THOSE SUMMER NIGHTS

[46]

[46]

- EDEN -

-

I HAD NO actual reason to be pissed off at Mom and Dad, but I was. I couldn't help the surge of anger that coursed through me when she called me early in the morning.

Lydia and I had resorted to texting over email. The one thing she had that Mom and Dad didn't monitor closely was her email address. At first, I was weirded out by her random message late at night. The first texts that rolled in from her were simple, trivial things.

They ranged from hi's with a preposterous amount of i's or hello's with a few dozen o's to dozens of links leading to YouTube videos she thought were funny.

Then, I received an email from her yesterday.

Lydia was more level-headed than a child her age could possibly be. She didn't jump to conclusions like most kids her age did, she didn't throw tantrums unless she was doing it to be annoying, and she never ever lied because, to her, there was nothing worse or more self-destructive.

Her email wasn't lengthy, but it wasn't short either. It started off normally.

Hi Eden,

Nova's mom invited me over to her house to hang out and Roman was there. He teased my space buns so I stomped on his foot and told him that his glasses made him look like a fish. He looked like he was going to cry AHAHAHA

Mom told me that I shouldn't have done that, but I don't care. Dad came over yesterday and he was really mad but I could tell he was sadder. He cried when he and Mom got into a fight again. Mom looked like she wanted to cry, but you know how she is. She doesn't ever cry. Sometimes I hate her for that.

They fought about you and Eric or Ethan or something. I don't know... Who the heck even is that? They also fought about us moving. They say they want what's best for me, but I want to stay here now. I don't care about the new school that much. I don't mind giving my spot to Kenzie if it means they'll stop screaming all the time.

Ms. La Russo asked me if I was alright at home when I was sitting out on the porch with my tablet. I told her that I didn't know.

When you come back next week, can you fix this? They don't fight this much when you're gone. Imagine what it will be like for me when you're in college???? Or living on your own???? You better never leave.

P.S. I took the bag of Airhead Extremes from your room.

P.P.S. Hamza told me that he likes me more than you, bozo.

I didn't expect to feel this nervous because of her email. We had three days left and then we were getting on a plane back home. I wanted the last three days to be stress-free and like I was hanging off the edge of cloud 9.

Not this feeling. I didn't want to be nervous.

Plus, that wasn't the only thing that was making me anxious. Atlas has been different since yesterday. He wanted to be alone from the rest of the group more often, choosing instead to pull me aside and just... hold me. When he used to spend his afternoons with Dawson, Jude, and Julia skateboarding by the street, he didn't anymore. When he used to sit in the living room and laugh with Jude as Julia, Leah, Dawson and I poorly danced, he just... didn't anymore.

Now, he'd pull me outside for walks and choose to listen to the waves outside with me in his arms. Sometimes, he'd be so quiet, I would think he'd fallen asleep; but every time I'd whisper his name, he'd hum in response. He'd spend his time in his room and last night slept with me between his arms. I lay awake the whole night watching his expressions shift as he slept.