~ The Summer Of Changes ~ Part 71

I started to write this a while ago, so I actually don't know if I can finish this or not... But let's give a try, hopefully I have enough ideas to take this until the end.

The story is telling about a Finnish girl and her life with her family, how it starts to change little by little. It takes a while she even notices how things are going totally wrong way in her opinion... And how she tries to live that kind of life she wants even things around her are like she never wanted them to be... Read more if you want to find out her story!




I was in the kitchen when I heard how the front door shut and steps rumbled to upstairs. I sighed and left after my younger brother. I guess he couldn’t learn to move calmly ever in any place. I peeked to his room and sighed again. My dear brother had done it once again.
- You cut your hair away again! Don’t you understand that if you let your hair grow, all girls would drool after you, I advised him.
- I don’t want that anybody is drooling after me, especially those girls, my brother looked at me with disgust.
My brother had naturally curling blonde hair, which he hated deeply. The same way I hated my own.
- Well, did you even get a good certificate? I asked.
Brother waved his hand towards his desk and deepened to read a Donald Duck magazine.
He had pretty good marks for an 11-year-old boy even I knew how little he had time or how little he even wanted to study for the exams.

I left him to read and returned to kitchen. Dad and mom would be back in any minute from the grocery store and they would be really interested in my final certificate. Next autumn I would start studying in high school. I was pretty sure that I would get in because my average had been really good.
- Eveliina! We’re home now! I heard my mom shouting from the hall.
I made a face when I heard my name. I hated it straight from my heart and mom was the only one who used it always. Usually everybody calls me Eve, it didn’t sound that bad. It wasn’t a secret that I was quite boyish for a girl. I hated dresses and high heels from all my heart. I wasn’t a fan of any kind of girlish stuff either. My hair had been short as long as I could remember. I had been interested in boys’ things much more than any girls’ stuff already when I was a kid. It was really hard for my mom to try to understand it. She just couldn’t understand why I sometimes wanted to be something I could never be. That was the reason why we were arguing all the time. Every now and then I had to hear complaining why I couldn’t be like my older sister Elina was. She was beautiful, feminine, good-behaving, and something more. Mom’s attitude just made me to go further and further. Once she was complaining how disgusting and non-hygienic different piercings in faces looked like. A couple weeks after that there was a brand new piercing in my nose. That was a really good reason for a fight again but the piercing stayed there. My sister saw my behaviour just entertaining but she understood how annoying mom could be sometimes.

When my brother Timo was born, I was angry and envied him at first because he was and he got everything I couldn’t have. When I grew older I understood that it really wasn’t his fault. After that we started to do all kind of “boys’ things” together, because dad didn’t understand much of them. I guess I took the big brother’s place in Timo’s life. We went fishing and I registered him to the Scout Organization and later I got him interested in ice hockey. The thing, which I wanted to do myself, ice hockey I mean. I went still to a scout meetings but I was still annoyed because I couldn’t play ice hockey with the boys when I was a child. The city where I was living was so small that here weren’t any possibilities to make a girls’ team. If we had lived in Helsinki, things would have been differently. But the distance was too big that dad would have driven me there many times a week. My hobbies had been football, volleyball and basketball but none of them had been really my type. Nowadays I played floorball. It felt a bit more like my sport right after skating. I wanted to keep myself in good condition that’s why I was always doing some sports.
And in the middle of this nuthouse, my poor dad tried to live.

Mom wanted to see my certificate right away while dad was unpacking the groceries.
- This is better than Elina’s certificate, mom smiled satisfied.
- Well, I didn’t spend most of the evenings running after boys, I teased her.
Mom’s mouth changed a strict line but this time she didn’t start to argue with me. Elina was mom’s apple of the eye, everybody’s doings were compared to her doings. It drove me crazy sometimes. Elina was the princess of our family, long blonde hair and bluish eyes. How many boys had broken their hearts with her, I’m wondering sometimes. She left to study to be a doctor last autumn after graduating from the high school. And mom was so proud of her oldest child when she was only a nurse herself and dad was a journalist of local newspapers. Mom thought I could be a lawyer then. Yeah, really…

Dad said some praises about my certificate too. He knew how I hated if I was compared to Elina and he didn’t do that, not even accidentally. Then he went to ask Timo’s marks. I got much better along with my dad than my mom, Elina had it in another way. She liked to talk more with mom. I guess the difference was there that dad understood me better and let me be like I was. Mom didn’t accept everything I did and tried to change me all the time. Timo was both parents’ favourite, of the right of the youngest child.

