Back in the Summer
Middle of July
Somewhere in Uganda...
The scorching sun is burning whatever exposed skin of my body. Sweats are running down my skin. Even wearing a sleeveless tee and shorts isn't helping.
Then there are those piercing eyes of the pedestrians, who're probably wondering why's this crazy girl pacing in a circle making herself sweat more. And those naked kids dancing not too far away.
Literally.
I guess it's kind of odd to see a fair skin girl alone in this part of the town. And I admit they're kinda right. Take one step ahead from here and I'll be lost.
My phone is low on battery because of the heat and I'm also moments away from heatstroke. I thought Africa wasn't supposed to be this hot because of all the green environment. But it turns out summer is summer after all.
I'm waiting for Miles to return whom I went to fetch Dylan's-his brother and my sister's best friend (who two practically grew up together which made it weirder that I never noticed he had a brother of my age)-'s Canon for me.
If only I hadn't left my Nikon back at home. But who knew I would ever need it again?
Before planning to major in journalism, I wanted to be a professional photographer. But then the shits happened and I realized that to survive in life, I need to focus on something serious, something that can bring a good paycheck at the end of the month.
I can follow my previous dream in another life, where the earth is less crucial than the current one.
However, Miles's case isn't the same. He doesn't worry about his future. He just wants to take off after high school. Maybe to become a traveler. Or a painter. Or a teacher. I don't care as long as I'm being me and happy-he quotes.
Sometimes I'm very jealous of his laidback yet independent life. And Jason's too. He's in the debate club and national math olympiad champion for five years. He was his middle school's newspaper committee leader too, the reason he's so good at his job. He even talks so smoothly that sometimes I wish I could see his head cracking into two.
But he's my friend too and no matter how jealous I am of his talents, I'm happy for him.
It's been almost two hours yet no sign of Miles. I probably shouldn't have given Miles the job.
And I should never have trusted dad's words and agreed to come here. The last time he took us on a trip, we got stuck between tons of Chinese who can't even say hello in English.
But he promised it wasn't a work purpose this time. And also Miles's family was coming too.
Along with twenty other doctors and donors' families for the opening of the new hospital here.
Dad swore he didn't know he had to work here. Then again, knowing his busy life, I don't blame him for not knowing the full details.
And it also happened to be that the only people I know on this trip outside my family is Miles's family.
Now we're stuck between a bunch of strangers. Although Miles and I have befriended some over the last few days.
Grace went to Pennsylvania to spend the summer with her grandparents. Right now, I wish she had come with us. At least she's not a dumbass like Miles. Plus the three of us would've had lots of fun together.
I continue pacing without looking up until I bump into someone and fall back.
Seriously people should start watching where they're going.
I look up and meet a familiar face. A scowl appears on my face instantly.
Then the person smiles and a few lines appear on his face.
But the boy I know-
I blink my eyes, my vision begins to become clearer. It's not the devil himself.
It's his father.
I know him because I saw him with the devil on his first day in our school.
And a few other times when the devil got into trouble and he had to come to save his son's sorry ass.
Also, on the devil's first day at our school, he was there when the Principal asked me to show the devil around.
Regardless to say, the experience was horrible and we never crossed each other's path to the date.
"I'm sorry," he says.
"It's alright Mr. Fellan." Mr. Fellan flinches visibly when he hears his name and looks at me properly.
He might've forgotten my face. "I'm Kiara White, your son Ashton and I go to the same school."
"Yes I remember you," he says. "You're the girl who showed Ashton the school around on his first day and he ended up picking a fight with you."
I nod with a laugh. "Yes, I'm the one."
His features soften. "I'm sorry about my son's behavior. He's always been a bit- carried away."
"It's okay Mr. Fellan, you don't have to apologize for his behavior. Everyone knows he's like that."
Mr. Fellan smiles. "Call me Chris," he says. "You're a very sweet girl. Are you here with your family?"
"Yes, we're here for the opening of the new hospital. Dad's one of the doctors working on this project."
Mr. Fellan flinches. Or I thought so. Because he looks fine now. I might've imagined it, my brain's kinda messed up from the heat.
"So your family will be at the donators party tonight?" He asks.
How does he know? Wait, is he one of the donators too? He might be. Because from what I heard, he owns a chain business. Does that mean his family is here too?
Does that mean Ashton is here too?
"Are you one of the donors?"
Mr. Fellan hesitates to answer.
"Will your family be at the party tonight? I mean will Ashton be there too?" I keep asking.
"Yo Kiara!" I turn around and see Miles finally coming.
About time.
Suddenly Mr. Fellan looks uneasy. "Ye-no. I'm sorry Miss White but I'm kind of late. See you," he says.
"Oh sure, don't let me keep you waiting," I tell him.
He walks away before Miles can catch up with us.
Weird.
"What was that?" Miles asks.
I shrug. "You got the camera?"
Miles scratches his nape. "About that," he says. "Dylan didn't bring it with him on the trip."
"What?!"
Miles flinches. "Chill, at least I got one from Doctor Gomez's daughter."
He hands me a Polaroid. A freakin Polaroid.
"That's all they got and Mrs. Gomez was happy to lend us this for the day."
"You realize Millie is eight right?" Millie is Doctor Gomez's daughter.
"Yeah so?"
'So I forgot he's seven years old stuck in a teenager's body.'
I shake my head. At least we got something.
