Only You

HAZEL

Hazel watched silently as her best friend Maggie paced nervously around the room, gripping the small mobile in her hand. She turned to Hazel, “You think I should call him?”

Hazel laughed. Her friend had been pacing for hours together squishing that phone in her fingers. Hazel never imagined she would feel sorry for a non-living thing, but Maggie was proving her wrong. “You know, I’m starting to feel sorry for that phone.” Hazel motioned to small piece of metal and plastic. She again broke into laughter, “You’re choking the life out of it.”

Maggie scowled at her, “Enough with you jokes!” she glared at her, “And mobiles can’t get choked.”

Hazel shrugged, “That’s a lie considering the way you’re holding that poor thing.”

Maggie sighed, “I just miss him.”

Hazel mouth popped open, “And you behave all bitchy to him whenever he’s here.”

Maggie looked at her sternly, “between every fight we have there’s love.”

Hazel smiled, “I didn’t know you followed a quotes website.” She looked at her friend, “Stop stressing Maggie, he’s just gone to London.”

“Alone!” Maggie frowns at Hazel.

Hazel gapes at her, “Maggie he’s eighteen!”

This was the problem with her best friend. Hazel was best friends with Maggie since…she couldn’t even remember. They’d done all sorts of crazy things together. From landing in detention for throwing paper balls at the teacher to toilet-papering their high school queen bee Brynn’s house. They’d covered the whole deal. Jake was Maggie’s brother and Hazel’s two-year-old crush. She didn’t have a crush on him now. That ship had sailed. Maggie knew about it as well and she kept jabbing Hazel about it occasionally. Just for fun.

Jake had left for London at the start of summer to meet his father. Hazel didn’t know much about their father, but with all that Maggie had told her, he was a complete asshole and a selfish freak. Maggie’s own words. She could relate it to the fact that their mother Sharon and Father John had been divorced for years now. Some bad things must have happened in this house. Maggie was yet to fill her in the details.

Hazel placed a hand on Maggie’s shoulder, “Why’re you so hyped?”

“Because he went to meet that asshole.” Maggie scrunched up her face in disgust.

Maggie was very against the idea of Jake going to meet John Anderson, but her brother had insisted that he would be fine. Hazel believed him. Jake was a grown man now. He could fight with words and hands. Words because he was one of the bad boys and hands because being the football captain meant you were built and equipped with abs. Quite convincing, but not to his sister.

Hazel dropped herself on Maggie’s bed. Since Jake was returning from London Maggie had invited her over so they could have some fun. That was completely off the options for Hazel because she and Jake had been hating each other for years.

She pulled Maggie onto the bed as well, “Relax, he’s going to be here in a few minutes.”

Maggie grinned at her. Here we go, another one of her jabs. “You seem more excited than I am.” She smiled sweetly.

“Please,” Hazel scoffed at her, “I told you, Maggie, that was over two years ago. I hate him now.”

Maggie shook her head slightly, “I still don’t get why you guys hate each other. We’ve spent like ninety five percent of our childhood together.”

“It’s just the way it is.” Hazel replied absentmindedly.

“Maggie! Hazel!” Sharon, Maggie’s mom shouted from below, “We’re here!”

Maggie yelped in surprise, “Come on!”

Before Hazel knew it, Maggie was off the bed and by the door motioning for her to follow. Hazel chuckled and shook her head, “Go and meet your big brother.” Hazel emphasized the big, knowing it would piss her off. She always hated the fact that she was the younger.

Maggie stomped her foot in anger, “We’re twins!”

Hazel laughed, “He’s still older than you.”

“By ten minutes!” Maggie scoffed angrily and turned to leave.

“Every second counts.” Jake appeared on the doorframe behind Maggie and gave her a tight hug, “How has my little sister been doing?”

Maggie hugged him back, “I hate it when you call me that but right now, I don’t care.”

Hazel chuckled, “That’s very sweet Maggie.”

Hazel stared in awe as Maggie jumped back from her brother and glared daggers at him, “You idiot! Why did you have to go to that asshole?”

“They have names you know,” Hazel chimed in.

Maggie ignored her and stared at Jake, “I was worried.”

“That’s an understatement.” Hazel laughed.

Jake sighed at his sister, “Maggie, it was just a man-to-man talk, okay? There was nothing wrong.”

