Savannah Burning

Chapter Eighteen

Savanna and I didn’t acknowledge what had happened – or didn’t happen – between us that day at Camp Hero. But it was still there. That thing between us. I could feel it every time she was in the same room as me. I could feel it whenever I saw the light in her room on and her shadow pacing back and forth.

I had been looking forward to Thanksgiving break until Savanna told us she wouldn’t be home for it.

“We’re going to my aunt and uncle’s,” she explained at lunch the day before break started. “They live somewhere in Pennsylvania. Apparently I have cousins, too.”

“Nervous?” Robbie taunted.

“Honestly?” Savanna asked. “Yeah, kind of. I’m not sure what to expect. I don’t know how to handle Karen and Brady half the time. How am I supposed to deal with the rest of the Skye clan?”

“They’re both going?” I asked, surprised to hear that Karen would be tagging along.

“Karen doesn’t have any relatives that live nearby and plus, you know, we’re supposed to be one, big happy family now.” She shook her head, clearly uncomfortable with the situation.

“Well that will certainly be awkward,” Robbie chimed in as blunt as ever.

“Definitely,” Savanna agreed with a nod. “There is a plus side to all of this, though,” she said with a small smile. “After school Karen is taking me to get . . .” she paused, glancing around dramatically, “a cellphone.”

“Oh, no,” I said, shaking my head. “That won’t do. Who is going to wake me up by throwing rocks at my window?”

“Don’t you worry,” she said, patting me on the head. “I’ll still be faithfully at your window.”

I found the texture of the table suddenly incredibly fascinating as I tried not to blush. I could see Robbie raising his eyebrows at me, daring me to look over to him so that he could silently taunt me.

“Thank God,” Daisy said, oblivious to my inner melt down. “I’ll have someone to talk to about these two idiots.” The bell rang and we began to collect our trash and head towards our classrooms.

“I resent that,” Robbie grumbled.

“You’ll get over it,” Savanna promised him before slipping into her classroom, closely followed by Heather and Emily who shot us their signature glares. I caught Daisy flipping them the bird when their backs were turned and, as I walked past the classroom, I caught Savanna’s smile as she saw it, too.

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It was tradition on Thanksgiving Eve for Heather Cocoran to throw a party. At first, Daisy and I only got invited because of Robbie, because he’s an athlete, but we quickly made our own names for ourselves. For instance, Daisy was the reigning beer pong queen of our grade and I, apparently, am up for any kind of dare once I get too many beers into me. And I do mean any. In the tenth grade Robbie and I had a contest to see who could puke the farthest off the second floor balcony.

I won.

We almost weren’t invited back after that. Almost.

Heather’s house was in a cul-de-sac of five other identically large and luxurious houses. Robbie awkwardly pulled the Mothership up to the curb outside of Heather’s house, music pulsating from inside the house.

The party was in full swing; we had all but lost track of time during our afternoon surf after Savanna left for Pennsylvania. The house was alive with bodies dancing to the music. We pushed our way into the kitchen and Robbie grabbed a six-pack from the fridge to split between the three of us. Daisy cleared a spot on the kitchen table where we could sit while we caught up to our classmates.

“Damn,” Robbie said, running a hand over his face. “This place holds some good memories, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah it does,” Daisy grinned. As I watched my drunken classmates carry on, singing cliché songs about being young forever, I began to feel something like fear creep up into my lungs.

“I’ll be right back,” I said, excusing myself to go to the bathroom.