1 Chapter 1

The summer vacations always used to be the best part of each year for which we awaited. Though the summer vacation used to be short-lived, it was always quite a memorable one. I got to go to my Grandparents' house with my younger brother for the whole vacation where we just listened to the stories which they said with bewildered eyes and help grandpa with farm activities and grandma with the baking. The rest of the time we would just roam around the countryside or go to the beach with grandpa. Time always flies by really quickly when we are with them. And no matter how much time I spend with them I can never get enough of the pampering. They were the sweetest angels in my life. I would long for the vacations every time just to run here and spend time with them. Every year my grandpa comes to pick me and my brother up and take us with him during our vacations. The most exciting part is always the journey from our home to Grandpa’s place. I just love the open road with the wind gushing through my face when we roll down the window and take in the serene beauty of the journey. The same journey becomes the most dreaded one when it goes the opposite direction at the end of the vacation. The most joyous thing about the vacation is the fact that I am stuffed to the brim by all kinds of sweets, confectioneries, and various dishes by my grandma ensuring that I put on some weight by the time I leave. During the last week of our stay, our parents had joined us as a surprise and made the trip and our vacation even more memorable for us as well as our grandparents. It was like our family bonding time. Grandparents got to spend time with their son after a very long time due to his hectic work schedule. Though both Mom and Dad are working, they make it a point to take out some time from their busy schedule for us to have good family time with them.

My Grandpa Mr. Pressley, Noah, and grandma Mrs. Pressley, Levona were the most renowned couple in the neighborhood. People used to come to them for any sort of advice which they needed. My grandma always had this mystic aura radiating from her. Though she used to run a bakery, I always felt that she was something more than a baker. Her presence itself brought a comforting feeling not only to me but to others as well whoever spoke to her. She always used to tell us spooky ghost stories and the stories always ended with a positive note of how the good wins over evil. The way she narrates these stories in detail always makes us wonder if she lived through the stories, if she was the one who experienced these, and we always felt like we were watching a live incident. Her narrations used to be awesome. I always ask her why doesn't she write a book. Which she always takes as a joke.

My Grandpa is still head over heels in love with my Grandma. He still flirts with her and compliments her for innumerable things in countless ways and never fails to make Grandma’s cheeks go all red due to blushing. Their romance makes me feel like they are adolescents madly in love with each other which makes me wonder what they would have been like when they were younger. This also makes me daydream about how my life partner would me? Will he also be as romantic as Grandpa? Will he also go ga ga over me even when I am old with wrinkles?

*sigh*

I guess I will just have to wait and find out about that over time.

Time to go back to our house which means that vacation is over and it's time to say goodbyes to my grandparents which is the most difficult and emotional part of the vacation. I hate to go back, away from grandma and grandpa. I miss them terribly after I go back. With teary eyes, we say goodbyes and leave.

It is the last day of summer vacation and the new academic year awaits. I was sitting near my bedroom window and looking outside. The weather was pleasant as the morning sun shone down and I could see all the office employees running to go to their offices and few people going on morning walks some with their dogs, some with friends, and some all alone. There was a park in the distance which is visible through my bedroom window. I could see people jogging and exercising in the park. I could even see some women catching up with all the gossip which they might have heard about. I was absent-mindedly watching outside and was missing my grandparents a lot and was remembering all the things we did during the summer vacation. I was so engrossed in the memories that I did not realize someone had walked into the room and was sitting next to me now.

“Are you prepared for your first day Ray?”

I was snapped out of my daze by my mom’s question.

“Yes, Mamma. Packed my bag with necessary books and stuff for the first day and ironed my uniform for tomorrow which is hanging there.” I said while pointing towards the ironed uniform which was hanging on the wall right next to my cupboard.

“Whoa! Good!” she exclaimed. “Looks like you are all prepared and pretty excited for the first day of your final year in high school.” to which I just replied with a “hmm”. And I thought to myself

All prepared?

Yes!

Excited?

No!

Though I was excited to meet my best friends after the long vacation I had, waiting to tell them all the details and listening to all the fun they had during the vacation and telling each other how much we missed each other and what all we could do if we were to go on the trip together. But not excited about the school. I dreaded going to school. It always included listening to boring lectures, do physical activities, study hard, tons of homework and projects and if that was not enough, we even had to give EXAMS! Whoever invented this system into the educational system, I am guessing that he hated kids and introduced exams as a method of taking revenge. I guess this explains why I am just an average student and not the top ranker.

The only fun part about schools is the gossips, friends, picnics, bitching about pretty bimbos, ogling over hot guys, and watching the ugly fights unless you are not a part of it and are just watching it from a safe distance. Sharing all the fantasies about what we want to do during our holidays together or where we should go or what is our future goals.

All this while I was thinking and had zoned out, my mother was telling me all the dos and don’ts and was encouraging me for studying hard and get good marks until she realized I was not listening and gave me a light playful smack on my head saying in a higher pitch which suggested that she was a little annoyed

“Miss Pressley, Raylynn! Are you even listening?” I replied with “ Yes that's me and I am listening!” and stuck my tongue out to look cute. She knew that it was a lie. “What am I going to do with you two?”

Oh! She was talking about me and my younger brother. My brother does not daydream or zone out like me. He is just too mischievous for him to listen to what my mom has to say. My mom just sighed and left the room and went ahead to prepare for the lunch and dinner. I just watched my mom as she was leaving the room.

My mom- Mrs. Pressley, Selene. She was full of warmth. She had started to get wrinkles on her face which were once flawless. The result of working so hard for the family day in and day out as well as worrying about and tending to our needs. She is a real estate lawyer and had a record of mostly winning the case. She gave her 100% to all the cases which she would choose to work on. She had brownish almond-shaped eyes, red fuller lips which could break into a wide smile that reached from ear to ear. Her figure was still something to die for. She always looked after and was very conscious about her body and would always have a controlled diet. She always wore pencil skirts and formal shirts or trousers and blazers for work. Other than that she preferred wearing knee-length dresses or skirts and tops. Her fashion sense was way better than mine as I usually preferred something comfortable overlooking something presentable.

I bet my father would have found it very difficult to approach her first. I had heard that from her that many guys from her school and college days used to have a major crush on her and some had even proposed to her. I have seen her old pictures so I never doubt about it. She had long brown silky hairs back then which used to sway along with her hip. She had said she never liked tying up her hair. Now the length of the hair has reduced to below the shoulder length. A result of not getting time for herself much after the job and tending to our needs.