8 Chilly Tale of a Summer Break - Part 2 (1/2)

”So, this is my best friend,” Emma said, showing a girl hugging her on the screen of her cell phone.

The two girls were sitting around a table on the inn's large porch. The sun was hot, but a cold breeze was blowing, even though it was summer. It was always like that in that place so Emma was used to it. Aleta was sitting beside her, still hesitant to get closer.

”She's… beautiful,” Aleta said, looking at the screen.

”She's nice. I think you two would be friends, too. Actually, the first time I met her…”

Emma was interrupted by the sound of a door opening up. Her grandma walked to the porch and looked to the fields in front of her. She had a troubled expression.

”Is there a problem, grandma?” Emma said.

The old woman turned to the girls as if she had just realized that they were there. She gave a gentle smile.

”Not really a problem, dear, but… Well, maybe a little problem, nothing to worry about.”

”Can I help in any way? It's not like I have anything else to do…”

”Hum…” For some reason, Misses Stephens looked at Aleta, who was sitting in silence beside Emma. ”Well, I have some things I need to buy in the city. But I really can't go now, and there's no one who can go in my place. The work I have here at the moment is not something I can ask someone else to do.”

Emma's grandma had a car parked in front of the inn, which she used for travels to the city. She could lend it to someone to go in her place, but she didn't want to bother her guests with that.

”We can go for you, right?” Emma said, turning to ask Aleta. ”I mean, I can't drive, but a walk could do us some good. Aleta can show the way.”

Misses Stephens threw a worried look at Aleta. The girl was fiddling with the fabric of the blue one-piece she was wearing.

”I don't know if it's a good…” the old woman started to say but was interrupted by the girl.

”I can show her the way, it's fine,” Aleta said. ”I haven't visited the city lately.”

The old woman gave another worried look at Aleta. But then she gave a slow nod.

”I'll get the money…”

***

It took a little more than one hour of walking. The sun wasn't that strong, luckily, as Emma was worried about how Aleta would react, given her pale skin. Emma put a blue vest over her shirt, even though she was wearing ripped short jeans. When asked why she was doing it, she only said: ”I like pockets.” She had her hair tied up again and wondered if Aleta's loose hair didn't make the heat worse.

There wasn't much to see in the way, and Aleta was quiet as always, but Emma made sure they kept a conversation during all the time. She was excited because she was sure the city would have a signal for her cell phone and hopefully she would be able to talk to her friend.

On the way, they talked a lot. Aleta was taciturn as always, but Emma didn't stay silent. Every time she asked Aleta for something personal, the girl gave some monosyllabic answer. So it was mostly Emma who spoke about her own life the whole way.

She spoke about her classes and teachers, about the parties she used to go or the few jobs she dropped after three days. She told about the boyfriend she had that didn't last much. How he was kind of an asshole but hot. Aleta just gave some vague gestures and made sounds to confirm she was listening, but rarely commented on it, so Emma couldn't say how much she was enjoying their conversation. At one point, she did say: ”You're really sociable…”

They finally arrived at the city, and Emma, not used to walk, suggested for them to rest on the park before resuming their chores.

”This place still looks the same. I wonder if I can find someone I know,” she said, throwing her body on a bench. Aleta calmly sat beside her.

”Did you have friends here?”

”I know some people I used to play with as a kid, but…” Emma surveyed the park, watching the kids running around. ”Well, the thing with cities like this is that most people go away when they grow up.”

Emma watched as some boy their age started to approach the park. It was three boys laughing and talking aloud.

”Grandma told me how you have no friends,” Emma said. ”Maybe you should talk with other people more. I know you're shy, but…”

”That's not…”

”Look at those boys, for example. Aren't they cute?” Emma asked. Aleta turned her eyes to the boys walking on the other side of the park. She bit her lip, not saying anything. Emma stood up. ”Wait a minute, I'll talk to them.”

Aleta raised her hand, but before she could grab Emma's arm, she had already walked away. Aleta made mention to go after her but couldn't let her bench. She looked at Emma with a worried face.

When Emma approached the boys, she immediately recognized one of them, even though she hadn't seen him in ages.

”Mark, is it you?”

He looked at her, first confused. But then he gave a big smile, showing his white teeth.

”Emma! Wow, never thought I would see you again!”

Emma hugged the boy and greeted the other two.

”So, what are you doing here?” Mark asked her.

”You know, visiting grandma. I'm shopping for her right now. To think you would still be around. What about Eve? Is she still around?”

”Eve married and went to live in another city,” he said.

Emma was surprised. Eve was a little older than her, but she didn't think she was old enough for marriage. At least, not for Emma's standards. She realized again how the reality of that city and those people were different from her.

”Anyway, Emma,” Mark said, looking past her to Aleta sitting alone on the bench. ”That girl. Is that Aleta, right? Weren't you with her just know?”

”Oh, yeah. She's living with grandma so I was asked to be her friend. Say, would you want come with…”

”Oh, so you're forced to be friends with Little Miss Creepy? That must be hard.”

Emma got serious. She looked at Mark in silence for some moments.

”That's rude, you know. She's a nice girl. What's up with you?” She said with a firm voice after her silence.

”No, really. I was on the same class as her, and she's, huh… Weird. Right?” He asked his friends, both agreed and gave their own negative input about her. ”You know, she was always alone… Always talking alone. And sometimes she would say some creepy shit. That girl has problems.”

With her hands on the pockets of her vest, Emma faced the three boys. She turned to look at Aleta again, realizing the girl was kicking her feet on the ground, avoiding to look at them.

”I hope I'm wrong, but I will ask it anyway,” Emma said in a sober tone. ”Did you bully her?”

Mark and his friends seemed uncomfortable as they looked at each other. After some minutes of silence, it was Mark who spoke.

”Saying it was bullying is a little harsh. You know, as kids we did say some dumb things that maybe we shouldn't, but that's natural, right? She just creeped us out. After that, we just...mostly...started avoiding her. Look, you understand…”

”Have you ever made her cry?”

Mark didn't say anything for a moment, then he started to mumble something. Emma sighed.

”Nice to see you, Mark,” she said and turned away.

She walked to Aleta and gently grabbed her hand, pulling her from the bench.

”Let's go. Can't let grandma waiting,” she said and started to pull the girl with her.

Mark caught up after them and tried to call her attention.

”Wait a minute, Emma. Just listen…”

He grabbed her free arm, but she slapped it away with force and turned to him.

”Get away, asshole!” She shouted, loud enough that people around looked in their direction.

”Emma…”

”Keep following me and I'll call for help,” she said in a cold voice.

The boys gave up but Emma still pulled Aleta with her in hasted steps. At some point, she was almost running.

”E-Emma...my feet are hurting,” Aleta said, making Emma halt.

She looked at the black haired girl and gave a smile, suddenly hugging her.

”W-What?” Aleta said.