by Writing Shark
The first night
You admit that now, that you see the fire, you’re a little mad at Susan and Denise. Right now is the best moment around the campfire, but the alcohol has spoiled it. You shake your head. You are not their daddy buddy. Don’t let that be your concern.
Emma and Millie have since received help from the other girls. Carrie has asked Karen and Rachel for help and the five are just cleaning up the remnants of the party. The fire is slowly burning down and the sparks are blowing out onto the lake. Rachel and Karen grumble, but Carrie ensures discipline.
“We’re all in this boat together and we’ll all make sure we have a great time here,” she says sternly, reminding you that Carrie will surely go into politics someday. You always said she would be the next president. “And then Finn owes us something for the next party.” Yea, she’ll be a good president. You smile and want to help the girls, but Carrie holds you back.
“Didn’t you forget something?” she asks but you don’t really know what. Carrie rolls her eyes and points to Emma, who is standing a few meters away from you and is looking at you embarrassingly through her hair. She lowered her head again and folded her hands in front of her lap and intertwined her fingers.
“If that’s okay with you?” you just say. Karen and Rachel snort but Carrie hisses them to silence. So you go back to your previous place with Emma.
“Did you want to tell me something else?” you ask curious. Emma quickly looks over at Carrie, who is busy cleaning up. She becomes a little more nervous again, which you can recognize by her posture.
“I just wanted to say thank you for the conversation.” She adjusts her glasses and looks at her hands in her lap.
“No problem. I enjoyed learning more about you.”
“Me too,” smiles the twenty-one-year-old girl.
“It’s good to talk to you. And it’s good that I don’t always have to explain everything I want to say to you.”
“Because we’re both nerds?”
“Because we both think about the people we care about. Therefore we are on the same wavelength. I can understand what you said about your brother. If Megan or Millie suddenly started to hate me – even if they weren’t serious – I would perish. I think you are strong that you wait for his phase without demonizing him. Anyway, I find your way of going through life very impressive.” Emma looks at you a little lost. She lowers her head again so that her hair covers her face, but you keep her from it with an encouraging knuff on the shoulder. “There are enough guys who love your look Emma. Even if your brother ignores you, there are enough people out there that you can be there for. I admit I’m lucky enough not to have to search, but I’m happy to help you if you like.” Your words are meant to cheer her up, but with the best will in the world, you can’t say whether they worked for Emma. You can’t interpret her look and that hooks you up even more. Finally, she thanks you and the conversation becomes a little flatter in the topics, which is all right for you. You talk about school, what else you want to do on vacation and what hobbies you have. You come to your common predisposition to enjoy films more than is good for you and you build on that. When Carrie finally announces loudly that she is finished with tidying up, you and Emma decide to go to the cinema one day and continue where you left off tonight. Emma is almost beaming now and you have a good feeling. After all, she’s the first to say she’ll go to bed and joins Carrie and the girls. You follow soon and stand next to Millie.
“Thank you for your help,” says your little sister gently and Karen and Rachel nod while Carrie is already heading to the house with Emma. Soon you are alone with Millie and while you put out the fire with the buckets provided and a bitter smile, Millie sits on the sand with her legs drawn up and watches you.
Writing Shark 