I had a feeling that this was going to be my last summer in Maycomb. I tried to live each summer day with Scout and Jem to the fullest. You would have thought I was going to die, that's how much I wanted to be there. I wanted to be there for every meal that Calpurnia cooked. Who wouldn't? That colored woman's got a supernatural way of cooking. I wanted to be there to greet Atticus with Jem and Scout when he came home. The guy looks and acts like a Greek God; he's even got a name fit for one. I wanted to be there for when the sun would go down and shine on Scout's face. She doesn't know she's beautiful.

All my expectations for that summer were met and would have been more fully so if Hank Clinton didn't have to be there, too. I guess I should feel sorry for the kid because he ain't got no father but fuck, I didn't have one for the longest time either. In many ways I still don't but that's beside the point. His mother is hardly ever around, is a drunk, and oh shit, that describes my mom, too! No wonder why I don't feel bad for him!

The real reason why I don't like him? He notices Scout, too. Scout is not your typical little girl; she knows it, she doesn't care, and if you don't like it, that's your problem. She's an either you love her or hate her kind of person and I would personally like to punch anyone who hates her because she's perfect. I knew from the moment I laid eyes on her that she was going to be a very important person in my life. I knew that about Jem as well but she was the first girl, maybe the only girl that I will ever connect with. Unfortunately for me, it looks like Hank feels the same way.

The evening before I was to meet my mother at Maycomb Junction to go to New York with her was a bittersweet night. I always wanted to see the big city but I sure was going to miss my small town summer days. I watched as Jem and Hank played catch with the football in the street and I watched Scout watch them. I sat on the swing while I observed the normalcy of it all. I was going to look back on this time and cry, I was sure.

"Hey," Scout said as she snuck alongside me on the swing.

"Hey," I said as I wrapped my arm around her. She rested her head on my shoulder and that was making things a little bit better.

"I always wish for one more day when I know you have to leave in the morning."

"You still have Hank."

"Hank's got nothing on you."

"Really?!" I asked. I got a little too excited because Scout shot me a look.

"Of course he doesn't. I mean, I like Hank but you were the first friend I ever had. I doubt you forget the first friend you ever had."

"You were mine. I know I'll never forget you."

"I hope not. You still want to get married?"

"I don't know."

"Me either."

That was when she rested her head back on my shoulder and it was her turn to wrap her arm around me. I think we were both telling the truth; I most certainly was. We were ten by that point and we I think with both of our upbringings came a sense of understanding at an early age that life doesn't always work out the way you want it to.

"Hey," she spoke up.

"What?"

"If we ever did get married, what would our day be like?"

"We would go to the church," I told her as I held her close to me. "It would be in the summer because we met in the summer..."

"Yeah, yeah," she agreed with a smile.

"I would have on a suit and tie and you would wear a white dress with a white veil."

"Would I look pretty?"

"You would be beautiful."

"Go on."

"Atticus would walk you down the aisle and he would cry because he has to give you away."

"I don't want Atticus to cry," she bolted upright. I won't get married if he's going to cry."

"Okay, he doesn't cry; he's got a big smile on his face because his daughter is so beautiful."

"Okay, that's better," she said as she rested against me again.

"Then we will say our vows..."

"Will we mess up?"

"No. Our vows will be perfect and our rings are going to be pure gold."

"Will you settle for pure silver?"

"No, I only want the best!"

"Naturally."

"And then I kiss you."

"Like you have before?"

"Harder."

"Wow..."

"Dill!" Jem called out for me. "What do you think you and my sister are doing?"

"We're talking about the future!" Scout replied.

"You can do it without being in his lap, you know!"

"Yeah," Hank taunted back.

Pipsqueak! I'll be damned if he's the one who gets to have Scout Finch sit on his lap as they discuss the future together!