Summer was not a season she loved. Too many memories came from that one time. Too many hurts returned with those memories. Too much joy lost in that one summer. She had tried so hard to forget it all and had succeeded. It had worked. All those years had been carefully tucked away, never to be touched. She had moved on, she had learnt to forget. She had chosen to forget.
Her eyes flickered open, revealing the chocolate brown that coloured her iris. Long black lashes rimmed her wide eyes as she gazed out the window into the streets that seemed to run by too fast. She wanted to scream for everything to stop. She didn’t want this. She never wanted this. She shouldn’t even be here. She didn’t belong here any more.
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“Faith! Faith hurry up! Come on we’re going to be late!”
“I’m coming!” she hollered back. Quickly grabbing the towel and shoes that lay on the chair, Faith pushed it into a duffel bag before sprinting down the spiral stairs straight into the living room.
“You’re going to make us late for practice again,” Ray grumbled as she grabbed her sister by the hand. “Mum, Faith’s here. Let’s go!”
Faith giggled to herself as she let her sister pull her to the door. Ray was very particular about practice and she hated being late for it. Faith was not as particular because she knew practice wouldn’t start on time, at least for her it wouldn’t.
Slipping into the car seat beside her mother, Faith zipped her bag close before leaning back into the seat. Ray jumped into behind her before slamming the door shut. “Come on mum! Go, go, go!”
“You talk to me like I’m your horse and we’re not moving,” their mother warned Ray as she entered the car. “And don’t slam the door like a barbarian. You’re a young woman for god sakes.”
Silence ensued for a few seconds as their mother proceeded to turn the key and start the car. Faith softly counted down to herself, “Three, two, one….”
“Mum, seriously we need to go! Coach’s going to angry with me,” Ray blurted out just as Faith had predicted.
“No she won’t. You’re the best there and she treats you like royalty so she’s not going to yell at you,” Faith intervened before their mum decided not to even send them to practice.
“You’re one to talk! You came down late! We could have been there by now.” It was now obvious that in her agitation, Ray was spoiling for a fight that Faith was not in the mood to give. Thankfully their mother interrupted.
“Ray, don’t argue with your sister and Faith I think you owe her an apology.”
“What? Why do I have to apologise to her for?” Faith sat up in her seat, surprised that her mother wanted her to apologise. In response, her mum just looked at her with that you-know-why-you-need-to-apologise look.
“Fine,” she fell back onto her seat. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled as softly as she could doubtful that anyone could even hear her but apparently that was enough for her mum because there was no more scolding after that.
“We’re here, we’re here, were here!” Ray began to jump in her seat as excitement filled her voice.
“Would you calm down? You just haven’t been to practice for what, three weeks?” Faith chided her sister.
“Yes, but it has been a long three weeks and I miss the sessions,” Ray sighed, happiness entwined in her words.
“Alright girls, here we are. Now remember I’ll pi…” before their mum could even complete her sentence, Ray was out of the car and running towards the building. “If only she would show that much enthusiasm for her chores,” their mum sighed.
“Don’t worry about it, I’ll tell her whatever it is you were saying,” Faith pushed her door open before hopping out of the car.
“Which is?”
“You’ll pick us up here at 7pm like you always do and we’d better be on time because you don’t like waiting,” Faith practically sang the line she was so used to hearing. “Am I right?”
“Just shut the door,” her mother tried for the rude tone but failed as a smile formed upon her face. “I’ll see you girls later. Love you.”
“Love you mum,” Faith closed the door and stepped onto the pavement as the car pulled away. Turning around, she made her way towards the building’s entrance. Entering the quiet hallway where only one or two people were around, Faith was about to head off for practice when she heard Ray’s voice from behind her.
“First day of practice and I’ve already screwed it up! I forgot my…” Ray stopped short as Faith pulled out the pair of shoes she had chucked into her bag earlier, “…shoes. Thank you! Have fun at dance practice!” Ray pulled the shoes from Faith’s hand and began to run back from where she had come from.
“Ray!” Faith called out to her sister who spun around to face her.
“Yeah?”
“Have fun at soccer practice and try not to hurt someone.”
Ray grinned at that and carried on running towards the direction of the field while Faith slowly walked towards the studio where dance practice was being run.
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