And every year my story was the same, which is why I spent every school year with the same group of people. The nerds. Every summer I stayed home working on my honors assignments and reading sci-fi books under the covers of my queen sized sheets.
This summer, was the summer I was going to change that. Well, as soon as I finished reading the Alien Epocolypse series.
I woke up and took a deep breath. I inhaled and exhaled as I pushed back my Star Wars comforter. I looked around my room to find it flooded with sunlight. The neon green numbers on the alarm clock across my room read 11:00 AM. Finally, it was the first day of summer. I slipped my feet out of bed and into some black slippers. My long brown hair brushed my pale back as I reached for my glasses and set for the kitchen.
My little sister Katerine (Katie) had taken advantage of no school and had already invited her best friend, Heather, over. They were sprawled out on the couch cutting out pictures of fashion magazines and pasting them onto a huge posterboard. The television was on to Teen Mom. My mom was sitting at the breakfast bar typing away on her laptop. She was a writer. She wrote a bunch of best selling novels about her adventures living life with two moody, hormonal teenage girls. Of course when she wrote she changed our names. I wondered which daughter had given her inspiration this time.
"Good morning mom," I said stretching.
"NIce of you to join us Mack," she smiled. My mom looked at me over her black block glasses. Her brown eyes were identical to my own.
"Sorry," I smirked "Just trying to enjoy the opportunity to sleep in." My mom shook her head with a slight smile still left on her lips. I pulled out a package of poptarts from the cubbord and grabbed a small glass and filled it with juice. The sugary goodness filled my mouth and sent my tastebuds in a frenzy. During the school year I had totally abandoned breakfast. I was usually always late for school and I had to rush out the door with one shoe on and one shoe off just so I could drive to school before the bell rang.
The marshmellow fluff filling stuck to my lips as I finished off the first poptart. I gulped down the sweet apple juice before wrapping the other poptart and sticking it in the refridgerator. Then I shuffled over to the TV area where Katie and Heather were still mezmorized by their project. I tucked my legs under my butt. I looked up at the television.
"What are you doing here?" Katie asked me. Her hazel eyes sent a glare in my direction.
"Watching TV," I said back.
"Dont you have a TV in your room or something? I have a guest here and you are kind of interrupting us,"
"I didnt even do anything, you brat." I snapped back.
"You are interfearing! Mom tell Mackenna to leave! Shes ruining our flow!" Katie shreiked. Heather looked at me and nodded. I looked up at my mom. She looked at me over her glasses again.
"Please just watch TV in your room Mack. Can you just cooperate?" my mom sighed. I huffed. Since when did sitting on the couch in your own house become such a crime?
Back in the comfort of my own room I jumped back into bed and started watching Netflix. It had become my life since I got my new laptop for Christmas. I was taken away into another world watching episode after episode. After a while I began to feel tired of laying around. I needed to move. I got out of bed and changed into a white romper and black converse. I braided a stand of my hair and wrapped the rest into a pony tail. Then I slipped out my room and out the front door.
The hot sun beat down on my pale skin and instantly made me wish I was in a pool somewhere. I walked down the stairs leaving the door of my house and down the driveway. There wasnt much going on besides the usual jocks playing basketball and the little kids riding bikes and writing on the driveways with sidewalk chalk. The street was starting to look like an Easter egg. I walked down the street careful not to step on any little kid artwork or interrupt games of tic-tac-toe and hopscotch. I rounded the corner and out the development. The main roads weren't too busy. Most of the adults were already at work and most of the kids were enjoying the first glorious day of summer. I had the streets to myself.
I decided that I would take a trip down to the old part of town and then go to the park. I found myself in historic Bethlehem at the library. There was a multitude of lonely books waiting on the shelves. All of them with the same desire.... To be taken home and read. It seemed like it had been ages since someone had been in the library. With all of the technological advancements no one really came to the library for resources anymore. The library smelled of dust and old books. The smell lingered in the air and tickled my nose causing me to sneeze.
"God bless you," said the voice of the easily frightened librarian. She was a frail and bony old woman with mousy brown hair that was pulled into a sloppy bun on the top of her head. Her wire rimmed glasses sat on the tip of her pointy nose and was attached to a beaded string that rested around her neck.
"Thank you," I smiled at her. As I made my way to her desk I pulled my ID out of my deep pocket. I showed it to her and said, "I left my library card at home, but I was wondering if I could still take a book home." The librarian looked at me with her glassy green eyes and she flashed a small smile.
"Of course!" she exclaimed as she clasped her hands together in excitement "Hardly any teenagers come to the library anymore. This place is always empty." she sighed. I awkwardly stood there drumming my fingers on the mahogany desk.
"So, what kind of books are you interested in hon?" the lady asked.
"Mystery and science fiction." I said proudly. " I love a good lab or space adventure," The lady's eyes lit up as she came from behind the desk.
"Stay here. I know just the book for a young lady like you," The lady disappeared into one of the long aisles of bookshelves. She returned with a large blue paperback. It was dusty and old with yellowed pages and smudged pictures.
"This book is a classic. It was my husband and my son's favorite book to read."She slid me the book and checked it out for me.
"Thank you." I smiled a genuine smile at her. It was people like her who made the world a better place. Gentle and kind spirits.
"Come back if you like it to pick up the second one. Its a whole series." the old woman was smiling enthusiastically. "My name is Polly by the way,"
As I picked up the book "My name is Mackenna. It was nice to meet you Polly. You have a great day," I walked out the library to the sound of jingling bells from above the door.
Sure, I wanted to make a change this summer, but maybe before I start running around changing things I can stick to my nerdy ways.
