Born for This
Chapter Six: The Song of Purple Summer
Chapter Six: The Song Of Purple Summer
xXFrankie’s POVXx
It was the end of another long weekend, and the end of the last full week of that everlasting ten week vacation for the summer holidays. Oh, how much we loved those beautiful days of the ocean and sunsets in the park. It was sort of like an old movie how much we looked forward to them, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered now was our Junior year of Belleville high was fast approaching, and that today was more special than any other day of the year.
I closed my eyes for a few moments to think about nothing. Just thoughts of the end of another sun soaked season that went by too fast, of today, and of love. Maybe I’ll find a decent guy this year, or Shayne will find a nice boy or girl who’s beautiful and sweet enough for her. With my approve of course, but that’s beside the point.
Croissant’s loud laughter broke me away from my thoughts. I sat up, only to see pictures flashing across the screen. “Frankie, you missed it!!” Anna squealed joyfully, “You missed the beach picture where Croissant’s an ostrich!!” Croissant’s cheeks flushed as I chuckled, remembering how we had literally gotten his head buried in the sand thanks to Jen’s little sister Katie. We had taught her so well...
“Go back to the picture!!” Jen demanded, poking Croissant in the side angrily. He sighed and pressed the back button on the remote, bringing his still, sand covered body back up on the screen. I started laughing hysterically, as did everyone else. God, end of the summer slide shows are fun!
“Croissant!!” Shayne yelled. All four of us turned, “Get your ass outta my seat!!”
“No,” he told her. And with that, Shayne came charging at him, jump kicking the back of his head, sending him falling forward, and getting into the seat gracefully. “Owww!” he whined, once on the floor.
“Serves you right,” Shayne scolded, crossing her legs and picking up the remote from it’s spot on the red cushion. She pressed the Play button, and a piece of film came onto the screen.
“I’m gonna get Tom to sign my cup!!” Shayne had exclaimed.
“No, you should go up to him and be like, ‘Can you get Happy in my cup for me? i wanna have your babies!’” I had replied, to which everyone, both screen and in this very room, started cracking up laughing.
“That’s dirty!!”
“Of course it is!” Croissant told Shayne, after the DVD played the clip.
“Shut up!” Shayne exclaimed, “Only you would know!”
Croissant blushed at the comment, and everyone laughed. Several more pictures came up, most of them of Shayne and me, and then music proceeded to play. We watch the season pull up it’s own stakes and catch the last weekend of the last week.
“Shayne?” a girl called from the kitchen arch, All of us turned to lock with the beautiful baby blues of Shayne’s older sister, Rio. Her head was tilted to the side in a slightly confused, yet calm manner. She smiled as her eyes shined. “Mom wants you and everyone else to come inside for cake.”
“Okay,” Shayne replied, climbing over the back of the couch and running over to the arch. I got up to follow her first, and everyone seemed to follow, but no one bother to turn off the tv, or mute the music.
I glanced around the kitchen, as I usually did when I entered. It had a fresh coat of off white paint to match the oak cabinets and black marble countertop. The fridge had a calendar that read today’s date, September first, with several purple flowers and hearts drawn on the plastic date sheet, along with one lone number in the corner that read: Sixteen.
“Shayne, what are you gonna wish for?” Kyle asked, pushing his dark hair out of his eyes, though his attempt failed, and it fell back into his left eye.
“If I tell you, then it won’t come true,” Shayne replied matter-of-factly. I nodded, as did Anna and Jen. Croissant had his usual blank look on his face.
“Croissant!!” I yelled. He turned to me with his blank stare, “Stop looking drunk!!”
“I can’t help how I look!!” he told me, “Jesus Christ...”
“Jesus? Where?!” I looked around, just to piss him off. i turned back to see my attempts worked. I smiled joyfully.
“Okay, let’s all sing Happy Birthday!!” Rio cheered. I laughed. She was always the one to run the party, because Shayne’s mom was just too busy with her work. i can understand too busy to plan the party, but since she never came, was she too busy for her own daughter?
