“We should really try that someday,” Kaya said.
“Wait, what?” I glanced over at my friend. The sun baked her shoulder-length black hair, causing it to glow a slight crimson. “That.” My friend pointed in the distance where a group of teens our age was boogie-boarding in the waves. Their laughter tingled in my ears, causing me to smile. “Yeah, that looks pretty fun. I’m pretty sure Ayana has some boogie boards we could borrow and use.” I thought of my other best friend who lived right across from this very beach. She had been busy lately with a badminton tournament, so I hadn’t seen her very much this Summer. “We’re going to be graduating high school in just two years,” Kaya said. “We need to do it before then.” I frowned and traced a line through the sand. Although I had slathered sunscreen all over my pale skin earlier today, my fingers were still tinged pink. Were we really that close to the finish line? It was hard to believe we were going to be juniors in a couple of weeks. Sophomore year, half of which was online thanks to COVID, had passed by so quickly and our freshman year had ended abruptly due to the pandemic. Did I really have only two more years to enjoy the company of all my classmates? Ayana’s smiles. Kaya’s determination. Lucia’s creativity. Isabelle’s confidence. “You okay, Summer?” Kaya peered at me, her brown eyes brimming with concern. I chuckled and shook the grainy sand off my fingers. “Yeah. I’m fine. Just feels like things are going too fast.” Kaya shifted closer to me, her body so close our shoulders almost touched. We had been best friends since elementary school. Would that still be the same even as we moved on? A cloud blocking the sun floated off and the light blinded me, so I looked away from my friend. A breeze flitted with my blonde hair, bringing along with it the briny scent of the ocean. Even the weather seemed to be moving onward. “I honestly can’t wait to get out of here,” Kaya said. “I mean, you know how things are with my sister. I love her, but sometimes it’s exhausting when she’s having another tantrum and none of us can help her. And my parents, they aren’t the warmest of people. They show their affection in different ways and I understand that, but…” “You want something else,” I finished for her. I kept my gaze on my feet submerged in the sand. “Definitely.” Kaya sighed. “Not sure if I’ll ever get it. I haven’t earned that much money to be living on my own.” “Kaya,” I said. My heart thrummed in my chest. “We should move forward together.” Kaya stared at me. Then her face broke into a grin. “Are you asking me out, Summer?” I must have looked disappointed because Kaya placed her hand on my wrist. “I think that’s very sweet,” she murmured. “So what do you say? Are we going to tackle the future together?” Kaya leaned her shoulder against mine. “I don’t know what will happen, but you’re right, it’ll be easier doing this if we’re not alone. But first, let’s go find some boogie boards!”
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The last thing I wanted was another biology project, but the expression on Mr. Das’ face told me I was never getting out of this one. Not like I had ever tried to get out of doing a project before. It was just that...sometimes being a good student was exhausting.
“Why the long face, Noah?” I glanced up from my lunchbox to see my best friend Lizzie staring at me. Her dark brown eyes were creased and she rolled her head back as she snorted. Her short dark curly hair bobbed around her shoulders. I sighed. I ran a hand through my own black hair. “I’m just annoyed Mr. Das is assigning us another bio project.” “You guys get a new one every week and it’s only the third week of school!” Lizzie shook her head. “I’m glad I have Ms. Mei. She’s easy. Our theme is cooking and we just eat the good food she brings us.” I stuck my tongue out at her. Of course, Lizzie got the fun theme. Buchtton High School was unique in that each core class had a theme. For instance, my biology class had an underwater theme and my English class had a current events theme. Right now, I was pretty sure Mr. Das was trying to drown us in homework. “Ooh, did I hear you got another project?” I twisted to my right to see my other friend Lea sliding onto the bench with her lunch tray balanced on her palm. She grinned at me. “That sounds like so much fun. I like Ms. Mei and it’s great being in the same class as Lizzie, but sometimes I don’t feel challenged enough.” “What? You don’t like sitting around just talking about food, Lea?” Her giggles dying down, Lizzie peered at her girlfriend. “I do. It just doesn’t feel like a biology class at times.” “I don’t care about that.” Lizzie shook her head. “Biology