Flipped

Chapter 26- Flashbacks

Song: Never Again- Bahamas
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Sam

Hot night, loud noises, crippling anxiety. Red, white, and blue lights; and a cold, clammy hand in mine. What does this remind me of?

*****

It's Fourth of July, 2009. Rose and I are just shy of seven years old.

Back in the day when our parents had friends, before our dad got promoted at work and became a total asshole to everyone, we used to go to these holiday parties hosted by one of Dad's buddies from work. They were always very extravagant- these people were fairly wealthy and would go ALL OUT on food and decorations- so of course, tons of people would come to these parties. Military people of all ranks would bring their spouses, and would force their kids to interact while they all ate barbecue and drank beer together.

So understandably, Rosie and I dreaded these gatherings.

On this particular year, I remember how I was already upset when we showed up to Mortons' house- or the Martins, or the Masons, whatever their last name was- because I had been spanked for fighting Dad when he tried to put me in this stupid red-white-and-blue dress, complete with ribbons in my hair to match.

"You're getting too old for this kind of behavior, Samantha!" I remember he had yelled at me.

Rosie, meanwhile, was dressed in simple jeans and a collared shirt. She didn't look too happy either, but that was also just the general state of her mood most of the time. I don't think it had as much to do with her clothes as it did with the name everyone called her.

She never did like the name George, even at this age.

At the party, our parents dumped us off in the little area that had already been designated for everyone to put their kids, as usual. This time, it was a long picnic table next to a small cooler that held a mix of sodas and Capri-Suns.

About five or six girls and a couple of boys already sat at the table by the time we got there.

"Ew," said one of the girls who recognized us from school, the moment we sat down. She then moved away to the far end of the table.

"What is it?" Another girl at the table asked.

"You don't want to sit by them. You'll get Twins' Disease!"

The rest of the children shrieked dramatically, also laughing as they moved away from us.

Ah yes, Twins' Disease. AKA, this year's made-up reason for everyone to avoid the Wyatt twins. In first grade it was that we both had 'the freak touch'. The following year, it would 'loser-itis'. Pretty soon, when we all got too old for games, it would be for no predetermined reason at all.

But then again, did they ever really need a reason?

"Why do they do this?" Rose asked me later in the evening, when we got in line to get food and a bunch of this kids screamed and ran away.

"Probably because they're dumb," I told her, confidently. It was the best I could come up with at the time, but at least it got a smile out of her.

Later that night, when it was almost time to watch the fireworks. I noticed Rose getting progressively more nervous. She kept fidgeting with the blanket we were lying on, and would shake her hands and legs restlessly. When she started to cry, and Mom and Dad were too wrapped up in their conversations to notice, I finally asked her what was wrong.