You're Gonna Hate Me for This

When Josh awoke the next morning he half expected Sarah to still be lying next to him. It wasn’t until he realized what day it was that he practically jumped out of bed. He was pulling on his jeans while running to the garage. If only he could make it in time.

~

Sarah was nearly finished packing when Matt walked into her room. “Looking forward to camp?” he asked, his tall frame leaning against her doorway.

“I know I’ll enjoy myself once I’m there, but it’s always so hard to leave,” she sighed as she zippered her large duffel bag and sat down on the neatly made bed.

“You forgot something.” Matt stepped away from the door to lean past his sister. Her face turned bright red as he reached under her pillow to retrieve the blue stuffed rabbit Sarah had owned for as long as she could remember.

Sarah rolled her eyes but didn’t verbally protest.

“Something to remind you of home," he chuckled, placing the toy in her bag and zipping it back up. He started to leave but turned back to the younger girl.

“I have something for you.” His eyes lit up as he headed downstairs to his own bedroom. Sarah knew she had to get going, but followed her brother anyway.

When she reached Matt’s cave-like room, he was sorting through a large box that she had seen arrive in the post the other day. “Got it!” he exclaimed, pulling a white t-shirt out of the box. He handed it to his sister nervously.

“Oh, Lord. What is this now?” Sarah unfolded the shirt to see the words “you me at six” in black across the front of it in a rather rough graffiti manner.

“You’re the first person to get one,” Matt looked at the ground.

Sarah threw her arms around her brother and planted a sloppy wet kiss on his cheek. He looked up at her with the most confused expression on his face. “I love it!” she exclaimed, “I’ll wear it to bed every night.”

Matt opened his mouth to tell her how happy he was that she approved of his band’s first piece of merchandise when their mother called for her from the top of the stairs, “Sarah Olivia, we need to leave right now!”

“Coming, Mum!” she hollered back before giving her brother one more hug and running up to grab her things.

“What took you so long? You’re going to miss your train if we don’t hurry!” Liz looked at her daughter sternly.

“My bag’s all packed, Ma. Matt just wanted to give me a going away present, that’s all.”

Liz shook her head and motioned for the sixteen year old to head for the car. Sarah gave her little sister, Lauren, a big hug before rushing out to the car. She was excited for a chance to get out of Weybridge, even if it was only temporary.

~

Josh was out of breath but still running when he reached the Barnes’ house. Matt met him at the front door.

“Where is she?” Josh barely yelled as he came up the driveway and over the front lawn.

“They just left. What on Earth are you doing here?” Matt raised an eyebrow at his out of shape friend.

“I *pant* never *puff* got to *wheeze* say...” Josh landed on the fresh cut grass before he had a chance to finish his sentence.

“You boob! How could you not say goodbye to her? I know for a fact that she was round at yours until a few hours ago,” Matt shook his head and helped Josh off the lawn.

“I didn’t want to say it last night. When I woke up this morning she had already left!”

Matt just shook his head some more, “Did you at least tell her?”

Josh nodded as he followed Matt inside the house. “Well?” Matt handed him a glass of water, “what did she say?”

He chugged the whole glass before answering the dark-haired boy. Matt just looked at him expectantly. “She told me that she cared about me and that she could tell this was coming. Then she said the worst thing possible,” Josh sighed, not wanting to finish the story.

“What did she say mate? I’m dying to know,” Matt drummed his fingers on the counter impatiently.

“That things would be different if she wasn’t going away all summer. She doesn’t want to be tied down to me back home when there are other blokes she could be frolicking through the woodland forest with.”

“Your words or hers?” Matt shot him a look.

“I may have embellished that last part a bit, but it was what she intended to say!” Josh huffed in frustration.

Matt grabbed his keys without hesitation. “Come on, mate!” he yelled to Josh, already halfway out the door.

“Where are we going?” Josh questioned but followed him regardless.

“As much as it pains me to say this, to prove to her that she won’t find anyone better than you at Oak Point.” Matt said pointedly before starting his beat up old car.

Josh grinned and got in the passenger seat, praying that they made it to the train station in time.