Carmilla made the quick trek to Summer Opals house in under 90 seconds. Summers house looked exactly the same as hers on the outside and the exact same layout on the inside, the only difference being the furniture. Walking straight in through the kitchen door she takes a seat on the island and asks
"what sandwiches you making?"
The girl facing the counter using a chopping board answers back.
"BLT's, you wanna drink?"
Summer turned her head to smile at her friend, her long dark hair swung over her shoulders
And her light brown eyes seemed to smile as well. Carmilla couldn't help stare at her old friend and notice the stark difference between them. Summers hair may be darker but her whole aura gave off light. The olive skin and a big warm toothy smile, filled with dazzling white straight teeth. Carmilla thought of her own reflection, the pale English skin that only gained freckles in sun light, her cold blue eyes and dirty blonde hair. Though she knew she wasn't ugly, she was far from a blonde haired, blue eyed bomb shell. Matching her petite 5'2 , gangly figure to Summers tall, curvy and muscular one she says
"You got any cider?"
Twenty minutes later they sit on the counter with two large BLT's and a can of the US's version of cheap strongbow, talking about their lives over the past year.
"So how was your birthday?"
"Good how was yours?"
"Fine, still one year till I can drink legally"
As Summer went on to make them their second sandwiches, Milly couldn't help notice how full and cluttered the house was. Not just simply filled with the bare essentials of a Summer home.
"Summer do you live here now?"
The chopping of lettuce paused for a moment.
"Yeah me and my mom moved here in November just after my birthday, our house in Ohio got turned into an apartment complex".
The chopping continued.
"Matt, lives here too... in fact everyone does now, even Sarah!"
"Really?" This took Carmilla by surprise as Sarah had always been a loud and proud Manhattanite, constantly stating that it was only her Dad that made her come out to the middle of fucking nowhere every summer. This was one of the main reasons Carmilla liked her so much, yes she loved Summer but Sarah was the closest she had to another British person around. Sarah, who could always come back with a brutal comment and could always take one with smile, never had a cigarette out of her mouth either. Carmilla remembered how at the end of last year Sarah said she was never coming back the country, instead Milly should just spend the summer with her in New York.
"So if they're all already here can we go see them?" she asked.
"What I'm not good enough company?" Summer laughed, "No right now they're all helping set up the big hall for the ball tomorrow night"
"Oh fucking hell yeah, the ball. Completely forgot"
The ball had been an annual thing every summer, but you could only start going if you were 16 and over, last year everyone had dressed up so properly. The excitement lasted all but a hour before their group got bored, stole some champagne and went out to the field to make a fire- a tradition that had been going on since they were twelve.
Summer moved on to the tomatoes but again paused.
"Actually Milly theres something I want to tell you" Carmilla popped another can of cold cider and gulped it down dramatically for four gulps.
"Go on" she said not really expecting it to be as dramatic as it was being made out to be.
"Me and Matt... we're actually together now"
Milly laughed "aha okay, I mean I've got to say that it was gonna happen sooner or later"
Summer turned around seemingly shocked. "Really you're not surprised?! But me and Matt hate each other... well hated"
Milly snorted "well yeah but it always seemed like a school play ground thing, you know like he's pulls your pigtails and you punch him because you both actually like each other. Wait does that mean you're going to the ball as a couple ??"
A small pinch of panic set in realising that she could be the only one left of her friends that had to go by herself, the rest could all be coupled up by now,and she would have to sit at a singles table with no one she knew and be gaped at by the masses.
A plate was loudly placed in front of her and she was snapped out of the downward spiral.
"No don't worry we're all still going as a group and yeah everyone found a- significant other apart from you and Sarah. But we're still all gonna sit together and do the fire after the meal, fuck the rules". Summer gave her and grin and instantly she felt relieved .
"Good cause you know how they looked at us last year, when Nick was the only that got moved the couples table, what with that girl whatshername?".
"Poppy"
"Yeah Poppy, Yeah. Weird"
Summer stared at her friend for a moment as if to search for a sign or sort, them she slowly nodded; "yeah weird. Eat your sandwich".
