Chapters On A Page

We got through all three movies Murph had rented, but fell asleep sometime after we put in Scream. Normally, Nic was the one to play the Mama Bear role and make sure everyone was comfortable no matter where we were. But I was the last one to fall asleep and therefore made it my job to make sure every one of them had a blanket and a pillow even if they weren't going to use either one throughout the night. I fell back into my spot next to Lilah after only a minute and pressed my face into my pillow. It was too hot to pull my blanket up over me or to be tired enough to fall asleep so quickly. It didn't help that I could hear Rose McGowan on the television, still playing the bitch even though she was clearly about to be slaughtered. I couldn't help but think that I would have much preferred to watch her extreme attitude in Jawbreaker because at least I would get Julie Benz acting the same as well, if only I had owned it. Maybe I wanted to watch movies with death in them a little too badly tonight. But how was that different from any other movie night for me, really? The only difference tonight was that I was having trouble getting comfortable on my sister's carpet while it was so hot upstairs. And yet, I found myself drifting off as I continued to complain in my head.

It was a fitful sleep, and I spent most of the night tossing and turning on the floor from the dreams playing behind my eyelids. All I could remember was a fence and catching a glimpse of Emma when she was five or six, something I would only know the sight of from pictures. It all seemed like enough for me to deem it a nightmare though, considering I woke up the next morning with slight rug burn on my forearms. But since there wasn't much I could even recall about it, I vowed to forget about it.

I spent most of Saturday with my friends, running around to a few stores and then putting up new shelves in my room. That night, it was a little harder to come up with an idea to get out of going to my dad's since I didn't have work until Sunday afternoon. So our mother drove my sisters and I to the house we had moved out of just a week ago. Personally, I couldn't wait until the For Sale sign in the front yard had a Sold banner hanging off of it. Until then, we had to sleep in the living room and think up ways to create makeshift beds for the three of us. It was safe to say that I was not happy with my father when he drove me to work the next day, and it was clear that he could tell as he raked a hand through his light brown hair while bidding me goodbye. I couldn't even think about feeling guilty about it until I got home -our new home- and burrowed into the sheets on my bed. It was too hot once more to deal with covering up and I lay there in a tank top and shorts, thinking about how I was taking on Lilah's attitude when it came to our dad. I shouldn't have acted so openly bitchy, but it was hard not to.

I woke up Monday morning too early for my liking and groggy from another nightmare that I couldn't remember. I lay in bed for a while, pondering how I was going to spend my first official day of summer. I had another day free of work, and I normally would have decided to hang out at the salon all day. But I was pretty sure that wasn't how I wanted to kick off vacation. I wasn't sure what everyone else was doing, but I could find out with a simple phone call. I was just entirely too lazy to get out of bed to get my phone and follow through with actually calling. I lay there, on my side, doing nothing but staring out the window next to my bed that faced the street. Only a few kids were already out, riding their bikes back and forth on the road since they were too young to be allowed to leave the neighborhood. It took watching them stuck to a confined space for an idea to come to me.

I jumped out of bed and crossed the room to get to the desk where my phone was charging. I called Zack first as I walked around my room, grabbing clothes to wear and then things I would want to bring along with me for the day. "Do you wanna go to the treehouse today?" I asked as soon as he had picked up. I was lying on my bed again, struggling to replace the cotton shorts I'd worn to bed with denim ones while I had the phone pressed between my shoulder and ear.

"The treehouse?" he repeated in disbelief. "God, it's been forever since we've hung out there," he stated, sounding as if nostalgia was drowning him.

"It hasn't been that long," I insisted, springing back up off the bed once I had my shorts buttoned. I thought about attempting to get my tank top off with the phone still attached to my ear and then working a t-shirt over my head. But it seemed easier to just wait. "We were there last summer; for the fourth of July," I reminded him, running a hand through my hair.

He chuckled. "Well, it feels like a lot longer. But yeah, I'm down. Are we gonna make a party out of it?" he wondered, and I could practically hear the gears turning in his head already.

