A Summer of Lessons, Laughs, and Love_PDF Version

101 \"Why did you take a gap year? If you liked college so much and were excited to start, why didn't you jump in?\" I took one because of my mother’s mental health. From what I’ve seen, his parents were doing well. He stopped and parked the car, \"We're here,\" he said getting out of the car. \"The middle of nowhere.\" I followed him out before he left me. We walked over rocks, under moss, and twigs, at least I hope they were twigs. The moss tried to stick in my hair, so I just walked crouched down. \"Isn't it beautiful?\" he asked stopping, outstretching his arm to emphasize the vastness of the scenery. We were near the edge of a cliff overlooking the rapid river. It angrily hit the cliff’s sides, wanting to escape the cage it created. The horizon seemed to go on forever. \"Don't you ever just want to scream, shout, or yell without having anyone yell back at you to shut up… without being afraid that someone will hear you?\" he asked. \"Doesn't everyone?\" I said shooing a mosquito away. \"Yes, but not everyone has the middle of nowhere to do it.\" he said. \"Go on try it.\" I yelled as told. It came out more like a frog’s croak. \"Come on Grace, you can do it better than that. Tap

102 into that anger you felt when you saw Haven and Levi kissing!\" That's all I need to unleash the feeling within. I screamed and stomped my foot at not having my chance to be with Levi as I secretly craved. I had so many chances and opportunities, yet I let them go to waste. Then I screamed when I thought of my mom. Prescott started screaming too then he started yelling phrases. His words were too slurred together for me to understand any of it. I wondered what he had to release. A police officer came over to us asking if we were okay. \"I heard screaming, thought someone was in trouble.\" \"We're fine officer, just letting out some steam in a healthy manner.\" Prescott said politely. \"I like that,\" he said approvingly. \"Keep doing what you're doing. Stay away from drugs and you kids have a safe summer.\" He said waving goodbye. When I was tired of screaming, I dropped down to the ground feeling physically tired. My throat was sore. He dropped down beside me, he almost dropped down on my legs. \"Water?\" he asked offering me his bottle. \"You drank out of it.\" I said scrunching up my nose.

103 \"It is mine,\" he said raising an eyebrow. \"I don't have cooties, I promise.\" I drank what little was left leaving none for him, \"Sorry.\" I said sheepishly showing him the empty bottle. \"I wasn't thirsty anyway; my throat has developed a screaming tolerance over the years.\" He threw small rocks over the edge of the cliff. I shivered at the thought of someone falling over. \"You've been here before?\" \"Yup, I came here often when I used to call Sutton my home. It's private, quiet, and I liked it. Do you like it?\" he asked. \"There's no place like this back home, that's for sure.\" Every piece of land was either used for housing, commercial purposes or was bought to eventually transform into one of the two. \"Thanks for bringing me.\" \"Anytime,\" he said. \"Now, about your question. \"Which one?\" I asked so many that forgot which one he was referring to.

104 \"About why I took a gap year,\" he said. \"Initially, I didn't set out to take a gap year, I was enrolled and ready to start in the fall with everyone else. And I did.\" He threw another rock up in the air gently and caught it. \"Some people go to college strictly for academics. Others go for the extracurriculars and to have a social life beyond belief. Call me ambitious but I wanted both.\" When he got tired of throwing them up in the air, he leaned back and placed his hands with his palms down behind him. \"I wanted to join an elite fraternity; it would unlock the ultimate social life. Access to everything unlimited.\" He said sighed. \"That's what I heard. That's what I saw. So that's what I believed.\" He used his left hand to itch his nose. \"I've heard about hazing and unbelievable initiations, but I was willing to do whatever to gain access into this fraternity.\"  When Prescott turned to look at me, I saw the haunting effects of his memories. The pain lingered on him like the smell of sweat on someone returning from an intense workout. \"I won't scar you with the details of why they had me do— or what they did,\" he said. \"Mom raised and better than that...\" He said jokingly to add light to a dark time in his life. \"but it was bad Grace… real bad.\" His eyes gave me goosebumps. Was it possible for your eyes to darken? Physically, he was here but mentally and emotionally he was elsewhere reliving that night. \"I was hospitalized right after it all happened. My

105 parents were notified, and they went after those who did—what they did.\" \"Since I've known my dad, he's always been stoic, but I remember waking up to his red face and teary eyes,\" he said. \"The crazy thing is I wasn't even on the brink of death... They just couldn't bear to see me like this. That's the day they also told me I wouldn't be able to have kids—cause of the accident and such,\" he said motioning with his right hand. \"Mom refused to let me go back so she kind of forced me to take a gap year. “I was stunned. There were so many questions, but it didn’t feel right to ask. \"See, not so interesting,\" he said smiling softly. Mom always said I had a good heart. She also said people would walk all over it, stomp on it, and crush it as they've done to hers. I don't know why I did it but I did. Maybe it's because of my good heart or maybe it wasn't. I just know I didn't like seeing the sadness behind his smile or the darkness in his eyes. I wanted to make him feel better. I kissed Prescott. He was here. Levi wasn't.

106 Fifteen Days went by and I felt like I was walking around the house with a dirty secret. Each time my grandma looked at me it was like she knew. \"I kissed Prescott!\" I said aloud as I drove us to her doctor's appointment. Her hip has been hurting on and off, so I suggested we go to have it checked. I let out a sigh of relief. It felt good to let it out. \"That's the burden you've been carrying? “she asked. \"You knew?\" Sutton really did have eyes everywhere! \"That something happened?” she asked. ”Yes, I didn't know exactly what or involving who, but I figured you'd tell me eventually.\" She squished her purse against her. She laughed to herself, \"It was eating you up, wasn't it?\" I nodded guiltily. \"Ah, first kisses. I remember when Robert first kissed me.\" She sighed dreamily as if she was the teenage girl. My first kiss wasn't in the rain, in the car coming from a date or any of the romantic scenarios you see on tv. 

