Moments To Cherish

I smiled as I took a selfie, the candle in my room illuminating the features of my face. Keeping it in my private Instagram story, I type in, "Last day at home in the dark." Posting it, I leaned back down on my bed and looked at the ceiling. The glow-in-the-dark stickers in my ceiling were bright in the dark. Ugh, what was I thinking when I pasted them when I was in third grade? I guess I should take them out, they're too kiddish.

Despite the power outage (Apparently, the whole area's lights went out due to a short circuit in the electricity pole), I was quite happy. Tomorrow, I would finally be leaving to study in Cambridge University in England. Me and my best friends had worked so hard for it, we skipped school parties for the first time this year and when we finally received our application letters, we were all thrilled. Actually, we were going to go celebrate tonight, but then this power outage happened, which ruined our mood.

I scrolled through Instagram as a message popped up. It was Tiffany Oscars, one of my best friends who said, "Relatable af, btw looking cute! :)"

"Thanks, girl! Excited 4 tomorrow?"

"Definitely!"

There was a knock at the door. "What!?" I called out, as the door opened slightly and my younger sister, Annie, peered inside. "What do you want?" I asked, looking back at my phone and typing a message back to Tiffany.

"Summer? Are you busy right now?" she asked, shyly.

"Yeah," I replied, still typing back.

"Daddy wanted you to come join us at the backyard," Annie said, leaning against the door frame.

"Why?" I asked, sending the message.

"Umm, Daddy's got a fire going, and Mommy and I are roasting marshmallow and making s'mores," Annie said. "Will you join us?"

"No thank you," I said, smiling at the message Tiffany sent me.

"But you'll be leaving tomorrow," Annie said, quietly. Ugh, could she just leave me alone? "Mommy and Daddy think this is a good way to spend your last day here."

"Annie? Will you please leave?" I said, getting annoyed. Having a younger sibling is so bothersome, Tiffany's so lucky to be an only child.

"So you won't join us?" Annie asked, innocently.

"No, now bye," I said and I heard hurried footsteps as she left. Thank God, now I can talk to my friends in peace. Tiffany and I started chatting and then Kelly Sommers and Nyla Black came online. We talked about the most randomest things; then about Tiffany and Nyla's new boyfriends; then about how excited we all were for tomorrow.

Gotta pack, c u all tomorrow, Kelly typed and she went offline.

Yeah, gotta wake up early tomorrow, we should all get some rest, Nyla said and I agreed. Tiffany stated she'd stalk this new guy she likes.

But u have a bf, I typed then.

What he doesn't know won't hurt him ;), Tiffany typed back. I just rolled my eyes and typed, C u tomorrow, u cheater

:P, Tiffany typed back. Gosh, when will she stop jeopardizing her relationships? Her previous boyfriend found out she was cheating and broke up with her and then she began dating the guy she had been cheating with now. And she's doing so again.

I scrolled through Instagram some more, when there was another notification. This time it was from Aaron Young, an introverted nerd who was my science lab partner in junior year. He was really helpful and kind to me so we were beginning to be friends. Until Tiffany told me that he had a crush on me, so I've been avoiding him since. He messaged me saying, "Hey Summer, Ik we haven't talked in a while now, but I just wanted 2 tell u 2 have a safe flight tomorrow, wish u all the best in England :)"

I read his message then just left him on read. I heard he was going to NYU, which is quite impressive. I logged out of Instagram and went to get myself a glass of water. As I walked down the dark stairs with my torch, I heard my family laughing at the backyard. I got myself a glass of water and after drinking it, I went to see what was going on outside.

Apparently, it looked like my Mom, Dad and sister were camping, minus the tent and the wild wilderness. There was a small bonfire and Mom was toasting marshmallows, while Dad was making shadow puppets on the fence as Annie laughed. "Summer! Are you joining us now?" Annie asked, hurrying over to me and hugging me around my waist.

"I was just here for a glass of water," I responded, looking at the toasted marshmallows. They did look good though, and before I knew it I was craving for some.

"Come on, we've saved you a seat," Mom said, patting the chair next to hers.

"Alright, I'll only have one," I replied, giving in and sat down. Mom gave me a plate full of s'mores and I ate them slowly. Wow, I really missed eating these. I guess the last time I ate s'more were in middle school years back. "What were you laughing about?"

"Dad was telling me a story by making shadow puppets," Annie said.

"Which one, Dad?" I asked him. He used to tell stories like that when I was young too, about clever rabbits, cruel eagles and hungry mice who would argue all the time as to who would get the bigger portion of the cheese.

"Do you remember the one with the proud elephant?" Dad asked me.

"Oh oh!" I said, excitedly. "You mean the one where -"

"Shhh! Daddy wasn't finished telling me the story!" Annie said, slapping my knee as Mom and I giggled. "Daddy please continue!"

Dad could be an awesome voice actor, I used to think like this before and I still do. He told the story of how the elephant was proud because he was the biggest animal in the forest, but how the other animals hated him for his pride and only pretended to like him and agree with him. Until the elephant comes across a rabbit who confronts him and tells him he's a narcissistic animal and he should change his ways. I really like how Dad's stories always had lessons.

