Meet The Summers

...Title of the story: My Crush Is My Bully....

...Chapter 3: Meet The Summers...

...As the bus came to a halt and I stepped off onto the sidewalk of my quiet suburban street, I glanced back to see four other kids trailing behind me. Their laughter and chatter filled the air, a stark contrast to the tranquil surroundings....

...I made my way up the familiar path to my front door, the crunch of gravel underfoot a comforting sound. The house stood before me, its two-story brick facade gleaming in the late afternoon sun. The large arched window above the door allowed light to spill into the entryway, framed by decorative stonework that added an elegant touch to the classic brick exterior. The white garage door to the right contrasted sharply with the warm, earthy tones of the house, and the well-maintained lawn with its young trees and shrubs created a welcoming atmosphere....

...With a soft knock, I waited, the anticipation mingling with the warmth of the sun on my face. When the door finally creaked open, I was met with the sight of my older brother, Papa. At seventeen, he had a tall, lanky frame and his brown eyes held a mix of surprise and mischief. His dark hair was tousled, and he wore a casual shirt and jeans that seemed slightly disheveled, hinting at a hasty change from his school clothes....

..."Papa?" I asked, my voice laced with confusion and curiosity. "What are you doing here so early? I thought you had school today."...

...His presence here, so out of place and unexpected, piqued my curiosity. The usual hustle of his school routine had been replaced with an unfamiliar stillness, leaving me to wonder what had brought him home before the day was over....

...As Papa explained, I walked into the house and made my way to the glass round table that sat in the center of the room, taking a seat in one of the five chairs. I settled into the familiar comfort of the table, its polished surface catching the light in a warm, inviting glow. Papa’s expression was a mixture of seriousness and an oddly forced gravity....

..."We got an early release because of a power outage at school," Papa said, his tone serious, but his eyes seemed to twinkle with an unreadable emotion. "A truck hit the power box and caused a small explosion. The fire alarm went off, and we had to evacuate."...

...I looked at him, trying to process the gravity of what he was saying. “Oh,” I replied, my mind still trying to catch up. “Well, is everyone okay?”...

...Papa’s serious expression remained, and I couldn’t help but feel a pang of worry as I awaited his response....

...Papa's gaze remained flat, his features giving nothing away as he delivered the chilling words. “Everyone died.”...

...My own face remained impassive, though my mind raced to process the shock of his statement. “Huh?” I managed, confusion evident in my voice....

...Suddenly, Papa's stern facade cracked into laughter, his deep voice echoing around the room. “Hahaha, HAHAHA! You really believed that nonsense!? HAHAHAHA, OMG, you should have seen the look on your face!” His grin was wide and mischievous, revealing a playful side that was a stark contrast to his earlier seriousness....

...Just then, our mom emerged from the garage, her face shifting from surprise to concern as she saw us. “Oh, hey Aiden. Papa, shouldn’t you be in bed? Aren’t you sick right now?” Her worry was palpable, her eyes scanning Papa with a blend of confusion and maternal concern....

...Papa began to cough, but it sounded oddly forced, a slight cough followed by a dramatic rub of his nose. “Cough cough,” he said, then added, “I heard knocking and came down to open the door.” he said, rushing back to his room....

..."Oh," my mom turned her eyes on me, "how was school?"...

...I glanced down, wondering if I should come up with a good lie. “Umm, it was okay, I guess. I have a project to do with someone.”...

...“Oh really? What’s it about?” she asked....

...“It’s about the Holocaust, and we have to write about it and make a speech,” I explained....

...My mom continued with her questions. “Who are you doing it with?”...

...I hesitated before answering. “Umm, his name is Arthur. I’ll be doing it with him.”...

...“Hmm, okay. Well, call him over and you two can get started on your schoolwork.”...

...“Okay, Mom,” I said....

...I then grabbed my backpack and headed towards the stairs and walked up to my room....

...My bedroom is my sanctuary, tucked away on the second floor. The walls are painted in calming shades of blue and green, which help me relax and think. My twin bed is in one corner, covered with a simple, cozy comforter and a few assorted pillows....

...In my study area, my desk is cluttered with notebooks, sketchbooks, and pens. Nearby, a small bookshelf holds my favorite books and novels. The walls are decorated with posters of bands, movies, and my own artwork, showcasing my creative side....

...My closet is organized with clothes, shoes, and accessories, while baskets and bins hold my art supplies and personal mementos. The room is well-lit by natural light from the window and a desk lamp for late-night studying....

...This room isn’t just a place to sleep; it’s where I unwind, write in my diary, or simply daydream....

...I sat down on my bed, placing my backpack on the floor beside me. Pulling out my phone, I turned it on and opened Instagram. I navigated to my contacts and scrolled all the way down to find Arthur. We used to talk a lot, but we lost touch after everything that happened, which is why his contact was buried so far down....

...I clicked on his profile and began typing a message: "Hey, um, my mom said whenever you're ready, you can come over to my house. I'll send you my address." I quickly sent him the address and hit send....

...As I set my phone down, a small feeling of happiness bubbled up inside me at the thought of reconnecting. I just hoped it wouldn’t be too awkward....

...Bored, I turned on the TV while waiting for his reply. Six minutes later, I heard the familiar ping of a notification. I grabbed my phone and saw a text from Arthur: "Yeah, I got the address. I'll be down in a bit. See you soon."...

