Chapter 12:
Marissa finally caught up to Summer in the parking lot after school.
"Sum!" Marissa put her hand on her best friend's shoulder. "I've been trying to talk to you for days."
"Marissa," Summer's small smile was gentle, affectionate. "I know you want me to talk to you, I know you want to fix this and I love you for that. But there are some things you can't just fix. There aren't any shortcuts or detours, some things you just have to go through."
"But you don't have to go through it alone!" Marissa protested. "I want to be there for you. I cared for Seth too." Summer hugged her friend and noted the role-reversal.
"We've done everything together since we were six. I mean, we started our periods together for goodness sake! Eventually we were going to have to be on our own. And that is now," Marissa began to protest. "I know. You're always there for me, I know that. But right now, I really need to do this on my own. I need to figure out who I am, who I really am," Summer explained.
"I get that, really. I know what it's like to have everything suddenly change and leave you totally confused," Marissa reminded Summer. "Take my word for it, adjust to your new life before you go off trying to figure out who you are. It's easier that way."
"I'm not sure I can," Summer admitted. "I think Seth's death and me being, well, me, they're both kind of tangled in each other."
"Let's work on it together," Marissa offered. Across the parking lot Anna and Ryan waved at Summer. "Or do you already have friends to take care of that?"
"Coop," Summer scolded. "They don't know me like you do, and in this case that might be a good thing. But you will always be my safety net, the one thing I can count on to never let me down."
Marissa looked unhappy, but she bit her lip and hugged Summer tightly. "Anytime, Summer. Whenever, wherever. I've got your back."
"I know that Coop, I know."
Marissa finally caught up to Summer in the parking lot after school.
"Sum!" Marissa put her hand on her best friend's shoulder. "I've been trying to talk to you for days."
"Marissa," Summer's small smile was gentle, affectionate. "I know you want me to talk to you, I know you want to fix this and I love you for that. But there are some things you can't just fix. There aren't any shortcuts or detours, some things you just have to go through."
"But you don't have to go through it alone!" Marissa protested. "I want to be there for you. I cared for Seth too." Summer hugged her friend and noted the role-reversal.
"We've done everything together since we were six. I mean, we started our periods together for goodness sake! Eventually we were going to have to be on our own. And that is now," Marissa began to protest. "I know. You're always there for me, I know that. But right now, I really need to do this on my own. I need to figure out who I am, who I really am," Summer explained.
"I get that, really. I know what it's like to have everything suddenly change and leave you totally confused," Marissa reminded Summer. "Take my word for it, adjust to your new life before you go off trying to figure out who you are. It's easier that way."
"I'm not sure I can," Summer admitted. "I think Seth's death and me being, well, me, they're both kind of tangled in each other."
"Let's work on it together," Marissa offered. Across the parking lot Anna and Ryan waved at Summer. "Or do you already have friends to take care of that?"
"Coop," Summer scolded. "They don't know me like you do, and in this case that might be a good thing. But you will always be my safety net, the one thing I can count on to never let me down."
Marissa looked unhappy, but she bit her lip and hugged Summer tightly. "Anytime, Summer. Whenever, wherever. I've got your back."
"I know that Coop, I know."