is my least favorite science.” “Yeah, you’re a computer science girl,” I mumbled. “That’s true,” Lizzie said, smiling. She stared off into the distance as if imagining herself in the computer lab hard at work coding some confusing game. The blinding cafeteria lights flickered across her deep brown face, emphasizing her look of contentment. “So what’s your project assignment this week?” Lea asked. “We have to give an example of an underwater food chain in a creative way.” I stared at my hands. “I’m awful at drawing, so whatever I come up with is going to suck.” “Hey, your dad is a famous author,” Lizzie said, her attention returning to the present moment. “Why don’t you write a story?” Lea clapped her hands. “That’s such a good idea! You should totally do that, Noah. You’re an awesome writer, too. You helped write the play for this year’s performance.” As embarrassment shot through me, I felt grateful that my skin was too dark to see any blush. I fidgeted with my lunchbox’s zipper. “I mean, that was different. I was writing something that I was interested in. This is…” “Just a simple biology project that is literally only going to be seen by one teacher? A teacher, who already told you last week that you're one of the most hardworking students he’s ever taught?” Lizzie frowned at me. “When you put it that way…” I tilted my head as ideas drifted through my brain. “By the time this lunch is over, we’re going to have helped you make the best short story ever!” Lea squealed. ~~~ By the time lunch was almost over, a story certainly existed, but whether or not it was the best story ever...there was an obvious answer to that. I flattened my forehead against the lunch table’s wooden surface. “Mr. Das is going to think I don’t care about his class.” “Stories can be fun, you know,” Lea said. The table trembled underneath me as Lea reached in front of me to snatch the sheet of lined paper where I had scrawled all the ideas we’d brainstormed. “There’s a difference between fun and nonsensical,” I muttered. “I think if I was a krill, I would figure out a way to become queen of the ocean,” Lizzie said, her words riddled with laughter. “None of you are taking this seriously.” “You’re taking biology too seriously,” Lizzie retorted. I turned my head to glare at her. “Krill makes potion in order to turn the tides of the food chain,” Lea read outloud. “Next thing you know, for a day, all the roles are reversed. Krill are at the top of the food chain and all the predators are at the bottom.” “How can krill even make a potion?” I lifted my head from the table. “They don’t have arms.” “That’s the beauty of fiction,” Lizzie said. “It doesn’t have to make sense.” “But readers still want stories to make at least a little sense or what’s the point?” “Are you the god of stories?” Lea pouted. “Who gave you the authority to decide how all stories should be written?” “Well, I think looking at what the audience wants is a pretty good start,” I mumbled. “Stories are kind of a community thing, so if other people won’t read your story, then why bother creating it” “Ugh, you sound like my dad’s SO. Bìhn is always saying stuff like that.” Lizzie grabbed the paper from Lea. “Well, Bìhn is my dad’s agent,” I reminded her. My friend wasn’t listening though and instead was doodling a giant krill in the paper’s margins. Lea rolled her eyes. “I think stories should be what you want them to be. If krill eating whales is what you want, then go for it.” “I’m not sure what I want at this point,” I muttered. Lea stared at me sadly. She pushed a strand of her black hair behind her ear. “Hey, you don’t have to do any of Lizzie’s and mine crazy suggestions. We were just being silly.” I glanced at Lizzie on my left doodling and Lea on my right packing up her trash. Lizzie and Lea were two of my closest friends. They could be somewhat eccentric at times and I had to admit, their story ideas were a bit weird, but they made me smile. I sighed. “You know what? I actually do like the krill thing and I think I can make it work. You said I’m a good writer, right? And I did say that writing is about community.” Lea peered at me. “You sure? We’re not pressuring you or anything?” I smiled. “It’ll be fun to relax a little with a biology project for once.” |
AuthorI'm Darcy Ridge, creating stories that all revolve around family and identity in a myriad of ways. In the past, I have shared multiple stories and published a novella online. You can find me on Wattpad and many other social media websites. They/them [Image Description: black background with the words "Social Justice and Mental Health Resources" in white in the center /end ID]
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