They spoke about nothing important, but at the same time everything that was.
Their conversation about if what their escape routes would be if a serial killer broke into their houses ended when Summers mom jogged in, extremely flustered.
"Hey girls still talking crap?greatloveit, Milly your parents are having a barbecue for the whole neighbourhood in an hour and I need helpers to make the dessert, Summer get the brownie mixture out, Milly go to Mrs Shepherds next door and ask for all the butter you can get!"
The sound of a barefoot contessa cook book being slammed of the counter was the last thing she heard before running next door.
The barbecue was in full swing as they set the still hot brownies on the table. Carmilla's mother was quick to place a burger in all their hands and quickly reminded her not to drink in front of the neighbours, as some of them weren't so European about underage drinking as they were. With everyone either full or happy eating, Mrs Opal had become normal again and capable of relaxed conversation with all the other mothers.
"Louisa looks smitten doesn't she, Justin's a great guy."
"If not a bit too intense for a 24 year old."
"Still maybe now that he has her, he'll calm down a bit."
"Oh no" interrupted Kitty Opal "it's gonna get much worse, you can bet, he won't calm down about her until he's got a litter to worry about as well".
A symphony of tipsy cackles erupted from them, the young turned their heads to stare momentarily before resuming their conversations. The gaggle of gossip continued.
"Oh look at them all so serious"
"We were never so serious at that age"
"Yeah I mean for Christ sake I met John in a dive bar when I was twenty-five"
"I know but now a days it's the end of the world if they haven't met their soulmate at the age of sixteen"
"Hmm I'm not sure"
"Well how So kitty?"
Mrs Opal sipped her wine
"I mean for the older ones yeah but I think Summers generation is a lot like ours you know, much more laid back"
"Yes absolutely I agree when they get together they can still go out with their friends and not have to be with each other every goddamn minute"
"It's skips a generation or two" chimes in Mrs shepherd "my mother and father were exactly the same but me, my husband and even my thirty year old and his wife are very relaxed about the bond".
"Hmmm well thank god for Summers generation bringing back sanity, I mean at least my daughter met her mate here, think about Cheryl's daughter"
"Oh god poor Cheryl"
"Bastard took katie the night they met, no time for proper goodbyes or anything, won't even let Cheryl and Larry see her more than once a year"
"Oh god a she was so young"
"Too young, I mean I know she's his true love but still he should of waited at least a year"
"Asshole!"
"Asshole!"
As the sun went down and the moon got brighter, everyone gave a helping hand to clean up. Utterly jet lagged the Smiths politely kicked their guests out. Carmilla agreed to go dress shopping with Summer in the morning then waved her and Mrs Opal goodbye, Adam gave a handshake to Sam, who agreed to go for a run early tomorrow. All the guests left happy full of food and alcohol; all of them, except Justin. who was having a very difficult time saying goodbye to Louise. A tipsy Carmilla couldn't help but comment on their overly extended goodbye kiss.
"Come on mate are you saying goodbye or sucking lives out of all the children of Salem"
Justins gaze seemed to burn through her, a look that would send any one sober away with their tail between their legs. But a slightly tipsy girl stared him down with little of a fuck to give.
"Justin"
Mr Smith broke the stand off
"It's time for you to go home"
Justin let out a frustrated breath and gave one last glance to his love before turning around and walking home.
"Bye bye, remember not to step on hallowed ground or you'll turn to stone"
She couldn't resist.
"Come on Mills get inside"
Adam took her to the kitchen and got them both a large glass of water, they downed it, refilled and went up to bed.
The horrific summer heat hit her as she entered her room, no air conditioning, for a house they only spent two months in,wasn't worth the money.
Neither was buying four fans. They could take turns to share, and Louise always took the worst when traveling, so they never did share.
Soaking an extra pillow cover and opening the window was the best she could do. Feeling lucky there was a breeze, Camilla fell into a deep alcoholic sleep, she could of sworn she heard a lonely howl in the distance.