A few hours later, I head out to the porch again, to find Ainsley standing on the edge of it, smoking a dart.
"Hey," I say, taking a spare one out of her half-full pack and taking a long drag, leaning on the railing that separates us from the cool summer grass.
"Eh," Ainsley says, snatching it from me so fast I don't even realize it. "Just because I smoke, doesn't mean I'm gonna let my baby brother join in on the bad habit." She drops it on the ground and turns it to ash with the heel of her Western-style boot.
"Ah, come on, Ains," I wine. "I've had a long and... confusing day. Just a few puffs,"
"Not a chance," she says, taking another long drag and staring out into the distance. "... but, I've got nothing better to do right now, Liam, so spill. What's on yer mind?"
What's on my mind? What isn't on my mind? Not only is my best friend dead, but I can't stop failing him. And that wasn't proven when Samara kissed me this morning. It was proven when I didn't mind one bit that she did. I've always been such a shit friend.
"Nothin'" I say as nonchalantly as I can muster. "So why'd you break it off with Dustin? I thought he was in it for the long haul."
"Oh, he was," she shrugs, tying her strawberry-blonde back with an elastic, and lighting another dart. "He just wanted more than I could give him. Said I didn't spend enough time with him, that we didn't talk enough. So, I cut him loose. It was for the best, really. No harm, no foul."
"Well, maybe if you weren't so dead-set on a non-existent singing career, he would have stuck around," I snap, before I know what I'm saying.
"Whoah, little brother, that was uncalled for," she says, turning to face me.
"Not that you'll have much of a singing career anyhow, if you keep puttin' that smoke in your lungs," I spit back, feeling an angering venom spread within me.
"Liam," she says gently, "I know things must be real hard for you right now, but--"
"Save it," I say, turning to walk back in the house. "I guess we both know, you just gotta appreciate people while they're with you. 'Cause before you know it, they'll be gone."
I open the front door, slamming it shut behind me.
---
"Hey, buddy," Ben says, meeting me at the door. "I was just about to head out." He puts his jacket on, as he continues. "You remember my old friend, Finn? He's throwing a real rager tonight. You wanna c-"
"Perfect, lets go get drunk," I say, heading back out the door.
---
YOU ARE READING
Remembering Taylor Mason (Rewritten, 2020)
Teen FictionSeventeen year old Taylor Mason loses his life one seemingly perfect summer day , leaving his best friends, Liam and Samara to have a very turbulent start to their summer *Not to contradict any stories previously made*. Trigger warning: deals...
