[3]

- EDEN -

-

I SLIPPED ON a pair of mom jeans and a white tank top after I dried myself from the shower. I felt sticky all over from the summer heat and settled on a second shower today. It was only 1 o'clock.

After leaving my hair out to dry, I grabbed my phone, slipped on my socks and shoes, and made my way downstairs.

Leah, Julia, and I were planning on going out to the mall today to shop for some stuff for the trip. Since we were going to be at the beach a lot, we were buying swimsuits, sandals, and such.

As I reached the last step of the stairs, I heard giggling from the dining room. I walked around, peeking my head in. Mom and Lydia were sitting on the table watching something on the tablet as they ate their pancakes. I walked in.

"Good morning," I said, smiling.

Mom and Lydia looked up. They smiled and told me to sit down and watch with them, but I shook my head.

"I can't. Julia and Leah are picking me up to go to the mall," I said. Mom nodded, but Lydia pouted.

"I wanna go to the mall!" She whined, looking from me to my mom. I discreetly shook my head so that Lydia wouldn't see. My mom smiled.

"How about we do something fun? Just the two of us?" She said, turning to Lydia. Lydia looked at her wearily as if she was weighing her options.

"Do we get to have ice cream afterward?" She asked, smirking.

My mom rolled her eyes, "Yes, two scoops."

Lydia let out an excited scream, wrapping my mom in a hug, "Okay, Eden can go away now."

Before I could respond to her slick and mean retort, a car honked outside. I bid my family goodbye, running out of the house.

I skipped down the steps and made my way to Leah's Jeep. I saw that she took the hood off along with the doors. I smiled as I climbed into the backseat since Julia was in the front.

"Hey, hey!" I said, planting a kiss on Jula's cheek. She grimaced and rubbed her cheek with her hand.

"E! You had lipgloss on!" She pouted. I giggled and sat back into the seat. Leah began to drive while Julia connected her phone to the car. The first song to come on was 'Slide' by Calvin Harris, Frank Ocean, Migos, and Funk Wav.

 I giggled as my hair blew around behind me in the summer heat as I danced around to the beginning of the song. Leah and I began to belt out the lyrics of the chorus while Julia giggled at our antics.

"Do you slide on all your nights like this?" We yelled to the sky. I pointed at her while we continued to sing to our heart's desires.

"Do you try on all your nights like this? Put some spotlight on the slide," Leah continued while Julia chimed in. I giggled and sat back, throwing my head back.

It finally felt like summer. I was so thankful that I get to experience all this right now with the people I loved. I just wished every day would be like this.

The next song to come up released a scream from all three of us. I giggled as I watched Julia and Leah look at each other as they sang the lines.

"Take a look at my girlfriend. She's the only one I got!"

-

We walked around the store, drinks in hand, laughing as Leah tried to replicate Megan Thee Stallion's revolutionary knees. Julia and I giggled as she got into a twerking position and held it there.

"How long do you think she can hold it?" Julia asked, her stopwatch open on her phone. I shrugged.

"Maybe 45 seconds..." I guessed as the stopwatch hit 20 seconds.

"I got this!" She said, keeping her hands off of her knees. I watched as her legs began to shake and wobble.

"You're going to fall over, cupcake," I said, laughing.

I watched as two guys our age walked past as staring at Leah. She smiled at them and flicked her hair back.

"Hey, boys," She said, winking at them.

One guy winked back, the other guy laughed, his eyes still on her. I stared at her in shock.

"You can stop now. That was impressive." I said after they left. She collapsed onto the floor, trying to regain her breath. I peeked over Julia's shoulder, noticing the time.

"You lasted 41 seconds," I said, my jaw dropping in shock. She smiled getting up off the floor, groaning in pain.

"Never again," She said. We laughed, making our way to the next store. We walked into the next store and walked to the section with all the swimwear-related items. Leah immediately jumped at a bikini that she saw, picking it up. It was white and was covered in little pink floral detailing.

She turned around, "Julia, you're buying this. This will look absolutely stunning on you!"

Julia blushed, "Uh, I don't think so."

"No, I don't wanna hear it. If I don't force it on you, you'll end up wearing leggings and a shirt to the beach and that is not happening."

Julia frowned and took the bikini from her. Leah gave her a satisfied look, "Now go pick up 6 more before I pick them for you."

Julia scoffed, a smile on her face as she walked around, looking at other bikinis. I walked next to Leah and turned to her, "What colors should I pick?"

She stopped and thought for a little, "Definitely get a green one, green looks gorgeous on you. Get two white ones, a black one, a red one, and a lavender one."

My eyes widened as I laughed, "What would we do without you, Leah?"

She rolled her eyes, a soft smile on her face, "I know, right?"

