The Summer We Lied

Chapter Three

It's blazing hot out front and I'm laying back against my green towel, getting most out of the summer day ahead.

My skin is burning because I chose to wear a sangria coloured skater dress. This morning I'd woken up with more confidence, thinking that Matt would be here too. I'm not even sure of why I wanted him to be here.

However, when I came downstairs, I found my parents in the kitchen nook on their own.

The dress still came in handy use for my tanning session. I took a long sip from my Coke can and continued to let the rays burn into my skin. Summer is glorious indeed.

"Kelsey, I want to know what your plans are for the summer?"

I dropped my head back and pulled off my sunglasses to see my mother hovering above me with her hands on her hips. Her face was covered in a new cucumber facemask and her long blonde hair was pulled into a messy bun. I held back my laugh.

"Um. Pretty much this, " I say.

She shakes her head in disapproval. "So your brother has decided to spend his summer away playing video games and you have decided to spend your summer getting skin cancer. Wow, where did I ever go wrong with you two?"

I sit up immediately and cross my legs. "Mom, Summer is meant for relaxing. You should be lucky that I'm outside. Most teenage girls are just stuck to their phones or probably glued to who's hooking up next on Love Island."

"No, that translates into being lazy for four long weeks. I'm sorry but that is not happening, " she says. "Daniel, George!"

I groan as she calls for my dad and brother. They emerge from inside and both seem annoyed. Seems like they have gotten the sermons as well.

"We have decided that the two of you should spend some time cleaning up the old ranch house, " my dad says.

"What? No!" Daniel and I speak in unison.

"Look, we'll do anything else but go up there. It's probably a mess. We won't be able to handle it, " Daniel explains.

"No, you're both going. We talked about how you two haven't socialised with each other as siblings in a long time and this will be a good opportunity," my mom says.

I laugh out incredulously. "I don't need to socialize with him. He is like an aggravated acne pimple. I spend every day with him. This is child abuse."

Daniel chuckles. "And she is like herpes."

"Is that the best you've got?" I mutter and throw dirty looks his way.

"You want us to spend time together? We'd probably end up killing each other," he says.

My dad scratches his forehead and looks over at my mom. I know this exchange. I've lived with them for seventeen years to learn every look and what it meant. He's unsure of sending us. He thinks it's a bad idea.

My mom, on the other hand, is frowning at him and keeping an adamant look on her face.

I look over at Daniel and he looks from them to me and smiles. He's thinking what I'm thinking.

With enough time and enough acting, we can probably make them change their decision.

My mom looks at us and points her index finger. This means she's now serious. "Tomorrow morning. I want you both here at 8 a.m. sharp. I will pack food and you will both go to that farmhouse and do some summer cleaning and bonding."

I fold my arms across my chest. "Fine."

My mom narrows her eye's suspiciously and gives us one more warning look before going back into the house with my dad.

Once our parents are out of sight, I turn to Daniel and ask, "So, how are we going to avoid this?"

He smiles slyly and pulls on his Hollywood style shades. "I have a plan."

The day drags on and I have now moved from the front of the yard to the back. I pull on a bathing suit and jump into the cold pool water.

As do a few laps and emerge to the surface, I watch as Daniel comes to the back of the house with my dad and a ladder.

"What are you two doing?" I ask.

Daniel rolls his grey bandana and wraps it around his head. "Just some chores."

I narrow my eyes as my dad avoids looking in my direction. Something is up and I know Daniel too well to know that he's plotting and planning.

And I'm right. He's only climbing on the third step before he comes tumbling to the ground.

"Oh my God! Oh my God," he moans as he rolls around on the grass.

My dad reacts too late and I shake my head. How stupid do they think I am?

"Oh, this looks like a sprained ankle," my dad says as he bends down to examine Daniel's "injury".

"Really?" I chuckle and climb out of the water. I wrap my towel around my waist and walk over to them.

"How can you make out if it's sprained? I can't see anything." I press my foot on Daniel's ankle.

"Ouch," he says and glares up at me.

"Kelsey go and get your mother. This is serious," my dad instructs.

I roll my eyes and go into the house. My mom is in the kitchen, watching the food network channel and following the steps to some sort of dessert.

"Mom, Daniel supposedly sprained his ankle. Dad is calling you," I mutter.

My mom raises her eyebrows. "How convenient."

I smile and shrug as she leaves the cooking show and rushes outside. Whatever Daniel's plans were, I have a bad feeling that it doesn't include me in it.

I go upstairs, take a quick shower and change into a pair of jeans and a sunflower tee shirt. When I come back downstairs, Daniel is on the couch, playing mortal combat and eating a bowl of custard and jelly.

I stand in front of the tv screen and block him on purpose. "So did your stupid plan work?"

Daniel grins smugly. "All you have to know is that dad will be accompanying you to the farmhouse."

I bring my first down hard against his supposedly hurt ankle and his yelps. "What hell, Kelsey?"

"You're such a liar. I'm going to get you back for this," I say, pressing my hand down on his ankle.

"I'd like to see that happen," he grins.