One Summer

02 | Travel

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you guys?" said Mom wearing a business suit and twirling her hair setting it in place with a clamp.

I lift and place a heavy suitcase in the trunk and slam it shut, though Mom grimaces hearing that irritating sound.

Walking on the sidewalk and place my hand on Mom's shoulder. She still has a worried look earlier this morning and didn't want to shake it off.

"Look, Mom, I'll gonna be fine don't worry about it," I said in a reassuring tone in a way to calm her nerves or distract her for a little while.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Reynolds we will make sure nothing happens to Skylar isn't that right?" replied Ezra turning his head around to look at Justin and Mikayla sitting in the backseat of the car.

"Mmmh, I totally agree with you, she's in good hands" cheerfully announced Justin, while giving a satisfying thumbs up in moral support.

"Mmh" replied Mikayla while furiously typing a text message on her phone screen, with her head bent downward.

I cross my arm and look at my mom with a wide grin on my face. The hot sun is high in the sky with cotton-like fabric clouds floating in unusual shapes.

Without a second to waste, I slid on a pair of dark blue tinted sunglasses and walk over to the driver's seat and place the seatbelt across my body.

Turning the key in the ignition and the car's engine roaring to life. My eyes look at the reflection in the interior mirror, watching my mother's face at the window knocking with her knuckles.

Breathing out a sigh of frustration and roll down the window, pulling down my sunglasses and met my mother's gaze.

"You didn't say I love you, Skylar" In a flat tone Mom watching me carefully and not caring about the others in the car.

"Mom, you can't be serious" I replied feeling a bit of embarrassment flushing my cheeks.

"Skylar!" yelled Mom bending down to eye-level patiently waiting for my answer.

"Fine, I love you Mom!" raising my voice so that Mom can hear me and let me go from this everyday routine.

"Aww, that's so adorable," said Justin

Ezra gives a dark chuckle, twisting a silver ring on his middle finger and looking straight at the dashboard.

"Shut up, Ezra it's not funny," I said. "At all"

Gritting my teeth with all my strength and gripping the steering wheel.

Sliding back on the sunglasses, shifting the gear to drive, and heading out of my childhood neighborhood that's always has a special place in my heart.

Slowing inching towards the entrance of the highway, giving the other drivers the right of way.

"You're good on you're right, no one's coming this way," said Ezra looking both ways and giving me a slight nod.

I step on the gas a little and turn into the right lane and follow the slow-moving traffic ahead of us.

A car comes from another lane and cuts in front of me causing me to press on the brakes a little too hard, a sharp jerk making everyone's body go back and forth in a quick motion.

"God, I swear nobody knows how to fucking drive sometimes" I grumbled under my breath, gripping the steering wheel until my knuckles turn white.

"Hey, Mikayla who are you texting?" Ezra said. "Don't tell me it's the principal's daughter again."

"What?! No, and that happened last year it's none of your business anyway" Mikayla retorted her cheeks turning into a deep red shade, her smile returns as another notification lit up her phone screen.

Looking in the mirror, my lips twitch into a small smile watching Ezra tease Mikayla about whoever her "secret lover" could be.

The traffic gaining some traction and now cruising down the highway, windows down, and music volume up way too loud but I didn't care.

        

                   
AUTHOR'S NOTE ✍︎︎

First, I would like to thank every reader for taking a chance on this story. Please let me know if I should add or take away things that might not seem accurate or realistic.

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