We Can't Forget Last Summer

After knocking on the door about five times and then excessively ringing the doorbell, the front door finally flew open exposing the long dirty blonde, tall women I have yet to see in years. Her eyes widened and she screeched to herself.

"Oh my Carson! Look at you!" She opened her arms in which I gladly fell into and hugged her back tightly.

As I pulled away I greeted her. "Hi Aunt Sara."

"Oh please, you know to call me Sara. When you call me Aunt it makes me feel old." She waved me off, grinning.

"Well, you don't look a day over thirty." I joked.

She patted me on the back, laughing, before bending over and grabbing some of my bags. "Let's get these inside."

I grabbed the rest of the bags and followed her inside the ranch I hadn't been inside in well over five years. I inhaled the scent and took in the familiar paintings on the wall and old wooden furniture.

"You remember where your room was, don't you? I know you used to have to share it with Carter, but no more. You'll have it all to yourself," She smiled at me and winked. "I even replaced the two old twin beds with a large queen one."

We entered the room and every memory came rushing back into me. The white curtains hanging from the window. The old, rather large closet and that small television in the corner which only got about seven channels. I loved it all. Every part of it. Even the lamp in the corner made out of deer antlers that my Uncle Rich hunted and made himself.

The bed was definitely new, but it was oh so beautiful. I loved it ten times more than the one back home in my room. In wasn't chic like my other one that my mother had picked out for me.

This one was real. It was classic and classy and elegant and I loved everything about it. I couldn't wait to fall right into the perfectly snow-like white comforter and sheets. The pillows were also white. All of the cloth and cotton contrasted marvelously with the dark brown wooden bed posts.

"It's wonderful." I smiled, my eyes not able to peel away from the bed.

"I'm glad you like it dear. I had some fun myself picking it out."

Suddenly, my stomach flopped and I turned abruptly to Sara. "No, you didn't buy all of this for me, did you?" My face fell.

My parent's were rich, yes, but they never enjoyed sharing their wealth with any of our relatives, especially Aunt Sara and Uncle Rich. I knew for a fact my Aunt and Uncle were not the wealthiest people living in Tempe or Arizona for a matter of fact. I felt guilty; having her spend all of this on me.

"Oh dear, of course I did!" She placed a hand on my shoulder, smiling. "The old bed was falling apart anyway. Plus, you have no need to worry about my funds. I'm retired now and I have loads of money saved up. I don't even know what to do with it all!"

I shook my head. "You really shouldn't have done all of this for me...."

"Nonsense. Of course I did. You deserve it, sweetheart."

I deserve it? Does she even know why I was sent down here?

"Now, your brother wanted you to visit his apartment as soon as you got here. He's already tryin' to steal you away from me!" She chuckled. "I have to run to the market anyway, so how 'bout I drop you off over there?"

"Sounds good." I nodded my head and we made our way out of the room, then the house altogether.

The ride to Carter's apartment was only about five minutes long. Aunt Sara dropped me off and told me his apartment was 2B on the second floor.

I walked up the steps and searched for his room. When I finally spotted it, I noticed a group of boys standing outside of my brother's neighboring room. I quietly walked up to Carter's apartment and knocked on the door, ignoring the three boys standing next door.

"Hey," One of then addressed me. "didn't we just see you outside of some house? You were carrying all those bags in?"

I looked up and recognized the boys. They were the ones in the white van. To my luck, the one who was driving and shouted out the window was not standing with them.

"Yes. That was me." I responded and knocked on my brother's door once again. What was taking him so long?

"Oh, well, excuse our friend John, he can be a bit of a jerk sometimes."

I pursed my lips and raised my eyebrows, still staring at my brother's apartment door. "I can see that."

The boys remained silent; not responding to me.

Finally, the door opened exposing Carter with a wild smile on his face. He practically jumped on as he went to engulf me in a huge. He picked me up, despite the fact I was almost his height, and shook me around. "Carson!" He cheered, smiling like an idiot.

"Hi." I responded laughing.

"Here, come on in." He offered as he put me down.

I walked into the apartment, leaving the boys outside with curious expressions. I expected my brother's new home to be a mess, to be honest. But to my surprise, it was rather clean, although very..... boring.

White, pasty walls matching up against the dull light blue carpet. White furniture, definitely not as gorgeous as mine in Aunt Sara's house.

"Very nice." I nodded my head and gazed up at Carter.

He shrugged. "I try. You want something to eat?"

"You can't cook."

"Oh, that's what you think."

I followed my older brother into his white tiled kitchen and took a seat at the sticky, plastic table. I made a face towards it, but then sighed heavily. "I suppose the only thing you don't clean is your kitchen table?" I asked.

