My phone buzzes against the table as I fumble with my sheets, reaching one hand out towards it. I press accept and hold it up to one ear.
“Hello?”
“Rhea? Oh thank goodness you’re awake!”
“Uggh,” I moaned, “Wish I wasn’t. Why’re you calling me right now? It's 7 o’clock on a Sunday!”
“This is urgent Rhea! I’ve uhm… gotten myself into a little situation.”
I sit up quickly, brushing my hair out of my eyes. “Is everything okay? Are you hurt?”
“Well no… I just… I need to see you. You’re the only one who will understand. Meet me at Maple Park in thirty minutes. I’ll be by the gazebo.”
The phone beeps, “Hello? That’s it?” “Great,” I mumble in frustration as I rip the blankets off my legs and scramble to the closet. My heart races as I rush to get dressed and slide across the kitchen tile looking for keys. “Yes! Here we go, keys, purse, let’s go” I huffed.
* * *
I twirled my hair around as I checked my watch, standing at the edge of the gazebo. A figure emerged from behind a tree near the parking lot, walking briskly towards the gazebo.
“Emberly? Is that you?” I squinted, realizing I’d forgotten my glasses.
“Hey Rhea,” she whispered, pulling down her hood and shaking out her long black hair.
“What is going on? Why are we here? I exclaimed, taking a seat inside the gazebo.
“I like it here” Emberly signed, looking around. “Listen, there’s something I have to tell you,” she faltered, pulling an envelope out of her pocket and handing it over.
I carefully pulled the letter out of the already ripped envelope as Emberly continued, “I got it from UVM yesterday. I’m…” her lip trembled, “I’m failing out Rhea. I was on academic probation for the first semester, and then I just couldn’t get my GPA up enough this past semester” Emberly finished, wiping a tear from her cheek.
“Oh Emberly…” I murmured, “It’ll be okay.” I reached out my arms as she put her head on my shoulder.
“I... I know” she sniffed. “I knew you’d understand. But that’s not the only reason why I told you.” She looked up. “Mom and Dad, I can’t face them alone. They’re going to be so disappointed." She paused. "You’re the favorite, I’m just the little sister who isn’t ever good enough.”
“Hey,” I assured, “You are enough, okay? And of course I’ll help you tell them. And you can come stay with me over the summer while we figure out what to do now. You’re not going to have to deal with them for very long, I've got you. After all, I’m your big sister aren’t I? I love you, Emberly. We’ll figure this out together.”
“Love you too Rhea.”
“Hello?”
“Rhea? Oh thank goodness you’re awake!”
“Uggh,” I moaned, “Wish I wasn’t. Why’re you calling me right now? It's 7 o’clock on a Sunday!”
“This is urgent Rhea! I’ve uhm… gotten myself into a little situation.”
I sit up quickly, brushing my hair out of my eyes. “Is everything okay? Are you hurt?”
“Well no… I just… I need to see you. You’re the only one who will understand. Meet me at Maple Park in thirty minutes. I’ll be by the gazebo.”
The phone beeps, “Hello? That’s it?” “Great,” I mumble in frustration as I rip the blankets off my legs and scramble to the closet. My heart races as I rush to get dressed and slide across the kitchen tile looking for keys. “Yes! Here we go, keys, purse, let’s go” I huffed.
* * *
I twirled my hair around as I checked my watch, standing at the edge of the gazebo. A figure emerged from behind a tree near the parking lot, walking briskly towards the gazebo.
“Emberly? Is that you?” I squinted, realizing I’d forgotten my glasses.
“Hey Rhea,” she whispered, pulling down her hood and shaking out her long black hair.
“What is going on? Why are we here? I exclaimed, taking a seat inside the gazebo.
“I like it here” Emberly signed, looking around. “Listen, there’s something I have to tell you,” she faltered, pulling an envelope out of her pocket and handing it over.
I carefully pulled the letter out of the already ripped envelope as Emberly continued, “I got it from UVM yesterday. I’m…” her lip trembled, “I’m failing out Rhea. I was on academic probation for the first semester, and then I just couldn’t get my GPA up enough this past semester” Emberly finished, wiping a tear from her cheek.
“Oh Emberly…” I murmured, “It’ll be okay.” I reached out my arms as she put her head on my shoulder.
“I... I know” she sniffed. “I knew you’d understand. But that’s not the only reason why I told you.” She looked up. “Mom and Dad, I can’t face them alone. They’re going to be so disappointed." She paused. "You’re the favorite, I’m just the little sister who isn’t ever good enough.”
“Hey,” I assured, “You are enough, okay? And of course I’ll help you tell them. And you can come stay with me over the summer while we figure out what to do now. You’re not going to have to deal with them for very long, I've got you. After all, I’m your big sister aren’t I? I love you, Emberly. We’ll figure this out together.”
“Love you too Rhea.”
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