What snapped me out of my thoughts was the off key version of “Happy Birthday” Rio was conducting. I joined in and picked up Shayne’s arms to make her dance. She started laughing as Rio pulled her light brown hair out of her heart shaped face and joined in laughing.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR SHAYYYNNNNEEE!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOOUUUUUU!!!” We all cheered for her. She blushed uncontrollably as Rio and I hugged her.
“Now make a wish Shayne Morticia!!” Rio squealed happily. Shayne smiled and closed her eyes for a brief moment. All was silent, and only the stereo was heard. And from the ball room floor we are in celebration. One good stretch before our hibernation. Our dreams assured and we all will sleep well. And with that, Shayne leaned over the cake, pulling her hair back, and gently blew out the ignited fire below.
All six off us clapped, and at one point in the celebratory gesture, her mother came out, smiling for once, and gave her daughter a hug. “Thanks mom,” Shayne mumbled, just audible for me and Rio to hear.
“Your welcome,” her mother replied, kissing the top of her head and running her fingers through her hair. “There’s something I want to give you.”
“Mom, you didn’t have to get me anything!!”
“But I did,” she told her, handing her a small, white envelope. From what I could see, it had a fancy seal keeping it closed.
“Thanks mom,” Shayne said, taking the envelope. Her mother then kissed her forehead again and walked back into the sanctuary of her office, where she was probably awaiting a call. We then proceeded back into the living room. All except for Shayne. And as I looked back for a moment while I waited for her, she opened the letter, scanned it and sighed.
After eating nothing but crap for another twenty minutes, Shayne opened all of her gifts, to which she always said “No! I don’t deserve it.”
“But you do deserve it Shayne,” I told her as she unwrapped the small pink box I handed her.
“Thank you Frankie,” she replied softly, untying the purple bow that rest on top of the rectangular box. She spent several seconds gently sliding out every corner, careful not to rip anything. Eventually, she pulled open the unwrapped, white box to reveal a silver chain with half of a broken heart and a blue stone.
“Frankie, it’s beautiful,” she told me, reaching over and hugging me, “Really. Thank you.”
“No problem,” I said back. I then reached into my shirt and pulled out a similar heart piece with a yellow stone inside. “i have one too. Now we’re always together.” i smiled at her joyfully, but to my shock, as well as everyone else's, Shayne didn’t smile back. instead, she started tearing up, like the day she came out to me, and ran quickly upstairs, sobbing uncontrollably.
“Oh Shayne!” Rio cooed, calling for her baby sister as she ran up the stairs after her. I sat there for a moment, confused out of my mind. And before I could even process what had happened, I ran upstairs as well.
When I reached the top of the stairs, I bolted down the hallway to Shayne’s closed door. I tried listening through the door, but all was muffled by Shayne’s constant sniffles and Rio’s cooing. I knocked on the door lightly, only to hear several seconds later a pitiful, “Come in....”
I opened the door and entered Shayne’s bright blue bedroom, only to see her on top of her tye dye bed, in Rio’s arms, crying her eyes out. I approached her quickly, and sat on the bed as well. Rio nodded at me and pulled away gently. And at the moment, I pulled Shayne into my arms.
“Shayne,” I started, “What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing Frankie,” she told me. Liar.
“Was it my gift?” I asked, “Did you not like it?”
“No, Frankie,” she pulled away softly and smiled. I looked down and noticed her hand, clenched around the heart on it’s chain, “I loved it.”
“Then why are you sad?” I wondered aloud, tucking a strand of her platinum hair behind her ear. She swallowed hard and didn’t make eye contact.
“My parent’s applied me to this really nice private school I’ve had my eye on,” she told me. She pulled the open letter off of her dresser and handed it to me. “And I got in.”
“That’s great Shayne!” I exclaimed. I was about to hug her, but she held her hands up to stop me. My arms dropped and my smile faded.
