14 years
Tara always loved summer vacations at her father's lake house. For the past summers, it had been her dad, Norah and her. Unfortunately for this summer, Norah had stayed back to take care of her ailing mom. She was sad that she couldn't join her at the lake.
But then again, she wasn't there alone completely. Dylan had joined her for the summer vacation. Of course it wasn't only Dylan who had tagged along. His cousin Lyon and his father were there too.
The summer had been great. She spent most of her time with Dylan when she wasn't with her father. Dylan was easy to get along with. He was also pretty innovative in the games they played.
She only saw Lyon during meals. He wasn't much of a talker. He spent most of his time in his bedroom doing God knows what. Some of the times that she had snuck up on him, he was reading. She felt small under his glare that she never said anything. He liked reading. She was sure about it.
Dylan didn't talk so much about him too. The only information he had divulged was that Lyon had lost both his parents and Mr. Marcus had taken him on. Tara couldn't help but wonder if the only reason he didn't talk much was that he lost his parents.
Lyon avoided her like a plague. Tara was sure he hated her. It was always a glare behind his dark eyes whenever he stared at her. It scared her. He scared her.
That was Lyon however. He talked to no one. He hated everyone. Tara took no offence when he answered her in monosyllables or when he didn't answer at all. She knew nothing at losing both parents. She respected whatever he was going through.
Dylan had advised her to leave him be when she wanted to invite him to join them down at the lake.
"You're wasting your time." Dylan added.
She didn't confirm how true Dylan's statements were. She shrugged and jumped in the water with Dylan.
The sun was setting when Dylan and Tara decided to return back to the house. Lyon was watching them through his window. He didn't bother to hide his glare when he looked at them. Did he want to join them too? Suddenly she regretted not inviting him. The feeling didn't last as her father called her for some strawberries.
Tara's dad, Dylan and his dad had gone into town to get some supplies. She had a sick feeling in her stomach since morning. She left them to go without her. Her father had insisted if he could stay back and take care of her. She had convinced him that she was just feeling a bit under the weather and nothing serious.
She was slicing up apples when she heard someone enter the kitchen. Lyon stood by the kitchen door, eyes narrowed at her.
"Hey." she greeted amicably. He didn't answer. He stared at her with an intensity that made her feel small in a large room. What was his problem?
"Do you want some apples?" she offered with a small smile. He gazed at her. She was fed up of being nice to him if he wasn't even going to acknowledge her.
"You know you don't have to be such a douchebag about..."
"You have blood." he interrupted. Her brows creased.
"You are bleeding."
She followed his eyes to the back of her cream shorts. A large stain was evident on the middle. Fire crept up her whole body in embarrassment. He was still staring at her unmoving.
"Excuse me."
Tara ran past him and upstairs to her bedroom. She knew what a period was. Why did it have to come at such a time? Of all people that had to witness her first period, it had been Lyon. She was helpless on her bathroom floor after the immediate call to her father.
She hadn't carried any tampons with her. She wasn't sure she could use one. Her world was levitating on emotions and hormones. She broke down into a sob. Then she had a theory about the sick feeling she had felt for most of the day.
A knock sounded at the door. She wondered if her father was back. Nothing came from the other side of the door. Another knock came.
"It's me Lyon." His voice was muffled by the door.
"What do you want?" she glared. It was enough already he witnessed the most embarrassing moment of her life. He didn't need him to rub it in.
"I am sorry." he muttered.
"You have nothing to be sorry about. It's not your fault."
"I didn't mean to see you or...I just came to the kitchen and you were there and had blood..."
"It's called a period Lyon." she interrupted.
"I know."
There was a silence on the other side of the door. Had he gone away?
"Are you okay?" His voice came again. He sounded genuinely concerned. Tara sighed a sigh of relief. Perhaps it was a good thing he was there. She didn't feel so alone anymore.
"I don't know. It's okay to have a period. I am not sure if I am okay." Tara muttered.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked.
"Get me a tampon maybe." she teased. He was silent.
"I am joking." she murmured.
"Have you called your father yet?"
"He's on his way back."
"Then I should go."
"No."
Tara was surprised by her immediate outburst.
"I mean you should stay till father comes. If that's okay.."
"I will stay."
She never felt anymore safe. Even as the silence stretched between them for minutes, she felt almost fine.
"Tara."
It was his father's voice. She pushed off the bathroom floor quickly.
"Baby."
She opened the lock and peeped through the door. Lyon was not there. How had he escaped before her father found him? She was sure he had been there just a few seconds ago.
"Are you okay dear? Do I need to take you to the hospital? His father was more dramatic.
"I am fine father. I just got my period."
"You're fourteen." he argued.
"Period always happen between nine years and sixteen years. I would say otherwise for myself."
"When did you get so smart?" His father shook his head.
"Did you get me tampons?" she asked impatiently.
"Of course, I didn't know which one you would prefer so I got all of them." Tara stared at the boxes of tampons on her bed in disbelief.
"Could you please pass me one?" she asked. Her father passed her a box.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"I will be if I get some privacy."
"Of course."
She sighed when her bedroom door closed. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and then down at the tampons. Being a woman wasn't as easy as she thought.