Chapter Text
f i r s t/
The summer before first grade doesn't exist.
You transfer midyear, but your teachers are nice!
You carry the flimsy backpack your cousin gave you, excited,
and gripe about wearing pink camouflage till your uniform arrives.
It's a year of Disney Junior, and the TeenNick 'teen shows' they aired once.
Now, you miss them. Better than Dora.
Though, now you don't even watch cable.
[When your sister gripes about the pink camouflage , some years later, you roll your eyes and chide her]
/s e c o n d/
The summer before second grade is a thrill.
It's your first (proper) summer in this strange new city
You meet the kids on the floors of the apartment you live in,
and enjoy yourself.
In the end, this is your second most fun summer.
[Later, most of those kids drift away or move. Inter-apartment rivalries go far, and you're glad you didn't get involved]
/t h i r d/
Summer before third grade is a marathon.
Instead of going to see your hometown relatives, they come down to see you.
That fortnight with your favourite cousin, and her new little sister,
is memorable.
[Later, when the little one is a bit older, she doesn't remember a thing]
[This was your last summer spent mostly outdoors]
/f o u r t h/
Summer before fourth grade is an experience.
You discover the internet through Disney Junior point-and-clickers
(Finding another small title, Riddle School. You don't know how big the effect that game will have, yet)
Your mother-tongue is downgraded to second language,
and when you see your cousins again, there are movies ready on their USB,
because Global Warming has hit, and playing in the metal park outside is forbidden.
[The Sound Of Music is still your favourite Disney movie, and you discover that crafts are not made for you]
/f i f t h/
Summer before fifth grade is a haze.
You still have to share with your sister, despite your (relatively pointless) arguments.
While there is no wi-fi, you and your sister spent the days watching Minor Details and
Skylanders on Netflix.
(It was the only thing you'd downloaded)
When you were bored, and just beginning to immerse yourself into fandom, you found this small website.
It was called Wattpad, and you made an account, just to not be bothered by the login request.
[It was either the single best, or single worst decision you'd made that year]
/s i x t h/
Summer before sixth grade is a chill one.
There were James Patterson books, iced tea, sneakily reading grownup books and a big
big
book of answers.
When your grandparents came,
you refused to study.
Global warming struck again, and you and your cousins read books for
hours and
hours, with
Music blasting at every hour, because you could.
[You could safely say this summer was your favourite]
/s e v e n t h/
The summer before seventh grade is vivid.
You rediscover the website you abandoned,
You begin rewriting, fully immersing yourself in the Undertale fandom.
And Hollow Knight, of course.
Your Spanish improves,
You rediscover your mother tongue, and do your best to remember its grammar rules.
It's sunny, but the evenings are golden yellow.
It's like bathing in sunlight.