“There’s more,” she explained. She motioned to the letter, “Read it.”
I nodded aimlessly and opened the neatly folded parchment that was in my hands. What could possibly be so bad about Shayne getting into a school she wanted? i mean, yeah, we won’t see each other as much, but it’ll be good for her, and for me, to make other friends. But as I read the letter, my heart began to sink deeper and deeper into my stomach:
Dear Miss Shayne Riley,
We at the Academy of Parker High School are pleased to inform you that we have gladly accepted you into our community.
Of course, a uniform and all text books will be supplied for you, but please do bring the school supplies you’ll need by the Seventh of September.
The first day of all classes and after school functions will be held at the school on the fifth of September-
“Parker High School?” I inquired, “I’ve never heard of it. Where is it?”
Shayne was choking back sobs now. I could see her hands quivering on her lap, and I wanted so much to hug her, rock her, anything to make her calm down. But the fact is, I couldn’t. She wouldn’t let me right now. All she said was:
“The Address is on the back.”
I nodded and read the address aloud:
341 Throckmorton Road
Sparta, Ohio-
I shook my head violently in order to wake up from this-this nightmare. How could this be? No! We’re supposed to be together forever. Best Friends, for Christ’s Sake!! God, don’t tell me she’s-
“You’re moving?” I asked her, scared out of my wits.
She broke down now, “Yes,” she told me, “I’m so sorry Frankie.”
She reached over to hug me, but I pushed her away and got up. The tears were welling up in my eyes now, but I restrained with all of my might. “Frankie,” Shayne begged, “Please don’t lea-”
And with that, I ran out of what I thought was my best friend’s house. Jen and Anna called after me several times as I ran for the woods, but I didn’t hear them. All I heard were my pitiful sobs retching in my throat and my thoughts. How could she leave me? It’s not fair. It’s not fair!!
I don’t remember getting home, All I remember was sitting in the middle of the wooded patch of land at three in the morning, crying my eyes out. “It’s not fair,” I told myself, “It’s not fucking fair!!”
And with that final though, I cried myself to sleep.
xXFrankie’s POVXx
It was the end of another long weekend, and the end of the last full week of that everlasting ten week vacation for the summer holidays. Oh, how much we loved those beautiful days of the ocean and sunsets in the park. It was sort of like an old movie how much we looked forward to them, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered now was our Junior year of Belleville high was fast approaching, and that today was more special than any other day of the year.
I closed my eyes for a few moments to think about nothing. Just thoughts of the end of another sun soaked season that went by too fast, of today, and of love. Maybe I’ll find a decent guy this year, or Shayne will find a nice boy or girl who’s beautiful and sweet enough for her. With my approve of course, but that’s beside the point.
Croissant’s loud laughter broke me away from my thoughts. I sat up, only to see pictures flashing across the screen. “Frankie, you missed it!!” Anna squealed joyfully, “You missed the beach picture where Croissant’s an ostrich!!” Croissant’s cheeks flushed as I chuckled, remembering how we had literally gotten his head buried in the sand thanks to Jen’s little sister Katie. We had taught her so well...
“Go back to the picture!!” Jen demanded, poking Croissant in the side angrily. He sighed and pressed the back button on the remote, bringing his still, sand covered body back up on the screen. I started laughing hysterically, as did everyone else. God, end of the summer slide shows are fun!
“Croissant!!” Shayne yelled. All four of us turned, “Get your ass outta my seat!!”
“No,” he told her. And with that, Shayne came charging at him, jump kicking the back of his head, sending him falling forward, and getting into the seat gracefully. “Owww!” he whined, once on the floor.
“Serves you right,” Shayne scolded, crossing her legs and picking up the remote from it’s spot on the red cushion. She pressed the Play button, and a piece of film came onto the screen.
“I’m gonna get Tom to sign my cup!!” Shayne had exclaimed.
“No, you should go up to him and be like, ‘Can you get Happy in my cup for me? i wanna have your babies!’” I had replied, to which everyone, both screen and in this very room, started cracking up laughing.