I left mom and dad to wondering Timo’s bald head and went myself out to lie to a hammock. The sun was shining through the leaves of the birches.
The summer holiday had started finally.

I decided to make this list to make it easier to remember who’s who in this story. I realized this story is going to be full of names, even I have to think the names sometimes. And the names sound foreigners to most of you, so I’m updating this list after every part if there appear new people. So there's first a name and then little description about the person. At least it makes remembering easier for me, so hopefully it does the same for you.

Character list:

Eveliina ”Eve”: the main character, a boyish girl, going to high school.
Elina: Eve’s big sister, not living at home anymore
Timo: Eve and Elina’s little brother
Pekka: Eve’s dad
Aila: Eve’s mom
Tuula: Aila’s workmate
Seppo: Tuula’s husband
Petri “Pete”: Tuula and Seppo’s son, Eve’s childhood friend
Vili: A boy from Eve’s neighbour
Henri: Vili’s step-brother
Heidi: Vili’s step-sister
Paula: Eve’s schoolmate
Tiia: Paula’s little sister
Liisa: Eve’s schoolmate
Mirkku: Pete’s ex-girlfriend
Ulla: Director of the theatre
Juha: Vili’s father
Tanja: Vili’s stepmother
Tyyne: An old lady from the senior house, Eve's friend
Olli: Elina's boyfriend
Susanne "Susie": An exchange student
Saku: A guy who Eve and Vili met during their camping trip

This sounds very good

Thanks Katja!

Sounds great! I"m waiting for more! =]

Thanks Hen! I have to write more before you can have a new part

Interesting. Can't wait to read more (:

Haha that's ok! Take your time there

Tadaa!



Mom appeared next to me and interrupted my dreaming in the hammock.
- I guess you know we’re going to Pete’s graduation party later today, she reminded me.
- I’m not leaving there! I shouted and got up to sit.
For a moment I had to balance myself not to drop from the hammock to the ground. Luckily I got my balance quickly back and I could stare at mom angrily.
- Why nobody told me we’re going there? I asked angrily.
- I thought Pekka would tell you, mom said excusing my dad.
- And I thought Aila would tell you! dad shouted from the house.
- Anyway, but I’m not leaving there, I repeated.
- The invitation was for the whole family, so you must come! mom argued raising her voice.
- I don’t know any other people than Pete’s family there. It’s gonna be boring there, I complained.
- No can do, we all are going. And you could wear that dress I brought from Tallinn, she said strictly.
- I’m not going to wear that sheet! Not now, nor ever! I yelled with high voice and I had to use all my skills to stay in the hammock.
- You’ll wear it, mom answered emphatically.
- I’m not. I’ll come wearing a skirt or then I won’t come at all, I said determinedly, doing one allowance to my mom.
- Okay then, but be sure that the clothes are fancy enough, she gave up finally.
I guess she heard I wasn’t going to give up at all.

Mom left back to in when I stayed pouting in the hammock. I had forgotten totally that mom’s workmate, Tuula’s son Petri, better known as Pete, had graduated this spring. Mom and Tuula were so good workmates that of course they would invite us. Dad got along with Tuula’s husband Seppo, so it was expectable that we would go. The idea that I should be there all evening without being able to go to city, to celebrate graduating from my school made me feel really annoyed. Personally I didn’t like Pete or his family at all. When we were kids Pete only teased me because he was older. He always found the fact that I wanted to be boyish really funny. It was Pete who taught me the first swore words and the best jokes. As children we got along with each others pretty okay, now only seeing his face made me feel angry.

For some reason I had always got along better with boys than girls. When other girls in my class started to show interest for the opposite sex giggling and thinking who the best looking guy is, I was following it shaking my head. Many girls envied my skill to be myself with boys, a part of girls changed into giggling and blushing shy people right away when even one boy happened to speak them. How many times some of the girls in my class had asked me to take some note to a boy? This was the time under the age of 12.

After that the number of my true friends became smaller. Many girls couldn’t understand why I wasn’t interested in talking about boys all the time. There was something else in this life too than boys, right!? I had friends via hobbies and I knew lots of people. I didn’t have a true friend with whom I could share everything. I was telling myself I didn’t need that kind of person. But every now and then I thought that a listening person would have been in need. I couldn’t tell everything to my family of course.