I bit my tongue to prevent the disgust I felt at turning our spot into a party from coming out. "I dunno. I'm gonna call my friends, so there's no reason you can't call yours. I was thinking some fishing in the stream, a fire when it gets dark. The usual," I replied when I had gotten over my temporary aversion to the thought of a ton of people doing nothing but drinking when I simply wanted to spend the day in the sun. I hoped it didn't show because I really didn't want to be bitter with anyone outside of my dad.

"Early mornings are clearly you're best time for thinking," Zack stated on the other end of the line, chuckling again.

"Only during the summer, unfortunately," I replied, cracking a smile. "So I'll see you soon?" I wondered, even though he had pretty much already confirmed he was coming.

"Yeah. Maybe not for a couple hours. I'll call the guys, and I'll be there," he promised excitedly.

"Sweet. See you then, my dear cousin," I said in way of a goodbye. He bid me goodbye as well before we both hung up. I tucked my phone away into the back pocket of my shorts and paced over to my closet, picking a shirt at random when I reached its open doors. I quickly made the exchange, and thumbed through everything hanging before me to find a jacket just in case the day turned cold. After a moment of digging in the bottom of the closet, I found my book bag and I stuffed the jacket into it. I gathered the other things I had collected into it as well before deciding that, with the addition of snacks, I'd be set for the day.

The whole house was bright with the shining sun, I found when I opened my door and bounded down the stairs. Not one window was spared from the light, it seemed. Book bag slung over my shoulder, I headed into the kitchen to raid the pantry for Pop-Tarts and granola bars. I found my sister blocking the entrance though as she leaned up on her tiptoes to grab something off a high shelf. I waited patiently for her to reach it, not making a sound in hopes that she would get it soon. When that didn't work, I finally stepped forward. "Do you need some help?" I questioned while leaning into the doorway.

Startled, she jumped and I was sure it was high enough to reach whatever she had been trying to get. "Good God, don't do that!" Lilah exclaimed, hand on her heart and looking appalled. She stepped back though, leaning against the shelves in the back so that I could take her place. "The Fruit Roll-Ups," she informed me, pointing to the box before I extended my hand.

I wasn't too much taller than her but I snatched the box easily from the shelf. "What are you doing today?" I asked her, pointing the opening of the box toward her so she could take one of the rolls from inside. Once she had, I looked inside and took a few for myself. I slipped the bag from my shoulder and then put what I'd grabbed into one of the pockets. I set the backpack on an empty shelf on the same level with my elbow, looking to her for her answer.

"Katie and her mom are picking me up so we can go to our summer school class. And then… I dunno? Her house? The mall?" She shrugged, obviously not too perturbed with what she was going to do once her class was over, as long as it was over fast. She was supposed to have been in ninth grade during the school year that just passed. But after the death of our sister, she had just stopped going during her eighth grade year which led to her being held back. She had gotten back on track though and was nearly a straight A student again. Our mom had fought like hell when she had transferred us to get her into the grade she belonged. And so, as long as she passed a few essential classes via both summer school sessions, Lilah would be going to the high school with me as a sophomore in August.

"Well, Zack and I decided to go to the treehouse today," I told her, making it sound like it had been a joint plan. It was playing on the same tactic I had used the other night, only this time Zack would actually be showing up. "I think the band's coming along. So if you and Katie find time in those solid plans of yours, you're more than welcome to come along," I shrugged, hoping she would take it as nonchalant. I was still on my mission to make sure she wasn't moping around, and I would invite her to all gatherings I went to until I was satisfied.

She shrugged right back. "Maybe. We haven't been there in a while," she pointed out like it was important in making her decision. I could tell she had already made her mind up though, and that I would see her out there sometime today.

"It's time that we revisit it then, wouldn't you say?" I insisted, eyebrows raised and my head nodding. She snorted, shaking her head at me before making her way passed me and out of the pantry. "I'll see you later then," I sang, watching her go over my shoulder. Once her waving hand was out of sight, I turned back to the food and grabbed what I had planned on taking. I piled it in on top of the Fruit Roll-Ups. The supply was small and wouldn't be great if I really wanted to spend the whole day sitting in the woods. But I could always count on one of my friends to drive us back into town for real food.

