I woke up to the sound of birds chirping in the distance. Looking up toward the ceiling startled me, there were no posters up there? Immediately, I shot up off of my pillow and looked around my heart beating inexplicably fast.
Calm down you pussy.
I had forgotten where I was. The slight break of responsibility and worries that you feel as you slowly wake up began to drift away, following the breeze that drafted from the balcony doors I had forgotten to close the previous night. Before remembering the excitement of yesterday's discovery, the anger of my father flashed through my mind.
"Where the hell did you go?" He talked with his hands as he stood on the dock. Completely ignoring the rest of my friends he spoke as if we were the only two people present as John B stopped the boat next to our dock. Kiara jumped off first, almost afraid of his reaction as she held the boat close. Pope helped her as they watched in silence.
"This is a new town, you can't just run off and not tell me where you are. I understand your pissed Tav, this isn't my ideal situation either. But i need some fucking help or responsibility from you." He cut his speech short when he finally took in the four other people listening.
JJ looked at me, mocking my fathers anger just out of view. I stifled a laugh and watched my Father realize who we were in the presence of.
"John?" His anger melted into a look of dismay. "What, what are you doing here?" He forgot all about me as usual, but thankfully giving me the safe route out of this conversation. Kiara looked at me with a sorry expression. I shrugged and let my father catch up.
"Come in, you have to come in." My dad smiled. "Your friends are welcome."
"Thanks Uncle T, but we got something to look into. Could I stop by tomorrow?" John B asked, more towards me than my father.
"Oh yeah, whenever-" I started.
"Of course. We can cook some dinner, catch up. Bring your Father!" He laughed heartily and gathered me with him as he back away, not realizing the silence that had passed over my new friends.
"Uh, yeah- yeah tomorrow." John replied. "Bye Tav, you too Ki." I waved apologetically and started after my dad. I turned around as I heard the engine grow quieter. JJ waved from the back, sending a cheesy smile after us.
"See you, Tav!" Ki called after me, then mouthed. "Text me!" I smiled and waved agreeing.
My next thought. I had scored three new friends and my childhood partner in crime all in one day?
The boat, the sunken boat.
I stretched myself out of bed and reach around in the big white comforter for my phone, unable to recall where I had left it the previous night. After sitting and eating pizza straight from the box with my tired and angry father last night in the silence of our new, cold and empty house, I escaped to my room to avoid another lecture.
Lighting up on the balcony and beginning to unpack my belongings didn't last long before the stress of the day caught up with me. Not to mention how sore my side was after hitting the sandbar earlier. I pressed on the for sure bruise forming on my right hip before dropping the handful of clothes in my hand and crawling into my bed to fall asleep to tv. The fluorescent glow of my laptop had eventually put me to sleep.
The same balcony that I had been so thankful for last night was calling my name this morning as well. I stepped out in my pajama pants and tank, letting the bright summer sun that was halfway up into the sky hit my bare skin. I actually smiled at the thought of spending another day here.
