Page 42 of Another Love, Another Time
Aunt Ashley comes over. Before she can say anything, River starts, “If you are coming over here to tell me something other than ‘Yes, you and Auggie can be partners,’ I don’t want to hear it.”
“River, just listen,” Aunt Ashley says. “We think it will be more fun if everyone is mixed up.” She doesn’t get to finish. River turns and walks towards her car. I start towards her to try to stop her, but she’s in her car and driving off before I can reach her. “Let her go, Auggie. She’ll be back later.”
“Why did you all do that?” I snap, walking past my mom and Aunt Ashley. I shake my head, not waiting for an answer.
Melissa walks towards Logan and me with her friend following close behind. She simpers, “Well, it looks like we’ll be partnering up.” With a knowing smirk, she continues walking towards the idling bus.
~~
We have floated all day long, and I just want to relax by the bonfire and wait for River to come back. I texted her several times since we got back, and it took me a lot of guilt-tripping to get her to come back. I know she was upset with me since I didn’t back her, but she knows how I am with my parents. I usually do what they ask. River is the exact opposite. She doesn’t have any problem calling our parents out, especially when it comes to Melissa.
I missed River today. I really did want to be with her. Instead, I was partnered up with Melissa. She had never floated before, which left me with all the work. Logan was partnered up withMelissa’s friend. She seems nice, but just like Melissa, it was the first time she had floated, and Logan was doing all the work.
Our parents were a little shocked when River left. They have forced us to include Melissa in the past, but River has never refused to follow along.
I see some headlights approaching. I hope it’s River. We leave tomorrow, and I want to be able to spend some time with her.
The car parks, and then she gets out and walks toward me. I can tell by the look on her face that she’s still not over what happened earlier.
I pull out her folding chair that I grabbed earlier and set it up next to mine. Then, she plops down in the chair. I grab her hand and hook our pinkies together. I need to feel my connection with her, to hold it in my hands. I hate it when she’s mad at me.
It’s a good sign when she doesn’t pull away. We sit there in comfortable silence. No one else is by the fire right now, leaving just the two of us. She wants to say something, so I wait her out. I deserve whatever is coming my way.
“Why?” she starts. “Why can’t you stand by me once against them? You know they do this whenever Melissa is around. I put this all together, asked you to float with me, and then Melissa came down and ruined it for me. Name one time when Melissa has been around, and our parents have taken our side?” She meets my stare, daring me. “Tell me. When.”
I pull our attached pinkies into my lap.
“River, I’m sorry. I know you’re mad…”
She cuts me off, “Yes, I’m mad. I don’t understand how she gets her way every time, why our parents feel the need to separate us whenever she’s around.” She groans and pulls her hand frommine. “And I’m also mad at myself because again, I played right into her plan. I don’t know if it’s because she wants you or if she just likes getting her way. Either way, I hate being around her. I only have a few more years left, and if I never have to see her again, it will be too soon. I’m so tired of our parents choosing her. Why can’t they choose me? Ever?”
I don’t have anything to say. I know I’ve added to her hurt since I always do what my parents ask. I understand what she’s saying, but right now, she needs a sounding board. She needs someone to vent to. She scoots closer to the fire, leans her elbows on her knees, and cradles her face. I scoot up so our chairs are even again. I think about how I want to respond. River and I don’t lie to each other, and we don’t sugarcoat things.
I explain, “I was going to apologize, but I won’t because I would probably make the same decision again. My parents don’t ask much, and if they are asking me to change up our arrangement, I have to think they are doing it for a reason, River.”
I pause, letting that sink in before I start again. “I do hate that every time Melissa does something like this, you run away. We aren’t kids anymore. If you had sucked it up, maybe we would have pulled each other’s names and still have been partnered up, or I could still have been paired up with Melissa.
“The only difference is I didn’t get to see you all day. We stopped several times, and we could have hung out. Instead, since you decided that you weren’t going to go, I didn’t get to see you at all. I see how Melissa antagonizes you, and I see how she manipulates our parents, but I have to believe they are smarter than that and see what she is doing. I have to believe they have a good reason to give in to her requests.”
“I think we will have to agree to disagree, Auggie. I get what you’re saying. I don’t think our parents are being maliciouseither. I guess I just wish I knew why they always take her side. Maybe that would help. I know you all hang out at school. Does she act like this at school? Maybe I’m taking something personally when I shouldn’t be.”
My answer is silence. The thing is, I know that Melissa has always had a crush on me, so any time a girl shows interest in me, Melissa tries to scare her off. It usually doesn’t take too much, but it does happen. For the most part, I don’t care because I don’t have any interest in other girls.
Maybe I’m encouraging her, but Melissa knows River is my best friend. Am I the reason Melissa always picks on River? I’ve never really questioned it. I know I can’t be mean to Melissa; my mom would beat my butt.
I have to let River handle this her way. I give her a look, hoping she will understand what I’m asking. She cocks her head to the side and then releases a big sigh. “I guess I can play nice,” she says.
I get up from my chair and hold my hand out for her. She accepts the gesture, and then I pull her up to go find the rest of the family.
~~
River and I walk towards Logan and a group of boys surrounding Melissa and her friend. I hear something about playing “Never Have I Ever.” The last thing I want to do is play a game, but Melissa and her friend met some guys during the float trip, and she’s talked them into hanging out. Our parents let us drink around them if we are responsible. Apparently, some of the guys go to the same school as River.
Some of the attention has shifted to River. I can see the irritation in Melissa’s eyes. She probably didn’t think River would come back. She is used to being the center of attention in our school; I don’t think she likes sharing attention with her cousin. River is not only prettier, but she also has a better personality.
Moving on, Melissa starts the game by saying, “Never have I ever… hooked up with a friend.”
I can tell Melissa is fishing. River and I have hooked up, but never in front of anyone. I think Logan knows, but he’s never seen anything. River and I take a drink. A couple of the guys take a drink, and Melissa’s friend takes a sip.
