One Summer, One Goal

o n e

"I'm telling you Madison, cookies n cream is the best flavor!" I argued with my fickle minded friend who still couldn't choose an ice cream flavor.

Madison stuck her hand in front of my face,"Shush! Give me more time!" She scolded me with her eyes stuck on the menu board.

We were in our favorite ice cream parlor. Almost everyday, we stop here to chill and relax ever since middle school.

The impatient and short tempered teenage girl behind the counter rolled her eyes at us.

Two men behind us, eager to lay their hands on an ice cream sundae groaned in aggravation and boredom at Madison's poor decision makings skills.

"Maddy, just choose!" I told my best friend as I felt myself getting flustered,"You can just buy another one if you don't like the flavor!"

She gave me a dirty look before saying,"It's too bad I'm paying so I have to make sure I get a delicious flavor!"

We've been standing in this line for almost 15 minutes. I swear I could travel around the world and come back and that's when Maddy just finished buying an ice cream.

I massaged my temples while sighing, "Two cups of cookies n cream ice cream please,"I said, finally placing an order for the both of us.

As I fished out $3.00 from Madison's purse, she complained,"You haven't made me decide yet!"

I exchanged the money for the two cups of ice cream then Madison and I headed to our usual booth in the far back corner of the parlor.

Madison stared at her ice cream then looked at my direction,"Audrey, if I regret this, you'll pay me back."

"You won't,"I smirked, sitting down then began shoveling the sweet delicacy into my mouth.

I watched in content as Madison ate the dessert in contempt then her silver blue eyes lighting up. Within a blink, she was finishing up the ice cream as if she was dying of starvation.

With a mouthful of ice cream, she moaned in delight, "Oh my gosh! So good!"

Grinning, I proclaimed proudly, "My instinct and senses never failed to amaze me."

Then silence enveloped our surroundings...

Until I piped up,"It's hard to believe that highschool is officially over. No more homework, no more drama, no more hell! It feels like I've been released from the chains binding me all this time."

"Everything will be an uphill slope from here,"Maddy smiled until she caught my despaired eyes,"Oh right. Even though it's summer, it's no doubt you will be trapped in a prison cell."

Instead of finishing up my bowl of half melted ice cream, I just pushed it around and around,"It's just unfair, you know? I don't want the life that I have now! I wanna be a normal teen just like you guys."

Madison tied up her blonde hair with a scrunchie then rested her head against her palms,"That's the life of being the daughter of wealthy buisnessmen!"

"It's terrible..." I groaned,"Think about it: my parents and I aren't close, my brother is on the other side of the world, there are a lot of rich matters to attend to, my family doesn't make time for me, and I feel like a prisoner in my own home!"

Maddy sighed then took my hands in hers while saying in a soft tone, "Everything will turn out okay in the end, Audrey! Besides, you have me and Erika!"

Erika is our gay best friend. She came out of the closet a few years ago and her parents didn't accept Eric to Erika and she was banished. Now, she lives with her grandfather in the hills.