Let's Be Birds (OLD VERSION)

☀33☀

The next day is spent lounging by lake, catching mosquito bites. I think I'm truly at peace, watching the calm water. That is until all my cousins arrive.

I am the youngest grandchild on each side of my family, which was never fun at family events like this. Most of my cousins make fun of me mercilessly but I've developed thick skin because of it. I think. Of course, Tanner gets along with all of them fine and I have to go around introducing Chloe to everyone, constantly ignoring the 'is she your girlfriend?' question in favour for my sanity.

My mom gets me to play my guitar during the evening and we sit around the campfire, roasting marshmallows and making smores. Tanner's hanging out with one of our cousins his own age and I'm feeling pretty lonely. So after my little show, I FaceTime Hannah.

She picks up and all I hear is sneezing and scattered mewing. The connection's terrible.

"Nate! Clementine hates me!" She shrieks. "What have you done to my baby?"

Her pixelated face shows up in the camera and despite the terrible quality, I smile. "She's been enjoying life at the Harris household for too long."

"You conditioned her to hate my house?! My sister's dying and now my cat hates me!"

"When did I say that?"

"Wow, Nate. I can't believe you."

I stare at her and hear her laugh a moment later. I also laugh, knowing she was joking all along. The two of us really have a horrible sense of humour but at least it's ours.

"How's things with you know who?"

"Voldemort?"

"If Mouldy Voldy was ginger and almost nineteen then sure!"

I roll my eyes. "It's cool. She's hanging out with Tanner and –"

Someone calls my name. Surprised, I turn around just to see Chloe and my older cousin Calista walking towards me. They're holding bottles of beer and smiling like they've recently become best friends. I don't think I'd doubt it if they had.

"Hannah, I've gotta go."

I hear more sneezing and someone yelling for her to keep the cat away. "Yeah I do too! Text me later ugly!"

"Did you just-"

"Bye Halfie!"

Hannah hangs up and I turn to face my cousin and Chloe, wondering what they want. "Hey guys, what's up?"

Calista hands me an opened beer bottle and grins. "Grandpa Estevan wants to hear stories about your summer! He sent us to look for you."

Chloe loops her arm through mine. "He told me I was like the Greek goddess Apate! Isn't that cute?"

I don't have the heart to tell her that Apate was the goddess of deceit and trickery. "Sure. Where is he?"

They lead me to where my Grandpa is sitting, smoking on Turkish cigarettes. I look up to my Grandpa a lot, mostly because he has some badass stories from when he was my age and younger. Every time we're together, I always sit with him and talk about the past, the future and everything in between. It's also no secret in my family that I am his favourite grandchild and he never hides how glad he is to see me: I think it's because I'm the only one who takes much of an interest in him.

He asks me questions about my summer and I get on a roll, telling him about Clementine, Hannah and everything that happened to us. I only realise I've been talking for way too long when he starts his fourth cigarette.