Sighing I returned back to this moment. How the hell I could leave the party beforehand? An idea started to build up in my mind…

When I was making myself ready for the party, my mom tried to talk me into wearing the dress she had bought for me. I was stronger in that case. The dress was way too feminine for my taste, too big neckline which was highlighting my breasts and hemline was over the knees. And after all this, the dress was white so it was quite sheer. I really wasn’t going to wear it Pete’s graduation party, not in any party actually.

I wore the same skirt and T-shirt which I had had in the morning. They were fancy enough and not too feminine. I would wear also my ballerinas, it was good to walk with them. I didn’t want to use high heels because I was tall enough myself. I was 176 cm tall and if I had for example five centimetres heels, I would draw unnecessary attention with my length. And in that case many boys I know would stay shorter than me. I had noticed it didn’t do any good for their self-esteem.

I made my hair a bit differently and put a little bit more mascara. It would be enough from make-up section. Actually I could do the make-up and do different kinds of hairdos if I had to, thanks to Elina. I can’t remember how many times I had to do her hair with some kind of model or do the make-up for her. I could do it if I wanted, usually I just didn’t want to bother myself. I was many weekends in scout trips, so there in the middle of forest was nobody who would have watched if you had make-up or not. Besides, there were usually no showers so taking make-up away would have been harder than at home.

I woke up from my thoughts when mom shouted from downstairs that we were leaving. I really hoped my idea would work and I could leave earlier from the party.

You go girl! Dresses and heels suck!

great part, can't wait for the next one (:

Thanks Mar!

Haha, I have to agree, dresses and high heels are one of the most annoying things in this world. I can't understand why girls should wear dresses in every parties, like the weddings for example. I would feel so much comfortable with pants... or skirt would be the last option.

I already love this story and the girl! And I totally agree with you two screw High heels and dresses haha

I have one pair of heels, but I only wear them with special occasions. I have one dress as well, but I wear it in combination wih a pair of jeans Coz I'm cool

Really great part
I agree with dresses and heels

Thanks Hen and Katja!


I also have only one pair of heels and two dresses...There's two too much in my opinion. But like I said earlier people still thinks that girls should wear dresses in parties, that's why I had to buy them... I have also one skirt which I'm using much more than the dresses.

I have one dress and I wore once and NEVER again .. I've let's think 5 skirts but I like them xD..

Here you go a new part!



Mom’s imagination wasn’t in the best shape when she was thinking a present for Pete, a bouquet of roses and a card with money. What did an adult man with the bouquet?! We walked inside the house in a beautiful queue. Mom was the first one, then dad, I was the next one and Timo was the last. I envied Elina who could avoid all this. First time Elina was spending the summer somewhere else than at home. She had got a summer job from Helsinki where she was studying so she wasn’t coming home during the summer. It knew a more silent summer for me because Elina’s friends weren’t visiting us almost every day like before. It actually showed how fast time passed by and how fast we grew up.

I shook hands with Pete murmuring congratulations. Right after that I was asking from Tuula where the buffet table was.
- Eveliina! mom yelled terrified while looking at her work mate apologising.
- What? I thought you said yourself before leaving here that you won’t make any food at home. I’m a growing teenager, I have to get food, I explained angel look on my face.
- I’ll show the buffet table to Eve personally, Pete promised while his eyes glimpsed playfully. – You never can know if she can even take the food by herself. She’s so little.
- A little?! I shouted while trying to look as tall as I could. – Between me and just graduated young man is only five centimetres, not even that. So be happy that I don’t have high heels.
- Why didn’t you wear them then? Pete was teasing me, pulling me away from our parents at the same time.
I heard how they were wondering how we didn’t grow up ever.
- You know very well that I hate them, I said starting to take cold salt food to my plate.
- You can go already, mom wants to know what you’re going to study, I said when Pete was following me.
- That’s why I don’t want to go there, Pete said.
- Oh, so mom’s little golden boy doesn’t know what he’s gonna do now? I teased him.
- Don’t you start that too! Pete snapped angrily.
I was satisfied because I could hit Pete’s weak position even once. I sat down to kitchen to eat my plate which was full of food. I haven’t eaten anything since my breakfast and now it was almost afternoon already.
- So you said something about growing teenager, Pete wondered after following my eating.
- Don’t worry, I haven’t grown anymore after a few years, I mumbled my mouth full of food.
- Oh, you’re now in the same kind of situation like all those who are growing their width, Pete grinned maliciously.
- Screw you! I snapped. – I use the most of my food I’m eating.
- Petri! Here are more guests! I heard Tuula shouting from the hall.
There was another mother who couldn’t use her child’s nickname.
- You must go now to explain to the new guests how you’re a total drifter about the studying, I said teasing him again.
Pete glanced to me murderously and left to his guests. I sniggered myself and left to take my first piece of cake. At least Tuula took care of that nothing was missing from her only child’s graduation party. I didn’t understood why there was an old man playing an accordion in the back yard. Horrible.