I laughed and walked away, looking for bikinis, the colors Leah picked for me in mind. As I was walking around, I spotted a very familiar head of dark brown hair. My eyes widened as I saw her turn around and make eye contact with me. 

Before she could say anything, I turned around, quickly walking back to Leah. I gripped her arm.

"Fucking Amanda's here," I said. As those words left my mouth, she called out my name.

"Eden! Oh, my goodness!" 

Her sickly sweet voice traveled across the store as she got closer to it. The next thing I know, she's in front of us wrapping me in a hug.

"Amanda!" I said, wincing as she rocked left and right as she hugged me. Leah giggled quietly behind me. When she finally pulled back, she looked at me.

"How are you? It's been..." She said, trying to think of how long it's been since the last day of school.

"Two days," I said. She nodded and stepped back from me as Julia joined us.

Nobody said anything for what felt like an eternity, but in reality, only a mere three seconds had passed.

"I love what you've done with your hair," I said, smiling. Her face was now framed with two blonde streaks of her hair. It looked nice.

"Thank you," She smiled, happily, "We should definitely meet up over the summer,"

I nodded, but frowned after, "We can't, we'll be gone most of it."

"Oh," She said, "Where are you guys going?"

"We're taking a trip to Europe," Julia piped in.

"Oh, my goodness, really?" She asked, to which we all nodded.

"That's so cool, my friends and I are going to Greece this summer." She said, excitedly, "Will you guys be in Greece?"

At that, I felt my demeanor sour, but I kept on my smile, "Yes, we will, but I'm not sure when."

"Wow, will when you find out, text me, okay?" She asked, taking my hands in hers.

I nodded and squeezed her hands, lightly. She giggled and bid us goodbye, going back to wherever it is she came from.

I turned to Leah and Julia and frowned, "What the heck?"

Leah was smirking and Julia was laughing softly. I rolled my eyes at them.

"I still don't get why you don't like her," Julia said.

"Because," I sputtered out, "One day, for example, that conniving bitch will get mad because I stood next to a guy she likes, and then she'll murder me in my sleep as revenge."

Leah looked at me worriedly, "Have you been getting enough sleep, E?" 

"I have! Do you guys not remember Ava?" I said, reminding them of one of her previous "plots for revenge".

They both gave me blank looks.

"Amanda was clearly giving Marcus Shearing hints that she was interested in him and he was responding, but not as interested. Then Ava came into town and then Marcus's eyes were suddenly on her. Amanda got hotter than an angry monkey and exposed her nudes to the whole school. She left the school a few days later."

"That was Amanda?" Julia asked, her jaw slightly dropped.

I nodded.

Leah rolled her eyes, "You're so overdramatic,"

She continued to walk around the store, picking up and dropping a few bikinis. Julia and I followed her.

"Yeah, I'm overdramatic until I end up homeless and naked in the street because of some guy," I said, laughing bitterly.

Julia patted my shoulder, reassuringly, "Well if it helps, I believe you."

I looked at Julia and smiled, "That's funny, you don't believe me either."

She smiled, "How about we get you some Auntie Anne's after this? Will that make you feel better?"

"No, but I'll still eat it," I said, huffing.

Julia laughed and we continued shopping for our trip. By the end of our shopping trip, I had 7 new bikinis, two new blouse cover-ups, two new pairs of sandals, a new hat, a new pair of sunglasses, and I was stuffed with cinnamon sugar pretzel bites.

When I arrived home, the house was a mess and it was painfully quiet. The couch was out of place, the tables were flipped over, the pictures that were neatly hung on the wall were now on the ground, and there was broken glass on the floor.

"Hello?" I called out into the house. There was no response back. I ventured deeper into the house and checked in all the rooms, but there was still no sign of my family.

I quickly made my way upstairs and heard crying coming from my parents' old room. I dropped my bags by the stairs and walked down the hallway, stopping in front of the door.

I placed my hand on the knob and turned it, opening the door. Sitting in the middle of my room, surrounded by my mom's clothes, bags, and junk, was my dad. I frowned and walked into the room.

"Dad?" I asked.

He turned around and looked at me, quickly wiping his face with his sleeve and getting up. I looked around the room and frowned.

"W-What happened? Are you okay?" I asked, getting closer. He quickly jutted his hand out in front of me, stopping me from getting any closer.

"Eden, where's your mom?" He asked.

I frowned, "She's out with Lydia. Why? Are you okay, Dad?"

He let out a groan into his hands, "Fuck,"

-

A/N: I'm gonna say it... UGH, I hate my writing. But anyway, I hope you guys liked this chapter. I really liked the drive to the mall. It just felt like summer to me. Also, what do you think Eden's dad's deal is? Well, anyway, poor baby. Love each and every one of you, stay rad <33

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