27

My mom slides my curtains open, making the bright daylight outside connect with my somnolent eyes. "Wake up now! You can't keep taking naps. What has gotten into you? Do I need to take you to a hospital?"

I shove my head into my pillow. "No!" I say bitterly.

She strips my brand-new marble bed sheets off of me. "You are going to make us late for our activity today."

I push aside my pillow and haul back my sheets over me. "I'm staying home, period."

"Do I need to get Lucas? You seem to always listen to him? He might as well live here and be the parent."

My heart begins to race. "Nope! I'm up!" I say, shoving my sheets away from me.

"Good and be down in five." She says, walking out of my room. She peeks back in the doorway. "Don't you dare lay back down."

I roll my eyes. "I won't."

Today is April 22, Earth Day. My mom enjoys fixing up events to help the world on Earth Day or for any holiday or special day. 

I toss on Lucas's grey hoodie with tight denim jeans. I usually dress up for events like this, but not today. I am too tired to get dressed. I stick my hair into a messy bun. I walk downstairs with my right hand holding my white converse.

"Grab yourself a granola bar or fruit snack. We're leaving now, and dinner will be late." My mom says, holding trash bags.

I slip on my shoes. "I'll eat when we get back."

"Are you sure? It might be nightfall when we eat."

I kneel and lace them up.  "I will be alright."

"Okay let me go give your father some Advil, and we will be set to go once Lucas arrives." "Lucas?!"

"Yes! He loves earth day and offered to help."

"Of course, he did," I mumble.

"What did you say? I didn't hear you." She asks me to repeat.

"Nothing. I will be out in a sec."

She looks over at the door. "Speaking of him!" My mom says, opening our screen door as he walks up to the porch.

"Looking gorgeous as always," Lucas says, hugging her and getting a glimpse of me in his sweatshirt.

I recognize his expression he always makes when I would wear his clothes. She lets go of the hug. "Your stuff is on the living room couch."

"Alright, thank you!"

He walks past by me, and I get a whiff of his cologne. The same smell from his sweatshirt I'm wearing. I pick up my bag that is leaning against the wall by the front door that contains water, gloves, trash bags, plant seeds, and a small shovel. I pull it over my shoulder and begin to leave.

"Wait, Bell." I hear Lucas speak.

I turn around. "What, Lucas?" I say, avoiding eye contact. "Come here... I made this for you."

Lucas holds in his hands a homemade Shamballa bracelet with my name in beads. The string is black that wraps around my name beautifully. I never acknowledge he knew how to string up bracelets. 

"Wow... It's pretty."

"The bracelet I got you for Christmas was scattered all over the floor, and I felt the need to make you a new one."

I rub my neck. "Yeah... Sorry about that. I feel so guilty..."

"It's okay. I don't blame you."

"You two coming?" My mom shouts from outside.

I look over at my mom through the screen door. "Yes!"

He tugs the bracelet for it to be secure on my wrist. He lets go of the strings, and we both walk out together to my mom and dad, ready for the adventure.

We are going to walk around picking up trash and plant trees out in the open field. Considering it's Earth Day, we won't be using a car. We have bikes but only enough for the three of us.

We put on our gloves and opened our trash bags picking up the trash people left behind. I don't understand how people are that lazy to throw trash on the ground. It's simple to hold onto and throw it out later or simply find a nearby trash bin. I rub my sweaty head with my arm. I didn't realize it would get this hot. The sun is trying to blind me.

"Darling, you are sweating... Take off your sweatshirt." My mom speaks out.

"I'm good. It's just bright out here. The sun is trying to kill me."

Lucas takes off his shades. "Use these."

"Oh no, it's okay."

"You are squinting to see. I can see finely with the open sun."

I take his sunglasses. "Thanks."

We finished picking up trash. Took up two hours of my time that I could've been sleeping. We left at four, and it's now 6:42. I walk behind my mom, dad, and Lucas as we head for the fields. "Bella has been moping around for the past weeks and hibernating in her darkroom. I don't know what has gotten into her."

Lucas gives me a look of guilt. I look away and go on my phone.

"Why do you think that?" He questions her.

"Maybe she is getting picked on at school, or her crush broke her heart? She doesn't speak to me like we use to, so I'm clueless on this situation."

"It's probably a crush. I see romance floating around in the halls every day. Give her some time. She's a hormonal teenager. We were once there in here place." Lucas responds.

Did he just call me hormonal? I'm gonna bitch slap him when no one is watching. We get to the open field. The field is not near any houses or lines for us to hit when we are digging the holes. I align myself with the additional trees so the trees can remain in a straight line. I set the pack of seeds next to me, and I start digging.

"Do you need help?" Lucas says, hovering over me.

"I got it, Lucas. I know how to plant seeds." I say, snapping at him.

"Ok, okay." He says, backing away.

Every time I try and not think about him and I'm finally seeing progress in myself, but he comes showing up every time. It's like I'm not meant to move on. Happily sweaty twenty minutes later, we are all done.

I walk over to my mom with a noisy stomach. "Mommm, I'm hungry," I say, complaining. "Can we go to a restaurant?"

"Yeah, can we, mom?" My dad says playfully.

"You too, Frank?"

"I'm starving, and Earth Day isn't my thing." My dad answers.

"You have loved it over the past years. It's our thing. What changed now?"

He puts his hand on her shoulder. "It's your thing. I like putting my feet up and laying back in my comfortable recliner drinking beer as I watch a football game on the flat screen tv."

"You two are boring. Father like daughter." She says, rolling her eyes.

I shrug. "So cannnnn we," I say, begging.

"Alright, fine... Let's head to the nearest bar."

"We're going inside like this?" I ask.

"I suppose we can go home and get washed up."

"We have to walk? My legs are weak." I say, whining.

"Piggyback ride?" My dad offers.

"Never shooting that offer down," I say, hopping on his back.

I haven't got a piggyback ride from him in years. He doesn't do it often since I got older and his back, but he took Advil, so he should be fine for a little bit. I will walk some of the way so I don't cause him too much pain. We get back to the house without bags placed in the garage. My dad and my mom walk in from the garage to get inside. As I was about to walk in, Lucas grabs my arms and pulls me carefully off of the steps.

"You might wanna change your pants. You ripped them." Lucas notifies me.

"Were you staring at my ass?"

He shrugs. "Can't help it."

I roll my eyes and walk in, shutting the door behind me. I go straight to my room. I scavage for clean pants and shirt. I haven't done laundry in about two to three weeks.

"Your room needs an Earth Day," Lucas says, startling me.

"What are you doing in my room?"

"I want my sunglasses back."

"You couldn't wait?"

"Nope."

I take them off my head. "Here, now go," I say, handing them to him.

He walks out, and I find something to change in. I walk downstairs to where my mom is. "Are we walking or taking the car?" I ask her.

She smiles. "Walking."

"Whyyyyy."

"Were not driving. It's bad for the environment."

"But Lucas drove over here, and we use cars daily. A day without us driving isn't gonna make a difference."

"Fine, we will take the car, princess."

"Good. Let's go." I say, walking out of the house.