Under the Summer Sky by Michelle Stone (jenna bush book club TXT) 📖

walk on the beach. With my head going crazy like it was I needed some fresh air. The waves rolled in and out calmly.
I wondered what Brady would think of me if he knew about me and Star. Would he act weird around me? What about my parents? I couldn’t think of them being anything but supportive. No matter what gender I’m attracted to.
The rest of the day was filled with window shopping and dinner at a sushi place. As we were sitting there waiting for the waitress to bring us the check my mother leaned over towards me and asked “Are you alright Myra? You barely even ate anything.”
My father and Brady both turned their attention towards me as my mother waited for a response.
“I’m fine. I just don’t feel that well.” I admitted, which was the truth. I hadn’t felt good all day, with my stomach churning in my throat.
“Are you doing drugs?” my mother asked point blank. I just stared at her in confusion when she added, “I was only wondering. I read in one of my books that Teens tend to pull away from their family when they start getting into drugs.”
“Mom, please stop, alright? I am not doing drugs. I’m way too smart for that.” I looked at her hurt as her and my father looked at me concerned. “I thought you would know that, but I guess not.” I said as I got up and walked out of the doors of the front of the restaurant.
How could she even think something like that? I hadn’t done anything wrong except drink and that’s honestly not even that big of a deal. Plus, I haven’t drunk anything in a few days. I pulled out my pack of cigarettes and lit one up. I don’t even care anymore. I try and make them happy and they think I’m doing drugs. This is a prime example of why I don’t fit in with them. I actually show people my emotions and they’re all fake happy all the time.
I stubbed out the cigarette as I waited for them to come outside and join me so we could leave.
Brady came out and stood next to me with his hands in his pocket.
“Are you seriously alright? I know you don’t do drugs so you don’t have to be on the defense about it. Really though, what’s going on?” He said staring out toward the street as cars went by and tourists stopped to take pictures of the old buildings.
“No. I’m not.” I said as all the confusion built up inside of me and anxiety forced tears to escape through my eyelashes. Brady came over and let me sob in his arms as he patted my back like I remember him doing so many times before.
My parents finally came out of the restaurant and ushered us to the car. I sat in the back seat next to Brady as tears streamed down my flushed cheeks and my father drove us back to the cabin.
As soon as we pulled up to familiar old white cabin I stepped out of the car and walked down to the beach with Brady close at my heels. I finally got far enough away when I collapsed in the sand pulling out yet another cigarette.
Brady sat down next me as I puffed down the smoke in quick breaths.
“What’s going on?” Brady said as he watched me cautiously waiting for a reply.
I sat there for a moment feeling overwhelmed. How could I tell him that I’m in love with a girl? I asked myself. My stomach churned again as I got scared of what Brady’s reaction would be. Should I even tell him? I might as well tell him just in case were at another party and he sees Star and I together. He might already suspect something. But what If he can’t handle it? What if he tells our parents and they send me away to some camp, like I seen once in a movie? Or what if he’s totally freaked out and never talks to me again? Thoughts kept twirling through my head as I puffed down my smoke until there was nothing left except the orange-red filter.
I took a deep breath and started from the beginning.
An hour later after I finished filling Brady in we sat on the beach watching the sun sink down through the sky,
“So are you sure this is who you are? I don’t mean it like that either, I mean,” he paused. “Are you sure you’re into girls?” Brady choked the last word out like it was acid in his throat. I guess the idea of it freaked him out a bit.
Brady was so content on listening the whole time as I explained everything, from how I thought I felt about Ramon to the feelings I can’t explain about Star. He never once said anything judgmental. He understood that I needed someone to talk to, lean into, and I was greatly appreciative for it. He offered in his advice when he thought it would help. He also sat out there with me as the sun was no longer in the sky.
“Yea, I think so.” I answered his question not fully knowing for myself. How could I? This was new territory for me, and I was experiencing things I never thought I would about myself and emotions.
“Well, you’re still Myra to me.” He said smiling at me.
“Thanks Brady. It means a lot to me.” I said grabbing his hand, pulling him to his feet.
We both walked back to the cabin up the stairs. To my surprise Brady didn’t immediately enter his room and lock the door, instead following me into my room.
“You know, I kind of knew something was up this morning.” He said laughing a little.
“How?” I said skeptical.
“When I asked you how last night was, your face turned bright red. Although, I thought you were doing drugs too. Until mom asked and you freaked out.”