“That’s dirty!!”
“Of course it is!” Croissant told Shayne, after the DVD played the clip.
“Shut up!” Shayne exclaimed, “Only you would know!”
Croissant blushed at the comment, and everyone laughed. Several more pictures came up, most of them of Shayne and me, and then music proceeded to play. We watch the season pull up it’s own stakes and catch the last weekend of the last week.
“Shayne?” a girl called from the kitchen arch, All of us turned to lock with the beautiful baby blues of Shayne’s older sister, Rio. Her head was tilted to the side in a slightly confused, yet calm manner. She smiled as her eyes shined. “Mom wants you and everyone else to come inside for cake.”
“Okay,” Shayne replied, climbing over the back of the couch and running over to the arch. I got up to follow her first, and everyone seemed to follow, but no one bother to turn off the tv, or mute the music.
I glanced around the kitchen, as I usually did when I entered. It had a fresh coat of off white paint to match the oak cabinets and black marble countertop. The fridge had a calendar that read today’s date, September first, with several purple flowers and hearts drawn on the plastic date sheet, along with one lone number in the corner that read: Sixteen.
“Shayne, what are you gonna wish for?” Kyle asked, pushing his dark hair out of his eyes, though his attempt failed, and it fell back into his left eye.
“If I tell you, then it won’t come true,” Shayne replied matter-of-factly. I nodded, as did Anna and Jen. Croissant had his usual blank look on his face.
“Croissant!!” I yelled. He turned to me with his blank stare, “Stop looking drunk!!”
“I can’t help how I look!!” he told me, “Jesus Christ...”
“Jesus? Where?!” I looked around, just to piss him off. i turned back to see my attempts worked. I smiled joyfully.
“Okay, let’s all sing Happy Birthday!!” Rio cheered. I laughed. She was always the one to run the party, because Shayne’s mom was just too busy with her work. i can understand too busy to plan the party, but since she never came, was she too busy for her own daughter?
What snapped me out of my thoughts was the off key version of “Happy Birthday” Rio was conducting. I joined in and picked up Shayne’s arms to make her dance. She started laughing as Rio pulled her light brown hair out of her heart shaped face and joined in laughing.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR SHAYYYNNNNEEE!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOOUUUUUU!!!” We all cheered for her. She blushed uncontrollably as Rio and I hugged her.
“Now make a wish Shayne Morticia!!” Rio squealed happily. Shayne smiled and closed her eyes for a brief moment. All was silent, and only the stereo was heard. And from the ball room floor we are in celebration. One good stretch before our hibernation. Our dreams assured and we all will sleep well. And with that, Shayne leaned over the cake, pulling her hair back, and gently blew out the ignited fire below.
All six off us clapped, and at one point in the celebratory gesture, her mother came out, smiling for once, and gave her daughter a hug. “Thanks mom,” Shayne mumbled, just audible for me and Rio to hear.
“Your welcome,” her mother replied, kissing the top of her head and running her fingers through her hair. “There’s something I want to give you.”
“Mom, you didn’t have to get me anything!!”
“But I did,” she told her, handing her a small, white envelope. From what I could see, it had a fancy seal keeping it closed.
“Thanks mom,” Shayne said, taking the envelope. Her mother then kissed her forehead again and walked back into the sanctuary of her office, where she was probably awaiting a call. We then proceeded back into the living room. All except for Shayne. And as I looked back for a moment while I waited for her, she opened the letter, scanned it and sighed.
After eating nothing but crap for another twenty minutes, Shayne opened all of her gifts, to which she always said “No! I don’t deserve it.”
“But you do deserve it Shayne,” I told her as she unwrapped the small pink box I handed her.
“Thank you Frankie,” she replied softly, untying the purple bow that rest on top of the rectangular box. She spent several seconds gently sliding out every corner, careful not to rip anything. Eventually, she pulled open the unwrapped, white box to reveal a silver chain with half of a broken heart and a blue stone.