"Calmed down Carson. You're not in mom and dad's house anymore."

"Oh please, I know."

Carter placed a cup of coffee in front of me. I shook my head, laughing lightly. "What?' he asked, scrunching his eyebrows together.

"You asked me if I wanted something to eat."

Carter rolled his eyes. "Are you hungry?"

"Not really."

"Good, I ain't making you shit."

I chuckled then pushed the cup of coffee towards him. "I don't drink coffee."

He groaned and rolled his eyes. He took a seat opposite from mine and took a sip from his mug. "So, would you mind explaining to me properly why you are here? I hardly got a word out of you on the phone the other day."

"Dad is 'disowning' me."

"Yes, well, I know that part."

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Mother said I made some unholy decisions, which is freaking bullshit coming from her. She or dad haven't been to church since my conformation in eighth grade." I shook my head. "Hypocrites." I mumbled.

Carter pursed his lips. "Wow," he ran a hand through his hair. "What did you do?"

I shrugged. "You obviously know I decided not to go to college. Dad flipped as shit, but I expected that. Any father would flip a shit, I suppose. Then they laid this disowning crap on me."

"Yeah, but that isn't it. You did something else, didn't you?"

"I guess there were some events leading up to it......" I trailed off, averting my gaze.

"Ha!" Carter pointed at me. "I'm right. Now tell me."

"I punched a girl." I mumbled.

"You what?!"

"I punched this little whiney bitch in the face. No big deal."

Carter stood up, eyes wide with shock and walked over to the sink. "No big deal?! Carson, are you even aware what you did?"

I shrugged.

Carter groaned and shook his head. "Why did you do it? And don't tell me that she pissed you off- that's always your excuse."

"She sits at the table next to mine at lunch. She started talking shit about me and how rich I was. She said I was 'bitchy rich girl' then went on to complain about herself-meanwhile she's just as wealthy as we are!"

"Then I kind of confronted her after school and she wouldn't admit to saying those things about me- meanwhile I has witnesses! Witnesses! And I just got angry."

Carter narrowed his eyes at me. "So you punched her?"

"Yes."

He plopped down in his seat and put a hand on his head. "Oh god Carson."

I bit my lip and looked at the floor.

"What else did you do?"

"I didn't do anything else!" I snapped looking up at him.

"Don't bullshit me."

I groaned. "Fine. I yelled at this teacher at school because she was being completely unfair. I'm not even exaggerating! Please believe me! Please! No one else does and I just, ugh, you know I wouldn't just snap! You know I always have a reason!"

He sighed heavily. "Yes, I know you do."

Carter and I talked some more before I decided it was time to leave. Well, actually, Aunt Sara called Carter's apartment and told him she was waiting in her car in the parking lot.

I said goodbye before opening the door. As I walked outside, I was looking back inside waving towards Carter. The second I turned around, I hit into some guy.

"Whoa there, I don't get that close until the end of the night." He commented.

I rolled my eyes and almost threw up in my mouth. He wasn't moving. He just stood there practically in the door frame, not letting me out as I was crammed in between the closed apartment door and the tall body.

That's when it hit me. I looked up to see the familiar tall pig who I gave the finger to before. He noticed me too and grinned widely. "Hey! Look who it is!"

"Can you let me out, please?" I asked.

"She speaks!" He cheered.

"Fuck you," I spat. "now let me out."

I couldn't see his eyes behind his black ray bands. I was embarrassed to admit I had the same exact pair.

"Wow, most girls don't get that angry when they're this close to me."

"Well, most girls must be complete idiots then." I snapped.

He chuckled. "You're right," He grinned at me. "I'll let you out once you tell me your name."

"Nope, never."

"Why not baby?"

"Please don't call me baby." I cringed.

"Do I really repulse you that much? Most girls think I'm sexy."

"Once again," I began, "most girls are idiots."

He laughed again. "Tell me your name."

"No."

"Why?"

I sighed heavily. "For all I know you could me some child molester. When I tell you my name, you'll go searching on the internet and start to stalk me. Soon enough, I'll walk in my room late at night and find you hiding in my closet."

"Better yet, your shower." He wiggled his eyebrows.

"Ugh. You're disgusting." I pushed his chest.

"How do you know Carter?" He asked.

"How do you know Carter?"

"Ah, you're a clever one, you know."

"Yes, I do know." I gave one hard push and he was finally off. I slipped away and started walking at a quick pace.

I was surprised when I found him walking right next to me. "You're pretty tall, you know."

"I'm aware. Now leave me alone."

"I don't think that's going to happen."

"So you are a child molester slash stalker?" I raised my eyebrows.

"If that's what you want me to be, baby."

"Oh my god." I groaned and quickly walked down the steps and into the parking lot.