Swallowed in the Sea

To Be Human

"We're going to be late!" I called out, "You guys were the ones rushing me earlier and yet I'm somehow the first one ready."

I didn't get a reply but Arizona did come hurrying into the living room, rummaging through her purse in search of something.

"Summer have you seen-"

"They're on the counter," I pulled out my phone to check the time but when I was met with silence, I looked up, "Your keys right?"

Arizona wore a very amused expression, "You're really on top of the ball today aren't you?"

I shook my head but couldn't help it as I cracked a grin, "You ask me nearly every morning where your keys are and every morning they're on the counter."

"I'll try to remember that," Arizona tapped her head but I knew that chances were, tomorrow morning I'd still be asked that question.

Just as Arizona was putting her keys in her bag, Callie came rushing out from the hallway.

"Alright, I'm here!" She said, "We can go."

"About time," I teased and went to open the door when Callie's voice stopped me.

"Wait, Summer!"

I turned around and pursed my lips while I looked at Callie who looked slightly frenzied.

"Do-"

I sighed and turned back to the door, this time opening it, "Yes I have my lunch! You watched me make it this morning!"

"Right," Callie snapped her fingers, "Okay, we can go now!"

Finally.

~~~

"Can you believe it's already May?" Ila asked as we sat together at our usual table during lunch.

I cracked my hard-boiled egg against the bottom of the Tupperware, "Well, it's here so I guess so."

Ila rolled her eyes, "But I mean just think, school is going to be over so soon! Summer is so close!"

"You're sitting right across from her," I deadpanned and took a bite out of the egg.

"Why are we even friends," Ila shook her head but her tone clearly indicated that there wasn't an ounce of seriousness, "As I was saying...summer is coming up, do you have any plans?"

I raised an eyebrow, "It's May...spring isn't even over yet."

"Well there is such thing as planning," Ila retorted, making me laugh.

"Then in that case, no, I have no plans," I said.

Ila hummed, "I would love to go someplace hot...like Hawaii or something."

"Is it not warm enough in Seattle during the summer for you?" I finished off my egg and gave Ila a pointed look.

"Well I wasn't really talking about the warmth," Ila jabbed her fork at me, "I just meant that it would be fun to go somewhere like Hawaii...not necessarily because it's hot there."

Though I still didn't understand what Ila meant when she was talking about Hawaii, I nodded along. If she wanted to go to Ila, who was I to tell her no?

"Do you think you'll go to LA over the summer?" Ila asked, "You know, visit your mom and aunt maybe?"

My stomach clenched and I had to calm myself before I spoke. It wasn't Ila's fault that she brought up this topic. I hadn't told her that I decided to cut ties with my mother, she didn't know.