Cruel Summer

by Alyson Noel

  Just in case you are questioning your decision, or have any lingering regrets about sending me here, then I’d like to inform you that I’m willing to return at any time with no hard feelings, and no questions asked.

  Seriously, scout’s honor.

  But if you insist on standing by your choice, if you suffer no guilt, no remorse, no qualms, no regrets, no worries, and no self-doubt, then all I have to say is this:

  I, Colby Catherine Cavendish, do hereby solemnly swear to give you (my parents) joint custody of this postcard so that you can spend alternating weekends and holidays with it, sparing you the burden of meeting in a predetermined, neutral location, with your respective lawyers in tow, who would gleefully charge you thousands of dollars just to tear it in half and hand each of you an equal-sized piece.

  Love,

  Your former daughter, now orphaned—

  Colby

  June 20

  To: AmandaStar

  From: ColbyCat

  Re: Ya’Sou!

  Hey Amanda—

  In case UR Idering Ya’Sou means both hi & bye here in Greece, kinda like Aloha in Hawaii. At least I think that’s what it means!

  NEway, jus wanted 2 say hey since I’m soooo far from U & I don’t want U guyz 2 4get me!

  I’m still thinking about Fri bcuz it was sooooo fun & I totally cud’ve stayed even L8r since no 1 even noticed I was L8. O well.

  Tell Levi hi from me & tell him 2 msg me & tell me if he’s still maybe coming 2 Greece like he sez.

  But don’t tell him about the totally hot guy I sat next 2 on the plane 2 Greece!

  L8R

  Colby

  P.S. Oh yah—almost 4got 2 tell U I’m starting a blog so u guyz can c my pics & stuff! So stop by & ck it out & don’t 4get 2 tell Levi!

  Cruel Summer

  Blogger Profile:

  Name—Colby Catherine (Cat)

  Age—17

  Gender—Just a girl

  Sign—Peace

  Industry—Adolescence

  Occupation—Prisoner of Greece

  Location—Tinos via sunny CA

  About me:

  I’m a seventeen-yr-old girl who’s being punished by her parents. Banished from everything she knows and loves and packed off to spend the summer on a Greek island—which, trust me, is far worse than you could ever imagine.

  The purpose of this blog is so that I can document the most horrible summer of my whole entire life, and share a few photos (think of it as evidence!) along the way.

  Interests—Going home immediately!

  Favorite Movie—Best movie ever, hands down, I don’t care if it’s old—Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Even though the ending in the book version is actually way more realistic than the movie version, because it’s not all sappy and sweet, and is more like real life and not how Hollywood likes to portray real life. But still, either way, Holly Golightly kicks ass!

  Favorite Song—Um, this changes all the time, though my all-time favorite would probably be that song “Breathe” (don’t judge me!) because it pretty much sums up my view of life, which is: bad things happen, people betray you, mistakes are made, parents divorce, and in the end there’s nothing you can do to erase it, you can’t rewind, can’t go back, the only thing you can do is breathe. (And if you can’t even do that then it really doesn’t matter anyway, does it?) And no, I’m not being negative, just realistic.

  Favorite Book—Other than Breakfast at Tiffany’s, I have to say that I love to read just about anything and everything except for those BORING, wordy, never-ending novels written by old dead Russians that English teachers just love to assign and make you write papers on! But other than that, it’s (mostly) all good!

  Cruel Summer

  June 20

  Um, testing, 1, 2, 3, testing…Okay, so this is the official kickoff to my summer blogging project where I will share all of the occasionally awesome, but probably mostly horrific and boring things I’m doing and experiencing here on the Greek island of Tinos, which is famous for its religious pilgrims and superdeluxe dove condos but not much else.

  But since, so far, I really haven’t done much of anything (I mean, unpacking, sleeping, and searching for a place to log on isn’t really worth writing about), I’ve decided to share a few pictures instead, so you can get an idea of what I’m dealing with here.

