The Second (part two)

Michelle

Once I get back to the picnic table I notice Jen looking up at me, her elbows on the table and her chin resting against her closed fists. "So...who was that?" She grins. I look at her and scowl. She can be so annoying sometimes.

"Just a boy. He asked me to a party tonight here at the beach." I say, grabbing a plate and preparing a hotdog and sitting down at the table next to dad.

"A party?" Dad asks. "With those boys? Did you ask us at all?"

"I asked mom. She said as long as it's legit I can go. And it is. Just a normal party." I say.

"Linda, you're letting her go?" Dad asks, looking at mom at the other side of the table. She nods, hardly paying attention to the conversation. Dad sighs and looks down at his chicken, "Alright. But be back at our cabin at nine."

I roll my eyes and dig into my hotdog.

It takes me a while to realize it, but this is actually a pretty good vacation. It's not too bad, at least it's the middle of summer and I don't have school. I haven't seen my friends in ages and I've spent all summer with my family.

We live in Rochester Hills, Michigan. We came up here to our cabin by lake Huron for a week of the summer. We do every year but not this early in the summer. It feels kinda weird. The air feels different.

Once dinner is done we clean up our mess and go back to relaxing at the beach. My brother goes to the snack bar for dessert and my parents sit on the sand while Jen and I paddle around in the water for a little while.

For a long time we just swim around each other, hoping to find a few little fish in the lake but have no such luck.

Usually at the lake it's the same drill everyday. The parents sit at the shore doing nothing while the teenagers mess around in the water. And of course, there's always the girls who want to work on their tan who just sit on the sand, basically sleeping as they let their body roast in the summer sun.

"Hey," Jen says, swimming over to me, "Are you sure you should be swimming? You just ate and, you know, the cramps you've already been having..."

"I'm fine. I don't think water would effect anything." I say, moving my arms back and forth in the water.

I look over at the four boys sitting on the sand. Ben has dark sunglasses over his eyes, forbidding me to see what he's looking at through them. I see his mouth moving as he talks with his friends.

I'm guessing their conversation about how me and Ben's talk went is over and now they're onto something else. Once I finally make out the words new video on facebook from their conversation my worries were over and I look back at Jen.

"How are your cramps, by the way? Are they getting better?" Jen asks. She's talking about the horrible cramps I've been having since the beginning of summer. I didn't tell anyone about this but her; mom and dad probably wouldn't even think anything of it. They've been gradually getting worse but, like my parents, I haven't thought anything of it. It's like a stomach ache mixed with cramps, like I'm sick but not enough to puke.

"No. They're not getting worse or better. They've slowed down, I guess." I explain. It's really hard to put into words. On some days it'd be fine, maybe even stop, and some days it will just explode and there will be pain in my stomach for hours. It feels like something's pulling at my stomach and at the same time I feel I'm being shot in the stomach by a machine gun.

"That's good. But Michelle, if they get worse you might want to take medicine for it, you can't spend all vacation like this." Jen says, floating on her back and staring up at the blue sky.

I sigh and continue swimming around, ignoring Jen's request.

I'm just hoping these cramps will be gone by the time I go to the party tonight, with Ben, with all the "cool kids". I'd hate to make a fool of myself in front of them, the first time I actually get asked to a party by a guy like Ben. Hopefully I'll be able to hold down the cramps and headaches and make it through this.

It's a good vacation, and it will stay that way.

Or maybe I'll end up puking all over everyone.

Author's Note

I had to split the second chapter into two, just so it wouldn't be so long.

Reviews

[Damac]

A similar tone to part one, which is good, and I like how you've established Michelles cares and concerns. I do not see however why this required a part two, part one and two seem like they could have easily been one chapter.

Nonetheless, a very good chapter.

[Jacques]

this seemed more faster paced than the first one and it seems to moving along much better with the story . i don't mean rush or go with the fast pacing as it's good to take it at a slow pace to lay the groundwork and the key elements , themes and the plot . great job - i'm intrigued with the story as to what will happen or what has already happened for the character Michelle