Cold Summer
Broken Glass
I focused on cleaning the wine glass trying to ignore the sound of my three ex – best friend’s fake laughter. I placed the glass into the case full of paper and bubble wrap that would give the expensive wine glasses safe passage to my mother’s latest catering job. I sighed and picked up one of the ten that was still left to be shined once again even thou I had already done them four times this weekend.
The laughter picked up. I fought the urge to look up to and see what they where laughing at. There was only five days of school left and then I’d be gone. Leaving all them behind. Un like what my mother had in mind I had no plans to make up with Lori, Cristal and Mandy. They could come in here every single day for the next fourteen that I was still present in town. But I refused to apologize to them, I refused to care about them coming in and I refused to stay with my mother for the last summer before I went off to collage.
I’d be going to a new town and house in fourteen days. And I did not have plans on returning. My father who I haven’t spoken to since I was ten made a reappearance in my life just two months ago. Asking me about my collage plans, taking interest in me. It amazed my mother that I had took part in his act of apology. Her view on it was that everything that came out of his mouth was bullshit. Most of the time I agreed the few times my mother did tell me things about my father - like how he was going to come down for a few days - had always been lies and only agitated me.
But now he looked like a way out of here. A way out of my mother’s restaurant and out of her relationship with my gym teacher. I never minded my mother dating, but when I saw him with just a towel on - a very small towel - I put my foot down saying that there was now going to have to be house rules. My mother agreed and then reported to me that I was not allowed in my house from Friday to Sunday so that her and her new love could have personal time.
Which I did not mind, it cleared a road block for me since all the real high school parties where just starting around that time. I found myself going to all them. I'm not much of a partier myself but I decided my last year at the South Anthem should be memorable. So I shocked the school and my so called friends by turning into a party girl.
Of course they were not shocked enough to not trade off on weekends, so that I had a place to live. Or lying to there parent’s when they would point out appalled that I smelled like alcohol. All in all they where great friends and always had my back.
When the fake laughter stopped my armor cracked and I peaked up to see them sitting the corner booth on the far side of the restaurant. But the reason for the stop of laughter was not evident. I felt my eyebrows come together in confusion and then I heard the bell on the door.
I looked over to see Noah Clark a blond haired, blued eyed Greek god of the senior class. My breath caught in my throat. Remembering the reason why I was not sitting with the people I always though where for life.
Noah sauntered over with out a care in the world not feeling the glaring eyes of the girls in the corner booth. He sat down in the bar stool right in front of me. Only the black marble counter separated us.
When I looked down to avoid his eyes I noticed my hands shaking. I quickly slid them off the counter and let them swing at my sides.
“Listen Alex I’d like to talk to you about a few things if you don’t mind.” He asked his face perfectly serious.
I could not stop myself from looking up and meeting Lori’s eyes that where mixed with sadness and hatred her face completely flushed looking un well with her vibrant red hair. The hate was winning in her light blue eyes. I broke my eyes away to find Noah looking over his shoulder.
“I can’t.” I said barely above a whisper. Then I turned easily and went back to polishing the glasses.
I twisted the cloth over the glass inside and out slowly in a sort of trance I inspected it by holding it up more towards the light.
When the large tanned hand weighed down on my shoulder I shrieked and dropped the glass.
“Crap.” I mumbled and dropped to my knees for two reasons one to pick up the bigger pieces of glass and two because the thought of his hands on me made me want to throw up.
I layered all the pieces in my palm and then slowly got up. I placed the pieces of glass on the cloth and then went to get a broom ignoring all the stares I was getting. What I tried so hard to forget rippled through my head sooner then the glass hit the floor.
Noah made a quick exit speeding away in his new sports car that his father bought him for graduation.
My so called friends close behind him.
That night I sobbed myself to sleep a lullaby I wish I could forget. I was soon up right and fully awake sweating and screaming. I made a mad dash across the hall to the bathroom where I threw up my TV dinner.