"And I managed a car too," Miles adds. "Nissan agreed to give us a ride." Nissan honks the jeep behind him. I sigh. At least he did something right.
Nissan is one of the friends we made here. He lives in this town for his parent's job in the corporate health foundation here.
We get inside the car. Nissan drives us to the forest we decided to go to earlier. The forest is pretty famous among the locals, though underrated because it's just 'another wood' to some people. But that's only because they haven't seen it themselves.
Miles and I are in short of breath when Nissan stops the car. Stunning, the only word to describe it.
The photo will be worth the front page of our summer issue.
But the problem arises when I can't find the perfect shot hours later.
Behind me, Miles continues his bad jokes as I struggle to find the perfect shot. The shot that'll be worth the front page.
Something that'll be breathtaking and impossible to look away from.
"...an American when you come out, what are you in the bathroom?"
"What?" Nissan asks.
"European."
"Uh-" Nissan tries to reply. He still doesn't realize how horrible Miles' jokes are.
"Okay next one," Miles says. "What did the fish say when he swam into a wall?"
"Dam."
"What do you call a fish with no eyes?"
"A fsh."
"Two muffins were sitting in an oven. One turned to the other and said, 'Wow, it's pretty hot in here.' The other one shouted, 'Wow, a talking muffin!'" Miles starts laughing.
I can't focus if he continues his gibberish.
"What was supposed to be-" Nissan tries not to be rude.
"Don't bother, they're usually worse than this," I tell him.
Nissan nods at me.
Miles ignores me. "What do you call a hippie's wife? A Mississippi!"
"I hate Russian dolls. They're so full of themselves."
"Where did the computer go dancing? The disc-o!"
"What did the little mountain-"
"That's it!" I yell, losing my temper finally. "If you don't stop now, I'll throw you off the cliff and that'll be the best joke you'll be telling the ghosts."
Nissan horrifically watches between us. But Miles brushes it off with a laugh.
This boy.
I turn back to mission perfect shot. I move the lens from left and right.
"You know we should do something more productive if you want me to stop my awesome jokes."
I really hope he was only jesting. At this rate, he'll find a girl for him and end up crashing in my place and-
I don't even wanna think farther.
"We're doing something productive," I say.
"And what's that?"
"Sunbathing?" Nissan suggests.
We laugh. At least someone here can define humor.
I turn to the side and my eyes immediately fall on it. The perfect shot! The flock of birds. I don't know what species they are. But they're beautiful, especially when they're flying in a circle rounding the lake.
I readjust the focus and wait for the perfect angle.
That's it. A bit to the left- yeah, that's it-
Someone shoves me from behind. I groan and lose my grips on the focus just as the light flashes.
The flock gets alarmed by the voice and flashes and scatters in different directions.
"Miles!" I hiss. "I almost had it!"
The boy in guilt raises both hands. "Well sorry, I didn't know!" Miles whines. "I was just checking if you got the shot."
I glare at him and wait for the photo to come out.
Nissan comes to my side. Miles follows him.
We wait as the photo prints out and-
"Holy shit! What is that?" Nissan swears.
Miles leans to get a better view.
I internally scream. But outside I freeze and turn around. My gaze moves down, just to make sure this camera isn't ghostly possessed.
But much to my disappointment, it's not. Because there they are, on the dry land beside the waterfall, on a hammock, having-
Sex!
They seem to be a bit too carried away to notice my scream earlier. Or mistaken it with a gorilla's howl. Instead, they continue sucking each other's mouth and-
I turn around and swear loudly. I need holy water to wash my eyes. Mind and hair too with every other cell inside my body.
Of course, he's here. Didn't I meet his father earlier?
But what I didn't need to see is watching him doing the deed with a blonde in the middle of a jungle. Out of nowhere.
I close my eyes.
Just try to forget it, Kiara, pretend you saw nothing.
But the boys beside me don't make it easier for me.
"Holy shit, are they fucking?" Miles shouts.
Ugh, too much information. He turns to me. "Wasn't it Mr. Fellan you were talking earlier?"
I nod.
His father is out there, in the city, probably his whole family is. And here he is- doing it with a blonde on a hammock out of all places.
"I see," he says.
"I need to get out," I say, throwing my arms around.
"But what about the photo?" Miles holds out the photo.
"I don't know! Eat it! Throw it! Destroy it! I don't care as long as it's gone!" I shout from behind and walk down the hill.
Nissan follows me to his jeep, still traumatized by what he just witnessed. This might be the most dreadful thing this innocent Afro boy ever witnessed in his life.
I feel sorry for him for witnessing such an exhibition.
But more sorry for myself for being the one who took that photo.
Miles comes back minutes later with my backpack and other things that we left behind.
I try to get the picture out of my head, but easier to say than done.
None of us brings it up on the way home. We pretend it never happened.
Later I took a photo of the town from the hill in the time of dusk to submit.
It's the perfect cover photo, compared to the one I took earlier.
Later at the dinner party, the host announces that the biggest donator of the hospital had gone back to the USA with his family for some personal emergency. But he paid his full portion of the donation before leaving.
I forget to ask dad who that donor was.
ð¸
To my virgin eyed reader: This book is PG 13+ rated, the s-word thing was used as a joke only. Though I apologize if I hurt your virgin imagination. But I can assure no mention of S-activities in the future chapters. Just small gestures, I promise.