  Ready? Here goes:

  1) That’s the outside of my aunt Tally’s house where I’m staying. And believe it or not, they all pretty much look exactly like that. Seriously, they’re all boxy, with white walls and colored doors and shutters, and they’re all really stark and simple and no-nonsense. Which is pretty much the exact opposite of what I’m used to seeing back home.

  2) That’s my room—again, notice all the white. They’re really big on white here. Though luckily that bed is more comfortable than it looks. I mean, it’s way more narrow than my bed at home, but at least the pillow is halfway decent. Also, notice the evil-eye pendant hanging over my bed? That’s so I don’t get “eye sick.” You know, cursed by a jealous, hateful person with bad intent (which believe it or not, is something the locals take as a serious threat to one’s overall well-being). And all I can say to that is: IF YOU’RE CRAZY ENOUGH TO BE JEALOUS OF ME, THEN YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO WEAR MY SHOES AND TRADE PLACES SO I CAN GO HOME AND GET BACK TO MY REGULARLY SCHEDULED LIFE!

  3) If you think you’re just looking at a photo of an old lady dressed all in black, and riding a donkey, then look again. Notice the basket hanging off the side of the donkey’s butt? Guess what? It’s filled with eggs. That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, this is how you buy your eggs in Tinos. Via donkey. Delivered fresh, right to your door.

  4) See that orangey-looking, round, runny lump? That’s an egg yolk. Have you ever seen such a color? I know I haven’t.

  5) That’s a picture of the Internet café where I’ll be spending most all of my free time, sending e-mails, surfing the Net, and writing this blog. Notice the white walls and green shutters, then go back and reread #1 so you’ll know that everything you read in this blog is legitimate and true and I’m not making anything up.

  6) That’s the table where I always sit and drink my Nescafé frappe—which is kind of like a foamy, prehistoric Starbucks-type drink, only not near as good, though I am getting used to it. Mostly because I have no choice. Just like I’m trying to get used to everything around here because trust me, everything is really weird and different and, well, FOREIGN. And even though I know that’s pretty much the whole point of traveling to another country, please keep in mind that I didn’t exactly beg to come here. I was perfectly fine and happy at home, and I really wasn’t looking for any new experiences.

  7) This is the chair I sit on while I surf the Net, send e-mails, write letters and postcards, and blog. Notice how it’s made of wood, which, by the way, makes it VERY uncomfortable after more than two hours of sitting. And I should know, since I’ve already done some major butt-in-chair time (see above about how I spend most all my free time). To the point where I’m actually thinking about bringing my own cushion in, since Petros refuses to provide one for me.

  8) That’s a picture of Petros, he’s the owner of this café. You’d think he’d be glad to have some regular business for a change, but every morning when I come in, he takes one look at me, shakes his head, and says, “You are too white. You must to go outside and get some color. This is not good, not healthy.” And then I tell him how that’s really no way to treat your best customer, and to please bring me a frappe because I have an Internet life to get back to. Then we both laugh, and he brings me my drink, but it’s pretty obvious that he really wasn’t joking and he seriously does not approve.

  9) That’s a picture of my aunt Tally’s shop. It’s right here in town, just a few doors down, at the end of the street. She makes jewelry and T-shirts and sells them to tourists. She also has some of her boyfriend’s (Tassos’s) pottery and sculptures in there as well, but only a few pieces since the shop is kind of smal
l as you can see. Only I haven’t met him yet because he’s out of town. And I don’t hang in her shop all that much anyway because it’s usually pretty busy and I just end up feeling like I’m in the way.

  10) That’s my aunt Tally sitting on her terrace watching the sunset and having a glass of wine. Most of the sunsets here are really stunning like that—like a blaze of purple, orange, and red, streaking the sky before dropping into the sea. But you get used to it pretty quick.

  11) That’s a picture of the Meltemi wind. Yes, the wind is so strong here that not only does it have a name, but you can actually photograph it. Just look at those swaying shrubs and giant swirls of dirt. Well, just so you know, it blows like this practically every day! Aunt Tally refers to it as “nature’s air-conditioning” and says I’ll be sweating big-time when it stops. All I know is that I want it to stop.

