30th of June 1991 was a warm day. Most of the people were spending their day at the beach. The water was clear, and only small waves hit the shore. It was only five days since the seniors at the high school had graduated on a rainy day. Only three since almost everyone went on vacation. It was as if they had vanished into thin air, and left the small island in their wildest imagination.

The streets smelled of smoke from sigarettes and food from the taverns. People from all around the world were walking down the streets. It was  hard to spot someone who actually lived there. Funny thing I imagine, how were all so eager to leave our home behind during summer. Yet we always return somehow. As if we're surreptitiously longing for nothing more than what life has always been. Teenagers were running around. Children were laughing. It couldn't have been any better. If only it had stayed that way.

I was walking home from my job at the cafe. June was the month where none of the restaurant employees had any vacation. Nothing was different for me. My mother had insisted that I got a summer job.  "You have too much leisure time," she insisted.

Which was inherently true, but still stupid. The entire point of summer is doing absolutely nothing, while simultaneously wanting to change your entire way of life.

"That's the point, mum, it's summer."

Helenas family moved to the island when Helena was seven years old. Their old house had been too expensive for them to afford anymore. Her father had applied for a job here. Just a week later, they got the call that said he got the job. The entire household moved in less than a week. She barely had time to say goodbye to her friends. Luckily it didn't take Helen a long time to feel home at Rhodos. The island was gorgeous all around. Everyone was super nice, and she barely missed Kos. Until now. Now she missed it more than ever.

The wind was blowing through Helena's long brown hair. Her brother Theodore Katsaros was walking beside her. The two didn't look much alike. Theo had blonde hair and clear blue eyes, unlike Helena's brown eyes. Both of the siblings were tall, but Helena was still about fifteen centimeters shorter than her brother. He's less than a year older than her. Theo was born the 15th of January, and less than a year later Helena was born the 23rd of November. They had been inseparable ever since.

-When are you leaving for Athens? Helena asked her brother calmly.

Theo shrugged and answered.

-Tomorrow.

Helena looked at her brother. He was staring at the ground, before he took each step. Theo broke his leg when he was ten, and had to get an operation. The doctors did a great job, but Theodore is still limping. Many people has made fun of him because of the way he walks.

-How long are you staying there? She asks.

They pass a park full of children playing on the playground. Some kids are playing soccer, while others are on the swing sets. Most of the parents sits gathered around a table talking. Helena can hear them speak in loud greek, complaining about the heat. She smiles when she thinks about her and Theo playing while they were younger. Him pushing her on the swings. She running after him, trying to catch him.

It had been about a month since Theo first mentioned Athens. He wanted to go there to look for a place to study next year. While Helena wanted to stay on the island for college, Theo was desperate to leave. She had never wanted to leave her family and her friends.

-About three months, Theo suddenly says.

Helena nods. That meant she wouldn't see him all summer. The worst thing was that he probably would stay there even longer than he told her. Helena frowns of the thought of her brother leaving them. To lose Theo would be one of the hardest things in her life. He was the kind of brother every girl wants. The tall masculine brother, who only becomes vulnerable when he's alone. The kind of brother who protects their sibling from everything. The brother who plays with one. The brother who scares away bullies, talks about everything and loves their sibling. Theo was that brother. Everyone who met him, loved him. No exception. Her parents had always told everyone about Theo's perfect grades, perfect behavior, perfect everything. He deserved it. He is perfect. He is a sky with no clouds. A heart with no bruises.

They walked the rest of the walk home in silence.

Helena Katsaros was never the one in the family who checked the mailbox. Why should she? She never got any letters. The day the first letter arrived was the only exception.

Helena walks up the path that leads to her house. The sky is clear, and the sun is burning. All around her the flowers is blooming and the trees are green. In the distance she can hear the ocean waves, and a faded sound of people talking. She's humming the sound of an old Beatles song her grandpa used to play for her. A bird flies over the treetops. She walks past the Anasta's olive gardens. She walks past fields of flowers, small houses and children playing.

The mailbox to her house is cold, because it has been in the shadow all day. Helena's house is surrounded by many trees, and a large willow tree is blocking the sun for almost the entire day. Her family's house is small, and it has white walls. It has a small garden covered in flowers. The cat Sunny lies on the small bench on the veranda. Its orange pelt looks like it's burning in the sun.

Helena opens the mailbox and picks up the mail. As expected the family's bills and magazines was there. She looks confused on the letter that is assigned to her. Was it a mistake? 

The last time Helena got a letter from someone was when she was fourteen, and her mother was on vacation in Montenegro. She had sent the siblings a letter about what she was doing. Helena's family haven't always been great. It was a time when their parents wasn't happy. They fought about silly things, like who's turn it was to drive the kids to school. Helena's mother had gotten tired of it. Without even telling the family, she left to go on a vacation. Nobody knew where she went, until the letter arrived. Helena started wondering if their mother had left again. Was the letter from her?

The letter was in a white envelope. It was locked with a smiley face sticker. Her mother would have sent a postcard. It couldn't be from her? "She just left for work this morning" Helena thought. "Right?" Suddenly she heard a loud slamming noise. Quickly she hid the letter, and turned around.

Authors note:

(Hi! Thanks for reading the first chapter. Sorry in advance for any grammar or spelling mistakes you may find. English isn't my first language. Hope you like the story).