...A smile spread across my face as I read his message, and I felt butterflies fluttering in my stomach....

...An hour later, as I sat on the couch in the living room, engrossed in TV, I heard a knock at the door. My heart sank with a mix of excitement and nervousness....

...I walked to the door and peered through the peephole. To my surprise, there was Arthur standing outside, looking a bit nervous and awkward. I quickly unlocked the door, twisting both locks, and opened it. Seeing his face outside of school felt like a dream come true; I really wanted to hug him....

...“Hey,” he said, his voice tinged with uncertainty....

...“Hey,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. “Come in.” I pushed the door wider, letting him step inside....

...Arthur looked around, scanning the place with curiosity. He glanced at me and said, "Nice place. Where are we working?"...

..."In my room. Follow me," I said. We walked up the stairs to my room, and Arthur seemed impressed by how nice it looked....

..."Love the room. It's cozy," he said, standing nervously and holding the straps of his backpack with both hands....

..."You can sit and make yourself at home. I'll be back, just getting some clipboards." He sat down to wait as I headed out to get the supplies....

...Got it. Let's integrate the worksheet into the story and show how Aiden and Arthur work together on the assignment....

...I went to my mom's room asking for some stuff for our work. "Mom, do you have any clipboards?" I asked....

..."Yeah, they're in my closet. I'll get them," she said. After a moment, she came back out with two clipboards, and I dashed back to my room....

..."That was fast," Arthur said as I walked in....

...I looked at him with a smile. "You think so?"...

...He smiled back nervously. "So, where's the worksheet?"...

..."In my bag," he replied. Arthur dug through his backpack, found the worksheet, and took it out to scan it, ensuring it was the right one. He then zipped his backpack up and took a pencil from the cup holder pouch on the side....

..."Alright, let's get started," I said, taking a clipboard and the worksheet. "Here, look at the plan I made."...

...We both sat down on the floor, spreading out our materials. I handed Arthur a copy of the completed worksheet to look over....

..."Here it is," I said. "We need to cover the importance of tolerance and equality, using historical events as examples."...

...Arthur read through the worksheet carefully. "Okay, this makes sense. We can divide the topics. I'll focus on Apartheid in South Africa and the LGBTQ+ rights movement, and you can take the Holocaust and the Civil Rights Movement."...

..."Perfect," I agreed. "Let's start by brainstorming our points and finding some powerful quotes."...

...We spent the next hour researching and discussing the key points we wanted to include. Arthur pulled up a quote from Nelson Mandela that he wanted to use, while I found a quote from Elie Wiesel to start off my part of the speech....

..."Listen to this," I said, reading out loud. "'For the dead and the living, we must bear witness.' - Elie Wiesel. I think it's a strong opening for the introduction."...

...Arthur nodded. "That's powerful. And for my part, I found this: 'No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion.' - Nelson Mandela."...

..."Great quotes," I said, jotting them down. "Now, let's outline the body of the speech."...

...We divided the speech into clear sections, each addressing different historical events and their lessons on tolerance and equality. Arthur suggested using survivor stories and personal anecdotes to make our points more relatable....

..."I'll talk about Anne Frank and her diary," I said. "Her story is a poignant reminder of the human cost of intolerance."...

..."And I'll mention Harvey Milk and his fight for LGBTQ+ rights," Arthur added. "His assassination was a tragic result of hatred, but his legacy continues to inspire."...

...After hours of working together, we finally had a solid draft. We took turns reading our parts out loud, making sure everything flowed smoothly....

..."Good morning, everyone," I began, practicing the introduction. "Today, I want to talk to you about something that is not only important but also deeply personal to me: the importance of tolerance and equality in our society. History has shown us time and again the devastating consequences of discrimination and violence. By looking at the horrors of the Holocaust, we can understand why it is crucial to embrace diversity and promote equality in our modern world."...

...Arthur followed with his section on Apartheid. "The Holocaust, one of the darkest periods in human history, saw the systematic extermination of six million Jews. This genocide was fueled by deep-rooted antisemitism and hatred. Survivor stories, like that of Anne Frank, remind us of the human cost of intolerance."...

...After we had gone through the entire speech, we felt a sense of accomplishment. "I think we're ready," Arthur said, smiling....

..."Yeah," I agreed, feeling a mix of nerves and excitement. "This is going to be great."...

...Arthur and I had not only completed the assignment, but we had also found common ground and learned from each other's perspectives. It was a step towards understanding and, hopefully, a step towards a friendship that extended beyond this project....

..."Working with you was fun. I'm glad we got paired together," I said to Arthur. He smiled at me in silent agreement....

...As we began putting our stuff away and packing up our work materials, my brother barged in. "Hey, lil bro, what you up to?"...

...I turned to Papa, confused. "What are you doing here?"...

...Papa glanced at Arthur and then back at me. "Nothing, just checking on you."...

...Still confused, I responded, "Oh. We just finished working. We can all hang out together, maybe go to the park or play games. We have some extra time since we finished early."...

...Papa looked at Arthur, then nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we can hang out, just the three of us. After all, I'm curious about y'all's history."...

...I looked at Arthur with a nervous glance. What the fuck did I just do? I thought to myself....

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