More to Life, 2012

Remar, summer, 2012
Optional Soundtrack: More to Life-Staci Orrico

Summer was going by so fast in Apple Valley,

Ilila and Brandon Peterson got the news that they would be expecting another set of twins to add to their family.

To prepare for the new arrivals, Jude and Brooklyn got big boy and big girl beds.

The twins were moving to the second bedroom which was decorated in bright colors for them.

---

At Big Yellow Lake, a group of teens were simply excited that their parents had allowed them to take the train and spend the weekend at the lake.

"I'm going to graduate in a few simlonic months," Myra said sighing.

"You don't sound happy."

"It's just that I don't feel like an adult...or that I have everything figured out. Naraj knows that he wants to be a surgeon and he has narrowed down his options, while I...I..."

"You are amazing," Abel answered for her. "We don't have to know everything just yet. That's what life is for."

"You're cheating!"

"Am not! I beat you fair and square!"

"No, you bumped the table, cheater!"

"Hot dogs are ready!"

"Um, are they supposed to be this crispy?"

"Don't worry, Abel, they taste great."

"Yea, if you compare them to the possibility of eating lake mud."

"Come on, let's roast marshmallows!"

"These are much better than the hot dogs!"

"It's so hot! Let's go for a swim!"

"Where are her clothes? "

"Ugh, that's a side of my sister I did not want to see."

"Whatever, you guys are so boring! Come on Naraj!"

Amanda poked at the cold hotdog and ignored her growling stomach. She glanced over at Abel and Myra who were wrapped in each other's arms.

Then Bryant caught her attention. He was making so much noise about a stupid fish and she was sitting here with an almost broken heart. He couldn't have totally broke it since she didn't him her entire heart.

He said that she was pretty and that her eyes were brighter than the double moons.

He said that she was so smart and perfect. He wanted to show her just how much he liked her. They snuck into one of the tents and everything happened so fast. First he was zipping the door, then his hand was under her shirt squeezing her breast really hard and the other hand was fumbling with her zipper on her pants.

"Stop!"

"What? Why? You want this."

"Ugh, get off of me!"

"Why are you such a cock tease?"

"Why are you such a jackass!"

"Amanda? Are you ok?" Abel asked from outside the tent, hearing his twin sister's cries.

"Yea, here I come," she said climbing over Bryant, careful to press her knee forcefully into his leg on the way out.

No, he couldn't break her heart, her pride perhaps, but not her heart.

"We're going swimming, you want to come?" Myra asked Amanda, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"No, you two have fun. I'll watch from here."

"Hey," Abel said whispering in her ear. "Holla if you need me. We're not going that far out." He jerked his head towards a fishing Bryant. "Let me know if he causes trouble, I'll beat him."

"Thanks, I can handle myself though."

"Still, we won't be far."

"Ok," Amanda smiled, grateful that her brother was so protective.

She watched him climb in the water with Myra and listened as they giggled and splashed in the lake.

She knew that it was only a matter of time before those two would be married and living in some tiny apartment somewhere. Abel had shared with her his plan for saving for an engagement ring. He almost had enough money for the ring, but he also wanted to save enough for a deposit for an apartment. Amanda thought that it would be better if he saved for his tuition to the technical school, but she said that there were educational loans, not always loans for apartment deposits.

She would miss him. She doubted that she would stay and attend Pierce University and her short list of schools were no where near the hood.

"You guys finally came up for air?" Amanda teased as Naraj and Annie climbed from the tent and joined her at the fire.

"Whatever, you were doing the same thing with Bryant."

"If you mean busy kicking him in the legs, then yes."

"Ouch, really? What happened? I thought you liked him."

"You thought wrong," Amanda pouted trying to ignore the fire in her belly when Naraj looked at her.

"Come on, let's build a sandcastle...or in this case a mudcastle," Annie said tossing her clothes to the side and revealing her swimsuit underneath.

"Ok, you want to come, Amanda?"

"Naw, I might look for some shells for Ana Rayne."

"Are you ok?"

"Yea...I'm fine."

Naraj observed her warily, "ok, if you say so."

She was fine, she insisted as she dug in the dirt looking for something to bring back to Ana Rayne.

She tried to ignore Annie's giggles, she didn't understand why those two were together. It was obvious that they were not in love or anything like that.

She didn't understand, woohoo seemed to be so strange. On one hand, her brother and Myra were not having woohoo

yet Amanda thought they were one of the most perfect couples.

But then it seemed like woohoo was so powerful. Could it really make two friends date each other when it was clear that they were not great together. She couldn't wait to get out of this small town and out into the big world. There had to be more to life than this.