The Summer of Dares

Prologue

          We had been driving for what felt like forever, but it hadn't even been an hour yet. I tie my long light brown locks into a sloppy low bun and roll down the front windows in my car. It is only the end of June, but due to the lack of AC in what my mother calls "the shit-mobile", it feels like mid August.

          The car is quiet besides the sound of the wind brushing against my doors and the soft sound of music playing on the radio. I place my fingers on the volume nob to depict who the singer is, but instead move my hand back to the steering wheel.

          "You're awfully quiet, you know that? After ten years of these three hour drives with you, I would have never thought our carpool karaoke days would come to an end." I joke with my sister who is leaning slightly out the car window in the passenger seat beside me.

          I notice her shrug her shoulders and slouch into the leather seat. "I'm just thinking."  Her voice sounded sincere but there was a hint of uncertainty.

          I nod my head and continue facing forward. This was the first summer since I was seven that we were driving up to Bayside alone. As much as it brought me excitement knowing I would have a bit of freedom to meet new people and see old friends, my sister didn't exactly feel the same.

          "Why do you think love dies?" she pauses for a minute, "you know, how can two people go from believing they're each other's soul mates to wanting to rip each other's hair out? It's fascinating isn't it?" Mackenzie asks out of the blue.

          I look at her from the corner of my eye and nod. It is fascinating, even more so when you witness the spark fade as the years go by from an outside perspective. Although Mackenzie asked a general question, I knew she was referring to our parents who are near divorce. "Well Kenz, when you get knocked up at twenty-one with your high school sweetheart, naturally the thing to do is to put a ring on it or run as fast as you can." I explain, "Dad put a ring on it, and then two years later they had another kid. Sometimes when things are rushed, they're only set out to crash and burn."

          As we approach a red light, I turn to see her sad eyes that were now looking at mine. "Do you think they've hit the crash? Do you think it's all downhill from here? Are we just doomed to have two houses, travel back and forth on weekdays and weekends? You know my friend, Emma, her parents are divorced and they're still friends. Maybe that will happen to mom and dad."

          I sigh and shake my head. "Easy on the divorce talk. I think they just need time and whatever counselling they're trying to do. This will be good for all of us." I avert my gaze back to the road. Sometimes I lie to Mackenzie because she is my younger sister and I feel the need to protect her. Other times I lie so I may start to believe it myself.

          "By the way, we're only an hour in. Wait for a good throwback song to play and I promise the karaoke will begin." She laughs for a brief moment, and so do I. It's a nice laugh, one that cuts through the tension that had been floating around the car since we pulled out of our driveway at home.

          I glance over at my sister again who is not so little anymore. She had recently chopped her dark brown hair up to her shoulders, which made her look much older than fifteen. She now wore more makeup than I do on most days and even fits into my tank tops. Maybe it just disappointed me that we're the same bra size and I'll be going into senior year come September.

          I now turn up the radio before turning onto a back road that travelled through nothing but farm land. These roads are the best part of driving up to where my aunt lives because the scenery is always enough to get me excited for the summer ahead. This last year had been filled with stress at school and constant fighting at home, it was about time Mackenzie and I caught a break. I take in a deep breath of the air that flies through my open windows and hold it in for a moment. I would soon be exactly where I dreamed of being for ten months.

          After another couple hours of driving, a pit stop at a local coffee shop and an entire throwback playlist later, we had driven past the large sign that read 'Welcome to Bayside'. The excitement inside me began to build up more than before. I could feel the butterflies fluttering in my stomach, making everything turn sideways and upside down.

          We cruise past our favourite bakery, then the small convenient store we used get free freezies from when we were young and finally drive along the road that looks over the beach. It was no ocean, but the clear lake water and the smooth sand could never disappoint. I can feel my heart pounding just a little bit faster once we pass the 'Bayside BoozeBerry'. Despite the horrible name, it had been my favourite summer job over the last two years and my personal escape. It had also been where I met my first crush, and later best friend, Jackson.

          "Any chance they'll be some real waves we can catch this year?" Mackenzie asks, staring out the window at the still water.

          "Anything is possible. But I'm telling you now, the real waves are somewhere far away. We have to get out of the country to get some real action. Like Hawaii! I bet the ocean is amazing there." I say, knowing leaving is not a viable option for either of us. At least not until college.

          In a moments time I'm pulling into my aunts street, driving by the endless white and blue beach houses. Every house is wooden around here, and covered in the most beautiful landscape. Flowers are planted on every corner, trees grow on the sides of windows and their branches sag onto the corners of driveways, and every patch of grass is as green as the nail polish on Mackenzie's fingers, which is a crazy green.

          I slow down as I approach a large, white house with a long black door. I pull into the driveway only to see my aunt and cousin, Isaac, standing at the front porch, both with smiles stretching from ear to ear. As I roll up the windows, turn off the car and step out, I breathe in the scent of thick air, freshly watered plants and burgers on the barbecue. Home at last.

-

So here's my little authors note:
          Hello everyone, I have started yet another book after my year of writers block and I am so excited to share this one with you. I am hoping to give off all of the summer romance feels, while also throwing in a couple of laughs and maybe some tears. Thank you to everyone for reading and supporting me, the next chapter should be up soon :)