Tate
seven.
I wake up in Aiden’s bed. Her back is towards me and I can hear her breathing hard. I get up and head to the bathroom. I look at my reflection in the mirror. The mascara Aiden put on me last night has made it’s way from my eyes to my cheeks. I grab a wash cloth from the cupboard and run it under warm water. I scrub at my face until the black is gone, leaving my skin raw and red. I stare at my reflection. Should I go with them? I would never do something that, that, dumb? Crazy? Spontaneous? I can’t believe I am even contemplating going. I would never be that stupid… But maybe that’s why I should do it? Because it’s not who I am at all…
I walk back into Aiden’s room. She’s facing me, propped up on her elbow.
“We should go.” She says.
“Where are we even going?” I ask.
“I don’t know.” She says. “Let’s just go with them.”
“Go with them where?”
“I don’t know, Tate. Wherever they go we go.”
I sit on the edge of the bed and hug my knees to my chest. “I don’t know Aiden, is it really a good idea?”
“Come on.” She says and sits up. She begins stroking my hair. “It will be an adventure.”
I sigh and stare at the ground. “I’m not very adventurous.” I say.
“You could be.” She suggests.
“Why do you want to go so badly?”
“It’s better than staying in the sad town all summer vacation long.” She lies on her back. “It’s our last year before we’re seniors. We have to make this summer memorable!”
I roll my eyes. I thought the summer before college was the one that really mattered, but what do I know?
“I kind of like Johnny.” She says and bites her lip.
“Really?”
“Yeah. We hooked up last night.” She says with a huge grin.
“Like, hooked up, hooked up? I ask astonished.
“Yeah.”
“You’re going to travel states away for a boy you hooked up with once, who you’ll probably be bored of in a week?”
“Wow, you don’t have to be such a bitch.” She sits up and glares at me.
“Sorry.” I mumble.
“Even if we don’t work out, it’s worth a try. And at least I’ll be doing something fun. You’re just going to sit inside all summer sulking and feeling bad for yourself.”
“Thanks Aid. I really needed that.”
“Whatever.” She rolls her eyes and walks into the bathroom. I pick up my things and leave.
I walk back into Aiden’s room. She’s facing me, propped up on her elbow.
“We should go.” She says.
“Where are we even going?” I ask.
“I don’t know.” She says. “Let’s just go with them.”
“Go with them where?”
“I don’t know, Tate. Wherever they go we go.”
I sit on the edge of the bed and hug my knees to my chest. “I don’t know Aiden, is it really a good idea?”
“Come on.” She says and sits up. She begins stroking my hair. “It will be an adventure.”
I sigh and stare at the ground. “I’m not very adventurous.” I say.
“You could be.” She suggests.
“Why do you want to go so badly?”
“It’s better than staying in the sad town all summer vacation long.” She lies on her back. “It’s our last year before we’re seniors. We have to make this summer memorable!”
I roll my eyes. I thought the summer before college was the one that really mattered, but what do I know?
“I kind of like Johnny.” She says and bites her lip.
“Really?”
“Yeah. We hooked up last night.” She says with a huge grin.
“Like, hooked up, hooked up? I ask astonished.
“Yeah.”
“You’re going to travel states away for a boy you hooked up with once, who you’ll probably be bored of in a week?”
“Wow, you don’t have to be such a bitch.” She sits up and glares at me.
“Sorry.” I mumble.
“Even if we don’t work out, it’s worth a try. And at least I’ll be doing something fun. You’re just going to sit inside all summer sulking and feeling bad for yourself.”
“Thanks Aid. I really needed that.”
“Whatever.” She rolls her eyes and walks into the bathroom. I pick up my things and leave.