Summer of Secrets

"Laney, get in the car. We're gonna be late," I hear my older brother (only by a year and a half), Davy call out to me from the driveway. I'm still in the garage, grabbing a few snacks to fill the lunch boxes we decided to bring with us for the drive down to Myrtle.

I snatch the last family sized can of pringles from a shelf, stuff it in Davy's old Cars lunch box I found from when he was eight, and run out the door.

"You can't be late to the beach, idiot," I say, slamming the door of his precious Jeep Rangle my dad bought for him on his sixteenth birthday. He cringes. "It'll be there all day."

"Whatever," he says, pulling out of the driveway."And don't scratch my ride!"

"Basic white girl car."

"You say that as if your favorite artist isn't Taylor Swift."

"And I'm not ashamed. Now speed before the beach disapears."

Last summer since Davy got his lisence, my parents have allowed us to live at Myrtle Beach South Carolina all summer in our beach house with a few friends, as long as we all got summer jobs. This summer, Davy was working as a lifeguard and I would be making smothie bowls at a small little smoothie shop along the board walk. Joining us was Davy's two friends, Finny, Max, and Liam, and my friends, Alex and Becky. It would be a full house, but we all grew up with eachother.

Though the boys were more well known at Carrie High and I'm more of a keeping to myself and friends, far from a party girl type, I've always been around the boys antics. Finny and Max, (who I still call that, but most people at school just say Finn and MJ) are more tollerable. Liam, though half the school is in love with him, gets on my nerves a bit more. When he came over when we were kids, he was always the most involved with me, but not in a good way. Planning elaberate pranks (the boy was too smart to catch), trying to go through my diary (I would hide it in my pillow case), and pestering me all the time. Now, he had gotta slightly attractive, with his golden brown hair, and his bright blue-green eyes, but he was still nothing compared Frat Boy era Harry Styles, obviosly.

We were only about fifteen minutes into our six hour drive and Davy had already eaten a stack of pringles and a half.

"Hey do you think you could save some for, you know, the next few hours?"

"I'm hungry."

"We ate a huge breakfast an hour ago. You downed at least five pancakes and eight pieces of bacon."

He rolls his eyes. "I'm a growing boy."

"Yeah, stomach not height," I mumble, as if my stupid brother didn't have stupid abs he showed off every stupid second he got the chance. Gosh, life was not fair.

Quickly, I messed with the dashboard until I was able to connect my phone to the cars speakers. The radio shut off playing a song TikTok made popular but made me want to shove sticks in my ears, and I replaced it with New Romantics by Taylor Swift, and turned up the volume. Davy rolled his eyes, but didn't change it.

Eventually, I drifted off, leaning my chair all the way back.

About an hour later, I woke to the ringing of Davy's phone interupting Cruel Summer. I knew my brother was a secret Swiftie.

"Hey man, what's up?" Davy said into the phone.

A few moments passed where all I heard was muffling then, "Oh, ha. Just Lane's music."

"Actually Davy is secretly obsessed with Taylor Swift," I said, leaning over to the phones speaker, making Davy punch me on my arm.

"Next exit? Ok, see you there," Davy said, then hung up. He turned to me. "We're meeting up at a rest stop for lunch. Probably get some Chick-Fil-A or McDonalds or something."

I nodded, only half listening as I began reading my dog-eared copy of my favorite summer book. But then, suddenly my peace was interupted by a phone call.

"Bad news, girl," it was three way, Alex and Becky. Alex was talking. "I know we said we would meet up with you guys tommorow, but my dad just sprung me with a suprise trip to Europe. All summer." She sounded like she was falsly disapointed for my sake. But who wouldn't be excited to go to Europe?

"Oh my g-" before I could finish, Becky interupted.

"And my Mom is making me councler my little sisters summer camp that starts next week and she just told me today. I might be able to come over a few weeks but that's it." She actually sounded disapointed.

"It's ok guys," I said, rushed. I could already feel tears swelling up behind my eyes. How could I get through this without them? A house with four boys?

"We're so sorry, Lane," Alex said.

"No, no," I said, shakily. "You have so much fun in Europe! And Becky, I'll be ready for when you can come!"

"Thanks for understanding, girl," said Becky.

"Love youuuu," Alex chimed in.

"Love you guys," I said, adding in a kiss sound. "Bye!"

As soon as the phone clicked off, Davy turned to me. "The girls aren't coming?"

"The girls are not coming," I replied. A tear slipping out of my eye to be quickly whiped up with the back of my hand.

Davy looked simpathetic for a moment, then came to his sences. "You better get ready! This is not going to be fun for you."

"Wow, thanks," I said, sarcasticaly.

"Don't worry. The boys and I will take care of you."

Great. Justttt great.