I looked at his smile warming me up. I am so lucky to have a brother like this. He’s someone I can rely on when the rest of the world disappears.
“Well, I’m glad I didn’t have to hold it anymore. I thought I was going to burst.” I laughed.
Just then something smacked my window hard. I saw the window pane shake wildly as something else hit it, hard.
Brady stood up and opened the window, only to see Star standing in the yard with a hand full of rocks.
“Hey, what are you doing?” He whispered loudly down to her.
“Where’s Myra?” She asked.
I got up and walked over to the window leaning my head out.
“Hey.” I whispered, smiling down to her.
Star brushed some hair out of her face before whispering back, “Come down here” followed by a giggle.
My heart started racing as I pulled on a pair of my shoes. Before I walked out of my room Brady stopped me. “I’ll cover for you until 12. After that, you’re on your own.” He said warning me. I glanced at my cell phone, thanking god I remembered charging it this morning, reading 9:56 pm off the screen.
“Thanks Brady.” I said as I stood on my tip-toes to give him a hug.
I crept down the stairs, past my parents’ bedroom, and out the front door. I flinched as the screen door squeaked shut. I finally made it out to where Star was standing.
I followed her out to the beach. The moon illuminating the night with silver light. We walked for a while before she finally sat down. I sat down no more than two inches away from her. She grabbed my hand as my heart fluttered. I laid back in the sand as she did the same and our heads were right next to each other.
“This is so weird for me.” I said as I looked into her eyes.
“Let the moment take you away.” She laughed as we stared into each other’s eyes listening to the each of our breaths broke up the sound of the air rushing over us.
“Here” She handed me a silver bracelet with a purple gem hanging off the end. It was so simple and beautiful. I’ve never owned anything more precious.
Star had a way with making me feel like the luckiest girl in the world. Her eyes, a deep sparkling green that made me feel as If I were staring into something deeper.
I slid back into my room as the morning sun was threatening to give away my position. As I got under my covers I remembered that I was still wearing the bracelet. As I lay their waiting for sleep to over come I ran my fingers down until I was holding the tiny diamond between my fingers. A few minutes later I drifted off to sleep.
“Wake up.” Something smacked me in the back of the leg as I dreamed about Star.
“Stop.” I said as I rolled over keeping my eyes shut.
“No. Wake up. For Ramon?” I jumped at the name and sat up.
Brady was hovering over my bed as I sat up.
“Where’s Ramon?” I asked rubbing my eyes trying to focus on him.
“He’s been sitting in the driveway for like 20 minutes.”
“Why didn’t you wake me up earlier?!” I sat standing up and rummaging around for a pair of shorts. The girl in the mirror looking back at me had frazzled hair, make-up smudged across her cheek, and missing an ear ring. I ran around trying to brush my hair while single handedly pulling my shorts on. As I looked out the window I noticed Brady already made his way down through the house out to where Ramon was parked. I took a step back to look at myself and thought I looked half way decent to talk to someone. But why Ramon? Why was he here in the first place?
I walked out the doors and up to Ramon who was looking out his windshield.
“Hey what’s up Ramon?” I said looking at him confused.
He looked at me and replied “Do you want to take a drive with me?” My heart fluttered at the thought when Star’s face appeared in my mind. What can it hurt, I thought, and jumped in.
Ramon took me through a few winding roads. At the moment that I decided we were lost, we pulled into a smaller parking lot that was surrounded on 3 sides by trees and thick brush. He pulled in and parked, turning the engine off, and submerging us into complete silence.
“I don’t understand.” He said looking down at his hands.
“What do you mean?” I asked trying to look at his face.
“You.” He said looking up at me.
“Wait, I don’t get it. What did I do?” I said meeting his eyes.
“What didn’t you do?” Ramon opened his truck door and stepped down letting the door fall shut. Confused, I did the same.
“You’re not making any sense.” I said waiting for Ramon to explain what was going on.
“I thought you liked guys. You know, I really liked you. What about you and Star? When she called me this morning telling me everything, It hurt. I thought we had an understanding. I was supposed to get the first kiss.” He said kicking the dirt.
“First Kiss? You need to tell me what’s going on.” I said looking at him. I didn’t understand what was going on and I was more confused now more than ever. Scenarios ran through my head, but none that got me closer to where I was at finding out.
Ramon ran his hands through his hair then pulled