"Would you like more s'mores?" Mom asked me. I looked down at my plate and saw that I ate all three. Pressing my lips together, I nodded. Mom gave me three more.

After the story ended, Annie clapped her hands while Dad bowed. "Summer, would you like to hear your favourite story now?" Dad asked me.

"Yes please!" I said, smiling as Dad began to shape his hands so that the shadow would form a deer. This deer gets trapped in the forest in a hunter's net and when his parents see this, the mother deer believes her son is good as dead. However, the father deer says to have faith in his son as he is clever. The deer pretends to be dead so when the hunter arrives he takes the net out believing it to be dead. However, it runs away before the hunter could stab him and I was so happy when I first heard the story from him. Seeing it again tonight, I'm getting all nostalgic.

I clapped along with Mom and Annie as Dad bowed again. "Huh, now for a break," he said, sitting down and pouring himself tea.

"You should be a voice actor," I told him, eating my fifth s'more.

Dad smiled and said, "Why? I'd rather only entertain the three most important people in my life."

"Dad, I'm serious," I said, rolling my eyes although I was grinning too.

"I'm serious too, honey," Dad said. "This is enough for me. Truly."

We ate s'mores and tea (Annie drank milk) and talked about the power outage and about tomorrow's flight and when I will be leaving. "The flight doesn't leave till 10."

"I see," Dad said, nodding. "Finished packing?"

"Yup," I replied.

"I wish you didn't have to go all the way to England," Annie said, sighing. "I'll really miss you."

"Because you won't have anyone to bother?" I asked, ruffling her hair as she pushed my hand away.

"That too," Annie said, smiling wide. "But I'll really miss you."

"We all would," Mom said, looking at me.

I pressed my lips together, feeling emotional. Ever since I entered high school, I'd mostly hang out with Tiffany, Kelly and Nyla. Usually, I'd tell my parents not to bother me. And they didn't. They didn't say anything when I sat couped up in my room all weekend. They never said anything when I hung out late with my friends, except that I had to return home back before curfew. They never even entered my room without my permission.

When was the last time I spent quality time with my family?

"I'll miss you all too," I answered. "I promise I'll call you guys everyday."

"Yay!" Annie said, putting her arms around my neck.

"Just don't talk in a British accent though," Dad said, laughing slightly. "I don't think that would suit you."

"Dad...I won't," I said, smiling back at him.

"I missed this," Mom said, sighing. Dad, Annie and I looked at her. "You know, I missed this. Us, all of us, together. On most days either Summer's busy or your father is, but right now I feel really content."

"When was the last time we went camping?" I asked.

"Probably when you were in 7th or 8th grade," Dad replied, thoughtfully. "Let's just pitch up a tent and sleep out here tonight."

"Good idea," Annie said, jumping over to Dad.

And that's what we did. Mom brought out the two tents and we all helped pitching it up. It had been so long since I had even seen these tents. As I went back inside my room to get the blankets, I logged in on Instagram and typed a message for Aaron,

Thanks :) & how r u? Heard u got into NYU? Cuz, dude, thats awesome! Wishing u all the best 4 ur future too! Will miss u when I go 2 England :) Keep in touch

Next I sent a private message to Tiffany,

Hey, I dont think its a good idea 4 u 2 date a guy & stalk another, I mean that was why ur last relationship ended. It's not fair 2 the guy ur dating, I hope u consider bout his feelings

I sent the message and logged out. I looked up at the ceiling and the glow-in-the-dark stickers looked adorable. That's where it's meant to be, I guess it's foolish to remove them. Annie came in my room and asked, "Do you need help taking them downstairs? Can we share a tent?"

"Will you take Grizz and Ice Bear downstairs, Annie?" I asked, giving her the two We Bare Bears plushies. Annie had always loved them, but since Mom and Dad bought them for me when I asked them for my birthday, I've always kept them on my bed. "I'll bring Pan-Pan."

"They're so cute!" Annie exclaimed happily.

"You better take good care of them when I'm gone," I told her.

"Okay! I will!"

"Good," I said, smiling as she dashed downstairs to the tent. I rushed down to the tent too and kept my blankets and pillows. It looked really cozy.

"I've made hot chocolate!" Mom called from outside and Annie and I rushed out of the tent, grabbing a cup from the tray.

"Careful, you two!" Mom scolded.

"Sorry," Annie and I said in unison.

Then, the four of us sat around the fire, talking about our favourite family vacations and about the funny moments we've had with each other. I looked up at the clear night sky, the stars shining bright; we don't usually get to see that. Mom was right, I missed this too. What with high school and hanging out with friends and partying late night...spending time with the people you love has went right off my head. After all, spending time with the three most important people to me are the moments in life that I will deeply cherish till the day I die. I wished I could spend a lot of times like this with them, but throughout high school, all I've done is avoided them.

When I come back in a few months or so, I'm promising myself to spend a lot of time with Mom, Dad and Annie. Until then...I believe I will just enjoy this moment right now.