  12) Oops, there is no #12. Aren’t you glad? Because this blog is truly PATHETIC, believe me, I know.

  But please stay tuned, because you never know, it just might get better (though I seriously doubt it!).

  Comment me! (Please!)

  Colby

  June 21

  Dear Tally,

  Sorry, but no beach for me today, I’m off to the café.

  Hope you have a good day—

  Love,

  Colby

  June 21

  To: AmandaStar

  From: ColbyCat

  Re: Hey!

  OMG, those pics U sent frm ur party R HILARIOUS! They made me soooo homesick! And no, Petros from the café is so NOT my boyfriend, bcuz plz, he’s like 40, & trst me there’s way hotter guyz here! And also no, most of the guys here don’t have mustaches like that, it’s mostly just the old ones.

  Spkg of—Jus Idering if UV heard NEthing from Levi? Did U give him my e-mail? And do U no if he’s still maybe coming here on that cruise? If U talk to him tell him 2 msg me, k? Bcuz IM going completely crazy here with no car, no phone, no good shops, no fast food, etc. etc. etc. and I really need 2 b in touch w/all my friends cuz I feel like I’m so far away it’s like I’m on another planet!

  Also, who was that girl with him in that one pic? U no by the pool? Do we know her? Bcuz it looked like she wuz all over him.

  Okay, got 2 go—miss u!

  Colby

  Colby’s Journal for Desperate Times Like When the Electricity Goes Out for So Long the Internet Café Closes for an Even Earlier Siesta Than Usual

  June 21

  Um, excuse me, but am I the only one around here who’s concerned by the way the hot water just inexplicably runs out in the middle of my shower, how the electricity works only when it wants (which is hardly ever), and how just about everything in this crazy place shuts down between the hours of two and five?

  Because earlier today, I was in the café, blogging my heart out and minding my own business, when all of a sudden____________________________________________.

  That’s right, lights out, computer dead (as was my battery), I mean, a total flatline, code-blue moment. And not only did I lose my blog in progress (which was brilliant by the way, I mean, seriously the best thing I’ve ever written, not that anyone will ever see it now), but when I looked at Petros and raised both hands in the air, mimicking the international sign for—What the heck? all he did was shrug and say, “No problem, no problem, relax, it comes back.”

  And after what seemed like an hour of “relaxing,” it still wasn’t back. But he didn’t seem too upset. Actually, he almost seemed happy, because he just kicked me out—seriously, he just walked right up to me, grabbed me by the sleeve, and dragged me to the door (with a big smile on his face the whole entire time I might add!). Then he flipped the sign over from OPEN TO CLOSED (well, it’s in Greek, but I assume that’s what it says), pushed me outside, locked the door, and I just stood in the middle of the road, in a complete state of shock, watching as he practically skipped down the street, happy to be on his way to doing whatever the heck he does between the hours of two and five.

  And since I haven’t really been here all that long, I really didn’t know what to do with myself. I mean, usually I pretty much just spend my days going back and forth from my room at my aunt’s to the café. But this time, for whatever reason, I felt like taking a walk. So I wandered along the harbor and was thinking about stopping for yet another frappe at one of those cute little outdoor cafés, but since I didn’t really feel comfortable with the idea of sitting all by myself like a big, lonely, friendless loser (even though I am), I decided to stop by my aunt Tally’s shop where she sells all the jewelry and stuff she makes for tourists. But even though she seemed happy enough to see me, it was obvious she was really busy, so I just waved good-bye and headed back home, staring across the harbor, gazing at Mykonos, knowing just by looking that they had no shortage of electricity over there, while wondering, yet again, why, WHY did I have to get stuck in this awful, primitive place?

  And just as I was walking along the narrow dirt road that leads to the house, these two guys rode by on this old beat-up Vespa, coming so close they practically sideswiped me. Seriously, I could actually feel one of their sleeves brush right against mine as they passed. And just as I was about to yell something, the guy who was riding on the back turned and smiled.

