"Harp!" Isa yells in my ears, coming from behind and startling me. "Isa, you scared the life out of me" I say, catching my breath.
"Always dramatic" Isa chuckles, sitting next to me on the wall outside the school. "I talked to Trevor and some other guys from the soccer team" she says.
"About what?" I ask, disinterested, while I glance at the messages I received from my mother without replying.
"This weekend, they were thinking of going to the beach for the day," she says.
I look up from my phone. "And you want to go with them" I conclude, knowing her.
"They invited us" she corrects me, and I roll my eyes.
"Sure" I smile at her.
"I already have everything planned out! Saturday night, you can come to sleep over at my place, and on Sunday morning, Trevor and the others will pick us up from my house, so your father won't say anything because he'll think you're spending the day with me," she says happily, swinging her legs like a child.
"And you'll be home in time for dinner, so you won't have any problems with your father." she adds.
"Isa... I don't want to cause any problems at home so early in the year" I say, undecided.
"Come on, Harp! I swear you'll be home for dinner, and you won't have any problems" She clasps her hands together as if praying and blinks her eyes to give me a sweet look.
"Okay" I agree.
"Trev! We're joining you on Sunday!" she turns and yells, raising her arm to make herself seen. I turn to look, and Trevor and some guys from the soccer team are coming out of the school.
"Perfect, I'll pick you up on Sunday then," he says as he passes by, and I look at Oliver, who nods his head in greeting, and I do the same before turning back to Trevor.
"We missed you this summer. Will you join us?" he asks me.
"I have to be ho-"
"Home for dinner, yes, I know" the boy says, smiling at me. "Don't worry, we haven't gone out together in a few months, but I remember perfectly."
Trevor and the other guys are a bit restless, but they are generally good guys. Isa and I often hang out with them since Oliver became part of the group. Then Julia caused some trouble last year, and I distanced myself this summer.
Isa and I stay outside the school chatting and passing the time until she has to go to work at the bar, and I take a walk before heading to the library and then home.
"Dad, I'm staying over at Isa's this Saturday and spending Sunday with her" I tell my dad as I help him prepare dinner.
"Okay" he says, and I smile at him.
I'm not leaving out any information because he wouldn't let me go. He would probably be a bit reluctant, but he would let me go; however, he would keep a close eye on me.
I spent the last two months trying to rebuild a good relationship with my father. I don't like lying to him right now, but I need to go out and be with my friends without worries.
"Can you call your brother? He's been holed up in his room again. I'd like to cook dinner with him too," he interrupts my thoughts. I wipe my hands on a towel and go knock on my brother's door.
"Benji, Dad wants you to cook with us," I say, but I don't hear a response.
"Benji?" I try again, but still no answer, so I open the door.
"Ben?" I enter and find him lying on the bed with his back turned towards me. I approach to wake him up, touch his arm, and gently shake him.
"Ben, Dad wants you in the kitchen with us," I tell him.
YOU ARE READING
Beneath the Shadows
RomanceHarper embarks on her final year of high school, hoping for a fresh start, but things aren't as she would have wished. The past year has been incredibly challenging for her. She had a falling out with her childhood crush and best friend. One of her...
