Summer of '86

Party

Church every Sunday was required in my family. Walking through the small sidewalks in town to the beautiful front of the church had become so normal I'm sure that if I were blindfolded I'd be able to make my way perfectly up the stairs and through the glass doors. Over half the town goes to church, the most popular mass being right before lunch.

Not every mass was spent sitting next to my parents. Often times, I'd sit next to my boyfriend who was forced by his parents every week to attend church. His hesitation to be active in his faith every week would not be seen kindly by my parents. They already aren't fond of him and the way he dressed, and the fact he was in a rock band that would often play at the local pool.

It was the beginning of June and I was ready for summer to really start. I was ready for the best ice-cream shop in town only a couple blocks away from my house. It was known as the main teenage spot in town. Teens filled every outdoor table with their friends, simply talking for hours with their melting ice cream cones dripping down their fingers. 

This day after church my boyfriend and I were to go to the ice-cream shop. We never did this very often on Sundays. Usually, I would spend time with my family while Noah would play in his friend's garage.

Now, after mass, I stand and follow everyone out of the pew. Noah takes my hand and leads me out the doors and down the stairs outside the church towards his car. 

I open the passenger door and sit at the same time that Noah starts the car. His hand touches mine and he gives me a smile and I smile back. "You're being...so awkward," I say while feeling my whole body cringe from the silence. 

His smile goes away a little and he shakes his head, "I don't know why I'm being so weird about this but I just wanted to tell you that my cousin from New York is coming to stay most the summer. Since she doesn't really know anyone here, she's going to be spending a lot of time with me and I just wanted to see if it was fine with you if we brought her with us to ice cream, just so you get to know her."

I nod my head, "Yeah it's fine," I say looking forward, "What's her name?"

"Nova. She's going to college at Cincinnati."

"Cincinnati? Why go to college at Cincinnati when she's from New York?"

He shrugs as he begins driving down the road, "Probably to get away from her parents. They don't have the best relationship at the moment."

"Why?" I ask.

He stills, "I don't know," he says. He takes a quick left and stops in front of his house and quickly honks the horn. I look at the door and see right as she turns the doorknob. All I get is a sight of blonde hair and black clothing, something you don't see very often in the summer around here especially since it's over ninety degrees out and it's not even lunch yet.

"You said she's from New York?" I ask as she walks down the steps towards the car. "Do you mean just the state? Or the city?"

"The city," He says. She opens the car door and sits in the seat behind Noahs. Her clothes smell of cigarettes and expensive perfume. 

"Hey," She says loudly with a piece of gum between her teeth. 

Noah smiles awkwardly and says, "Nova, this is Charlette, Charlette this is Nova."

Smiling kindly at her, I hold out my right hand, "Nice to meet you," I greet.

Her hazel eyes look me over for a couple of seconds before she too had a grin on her face, "Well, you got the brightest red hair I think I've ever seen on a girl naturally. Assuming it's natural."

My hand raised up to touch the curled edges of my short hair nervously. "It's natural. My parents would kill me if I touched my hair."

She nodded her head slowly, "It's really pretty. Most girls around New York usually fake having that color or just go neon orange."