The Summer That Changed Everything

Chapter Five - Part One

The next couple of weeks followed the same pattern. Felicity would spend a lot of her days away from her parents in her room. Packing everything away for her move to university was high on her priority list and it was a more challenging task than she had first anticipated.

In secret, she would pine to spend time with her mum and dad. She was very aware of how much she’d miss them when she moved away, and the countdown on her calendar was getting smaller every day. But the business occupied most of their days, so they found it hard to spend time with her. Because, of course, summer was a peak season for their hotels. A booming business would seem a desirable outcome. But it also meant that many things could go wrong, which required long days in the office away from teenage daughters.

On the days she freed herself from the confines of her bedroom, she mingled with Jared, her reacquainted childhood friend. Boredom consumed Jared as much as it did her, judging from the amount of time they spent together. Jared, with his easygoing nature and infectious laughter, was always up for a challenge. They spent the days doing various activities and challenging one another. They usually ended every day out with their favourite past-time; food.

“Thank you for another wonderful day and yet another full belly,” Felicity laughed as Jared pulled up outside her house. She cradled the body part in question and idly wondered if she would lose her slim figure soon. Not that it bothered her if it meant she could keep eating fantastic food. “I’m sure you’re just trying to fatten me up.”

“Not at all.” He shook his head with mirth in his eyes. “I can’t resist always wanting to get food when I’m with someone who enjoys it as much as me.”

“And someone who can give you a run for your money in an eating contest,” she teased, stifling a burp. The playful banter between them never failed to bring a smile to their faces.

“That too,” he laughed at the memory from a few hours previous.

The pair were walking through Manchester town centre when they spotted a newly opened Italian restaurant. The signs in the windows boasted the largest pizzas Manchester had ever seen. One look at the sign and Felicity and Jared couldn’t resist the challenge. They would both order the same pizza, and whoever ate it first would win. Now, it wasn’t like one of those professional eating contests you see on TV where they shove it into the mouth and hope for the best. No, their plan was to enjoy the food at a leisurely pace and whoever finished first won. It was a remarkably close competition; both picked up speed and lagged at the same time. But at last, Felicity came out on top.

Despite the impending aching stomach, the satisfaction of winning the food challenge filled Felicity with a sense of accomplishment. She couldn’t help but wonder if she had actually won in the long run, as she continued to pat her stomach, but the joy of the moment was undeniable.

“My parents said, at last, that we can spend the day together tomorrow,” Felicity smiled with her hand perched atop the door handle. Her excitement about the excursion was palpable. She turned towards Jared with a sweet smile. A smile that would make anyone’s heart stop. It startled Jared for a mere second before snapping himself out of it. “So, don’t miss me too much, because I will be unavailable.”

Jared clutched at his chest and gasped in an Oscar-worthy performance. Felicity was surprised he didn’t place the back of his hand against his forehead. “How will I ever cope?”

“Ah, I’m sure you’ll be fine,” she shrugged, hopping out of the car, and turning to face Jared. She leant down and placed her hand on top of the car door, before smirking at Jared. It was a smirk Jared himself would be proud of. “I’m sure you can spend time with one of those imaginary girls you always keep talking about.”

Laughing, she shut the car door on his shocked expression and waved him off down the road. Chortling again when Jared’s middle finger met her friendly wave, she shook her head. Her sass was something Jared loved about her; especially because he could match it and nothing he said would offend her. And vice versa.

Felicity skipped up to her driveway, despite her need for a nap after all that food. She stepped into her house and breezed into the dining room. There, as she thought, her parents were eating dinner. She perched on the chair opposite her mother.

“I take it you’ve already eaten?” Tanya asked. By now, she knew her daughter’s routine.

“Yup,” she nodded, holding her bloated stomach and regretting all her life’s decisions. “I couldn’t possibly fit in another bite.”

“That’s a shame,” her father spoke up. “We have a lovely dessert in the fridge for later.”

Felicity sat up, her regret immediately flew out of the window. “Well, I’m sure I could make an exception for dessert.”

A chorus of laughter filled her ears as her parents chuckled at her switched demeanour.

“Have you thought about tomorrow? What would you like to do?” Her mother asked, pushing her empty plate away from her.

“I don’t know, to be honest,” Felicity replied. “It’ll be nice just to spend some time together. Even if we go for a drive and eventually get food, it would still be lovely. Maybe to North Wales? Or Scarborough?”

Anywhere with a beach and amusements would suit Felicity fine. She loved stuff like that, and it brought back childhood memories by the bucket load.

“Both sound great,” Peter, Felicity’s dad, responded. “How about we get up early tomorrow, and we’ll see where the wind takes us? Be all spontaneous. Like we were when you were younger.”

“Sounds good!” Felicity grinned. Spontaneity was her favourite thing about her childhood, but it had dwindled as she had grown up. It made sense that it would reappear not long before she embarked on the next chapter of her life.