I exited the pantry and turned right into the doorway to the garage after a couple steps. I pulled my phone out as I shut the door behind me and navigated to Nic's number to call her. All I had to do was mention the treehouse and she was automatically in to go, no groveling about not having been there in forever included. She agreed to call the other two to propose the day's plan, and then force them there no matter what their answers were. I chuckled happily and told her to go for it before we both said goodbye. The side door was unlocked and I opened it first, placing my phone back in my pocket with my other hand. After taking a moment to bask in the warm air of the morning, I turned back around to get my bike. I pushed the kickstand up with my toe and rolled the bike out the door easily, kicking the door shut behind me. Once I was in the driveway, I paused, holding onto one handle and then finally slipping my free arm into the other strap of my book bag. Then, just like I did every day, I swung my leg over the bike, sat on the seat, and automatically began pedaling.

I turned right when I came out onto the road and continued on without hinderance. I passed the kids on their own bikes, turning around at the stop sign that marked the end of the line for them, all three of them clearly happy that they were out at all. I felt the same, to be honest. The weather was perfect and the sun was shining bright as it climbed higher in the sky. It was impossible to remove the smile from my face as I headed to my destination, impossible not to forget about the negative thoughts that constantly plagued me about my family as of late.

I paused at another stop sign a few streets and several turns away from my house. I straightened and planted both feet on the blacktop on either side of my bike, maneuvering my book bag so that it was pressed against my stomach. I obviously hadn't stopped to eat breakfast before running out the door and I figured I could eat something as I rode. I picked one of the granola bars and swung the bag back into place before I opened the wrapper. I took a bite, looking around at the neighborhood I was now in and thinking how it was going to take a little longer to get to my destination than it normally would thanks to the move. As I sat there and ate and mapped out the rest of my ride, a car pulled up beside me. I didn't think anything of it since it was a stop sign in front of me. But they sat there for much longer than necessary since there was no other traffic, and it simply became a game to me of who could outlast the other and who would leave first.

When I heard the whir of an electric window, I finally looked over. "Oh my God, you really need to stop doing this!" I yelled at Alex, and threw my half eaten granola bar at him through the open passenger side window. It was only after he picked it up off his lap with a laugh and took a bite of it himself that I regretted whipping it away. I was still hungry. "What the hell are you doing, anyway?" I asked, shuffling my feet even though I still sat on the bike's seat. I crossed my arms just to appear a bit more intimidating.

"Heading home. I stayed at Rian's last night," he told me, wiping crumbs from the front of his shirt. As he placed the hand that wasn't holding the granola bar back on the steering wheel, he looked back over to me. "What are you doing?" he questioned back, appearing interested at what I may be doing out on my bike at nearly eleven in the morning.

"Living," I smirked, thinking back to the conversation we had had outside of my mom's salon. I quickly realized though that he should know where I was going. "Did Zack not call you?" I countered then, dropping my arms. He shook his head in response, his eyebrows pulling together in confusion as to how this was relevant. "Sometimes, he's so incompetent," I mumbled to myself. To Alex, I said," Well, he and I discussed going to this spot that we go to all the time. And he was supposed to call the rest of you guys to see if you wanted to come hang out. Since he has yet to: do you want to come?"

He nodded. "Sure, sounds like it could be fun," he replied with barely a second thought. He finished off my granola bar and crumpled the wrapper before stuffing it into the cup holder between the seats.

I stared at it with narrowed eyes for a moment before focusing back on him. I would just have to get another one when I finally got to the treehouse. "All right. I guess I'll see you there later then," I smiled, and lifted my foot to place it on a pedal. I was all set to head off, slightly bent over the handlebars, when he spoke again.

"Wait, wait. I thought you meant right now," he responded quickly, looking perplexed again. "Why not right now? A car is still faster than a bike," he pointed out as if I could forget something that was common knowledge.