  And I stopped in my tracks and stared, knowing I recognized him from somewhere. But from where I couldn’t imagine, because it’s not like I really go anywhere outside of my aunt’s house and the café, which also means I don’t really know anyone other than Tally and Petros.

  But it wasn’t until I was back in my room, lying on my bed and gazing out the window that I realized it was the cute guy I saw on the boat.

  June 22

  Dear Mom,

  I know Dad moved out but since I don’t have his address yet (probably because he still hasn’t sent it) I’m hoping that you or your lawyer (yes, I got your letter about how you and Dad are only speaking via legal counsel) can pass this on when you’re finished.

  And just in case you’re at all curious, I have been to the beach on the front of this postcard, and that’s pretty much what it looks like—no shops, no bars, no restaurants, no boardwalk—nothing but sand and water. Though I guess it’s still kind of pretty—if you like barren landscapes, like that.

  Please don’t forget to pass this on to Dad, okay?

  Love,

  Your daughter who is doing her best to adjust to the lot you have given her,

  Colby

  June 22

  To: AmandaStar

  From: ColbyCat

  Re: Hi!

  Hey Amanda,

  So, that Penelope chick? The one in the pic who was hanging all over Levi? Does she go 2 another school? Bcuz I don’t know her and I’m jus Idering & U never really said.

  Well, all my news is pretty much in my blog, so U should totally stop by and comment me!

  Write back!

  Ciao—

  Colby

  P.S. NE news from Levi???

  Cruel Summer

  June 24

  So this is a picture of me (duh!) with my aunt Tally and her boyfriend, Tassos, whom I only just met because he was out of town for the last week “on business.” Though to be honest, I think he was just trying to give me and Tally some time and space to get to know each other before he came on the scene.

  It’s funny how they kind of look like brother and sister, huh? I mean, they’re both tan, both have dark, wavy hair, both have brown eyes, and, um, strong noses (not a judgment, just a fact). But I know there’s no relation since no one in my family tree is Greek, but Tassos is. He’s actually from here, which makes him a Tinian. Anyway, they’ve been together for like, twelve years or something, though they’re not married and it doesn’t seem like either one of them even really notices that they’re not married. I mean, they act like they’re married (except they don’t fight), so when I asked them why they don’t just go ahead and do it already, they both just shrugged and at the exact same moment, said, “It’s not necessary
.” And then I thought about my own mom and dad, who even though they’re busy getting unmarried, still can’t seem to stop yelling and screaming at each other, and I just shrugged too.

  I mean, maybe they’re right, since everything’s so temporary anyway, since everything has a beginning, middle, and end. So it’s probably better just to leave the door open, since you never know when you’ll need to use it.

  Anyway, I’ve already forgotten the name of this beach, but I guess it doesn’t really matter since it’s not like you’d know it, and I probably wouldn’t be able to spell it anyway—in either alphabet. I mean, even though everyone says Greek is phonetic, the second I see all those bizarre-looking letters, I’m lost. But all you really need to know about this beach is that it’s absolutely NOTHING like our beaches at home. Seriously.

  For starters, all of the beaches here are just beaches. They don’t double as food courts or minimalls or gyms like most of ours do.

  And second, there are living, breathing, ocean-dwelling creatures that can be found pretty close to shore, which is also unlike our beaches.

  So, like the moment we got our towels all laid out and I started to settle in, Tassos tossed me some fins, a mask, a snorkel, and a large net bag, and told me to follow behind and stay close, but not too close.

  And as we headed out into the water (which, I might add, is much easier here since there are no waves to dive under; seriously, the water is completely flat), I put on my gear and did my best to keep up while he swam way out by the rocks, searching for octopus and sea urchin, which, to be honest, I really doubted we’d find because it just seemed too weird to think there were octopus lurking around out there since I guess I always think of them as living WAY, WAY OUT THERE, like more in a place you can only reach by boat or submarine, and less in a place you can access with a snorkel and a pair of fins. But believe it or not, there was plenty to choose from and I watched in amazement as he proceeded to catch three of them, with nothing more than HIS BARE HANDS (!), before tossing them into the bag I was carrying.