To Let You Go (Prologue)

Soft pink hues were only a smudge left on the horizon, the sunset turning to dusk as embers climbed up into the inky blackness of the sky. Two girls sat shoulder to shoulder heads bent down and a blanket draped over them as they sat backs against a log, facing towards a fire. The one on the right was a mid-height blond, looking to be 16, nearing 17 years of age and fair skinned eyes a golden-brown. Next to her sat a brunette, looking to be a few months younger than the blond one. The brunette's skin was glazed with a light tan, eyes a deep blue, cobalt flecking the center. On the brunette's knees a phone is balanced, both girls heads bent towards it whispering, faces aglow with a blue-white light from the screen.

Around them people chattered, trucks and jeeps backed up in a crescent around the fire, corn hole and beer pong set up near small clusters of camp chairs sprinkled between and around the vehicles. People laughed, music blared from some unseen speaker as people milled about, red solo cups and brown bottles everywhere. Small clouds of smoke blew from a girl's nose as she stared up into the eyes of the guy reaching for the vape clutched in her fingers. He brought it to his lips as nearby the smell of skunk seemed to drift around the window of a rusty black Chevy truck. Stars glittered overhead as a smudge of orange was all but visible on the horizon, fast fading. Someone screamed, followed by a chorus of giggles could be heard somewhere not far off.

"He's pretty cute!" the blond screeched with a light accent showing, grinning at the brunette.

The blond's eyes gleamed as she laughed "Yeah right!"

"But you can't deny it! He's totally your type" plucking the phone out of the second girls hand, the brunette zoomed in on a profile picture of a teen guy, roughly their age, image blurry but clearly somewhere on the banks of a river. "I mean look at him! I don't like him so he is clearly your type."

The blond reached for the cell "Give me that! And you can not speak for me!"

Leaning away to keep the phone out of reach, the brunette laughed harder, "Oh naw I can to! You signed that right over back in second grade gurl." the brunette drawled out teasingly. "Just don't forget to love me still, I come first."

"Of course, you always come first." The brunette leaned against the blond, staring into the fire, finally done reaching for the phone. She tucked a bit of hair behind her ear, changing the subject suddenly "What do you think this year will be like? We are juniors..."

"We can drive now... but no different from last year just better." The brunette assured her, no longer holding the cell out of her reach, "Things will always stay the same."

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