Chapter 1: Summer.

SUMMER.

"Summer would be great!" My mum Lily said, peeking above the newspaper in her hands. I let out a groan, sticking the spoonful of cereal into my mouth. It was not the first time she'd said that, neither was it the second nor the third.

"It would be great back here, in New York where I know and with you" I rolled my eyes to the back of my head and now, she had already placed the newspaper to the table. "It just seems like you're desperately trying to get rid of me now" I cowered my head and only then did my mum rise to make her way towards me.

"Hey hey" She called, sitting in the chair next to mine and she reached for my hands. The cereal in front of me was abandoned as I looked to her. Her bright blue eyes gleamed and her hair was perfectly tucked behind her ears, she did the same to mine.

"I would never get rid of you" Lily assured. "You know I would have told your father no if I didn't think it was best, for you even" She whispered and my heart lumped in the back of my throat. "Oregon is a really nice place you know. I remember going up there with my parents each time it was summer and when it was not, it was all I ever looked forward to."

"Summer was my favorite time of the year, where the sun is lustrous on one's skin and the flowers are the most colorful. It's the one time of the year where a teenage girl gets to be nothing but a teenage girl. The whistling waves and the sandcastles, tanning and even the scent changes. It's the one time of the year where you don't have to worry" My mum said, squeezing my hands only a little.

"And I want that for you" She whispered.

"The last year has been rough for me, and I know no matter how strong you try to brush it off, it was even worse for you. So you need this break—you need this vacation" She persisted until I let out a deep sigh.

"Can't you come along with me?" I asked even though I already knew the answer to that question and now it was my mum who heaved a sigh. "You know I wish I could. Unfortunately, there's nothing like summer for a doctor like myself but don't worry," She said.

"I'll live through you, after all you are Summer" Mom reached for the side of my face and I rested my head into her palms. I really wanted to spend this time with her because ever since the divorce, we barely got any up until the moment it was finalized which was barely even weeks ago. Deep down, I knew she needed the space especially with dad's new girlfriend.

But Taylor was also the reason why I didn't want to go with them at all.

Only last week, he'd come up with this grand plan for a perfect summer up at Oregon and it wouldn't have been so bad if Taylor hadn't convinced him to let her come along.

This was summer and it was the sacred time that we spent with each other, as a family.

The truth was the divorce was brutal for everyone involved, but him showing up with Taylor was even worse especially for mum and myself. It was a reminder of the many changes that were to ensue in the years to come, like how there would be no more summers together.

Rather, they were to have me every other year, rotating like I was some stranger in foster care. But they were my parents, they were the ones that made me first believe in love. The ones I looked up to because as hostile as it was now, they both loved each other once.

But now, things had changed, it hit me as I looked into her eyes.

And so I had to as well. I sat forward, bracing myself in my mind for what was to come. "It's just a couple days—" "It's two and a half weeks" I interrupted ma and she chuckled softly, making a smile creep to my lips as well. "I'll be right here and I'd call everyday after work."

"You'd tell me about everything you did that day and it better be fun. I hate seeing you like this" She murmured. "You used to be light and bubbly and cheerful..." "Well my parents got divorced for one" I snapped back at her but not in any way lethal.

"And as if that's not enough, I have to endure a soon-to-be stepmother four years older than I am who could as well pass for an Onlyfans model" I gritted through my teeth and my mum tapped my hands. "Summer!" She exclaimed and I rolled my eyes yet again.

"Don't even. I've seen the way you look at her too."

"Well, Taylor is a person and I have to respect that. If your father thinks she's the right person for him, then I'm in no position to have an opinion otherwise and you too. You gotta give her the benefit of the doubt, open up your mind and use this trip to actually know her" My mum said.

"Maybe she's not as bad as you think she is"

"I hope so" I muttered. "Since you're making me go on this trip" My lips poured towards her and she laughed. "I'd rather this than you spending two of the best months in the year locked up in your bedroom" She stood up with a smirk.

"You'd thank me later" And those words would come back to haunt me, whether or not it was true, I guess I would have to find out.

-

"Here" Mum handed me the last of my bags which I stuffed into the booth. There was barely any space there from Taylor's stuff which made me wonder why she packed so much for a two week trip to the lake.

I was pretty sure mum saw me roll my eyes which was why she made her way towards me. "Summer" She called gently, especially stressing the last part and I looked to her. "Open your mind up" She said and I heaved a deep breath.

"Is that all?" My dad flooded through the doors with a smile of excitement plastered to his lips. "We're going to have so much fun, pumpkin!" He walked towards me, grabbing me by the arms to place a soft kiss against my forehead and my mother chuckled with her arms crossing in front of her.

I caught a glimpse of her eyes trail after him and there was a emotion in them that was quite hard to decipher but it was also quite easy to tell that she still felt something for him. Dad made his way around to the driver's seat, allowing me a few moments with mum.

From where we stood, we could see Taylor with her head buried in her phone as usual. "This is a big mistake" I muttered and she pulled in a long lasting embrace as he made a turn around the roundabout. "Make sure you have the most fun and take pictures okay" Finally, she let go.

"I'll miss you, Sunshine" She pressed her lips against my head and with that, I bade my mother goodbye. I made my way into the car, leaving a longing glare through the windows as she waved.

"I love you" I mouthed before the car took off and just like that, we were on our way. "Taylor, did you say hi?" My father looked to his right and Taylor looked into the rear view mirror, chewing her gum.

"Oh hey..." She paused, an effort to remember my name. "Summer" I sat forward. "It's Summer."

"Oh right, Hey Summer" She reiterated with a cold stare, leaving to wonder what exactly dad ever saw in her. But then I remembered what mum said about giving her a chance. "Hey, Taylor" I flashed a smile, although fake but baby steps.

It would take a while for me to warm up to her and luckily, dad wasn't going to force it. He just looked into the mirror and smiled back at me. I tore my eyes from him to look out of the windows and as the winds danced through my brunette hair, I took in a lungful through my nose.

This was the start of a dreadful summer.

But it was just two and half weeks, what's the worst that could happen? Or so I thought...because it was the summer that changed my whole life.