I rolled my eyes but made sure my head was down so he couldn't see. "I just figured you had better things to do until Zack actually called you," I shrugged. Still hunched over, I gripped both handles tight in my hands as if I was ready to take off. I put my foot back on the ground again though since there was going to be more of a conversation here.

He snorted, rolling his head back like what I said was ridiculous. "If you're talking about Lisa, she is away for the summer," he enlightened me like it made a difference in something. "So no, I don't have anything to do. And God knows if Zack is actually gonna call to let me know when I should come. Hop in. Throw your bike in the back," he insisted, and then looked forward to wait for me to do as he said.

I spent a second just staring at him, trying to figure out what exactly was going through his head. But I determined that I didn't want to know and also that I wasn't going to argue that he shouldn't go with me now instead of later. "Well, are you gonna get out and help me? This thing isn't exactly lightweight," I told him as I got off my bike. As I turned it around and wheeled it to the back, I caught him look up in surprise and then suddenly catch up with what was going on. I heard his door open when I was already behind the car and he met me there a second later.

He pulled the handle on the door on the back, letting it lift open. He took hold of the handlebar then, leaving me with the seat to grip onto, and we heaved it into the back of the vehicle. Satisfied, he nodded once and threw me a smile while he closed the door again. I shook my head at him but mostly just to hide my chuckling, and turned around to head for the passenger seat. He apparently followed suit because we got in at the same time.

"I wasn't talking about Lisa, by the way," I informed him as I slipped my backpack off and dropped it to the floor. He glanced over at me curiously as he put the car back into drive and finally moved away from the stop sign, silently telling me to elaborate. "I meant the life you probably have outside of her. Maybe you wanted to go home and see your parents or play video games or some shit. I don't know," I explained a little uncertainly with a shrug. I still wasn't sure why he thought that my mind would automatically go to his girlfriend. Was it just because I mentioned her that first time he had offered to drive me home?

"Well, today, my only plans are to hang out with you and our friends at this mystery spot," he declared, making it sound as convincing as he could. Maybe he was sincere, and I was just too skeptical to see it.

Either way, I shook it off and promptly relayed directions to the treehouse from where we were. As we drove, he -for some reason- tried to get me to admit that I had partied hard somewhere over the weekend. He refused to believe that I hadn't gone out when our junior year ending was the greatest event to celebrate in our lives thus far. He was downright appalled when I told him I didn't drink, and I asked him how else I could celebrate besides an epic movie night with my sister and best friends. Fortunately for me, this was just as we pulled up to the end of the dirt lane in the woods.

"This isn't the end of this discussion," he demanded while I scrambled to get out of the car. I laughed, hanging off the door to look back at him to see him getting out as well. "I just have to understand how you don't like even one drink every once in a while!" he exclaimed, coming around to the front of the car and then following me through the small clearing between trees. "So this is the place, huh?" he wondered, much more calm changing subjects as he stopped next to me.

I nodded, a large smile on my face. The treehouse didn't actually qualify as a treehouse since it wasn't in a tree at all. It was simply some kind of fort -probably used for hunting at one time since all four walls ended halfway up- that someone had built and left behind to decay and collapse on its own. During some summer years ago, when we were still kids, Murph, Gwen, Nic, and I had been out riding our bikes. We were old enough that our parents agreed that we could leave our neighborhoods without them as long as we didn't go too far. Of course we broke that rule, and we had ended up finding the lane that led us here. We had dubbed it the treehouse then, not having another word for it at the time, and had continued to come here whenever the feeling struck us. It was our favorite place for the summer.

"What exactly do we do here?" he asked, clearly watching me as I continued forward. I was sure he was a little too confused by the simplicity to want to come along just yet.

"That's the beauty of it," I answered, stepping onto the first rung of the short ladder that led to the inside of the fort. "We can do whatever we want here because it's out in the middle of nowhere and the normality of what we do at home. Do anything you want," I urged.