Summer Days

Elena sat with her feet dangling over the edge of the pool, toes submerged in icy cold water. She closed her eyes, and felt the gentle breeze drifting towards her from the woods.

Elena loved summer. Loved it more than any other time of the year. She despised the rain and the wind and the cold, but cherished the sun.

She glanced up towards the house, and saw Dale sitting at a table with Warren.

Warren… Elena thought painfully, grief gripping her heart. Warren had been her closest friend at Fablehaven, the one she could talk to about anything. They'd grown up together and shared a childhood, after all, Warren was only three years older than Elena.

She turned back to face the pool, kicking her feet gently, watching the ripples spread out and fade.

Elena felt sorry for Dale. She knew that somehow he felt what happened to Warren was his fault. He visited him everyday, up in the cabin a short distance away from the house. When Dale was away, Elena would care for Warren, spending many a long day up in the cabin. She didn't mind looking after him, she was glad she could help Dale, but seeing Warren like that upset her deeply.

He wasn't the young man she used to know. The young man who could brighten a room with his smile, who could talk for hours and never get boring, who always looked outstandingly handsome, even with mud all over his face. It's his eyes… thought Elena. It's his eyes that make him beautiful. When she stared into his soft grey eyes now, they were empty, not filled with valour as they used to be.

Elena glanced towards the house once more, and saw Dale now talking to Kendra. Kendra and her brother Seth had arrived at Fablehaven the day before, so Elena hadn't had much of a chance to talk to them.

Elena was deep in thought when she heard light footsteps approaching her from behind.

"Do you mind if I sit down?"

Elena turned to face the source of the voice, and found Kendra standing there shielding her eyes from the sun.

"Sure."

Kendra pulled up the bottoms of her jeans and sat down beside Elena, dipping her feet in the water.

Elena looked over at her, guessing from her facial expression and hunched shoulders that she was shy.

Elena smiled and held out her hand.

"I'm Elena."

"Kendra," she said, shaking Elena's hand gently.

Elena remembered what it felt like arriving at Fablehaven, not knowing what to expect, or who she would meet.

"So how you liking Fablehaven so far?"

Kendra turned round to look at her, and Elena guessed she couldn't have been much older than fourteen.

"It's ok. Grandpa's kind, and everyone else I've met seems nice."

Elena smiled.

"I saw you up talking to Dale earlier on."

"Yeah, he's nice too." She paused, looking uncertain. "What happened to Warren?"

Elena turned back to face the pool, trying desperately not to let her emotions appear on her face.

"Sorry, I shouldn't be asking…"

"No, no it's fine," Elena cut her off. "No one knows. He went out into the woods about a year ago, and Hugo found him wandering around like that."

Kendra looked confused.

"Who's Hugo?"

Damn it. Elena had forgotten that Kendra didn't know the truth.

"He's… he's a friend of your grandfather's."

Kendra nodded, satisfied with Elena's bad attempt at lying.

"Kendra!"

She looked towards the house, and found her Grandpa standing on the porch.

"Dinner!"

Kendra looked back at Elena and smiled.

"I should probably go now. It was nice talking to you." She hoisted herself out of the pool.

"Yeah," Elena smiled back. "You too."