"Come on! We're going to miss it!" Hadley yelled, turning to look behind her and temporarily losing vision as her long red hair blocked her view. "Harlow!" She yelled, when she noticed how far behind her friend was. She turned back forward, her bare feet pounding on the dirt path beneath her, causing clouds of dust to rise into the air. Any moment she could, she wouldn't wear shoes. She always claimed they slowed her down.
"Hadley slow down, we have time!" Harlow yelled back, as she pushed her blonde hair off her freckled cheeks; which had become dewy with sweat as they ran.
They chased each other to the top of a grassy hill, anxiously watching the sky turn from blue to pink, the slowly fading orange. Both girls reached the top of the hill, breathing heavily, and sweaty. They threw themselves backwards into the tall grass, arms outstretched as they stared at the sky.
"Told you we had time." Harlow said between breathes, feeling her heart rate start to settle. She laughed, the noise always sounding so melodic; Or at least Hadley thought so.
Hadley sighed as the sun began to set, slowly disappearing beyond the horizon. "That's it. Summer has officially begun!" Hadley cheered, sitting up. Pieces of grass sticking out of her untamable mane, which was still sticking to her forehead with sweat.
Harlow followed her friend's lead, sitting up as well. Her overall strap slipping down her shoulder, blonde hair cascading down her back. "This is the summer that I officially grow boobs. I can feel it." She spoke proudly, her chin held high.
In response, her friend threw herself back down into the grass, rolling around as she laughed overdramatically.
"What?" Harlow stared down at her friend, her shoulder's sagging forward and her smile dropping.
"You have been saying that every summer for the past four years! I'm starting to think it might never happen." She suddenly sat up a smirk on her face as she proudly pushed her chest out. "For you."
"That just isn't fair!" The blonde jutted out her bottom lip, and crossed her arms to hide her insecurities.
Hadley looked at her friend, a small smile creeping onto her freckled cheeks. She quickly looked back down and swallowed. "Actually, I think you're right. It will be your year."
The air between them suddenly settled, just as the sun did moments ago. The night sky came bringing the stars out, as well as their curiosities.
"Do you think boys will start to notice us soon?" Harlow asked, leaning back on her elbows, staring up at the moon. The light making her blonde hair seem to glow.
Hadley shrugged her narrow shoulders. "Maybe? We are twelve now. I mean, we're practically adults!" She chuckled lightly, leaning back much like Harlow. Her green eyes staring at the iridescent stars, illuminating the sky. She had more to say, but hesitated. She was worried about coming off as weird to her best friend.
"What?" Harlow turned away from the moon to look at her best friend. She took in Hadley's features, and felt her heart begin to race slightly. She pushed odd feeling aside and pressed her friend. "You have that look on your face. You want to ask me something, don't you?"
"Is that what you want? Attention from boys?" She swallowed thickly, not looking at her friend. "Is that what we're supposed to want?"
Now it was Harlow's turn to hesitate, her eyebrows knitting together. "Uh, yeah. I-I think so. That's how it's supposed to be, right?"
"Yeah. Yeah is. That's what I want too." Hadley nodded, both going quiet trying to ignore the uncertainty gnawing at their guts.
"Hey, I should be getting home. I have to be up early tomorrow to help with the pigs." The blonde stood adjusting her overalls.
"Oh yeah." Hadley spoke, the disappointment thick in her throat. "Want me to walk you back?"
Harlow shook her head, grass falling from her locks. "No, that's alright. I'll see you tomorrow." She turned and began the journey back down the hill, their hill.
Ever since they gave their friendly introductions when they were eight, they were inseparable.
A small blonde ran towards a shy redhead sitting under a tree by herself. She grinned proudly, all her missing teeth on display. "Hi!" She greeted, standing directly in front of her potential new friend. "I'm Harlow Marie Dixon." She offered her hand. "Dad always says a firm handshake can lead you anywhere."
Green eyes scanned the hand shoved in her face, then at the person it was attached to. "Uh, I'm Hadley." She weakly grabbed the hand and shook.
Harlow shook her head. "No, no, no! What kind of introduction was that? You have to do it proudly! Mom always tells me to be proud of who I am. You have to puff out your chest, say your whole entire name, and give a good handshake!"
The redhead smiled, and stood from the grass she had been sitting in. "I'm Hadley Lyn Reed." She grabbed the hand again, firmly this time, and shook.
"Perfect! Now come play farm with me, I call being a pig!" Harlow ran off into the playground, Hadley chasing behind.
Hadley had always been shy, but as the years went on, she pulled out of her shell more and more. She was seen as a wild, artsy girl. Her hair always ran wild, and her clothes never matched. But she loved to be the embodiment of color. She always claimed it made everyone around her just that much happier.
Harlow was both very similar, and yet the complete opposite of her best friend. Harlow was wild, but in a different way. She grew up wrangling pigs; not cows, or horses. Pigs. She believed heavily in dance like no one was watching, and being yourself. She was proud to be who she was, and didn't think anything could change that. And most importantly Harlow only believed in two kinds of footwear; cowboy boots and Crocs.
That moment four years ago determined the lives of these wild children for the next many years, and led to them creating many, many traditions. Just like the one they had done that night. On the last day of school, they climb the same hill to the very top, and watch the sun go down. They both claim its so they can see the exact moment the best summer of their lives began. Of course, as far as they're aware, every summer so far has been the best summer of their lives.
