The Fallen Reader

Summer Break

Emma
Age 20

"You going home for summer break?" Lia asks from her seat on the floor.

"Yup." I nod my head as I fold my clothes. I haven't seen my family since last year Christmas, and now that I've had this internship plus classes, my schedule has been full to its brim.

Lia sits crossed legs on the floor in front of my open suit case and frowns at it like it's the reason I decided to go home this summer break. "Well, what about the internship?" She asks.

"I already asked in advance if I could take leave." I was doing an internship course at a local designer company. The workload was intense at times, but I loved every bit of it. My boss, bless their heart, actually begged me to take a break from all the work I've been doing. So I took the opportunity to take a trip back home.

My dorm-mate/best friend and complete opposite rolls her brown eyes and sulks, "But what about Jack?" She asks, suddenly sitting up.

"He's going home too. I think he said something about his cousins wedding." Jackson Hilton was my boyfriend of 2 years, and honestly, the greenest flag to ever exist. Which made me tilt my head in confusion at how Lia asked that question.

"I don't trust the guy."

I roll my eyes at her answer, "Give it a rest already." If trust issues were a person, it'd be Lia Mitchell. For a better lack of judgment, she strongly dislikes Jack for no apparent reason other than "he gives off crappy vibes." Her words. But thankfully, she's kept her nasty little comments about him to herself whenever he was near.

"I just thought you two were going to spend summer break together." Lia shrugs as she plays with the zipper of my navy blue suitcase.

I smile as I thought about the last summer I spent with Jack, even with my busy schedule we always made time to spend together, even if it was just to end up taking a nap together after movie nights.

"Lia, you know you can always come with me if you -" I couldn't even finish my sentence when she jumped up and rushed to her side of the room.

"I'll start packing!"

....

It's a three hour drive and only one of us could drive. Me. I was the only one to drive for three whole fucking hours since Lia was dubbed by every driving school instructor, 'a menses to society'.

No way in hell was I going to let her behind any type of wheel.

Speaking of the little menis, she yawns, waking up from her nap, "damn, we're still driving?" She asked with another yawn.

I shook my head, "we'll be there soon."

I just hoped that someone would at least be at home. I haven't told anyone that I'll be home for summer break because I wanted to surprise them. A few moments later, I'm parked in front of my childhood home.

Lia rubs her hands together in mischief, "Let's go give them heart attacks." She gets out of the car and opens the back seat door to take out our luggage. I rub my hand over my forehead at my blunt best friend. I just prayed she behaviored. But I knew without a doubt my parents would love her as if she were their own.