The Unforgettable Summer

C - Mercedes Mason

I woke up to sunlight streaming through Sam's window.

I looked up at her and saw her leaning on the windowsill staring at the sky. A part of me wanted to go next to her and hug her from behind to watch the sky with her. I don't know why I wanted to, but instead I stayed in bed, pretending to be asleep.

"Cara?" Sam said after a while. I pretended as if i had just woken up, and opened my eyes.

"Morning" I said, smiling.

"Did you hear that?" she asked, her face full of panic.

I sat up. "Hear what?" I asked, and then I heard it, a loud crash. "That?" I asked.

She nodded. I hated the fear on her face. "Can we go look?" she asked.

"Sure, lets go" I smiled, in an attempt to reassure her. We made our way out of the room, and I noticed her hands were shaking. It took everything in me not to hold her hand in reassurance.

When we reached the kitchen, all the lower cupboards were open, and there was mud on the floor. I was starting to get worried now. What if there was a burglar? How could two 16 year olds fight off a burglar!

Sam opened the living room door, and we saw the culprit. Lola was running around in circles, and Sophia was sat on the sofa clapping at her. Skye was attempting to put a broken plate together with mud, looking very antagonised.

"Sophia! Skye! what happened?" Sam said, annoyed now instead of scared. I was embarrassed that I had been worried.

"We came down to let Lola out and we couldn't find a frisbee to play with her so we threw a plate but it broke, so Skye's fixing it! We have it all under control!"Sophia justified herself. Skye held up the muddy plate proudly.

"Girls! go wash the mud off yourselves, and leave the plate on the table" Sam sighed. The girls took this as an escape and ran off.

"Where's your mum and Lou?" I asked.

"Mum works most mornings, and Lou doesn't live here. I can't believe I got all worked up for nothing. Can you let Lola out while I get rid of the mud?" Sam said, distracted trying to wipe the mud off the plate.

"sure" I smiled, and called Lola. I brought her to the door and let her out into the garden. I watched her run out into the garden and attack one of her toys. I got distracted by her, and by the time I got back into the kitchen, Sam had cleaned up.

"When mums back, do you want to get out of the house? this place drives me mad" she sighed, leaning against the counter.

"sure, tonight's Mercedes Mason's party, do you wanna go?" I suggested.

Mercedes Mason was a college girl I knew. She was insanely rich, insanely pretentious, but also threw insane parties. I was nervous to go on my own, so I hoped Sam might come.

"Mercedes Mason? Is that her real name?" Sam laughed.

"Yes! She's really fun, please come, it'll be so great" I tried to convince her.

"Fine, fine, I'll go. but if everyone at that party has stupid names, I can't promise I won't laugh at them" Sam joked.

"Her boyfriends called Bentley" I laughed.

"No way! Mercedes and Bentley! Will they name their kid Toyota?" Sam joked, holding back laughter. I started laughing, and she did too.