107 I was angry at my daddy for something. Fuming, I decided to take a walk. My mom made me promise I would be back home before dark. \"I will.\" I said slamming the house door. I scurried off before he found me and beat me. I kicked rocks that were on my way, stomped on ant piles, and clenched my fists. I muttered under my breath and said things to myself I would never have the room to say back at home. Once the anger passed, I was sad, and my eyes were filled with fat wet tears. My daddy was a loving man, a big teddy bear except when he wasn't. He couldn't see anything past his big fat nose. \"Almost like your mother,\" said grandma. \"Once they have an opinion, nothing will shake them from it. It's set in stone from then on out. I think she got that from her grandfather.\" I parked in the parking lot of the doctor's office. We were arguing over the chores. Every time I wanted to go out, I had Mikey's chores to finish in addition to my own. It wasn't fair! Dad's been against me going to university from the start. He pushed Mikey who didn't even want to go but then tried to force me into marriage after high school so I wouldn't go. I rebelled and said I wouldn't do it. It was Mikey's chores so he should do it instead of playing hooky with those nincompoops he calls friends. He slapped me so hard I thought I saw stars. \"I'll talk to him.\" My

108 mom said pushing me out the door while she went to calm him down. I hid away in the abandoned park near the edge of the city. I cried and I cried, and I cried. Not knowing where else to go I ran to him. Mable opened the door and notified me that he had just stepped out. I just missed him. She asked if I wanted to leave him a message, but I just shook my head. \"Thanks Mable, have a goodnight.\" I said softly. \"You too Bailey.\" I had just turned around to walk off when the door opened wide. \"Mr. Brown!\" I heard Mable yell. \"You aren't allowed to have guests!” I could understand her distress. It was her job on the line. Her husband was out of commission for the next two months because of an accident on a construction site. It was up to her to provide for her two sons. \"It'll just be a minute Mable! How could you be so cruel to send Bailey away?\" I heard his voice loud and clear from inside. Mable attributed her white hair to her two sons and Robert. Getting those three boys to do as told was harder than pulling teeth. “I’ll be as cruel as I need to be if it means keeping my job!\" she said huffing. \"If your father finds you out here, I'll be fired!\"

109 \"Then I won't let him find me. Give us some privacy, would ya?\" he asked turning back around to face me. Mable angrily shut the door in his face. \"I wasn't expecting to see you today.\" he said smiling. \"I-I\" I don't think I managed to say a word. He didn't need me to because he knew what I needed. He gathered me in his protective arms. \"Cry,\" he said softly. \"I'm right here listening.\" I sobbed in his arms hating the fact that my daddy loved my brother more than me because I was a girl instead of the boy he wanted. I cried because my face still hurt from where his hand slapped me. When the sobs subsided and only the sniffles remained, I pulled away so I could wipe my eyes. \"Thanks,\" I said laughing nervously. \"I-I just needed this.\" I said pointing around at us and him. \"I'm not quite done yet,\" he said. He pulled me close and kissed me gently on the lips. I wasn't expecting it since I probably looked a mess from my smeared makeup and wet eyes. His lips were the gentlest I ever felt. He tasted like cinnamon and brown sugar. When he pulled away, he smiled softly. \"I'm locked away at home for a couple of days so I'm afraid I won't be able to see you anytime soon,\" he said brushing strands of curly hair away from my face.

110 \"What did you do this time?\" I asked sighing. \"You promised me to stay out of trouble.\" \"I have been,\" he said lifting my chin. \"My dad's just a controlling monster.\" he said shaking his head. \"A couple more months and I'll be done with all of them.\" All his life, his father has dictated his every move. He didn’t loosen the rein once Robert went to college. In fact, he tightened his hold. Since he was paying for his education, Robert had to choose a major that his father approved list or else he was going to be cut off. \"Don't say that. You know they love you.\" I may not agree with his father’s harsh tactics, but I knew it was his way of showing his love for his son. Robert was their only child. I imagined that he wanted the best for his son. I don’t think he realized he was trying too hard. Robert was like a bar of soap being squeezed out of his father’s hands. \"They have a funny way of showing it,\" he said dryly. \"As of right now, the only thing I know to be true is that my name is Robert Brown Jr,\" he said. \"And that I will forever treasure that kiss I shared with you Bailey. I won't always be with you to prevent the tears from falling but I'll be there to wipe every one of them up and offer you comforting arms.\" I was breathless for days and unable to speak properly. It was just that good. The only person I ever told about it was my best friend Patricia.

111 \"So,\" she said clapping her hands. I think she forgot her appointment was in fifteen minutes. \"either it was really bad to the point where you're embarrassed to speak about it, or it was too good to put into words.\" She said smirking. \"Which is it?\" \"The second.\" I said softly. Definitely the second one.

112 Sixteen My breath was minty fresh after brushing my teeth. There were no longer corn kernels wedged in between my teeth from eating two corn on the cob. To top it off, I drank a glass of cold water, loving the feeling of it. Back in my room, I untied and pushed one section to the left side and the other to the right side. I wanted the moon's light to shine into the bedroom. In my comfiest pajamas, cotton shorts and a satin tank top, I climbed into bed. It groaned from my weight and its old age. Before turning against the wall to fall asleep, which I often did seconds after my head hit the pillow, I checked my phone for any new messages. I texted my mom earlier to say goodnight. I knew I wasn’t going to get an answer, but I still hoped. Unknown  We need to talk about this kiss. How did he get my number? Why was he texting me now?