Maggie smiled slightly, “Okay, give me a minute to get some drinks and then maybe you can tell us stuff about London.”

Jake nodded, “Sure.”

He turned to Hazel when Maggie left the room,” Hi Nuts,”

Hazel ignored his stupid nickname, “Hi.”

“How have you been?” Jake asked to her surprise. Usually they would just go on ignoring each other.

“I’m fine, thank you.” She nodded. Talking to Jake was weird. It was somehow so formal she didn’t know why. Formal until he usually spoiled her mood.

Jake nodded silently before smirking, “So, are you still the same boring nerd from a few months ago?” He narrowed his eyes, “Please tell me the summer has changed you.”

Hazel took a deep breath to control her anger, “Asshole.” There he was, back to his usual stupid self.

Maggie walked in just as she’d muttered the word. She gave them a cold look, “It isn’t even ten minutes since you got here.” She gestured to Jake, “And you guys started fighting already?”

Hazel scowled at her, “He still calls me Nuts!”

Maggie chuckled at the name, “You are nuts.”

Jake smiled at his sister, “Love you for what you just said.”

Hazel glared at Maggie. She so wasn’t making this any easier. Hazel sighed and caught the can of Coke that Maggie threw at her. She happily pulled the top open before taking a long swig. The taste of Coke really was amazing. She licked her lips to take another pull when she noticed Maggie staring at Jake who was enjoying his own can.

Maggie gaped at Jake dumbfounded before turning to Hazel, “Are there drug mafia groups in London?”

Hazel stuttered at the unexpected question, “Um, yeah, sure.” She nodded, “Why?”

Maggie frowned at Jake who staring back at her, “I think Jake was drugged in London.”

Jake burst out laughing and Hazel spit out coke. She turned to her friend, “What makes you say that?”

“Jake didn’t ask for beer instead of Coke.” She grinned, “That’s like a dog hating cookies. Dogs never hate cookies,” she justified.

Hazel was puzzled at the comparison, but she agreed nevertheless, “I’m not sure about dogs and cookies but I am sure about beer and Jake.”

They looked towards Jake for an answer and he just smirked at them, “The reason I’m not having beer now is because I’m going to have enough tonight.”

Maggie glared at him knowingly, “No way! No party tonight. You need rest.”

Jake shrugged, “Parties are my rest.”-that Hazel could believe.

Maggie groaned, “Please don’t tell me we’re the suppliers.”

Hazel laughed inwardly. In their language, suppliers were the ones to supply all the food and drink for each party they had. Jake was someone who never held parties in a house. His locations included green hilly areas, open grassy parks and such. It really was a surprising trait of him to enjoy in nature. Usually Jake and Maggie assign the role of ‘supplier’ to somebody for beer and snacks. Lately however, according to Maggie’s complaints, Jake was fixed on supplying for the parties himself.

Jake smiled at Maggie, sarcasm dripping off his lips and Maggie fumed, “No fucking way, Anderson. I’m spending a third of my allowance for your stupid parties.”

Jake looked at Maggie and then at Hazel, “Trust me, you guys won’t have the same feeling after you know the location.”

Hazel’s brows furrowed in curiosity, “What’s the location?”

“The lake.” Jake nodded, “Since it’s our last year in school, I decided we should all enjoy before we run off to college.” He sighed, “There’s going to be some campfire, dirty games and so on.”

“You’re planning all of this for one night?” Maggie questioned doubtfully.

Jake took another gulp of Coke from his can, “I’ve checked with the guys and girls. Surprisingly, they’re all free for the weekend. Today’s Friday so it’s going to last until Sunday.”

“So, it’s a camping trip.” Hazel concluded.

“Glad you could figure it out Nuts.” He winked at her and Hazel rolled her eyes in response.

“Wouldn’t it be more fitting to do it next summer?” she shook her head in thought. “Technically, our last year is yet to start.”

“That’s what I thought too, “Jake explained, “But people would be busy with all their college work.”

“Makes sense,” Maggie smiled, “I have a feeling this is going to be one of the best parties. I hope you told the others to carry their tents.”

“Yeah,” Hazel agreed. She wasn’t a fan of parties, but Jake’s always seemed more like get-togethers she always enjoyed. “We have a long to-do list.”

Jake nodded in confirmation, “Let’s go shopping girls.”