Because my mother was at Dave’s house and has not been home to realize that there was no food in the fridge and since she has not paid me yet, there was no food in the fridge and I had no money to buy any.
The laughter picked up. I fought the urge to look up to and see what they where laughing at. There was only five days of school left and then I’d be gone. Leaving all them behind. Un like what my mother had in mind I had no plans to make up with Lori, Cristal and Mandy. They could come in here every single day for the next fourteen that I was still present in town. But I refused to apologize to them, I refused to care about them coming in and I refused to stay with my mother for the last summer before I went off to collage.
I’d be going to a new town and house in fourteen days. And I did not have plans on returning. My father who I haven’t spoken to since I was ten made a reappearance in my life just two months ago. Asking me about my collage plans, taking interest in me. It amazed my mother that I had took part in his act of apology. Her view on it was that everything that came out of his mouth was bullshit. Most of the time I agreed the few times my mother did tell me things about my father - like how he was going to come down for a few days - had always been lies and only agitated me.
But now he looked like a way out of here. A way out of my mother’s restaurant and out of her relationship with my gym teacher. I never minded my mother dating, but when I saw him with just a towel on - a very small towel - I put my foot down saying that there was now going to have to be house rules. My mother agreed and then reported to me that I was not allowed in my house from Friday to Sunday so that her and her new love could have personal time.
Which I did not mind, it cleared a road block for me since all the real high school parties where just starting around that time. I found myself going to all them. I'm not much of a partier myself but I decided my last year at the South Anthem should be memorable. So I shocked the school and my so called friends by turning into a party girl.
Of course they were not shocked enough to not trade off on weekends, so that I had a place to live. Or lying to there parent’s when they would point out appalled that I smelled like alcohol. All in all they where great friends and always had my back.
When the fake laughter stopped my armor cracked and I peaked up to see them sitting the corner booth on the far side of the restaurant. But the reason for the stop of laughter was not evident. I felt my eyebrows come together in confusion and then I heard the bell on the door.
I looked over to see Noah Clark a blond haired, blued eyed Greek god of the senior class. My breath caught in my throat. Remembering the reason why I was not sitting with the people I always though where for life.
Noah sauntered over with out a care in the world not feeling the glaring eyes of the girls in the corner booth. He sat down in the bar stool right in front of me. Only the black marble counter separated us.
When I looked down to avoid his eyes I noticed my hands shaking. I quickly slid them off the counter and let them swing at my sides.
“Listen Alex I’d like to talk to you about a few things if you don’t mind.” He asked his face perfectly serious.
I could not stop myself from looking up and meeting Lori’s eyes that where mixed with sadness and hatred her face completely flushed looking un well with her vibrant red hair. The hate was winning in her light blue eyes. I broke my eyes away to find Noah looking over his shoulder.
“I can’t.” I said barely above a whisper. Then I turned easily and went back to polishing the glasses.
I twisted the cloth over the glass inside and out slowly in a sort of trance I inspected it by holding it up more towards the light.
When the large tanned hand weighed down on my shoulder I shrieked and dropped the glass.
“Crap.” I mumbled and dropped to my knees for two reasons one to pick up the bigger pieces of glass and two because the thought of his hands on me made me want to throw up.
I layered all the pieces in my palm and then slowly got up. I placed the pieces of glass on the cloth and then went to get a broom ignoring all the stares I was getting. What I tried so hard to forget rippled through my head sooner then the glass hit the floor.
Noah made a quick exit speeding away in his new sports car that his father bought him for graduation.
My so called friends close behind him.
That night I sobbed myself to sleep a lullaby I wish I could forget. I was soon up right and fully awake sweating and screaming. I made a mad dash across the hall to the bathroom where I threw up my TV dinner.
Because my mother was at Dave’s house and has not been home to realize that there was no food in the fridge and since she has not paid me yet, there was no food in the fridge and I had no money to buy any.
♠ ♠ ♠
=D