Later I heard that dude was entertaining the older age class, which major of the guests were. And Pete didn’t have time or he didn’t want to talk with all old people who had come here.

I was wandering around the house trying to find at least someone who I could talk with for a moment now that I had my stomach full of delicious cake. But I couldn’t find any people who I would have known. It was almost five o’clock in the afternoon when I decided it was time to go. I searched my parents and pulled them away from a talking group.
- I’m leaving now, I told them straight away.
- How come? You don’t even have a ride and we aren’t leaving yet, mom started to argue immediately.
- If dad can’t drive me to centre, I’ll walk, I said looking at my dad askew.
- But the distance is over three kilometres from here to there! mom shouted.
- I’m in good condition, I have good shoes and it’s great weather outside. I’m tired of being here! I gave reasons for my decision.
- You’re not going anywhere! mom argued rising her voice.
- Oh yes I’m leaving! You can’t stop me! I raised my voice also.
- Hey, why are you arguing here? Pete appeared there.
- This young lady claims that she can walk to the centre, mom started to explain to Pete.
I made a face while hearing the “young lady” and Pete couldn’t be without noticing it. He was suppressing his laugh while answering.
- I can believe that well. But I can drive her there, I’m leaving there soon also, Pete said seriously.
My face looked a bit unsure when I heard Pete’s words. There was surely a joke in this thing. But there was also that fact I could get a ride with Pete’s motorcycle. But, but…
- There’s only one condition. You must dance the next waltz with me, Pete said turning his face towards me.
I knew there was something I wouldn’t like! I looked at Pete doubtingly. But that motorcycle…
- Alright, I fizzed through my teeth.
- How nice it’s that Eveliina can come with your ride. We don’t need to worry that something happens to her, mom said feeling relieved.
I guess she didn’t know Pete liked to drive a motorcycle rather than a car. But I didn’t correct the misunderstood, it wasn’t my task.

Just in time the player of accordion told the next song was going to be the last waltz for this day. Pete offered his arm to me and I grabbed it. I had manners too, even I could swear like a child who has lived always in the streets.
- I was already hoping you couldn’t dance waltz, Pete said a little disappointed when we were swinging around on the grass among the old people.
- The P.E. teacher thinks we have to know how to dance waltz, I rolled my eyes.
- But why did you want to help me with my mom? I asked.
- Well…You have to help your childhood friend, right? Pete answered.
- Thanks for that, I said, there would have been a bigger fight without you.
I hated for thanking Pete but I still had some manners left that I could say it out loud.
- You’re welcome, Pete grinned to me.
I was doubting that surprises wouldn’t stop appearing here, I knew Pete. Usually he didn’t let me go that easily.

Haha
Great part , loved it

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it!

So great part

Loved it!

I think I"m gonna like Pete

Thank you Katja!


Hen, the motorcycle has something to do with it, right?
Anyway, thanks. Gonna try to post more sometime.

New part is here now!



Finally the player agreed to stop playing so I could leave here. I went to bathroom and changed jeans instead of the skirt. It would be easier to sit on the motorcycle. Actually I took the jeans with me because it would be nicer to walk, but it would apply well to this situation too.

Pete was waiting me outside with his bike. On the spur of the moment I went to say to my mom I was leaving. Then I rushed to Pete and grabbed the helmet he was holding and put it to my head.
- As soon as mom appears to the door, let’s go then! I said when I jumped behind him.
Pete looked at me askew but a glimpse to door was enough to explain all. Mom had realized finally that my ride to centre was going to be with two-wheeled. Until this day she had forbidden scooters and all two-wheeled which were bigger than that. I had decided myself that when I would be 18, I would have driving license to cars but also to motorcycles. I wanted to have one myself one day too.