“Frankie, it’s beautiful,” she told me, reaching over and hugging me, “Really. Thank you.”
“No problem,” I said back. I then reached into my shirt and pulled out a similar heart piece with a yellow stone inside. “i have one too. Now we’re always together.” i smiled at her joyfully, but to my shock, as well as everyone else's, Shayne didn’t smile back. instead, she started tearing up, like the day she came out to me, and ran quickly upstairs, sobbing uncontrollably.
“Oh Shayne!” Rio cooed, calling for her baby sister as she ran up the stairs after her. I sat there for a moment, confused out of my mind. And before I could even process what had happened, I ran upstairs as well.
When I reached the top of the stairs, I bolted down the hallway to Shayne’s closed door. I tried listening through the door, but all was muffled by Shayne’s constant sniffles and Rio’s cooing. I knocked on the door lightly, only to hear several seconds later a pitiful, “Come in....”
I opened the door and entered Shayne’s bright blue bedroom, only to see her on top of her tye dye bed, in Rio’s arms, crying her eyes out. I approached her quickly, and sat on the bed as well. Rio nodded at me and pulled away gently. And at the moment, I pulled Shayne into my arms.
“Shayne,” I started, “What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing Frankie,” she told me. Liar.
“Was it my gift?” I asked, “Did you not like it?”
“No, Frankie,” she pulled away softly and smiled. I looked down and noticed her hand, clenched around the heart on it’s chain, “I loved it.”
“Then why are you sad?” I wondered aloud, tucking a strand of her platinum hair behind her ear. She swallowed hard and didn’t make eye contact.
“My parent’s applied me to this really nice private school I’ve had my eye on,” she told me. She pulled the open letter off of her dresser and handed it to me. “And I got in.”
“That’s great Shayne!” I exclaimed. I was about to hug her, but she held her hands up to stop me. My arms dropped and my smile faded.
“There’s more,” she explained. She motioned to the letter, “Read it.”
I nodded aimlessly and opened the neatly folded parchment that was in my hands. What could possibly be so bad about Shayne getting into a school she wanted? i mean, yeah, we won’t see each other as much, but it’ll be good for her, and for me, to make other friends. But as I read the letter, my heart began to sink deeper and deeper into my stomach:
Dear Miss Shayne Riley,
We at the Academy of Parker High School are pleased to inform you that we have gladly accepted you into our community.
Of course, a uniform and all text books will be supplied for you, but please do bring the school supplies you’ll need by the Seventh of September.
The first day of all classes and after school functions will be held at the school on the fifth of September-
“Parker High School?” I inquired, “I’ve never heard of it. Where is it?”
Shayne was choking back sobs now. I could see her hands quivering on her lap, and I wanted so much to hug her, rock her, anything to make her calm down. But the fact is, I couldn’t. She wouldn’t let me right now. All she said was:
“The Address is on the back.”
I nodded and read the address aloud:
341 Throckmorton Road
Sparta, Ohio-
I shook my head violently in order to wake up from this-this nightmare. How could this be? No! We’re supposed to be together forever. Best Friends, for Christ’s Sake!! God, don’t tell me she’s-
“You’re moving?” I asked her, scared out of my wits.
She broke down now, “Yes,” she told me, “I’m so sorry Frankie.”
She reached over to hug me, but I pushed her away and got up. The tears were welling up in my eyes now, but I restrained with all of my might. “Frankie,” Shayne begged, “Please don’t lea-”
And with that, I ran out of what I thought was my best friend’s house. Jen and Anna called after me several times as I ran for the woods, but I didn’t hear them. All I heard were my pitiful sobs retching in my throat and my thoughts. How could she leave me? It’s not fair. It’s not fair!!
I don’t remember getting home, All I remember was sitting in the middle of the wooded patch of land at three in the morning, crying my eyes out. “It’s not fair,” I told myself, “It’s not fucking fair!!”
And with that final though, I cried myself to sleep.