Summer Girl

Summer Girl - Chapter 9

Chapter NINE 

"He didn't say anything offensive, did he?" Max asked, shutting the door behind me.

  I shook my head. "No."

  "That's surprising," he said, pulling me through the kitchen, towards a bedroom.

  "Well, he told me Harley wasn't here. Expected I was here for him, I guess," I went on.

  Max shut the door behind us, once we were inside the room. The walls were wood planks; there was a shelf also made of wood. The bed was small and made a squeaky noise when Max sat on it. There were two huge open suitcases on the floor, clothes all around them.

  "That doesn't surprise me," he said. "I mean, I don't hang with girls, generally."

  "You do now," I smiled, sitting down beside him.

  "I do now," he repeated. "So, you okay? Why the meltdown?"

  I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I got back to the beach house after work, and my cousin Clara is there."

  "Okay?"

  I hadn't told Max much about my family. He only knew that I lived with my Aunt and Uncle and I grew up with my cousins. I wasn't sure now was really the best time to go into it, but I didn't have much choice.

  "Real talk?" I asked, half smiling at him.

  "Yes, please," he said, keeping his eyes on mine.

  "Clara was like a sister to me. She's your age. We grew up together. But she moved to Bloomingdale in the fall, with some friends. She just wanted away from the beach, which is weird to me. But anyway, she and I were distant, for a couple years before she moved. She treated me kind of crappy..."

  "Shit, that sucks. So, you were glad she moved out?" Max asked.

  "Well, you'd think that. But I have missed her, a lot. All I wanted was for her to include me, accept me. And she didn't, then she left."

  Max wrapped his hand around mine. "And she's back?"

  "Well... I thought she was coming tomorrow. It's... my birthday," I said quietly.

  "Your birthday? Tomorrow?"

  I nodded. "Yeah..."

  "And you didn't tell us... because...?"

  "I don't know," I said, shaking my head.

  "You're sort of... complicated," he smirked. "Okay, so, you don't want to see her, so you freaked out and came to see me?"

  "I guess so." I shrugged.

  "Well, you can't stay here forever," he teased. "I mean, you could. I wouldn't mind, nor would Harley..."

  I shifted my weight, my heart racing again. Just at the sound of his name. His nickname. "I saw him downtown."

  "Harley?" I nodded. "Oh, what was he up to?"

  I shrugged. "No idea." Thump thump thump.

  "Where was he?"

  "Outside the Surf Shack, with some people."

  "People?" Max was really trying to get me to say it. Did he know? Was he just trying to hurt me? Or did he not know that Max had other friends in Siesta?

  "Yeah, he was with some guys and a couple girls," I spat out. I could feel tears behind my eye lids again.

  "Oh, shit." He didn't know.

  I turned away from Max, then stood up. Bad idea. All of this was wrong. I took a few steps before I knew what was even happening. But Max was up, and close to me a moment later. His arms were around me.

  "Don't," I said, trying to push him away.

  "Iz, he can be an idiot. I told you, he doesn't pay attention to what's going on-"

  "It's really stupid that I'm mad. Jealous, that he was with some other girls..."

  "No, my brother is stupid for not knowing that you like him," Max grinned.

  "Either way... thank you for letting me vent. I should go..."

  "Go? I thought you were staying forever," he grinned, pulling at my hand.

  "As much as I don't want to face Clara, I can't face Harley, either," I admitted. "Not tonight."

  "So, tomorrow then? Can we take you out for your birthday?" Max looked hopeful.

  "I'm sorry. It's this whole thing my Aunt is planning. My other cousin is coming, too. We have a picnic on the beach, for dinner..." I didn't know why I was explaining.

  Max nodded, then dropped my hand. "Okay." He was disappointed, that was obvious.

  "See you soon, okay? I'll be in a better mood. Promise," I said, hoping to get him to smile.

  He nodded, then watched me go.

  The white sports car, with Harley inside, was pulling up to the cottage as I pulled away in the Jetta. I didn't look back.

  I walked into the beach house, feeling only slightly better than when I pulled up the first time. I smelled bacon and eggs cooking, which was Clara's favourite - breakfast for dinner. Of course she would get her favourite meal as soon as she was home.

  "Izzie!" Cora yelled, as soon as she saw me. "You're home late, I thought you were off at four?"

  "Oh, yeah, I just stopped at a friend's after work, for a bit," I answered quickly. "Hey, Clara."

  "Isabelle," she said, forcing a smile. "Happy early birthday."

  "Thanks."

  "Well, dinner is just about ready. Dad will be late, we can eat without him," Cora told Clara.

  And it was like I didn't exist, just like that. Clara always made me feel like I didn't exist. Cora didn't mean to do it, I knew that, but Clara was the golden child.

  I sucked it up. I ate some bacon and a pancake, sitting next to Clara. She talked and talked about Bloomingdale, her job at the bank, her friends. Cora was so interested, so happy. I smiled and nodded, pretending like I cared. And then I put my plate into the sink and stood there for a moment, to see if they even realized I left the table. They didn't. Without thinking, I went out the back door.

  It wasn't dark out yet. I stepped into the warm sand and felt a bit better, and then I decided to walk. I passed the old swing set, a few sandcastles built by kids that day. There were people on the beach, laughing, yelling, splashing. I just kept walking on the wet sand, the desire to get away from that beach house was too strong to stop.

  More than once, I pulled out my phone. I almost texted Max, but then stopped myself. I'd already gone to him freaking out once that day. He didn't need to hear it all again. I sent a text to Cay instead, telling her I was glad she was coming to the party, because I needed her. She didn't reply. And then, against my better judgement, I sent a text to my brother.

   I MISS YOU. I HOPE YOU'RE DOING GOOD.

  It was at least ten minutes before my phone buzzed in my back pocket. I slipped it out again and glanced at the screen, expecting Cay. Or Cora. But it was from Aaron.

  I AM GOOD. HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY. CANT BELIEVE YOURE 18 TOMORROW.

  I read it over and over in my head. I didn't reply, but I was happy to have that message. He had been gone for six years, and in the past two years I had only heard from him a few times. Usually, he ignored my pleas for something, anything from him. Now, I had a feeling he was finally growing up. He would be twenty-four that fall and I knew nothing about him. I'd mostly tried to pretend I didn't have a brother at all. It was easier that way. But now I knew he was good. And, at least for now, he was thinking about me.