The sun's rays rolled over the darkened blanket of soil like an avalanche, giving birth to the first day of summer and the rest of their lives. Four girls traveled along the highway of life toward a destination unknown, a summer unclear. Who knew what could happen with 4 girls, a boy band, and endless time and road. Jessa slouched in the driver's teal seat, munching away on Goldfish crackers for breakfast, her light brown hair clinging to her bare mid-back like velcro, her two blonde strands of hair framing her face slicing dangerously in front of her sunglasses, sweat beading on her forehead like spring rain drops. She whipped at them laggardly with the back of her hand, the sun reflecting off her turtle-frame sunglasses as she drove along the never-ending highway in a daze enduced by the sweltering heat and buzzing of locust slashing through the thin walls. Jessa licked the sideway "v" of a scar at the crook of the left side of her thin, dry lips and took the turn toward Jones Beach, the first of many places they'd be visiting this notable summer. Her mind was being bombarded with the many events that lead to the apocalypse of a trip around the country that would be etched in their memories and hearts forever.
The defining reason this pilgramage even went into effect was with the regrettable passing of Jessa's Grandfather, Peter Bellafore. He was a great man, the closest thing Jessa had to a father. When he retired from the earnest work at a well-respected bank, he decided to see the sights, experience all the world could give, something he could never do behind his stuffy office desk. So he bought a 1989 Ford Lazy Daze Recreational Vehicle and that was his home for the next decade, before he passed on into the clouds, clouds he often viewed through the driver's seat in many different states, in 1999. The tears stung Jessa's green eyes like salt whenever she thought about that desolate time, but he inadvertantly gave her the best gift with his death; the gift of the road, the privaledge and ability to travel wherever she pleased, to travel far, far away from the problems ailing her so badly, it made her physically sick. So in 1999, she and her friends Taryn, Celeste and Ashley made a pact; to make the summer before Taryn went off to college the best it could be; they'd do anything they could to make it memorable.
Jessa glanced in the rear-view mirror to a sleeping Ashley on the drop leaf table's comfy teal and white bench to the right, her feet cuddled under her khaki pants and relazed body as she danced in her dreams. Her shoulder-lenght strawberry blonde hair swayed with the wind blowing in from the open passanger window. She was the "baby" of the clan and her family, her translucent hazel eyes, her pudgy physique, freckled face, and innocent outlook on life prominent characteristics of her naive nature. Just shy of 16, she had never gained status of becoming an equal between Jessa and Celeste, even thought only 1 year separated them. She did everything she could to be more than like them, feel that she belonged and Jessa frowned upon it. But Jessa couldn't tell Ashley to find her own way, her own identity; that would break her heart.
Jessa's eyes then skimmed Taryn, the 18 year old malevolent headcase, as many call her, the complete opposite of Ashley, lounging at the cherrywood kitchen table right in back her chair, Taryn's chocolate brown eyes read destination signs they passed as her ring-crusted fingers tapped out the rythums of some ska/punk band's song on her red plaid capri pants, the sun glistening on her bright red crop. She was the epitome of an "outcast" physically, sacraficing "tasteful" style and glam for her individuality, chopping off her once long, brown hair for red hair dye and acceptance in a parallel universe. She could be your best friend or worst enemy; there was never a compromisable hiatus between the two. She grew up in a "Beaver Cleaver" family with a hard-working father, homemaker mother, a perfect brother in every way named Todd, even the goddamned white picket fence. Jessa assumed it was like having too much of a good thing for Taryn; you get turned off after a while. As a result, Jessa also guess the sickly-sweet atmosphere and home-cooked meals tore her away from society, or maybe it was her cousin Delilah, the only one Taryn says "honestly cared for her, deep in her soul and unconditionally."
And then there was Jessa's story, a horror story too prolonged and derogatory to sift through. She just needed to leave, needed to get out of her house and her destruction of many innocent boys. She knew unintentionally playing with their hearts would be detrimental, but she felt as if she needed to explore her options, not make the wrong choice, especially when it comes to love. Her personal plight lead to the bet, a bet Ashley and Taryn were oblivious to and Celeste knew too much about, the bet that pulled them on this wild goosechase with Ashley and Celeste's favorite band. Ashley and Celeste deserved to see them, even thought Taryn detests anything associated with dance routines and other people writing songs other than the band or artist. Taryn was wheeled into the trailing idea because they'd stop often the road, observing the rare wonders of road trips.
Heather Tobin, the typical bitch extrodanaire and popular snot, offered Jessa a bet she couldn't refuse, a bet she was ready to attack as soon as the graduation hats were thrown. The prizes? To the winner goes either Jessa's grandmother's wedding band, a cherished memoire of her grandmother Phyllis, or Heather's cross pendent with turquoise stones outlining the cross, just another piece of junk jewelry because of Heather's wealthy status. Petty things to some, but the satisfaction of seeing the other seeth and wallow in self-pity was reward enough. Hatred had boiled in their blood, floated in their air ever since they were young and competing for everything. No one knew how it escalated so that they couldn't look at each other without throwing punches, but sometimes explanations only make things more complicated. Little did Jessa knew of Heather's true spiteful intentions, intentions that would have changed everything...