Mom’s wide eyes and terrified look was enough for the credits when I had to come to this party. I waved my hand happily when Pete gave some gas and drove loudly from the front yard. He was jiggling because of suppressing his laugh all the way to the centre. He drove straight to a marketplace where youngsters usually spent their time on weekends and holidays.
Pete parked on the other side of the marketplace and climbed off from the motorcycle after me.
- It’s never boring with you, he still grinned.
- How come? I asked looking like innocent little girl when I gave the helmet to him.
- You’re provoking your mom’s nerves so bad.
- It’s not my fault she thought you were driving with car here. It’s totally her own fault, I said without feeling guilty at all.
- Did I already say how much the ride costs here? Pete asked suddenly.
- Well… The price was that dance? I suggested while bad thoughts started to round in my mind.
- No, that was only a promise from the lift here. It costs a kiss, Pete told me totally calmly.
I burst into laugh. - Don’t you even dream about that! I can pay the gas you used driving here.
- No way, my lifts can’t be paid with money, Pete said strictly.
It started to look like Pete was absolutely serious. I knew what kind of womanizer he was, a new girl almost every week. Was he going to try to hit me?
I turned around and simply left to walk away, but Pete grabbed my hand strictly.
- I guess you didn’t understand this right, Pete said silently and turned my face to him.
- And I guess you didn’t understand either that NO WAY! I yelled.
- Okay. It can be done this way too, he said and chained me tightly against his cycle and kissed me even I tried to stop him.
I was ready to slap Pete straight to his face but he was faster than me and could stop my hand just in time.
- Haven’t they taught any manners to you? Pete asked teasingly.
- Let me go! You’re the meanest person I’ve ever met! I yelled.
- And some time ago you were thanking me how I saved you from your mom, Pete grinned. – Your mood is changing a lot…
I spitted some swore words which would have got many people to blush, but Pete only laughed. I dragged my hand of his and when I was marching away from him, I could still hear his laugh. It got my mood even worse.

It didn’t help at all that I realized our quarrel had got some publicity from the marketplace. Many, too many of my ex-schoolmates were sitting on the other side of the marketplace which was near the bank of the river. They were looking at me interested. This couldn’t become any worse.
- Eve!! Who was that cute boy? a half of the girls were drooling after Pete.
- One asshole, I said giving the last angry glance towards Pete’s back which was becoming tinier and tinier.
- So good-looking guy can’t be an asshole, one of them sighed.
- Oh, yes he can, really easily actually, I said still angrily.
Even he had a dark brown hair and brown eyes and also his being was like a cute boy, it really didn’t tell much about his nature. Pete could be nice and he could behave well but at the same time he could drive other people crazy with his behaviour.
- Is he your boyfriend? one girl asked her mouth wide open.
- No way! I shouted.
I really wasn’t going to lower myself to the level of that kind of Casanova. I wasn’t even interested in having a boyfriend who would be beside me complaining about everything I did. I didn’t require it. I had seen how girls were crying after a boy for days. I think it was just stupid, it was much easier to be alone. I didn’t need to explain where I was going to and where I was coming from. I didn’t need to be jealous of every word which was said to the opposite sex.
- Why were you kissing then if he wasn’t your boyfriend? a girl asked.
- It was a payment of the lift here, I answered murmuring.

It continued with the same way all night. Many people couldn’t believe that Pete wasn’t my boyfriend. They thought it was weird I hadn’t told them I had a boyfriend. On the contrary I had given an image I didn’t need boyfriend. Finally I couldn’t stand any questions or conclusions about the relationship between me and Pete. I left to walk around the city centre hoping that there would be someone wise person I could talk with. I saw some people I knew but they were so drunk that the conversation wasn’t really wise. I couldn’t understand why they had to drunk even there would have been a reason for that. That’s why I had got some kind of nerd’s reputation because I haven’t ever drunk myself until the drunkenness. I didn’t care about the reputation, my decisions didn’t belong to others.

It was around midnight when I finally left back home. The centre started to be quiet, there were left only the most stubborn drunken people who nobody could stand anymore if you weren’t drunk yourself. There was a new surprise when I got at home. Mom was still awake and wanted to know where I had been and with whom.
- Breathe towards here! she demanded then.
- You should know pretty well that I don’t drink and if do it, I take so little that I’m not drunk, I said but breathed to her.
Maybe it was better not to piss her off anymore.
- We’ll talk about this in the morning, she promised while walking to upstairs.
I sighed and climbed to upstairs too after her. Sometimes I wished I would live all alone.

I knew it! I knew that Pete was going after her!

Amazing part, I liked it (:

You're extremely sure that he was going after her?
Duude, how the hell I can keep my mouth shut now...? haha