𝑳𝑰𝑻𝑻𝑳𝑬 𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑵𝑮𝑺, jmrf

1 • summer

third person

for as long as anyone could remember, the carter's and frantzich's spent every summer together. not only was it tradition, but it was a routine. it was a lifestyle. summer didn't begin until they were all together in mannix lake.

"ky they're here!" aubrey yelled as she ran out the door towards the mini van on their driveway. the passenger door slid open and esther ran out, colliding into aubrey's hug.

"I MISSED YOU!" the girls screamed at the same time.

"I MISSED YOU MORE!" aubrey yelled first as they broke away from the hug. her brother, kyle, ran to the van to find svea in his arms. the two have always been close, so it was no surprise when ky spun her around in their hug. he was like another older brother to the frantzich girls.

aubrey walked to the front of the car to find carrie who she welcomed with a big hug. carrie was basically her second mom and it was always gonna be like that.

"hi momma marais." the short girl told her, breaking away from the hug.

"how are ya hon? how was school?" carrie asked her.

slightly nervous, the girl lied and said, "it was good. i'm gonna miss it." but even carrie knew that wasn't the case.

"aw honey, at least you got one year left." she told her before leaving. aubrey's nerves went away as she walked around the back of the mini van to see a seemingly taller, brunette boy unloading the luggage.

the girl jumped onto his back, tightening her arms around his neck, startling him, "HAPPY SUMMER MARAIS!" she yelled.

"HOLY-" jonah exclaimed as he dropped the backpacks he once had in his hands.

"oops." aubrey said innocently as she hopped off his back. "missed me?" she smiled.

he stopped what he was doing and looked at the smiling girl in front of him, getting a good look at her. "of course i missed you flores." he told her. jonah went back to unloading the trunk, trying to sneak a glance at the brunette behind him.

did she cut her hair? he thought, noticing there was something different about her, or maybe she dyed her hair?

"you need help?" she asked, already picking up a bag in each hand.

knowing he couldn't stop her, jonah said, "might as well." a smile lingering on his face longer than expected. the two walked up the driveway towards the lake house, walking slowly side by side.

"hey did you do something with your hair?" jonah asked, catching her attention.

aubrey looked at him and laughed lightly, "yeah i got highlights last month, why?"

so that's what its called, he looked at her, "no reason, they look nice."

the two didn't even notice they stopped walking until kyle came running out, offering to carry the rest of the luggage in. "here i got it aub, carrie and the girls are waiting for you inside. they're making cookies." he explained as he took the bags out of aubrey's hands. however, a part of aubrey didn't want to go inside.