"Jessa," Jessa head a voice call through the space of her ears, her mind settling deep in the cavern of her brain thinking and thinking. Jessa turned sharply to Celeste, Celeste's short dark brown curls bobbing around her heart-shaped face to her shoulders, her wolf-like blue eyes wide with concern, piercing into Jessa's tanned face. Celeste was looking healthier these days after being kidnapped by her friends to escape on this crazy route for the summer. Technically, Celeste was forbidden to attend the trip, Taryn and Ashley's parents readily agreeing and Jessa's mother not giving two-shits about what Jessa did. They all needed to escape reality, even if it was only for 2 months. Jessa's mother laughed when Jessa revealed her plan, saying she could never leave, never do anything in life. What a role model. A note was all the forbidded left, a note with vague explaination on the trip and vague intentions of returning.
An army brat and a hermit against her will, Celeste had never been on a date, been out past 10, or kiss a boy at her olden age of 17. Her father is Gerald Skye, a notorious, well-known Lieutenant to the U.S. Army and a man always bringing his stern military techniques and ways to the dinner table. Celeste had eaten at 8 different schools, slept in 8 different houses, crossed dozen of state boarders, but been in their small Long Island town of Frost Valley, the only place where the people were colder than the winters, for 3 years now. After the relief of actually having a life for longer than a few month, the backlash came pillowing down on her when her father put her on lockdown to her room for no reason, no justification. Her mother was no help; she was as weak and powerless as Celeste.
"Yeah?" Jessa asked, stirring a few blinks in her eyes, shaking the cobwebs out of her head as she pulled into the Jones Beach arena, the brick-red arena standing proud and strong for countless summers for Jessa, Taryn and Ashley.
"Is it time?" Celeste questioned softly, slipping her black Mudd sandals clumsily.
"Yeah," Jessa responded, parking the white RV with teal stripes streaking the side in the stark parking lot, obsessive-complusive patrions of the concert tonight not arriving for at least 3 more hours, seagulls laughing and sailing high above the turbulent water's surface. She grabbed four baby food jars with each of their names scribbled on it from the cluttered dashboard into her arms, "Tell Taryn and wake up Ashley..."
The four friends strolled silently over the beach toward the water's edge, kicking up white sand and itching at the multiple mosquito bites they've received at the brink of summer. As they reach the clashing waves, Jessa handed each of them their jars with their names on it, some filled with more liquid than others.
"We're here," Ashley whispered whimsically, turning to her friends and smiling joyously, "Just like you said we would be."
"Let's just get this over with," Taryn demanded irritably, scrunching her small nose as the misty salt water pulled at it with the weight of countless boulders, a small silver lightning bolt fastened securely to her left nostril shimmering in its beauty in the sun, "I was just about to keel over from the excitement of this trip."
Celeste and Jessa just rolled their eyes simultaneously, outburst like that common and retortions futile. "You go first, Celeste," Jessa urged, pulling Celeste's light purple boyfriend tank toward the blue water.
Celeste stumbled foward, looking behind her nervously to the girls who would always have her back. The water lapped like a dog's tounge at her ankles as she loosened the cap and tossed it into the roaring ocean. It was like the start of a new chapter, a new novel for Celeste. With a final, deep breath, she overturned the jar as the liquid discinegrated into nothingness, floating about the sea-soaken air.
Taryn stormed foward, wanting to get this childish yet meaningful ceremony over with so she could drown herself in her music. Hastily, she slid the cap off the jar as a single, solitary tear dropped from the jar into the ocean. A small smile forced its way on her rock-hard face as she retreated back.
Jessa nodded for Ashley to take her turn with the genial ocean. Cool water spilled over Ashley's pink Sketcher gel sandals and khaki pants as she unscrewed the tight cap. Kissing the jar, she pitch the whole jar to be engulfed by the sea, a slight splash indicating the finalization of Ashley's deal.
Jessa was last and probably the one who needed to do this the most; let go of her tears. Staring down at the jar like it held fascinating powers, her frail hands gripped tighter around the jar, her knuckles pasting into white. She didn't think she was strong enough, brave enough to have these tears be the last she'd cry, these tears collected over the past few years, nearly filled to the brim. She had to do it, let them go, let her sorrows go, let a life she couldn't control skid across the water and plummet to the ocean's bottom. As a hopeful smile diffused on her face, she dropped the jar into the ocean, it swirling in the sand and then suspending in the water with the slight doubt that plagued Jessa's head.
"That's it?" Celeste asked unsurely, as if she should have felt different after throwing her fears, tears, sadness and sorrows into the precipitated tears of the angels, as if the sea should have parted with that momentous feat. The four friends plopped into the silence as thick as the humidity until someone grappled for the right thing to say.
"That's it," Taryn responded evenly, arms crossed against her chest, her brown eyes fixaded on the rolling waved lolling into shore, trying to find the jars swimming with the fishes.
"Let's enjoy the summer," Ashley urged, clasping her hands with Taryn and Celeste, they staring down on their "little sister" and smiling.
"Let's enjoy our lives," Jessa finished, her eyes gleaming as all of her friends nodded.
