FADE INTO YOU. TSIP

chapter one

Italics - Belly.

My family's been going to Susannah's beach house in Cousins every summer since I was a baby. Since before I was even born. All year long, I count the days until I'm in that house.

The dads come to visit, but it's not their place. They don't belong to it. Not the way we do. The mothers and us kids.

The summer house is made up of lots of things.

The beach. The swimming pool, late at night. Movie nights with the moms.

But the boys and Sam.

The boys and Sam most of all.

It's the same every summer. I've always loved that about it. For me, everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August.

Samara sat on her bed, smiling at the photo between her fingers. It was last summer, Sam and Belly decided to do each other's make up for the group photo. The moms made the boys promise that they wouldn't make fun of the two girls, but "promises were made to be broken" steven said. Samara sighed and placed the picture on the desk beside her bed. She couldn't wait to go back to cousins and escape her city life.

Her parents weren't poor. But they definitely didn't have enough money to have houses dotted all over America like Susannah did. Her mother and father really tried their best to give her a normal childhood and tried to hide the money problems. Samara was grateful for anything she got and never took anything for granted. Her mother, Carrie, loved working as a doctor, but Jesus she did not get paid enough to help old people clean their asses. And her father, David, is mainly a mechanic but sometimes he's a little bit of everything.

When she turned fourteen, she started working at a local deli to help out with the bills. So the summers in Cousins are definitely needed.

"We hit the road in ten, Sam!" Carrie yelled from her room at the end of the apartment. Samara smiled again and jumped off her bed, her bare feet hitting her carpet. Their apartment is small, but them. Loved, eccentric and cozy. Everything you would want in a home. New York wasn't Carrie's first choice to raise a child, but since it was close to family she couldn't refuse this apartment. She didn't regret it though, Samara has grown into a beautiful, mature woman because of this city.

Samara's not sure quite sure if that's a good thing.

Carrie popped her head around the corner of the door and pointed towards the new bra she left out on Samara's desk chair.

"Wear it," She said sternly, her eyes wide.

Samara grunted and picked it up with her index finger.

"I don't get why I need to wear a bra! Look at them," She said pointing to her non existent breasts, "There is nothing there. Absolutely nothing," She pouted and Carrie shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest.

"If you're anything like I was, they'll come this summer. The summer I turned sixteen, was the summer Carrie grew boobs,"

Samara grimaced and threw the bra at her mother.

"Just pack it. For me?" Carrie asked and Samara sighed.

"Fine. But I'm only packing one. I need room for my star wars figurines," Samara said and Carrie put her hands up.

"I have no idea how you're my child," Carrie whispered.

"I heard that!"

I love this drive, this moment. It's like coming home after you've been gone a long, long time.