shattered bonds

Chapter 1

"summer":

Summer unfolded with all its intensity, like a canvas saturated with heat and light. In my city, the sun beat down on us, causing every pore of our skin to become a spring of sweat. There wasn't even a gentle breeze to caress the trees, whose green leaves remained motionless, as if harboring secrets that only the wind could whisper. My eyes wandered as I looked up, the sky seemed immense and contrasted with the brilliant glow of the sun.

The previous year had ended in a sublime way, like a symphony culminating in a perfect note. Memories of the previous summer still lingered in my mind. Back then, the start of middle school filled me with nerves and expectations; it felt strange to enter a new stage. However, I managed to adapt easily and found a large circle of friends, although I already knew some of them from before. When classes ended, I remained disconnected from most of them. Some interactions on Instagram, but nothing more than that. Although we saw each other a few times in November, right when summer began.

I had a busy summer, traveled to Brazil with my family, and celebrated my thirteenth birthday there, marking my entrance into adolescence.
The downside of having a summer birthday was that I couldn't celebrate it with my friends, except for the messages they sent me wishing me a happy birthday. However, the intense summer physically distanced us a bit. Although I wasn't alone during the vacation, the absence of their presence was noticeable. Nevertheless, the idea of having finished the year without fights or conflicts comforted me, preserving a harmonious feeling in my memories.

From my perspective, summer is a season of unparalleled intensity, where emotions and experiences are woven like warm sun rays caressing the skin. It was a time of freedom and discovery, where each day presented itself as a typewriter ,waiting to be colored with beautiful moments. The breeze from the clean beaches of Brazil caressed my cheeks, carrying away the weight of the past year and giving me a sense of hope. After going through so many horrible things, middle school had solved my problems, acting as a daily distraction that made me forget about past summers. Although I am a nostalgic person who tends to remember bad moments as good ones.

Thus, as the hours slipped through my fingers like grains of sand, I immersed myself in the enchantments of summer. The endless days became accomplices to my greatest dreams and desires; I felt the need to find my best version. And even though physical distance momentarily separated me from my friends and being sociable, I trusted that after summer, our bonds would grow stronger, like an invisible tie.

My vacation in Brazil wouldn't last forever, so after two weeks, I returned home. By the time I came back, it was already late January, and the scorching heat had subsided, giving way to a gentle breeze. I longed to meet all my friends since the start of the new school year was approaching, and I wanted to make the most of the last days of summer. On a sweltering Sunday, I received a message from Maggie. She is one of my closest friends at school, although we had a long dispute last year, we have a special connection from before high school, so I hold her dear. Although we don't share the same classroom, we coincided in P.E class. Maggie invited me and Stephanie to her house that afternoon, since we hadn't seen each other in a long time. I decided to accept the invitation since I had no other plans, and I missed them a lot. They are really fun, and we always enjoy spending time together. Even though the three of us didn't share the same class, our friendship blossomed during recess.

- Until what time is the get-together going to be?
- I don't know, I suppose until 5 or 7 PM. I'll let you know by message if anything changes," I replied to my dad as we headed to Maggie's house. My dad is like my chauffeur, always driving me everywhere (and I'm very grateful for that).

I reminisce with a smile about that day when, a little late, I barged into Maggie's room, where Lana Del Rey's "West Coast" was softly playing on the turntable adorning her cozy corner. That song, so immersive and nostalgic, had woven an invisible thread between us. I remember showing Lana's music to her, and she became a fan thanks to me. We delighted in her music selection, sharing laughs and confessions as the notes floated in the air, imbuing the space with an intimate and magical atmosphere.