3. Summer
Summer
“Ouch!” Addie shouts, wrapping an arm around her midsection.
I cross my legs. “What’s wrong?”
She waves me off. “Just had a sharp jabbing pain in my tummy. I’m all good now.”
“Period?”
She looks off into the distance. “Don’t think so. Not due for another few days.”
“Hmm.” I shrug, flipping open my notebook.
“Oh my God, I can’t believe we’re actually going to a party together! You have to see Xavier’s house. His parents are so rich,” Addie says, bouncing up and down on her mattress.
I point my pen at her. “Easy there, you might bust a spring.”
“This bed has seen plenty of bouncing and lived to tell the tale, thank you very much,” she says, her chin lifting proudly.
I wrinkle my nose. “Ew.”
She snatches a small cushion from her bed and pelts me with it.
“Hey!” I say, throwing an arm up to block it.
“Hey, yourself! I’ve taught you better than that, haven’t I?”
I purse my lips. “Yes.”
Her brows rise. “And what exactly did I teach you?”
“Change my tampon every four hours or risk toxic shock syndrome.”
“Summer!” she admonishes.
I try again. “Never trust a fart.”
“Sum!”
“Always pee after sex?”
“I will hurt you.”
I sigh, ditching my notebook and pen beside me. My voice comes out robotic as I repeat the words she’s uttered many, many times. “That young women are entitled to explore their sexuality without judgment.”
“Much better.” Her chin faux trembles. “I’m so proud of you.”
I roll my eyes, chuckling as I pick up my pen and flip to a fresh page.
“I can’t help it,” she says. “My mother is a sex therapist. We’re a pro-sex household.”
Oh God. I picture Rhonda trying to teach me about the birds and the bees and nearly gag. I don’t know how Addie can open up like that with an adult, let alone her own mom. I can’t talk to my dad about anything. Most of all, definitely not that. If he knew I was even thinking about—
I stop that train of thought before it can leave the station.
The room goes silent, save for the steady drag of ink over paper. After a beat, I can feel Addie staring. I pause and look up.
“What?” I ask.
Her eyes narrow. “When are you gonna do it?”
“Do what?”
“You know … it.”
I cock a brow. “Get bangs? I’ve already told you, I don’t have the forehead to pull them off.”
“Have sex.”
I scratch my temple and shrug my shoulders, returning to my scribbles.
“Oh no. No, no, no.” She sits forward. “You aren’t getting off that easy. Surely there’s someone you’re interested in.”
“Addie, come on. Give me a break.”
“No,” she says with finality.
I groan, closing the notebook. “You know exactly who I like.”
“Then why don’t you do something about it?”
My jaw clenches. “Because … we’re friends.”
“So?”
“So? Everyone else is getting out of here. Going to college, catching STIs, starting jobs … and I’ll still be here, and I don’t …”
“Don’t … what?”
I release a sharp breath. “I like things the way they are. It’s how it’s supposed to be. I don’t want to ruin the friendship right before he leaves for college, okay?”
“Sum … I think that’s sort of inevitable.”
I reel back. “Inevitable? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It usually means that something is certain to happen and cannot be avoided or prevented.”
I hurl the cushion back at her head.
She lifts both hands in surrender. “All I’m saying is that he looks at you the same way you look at him. He’s into you, Sum. I don’t see the point in dancing around your feelings. Girl meets boy. Boy likes girl. Girl also likes boy. See?”
My lungs deflate. “It’s not that simple, Adds.”
“Of course it’s that simple.”
“Yeah, well, you’ve never been in love with one of your best friends,” I murmur before I can clamp my mouth shut.
Crap.
I risk a glance up. She has the biggest, smuggest grin on her face and my cheeks burn. Great.
“Did you just say love? As in … loooove, love? You LOVE Chase Shitmore!”
“Shhhh!” I whisper-shout, eyes darting to the bedroom door. “Anyone could hear!”
“Who’s gonna hear? Joanna? She’s fourteen. That kid’s head is so far up her own butt, I’m surprised she can see daylight. Believe me, she’s not listening.”
I grunt, dropping my head to my hands.
She’s off the bed in a second, sliding onto the floor beside me. “If it helps, I think Chase loves you too.”
I peek at her through my fingers. “Really?”
“Really. You’ve at least thought about it, right?”
I nibble my lip and she bumps my knee. “Come on, Sum. You’ve just finished high school. You’re allowed to think about boys.”
“Of course I know I can think about boys. I just … haven’t been ready yet, that’s all.”
She waits a beat. “What are you waiting for?”
Chase to make the move.
“I dunno.”
“Well,” she says, scooting closer and placing a comforting hand on my back. “If or when that time comes, I want you to know that you can talk to me. I’m here for you, always.”
I shoot her a lopsided smile. “I know,” I say, resting my head on her shoulder. “Sisters forever,” I say, holding out my pinkie.
She links hers with mine. “Sisters forever.”
“Now,” I say, changing the subject. “What the hell am I going to wear tonight?”
“Eeeep!” She shrieks, jumping to her feet and clapping her hands. She pads over to her wardrobe, throwing the doors wide open and turning to me with a wicked grin. “I have just the thing. It’s gonna look so good on you. Believe me, Shitmore’s gonna die!”
When she pulls out a hanger with a scrap of fabric hanging off it, I gulp. “Where’s the rest of it?”
“Oh girl, don’t look at me like that just yet,” she says, wiggling her brows. “Wait until you see the heels that go with it!”
* * *
“Are you sure this is okay?” I ask, tugging the hem of my skirt farther down my exposed thighs as we slam shut the doors to Addie’s mom’s SUV.
Cars line the street and people crowd the yard in loose clusters, red cups in hand. Their voices create a cacophony as chatter, laughter, and shouting weave together.
Addie’s styled me in a black minidress—I mean, this thing is tiny—with thick silk straps and a cowl neckline, the midnight fabric clinging to me like a second skin.
I feel like I’m wearing a napkin.
My father would murder me if he saw me in this.
My hair is down, falling in loose, auburn waves. My other hand grips the oval pendant resting against my sternum, running my thumb back and forth over the smooth metal. My eyes pinch shut as I attempt to steady my breathing.
I feel like a fish out of water.
Rhonda sticks her head through the open car window. “Have fun, girls!”
“Bye!” we reply in unison, waving as she takes off down the street.
I take a moment to find my balance. I feel like a newborn foal teetering in these damn heels Addie gave me. No wonder her calves are so muscly. My legs are already tired, and I haven’t even made it inside yet.
My gaze follows the sprawling, lush lawn leading up to a large stone house. You can hear the waves crashing against the shoreline from here. I refrain from letting out a low whistle.
Wow.
Addie wasn’t lying when she said Xavier’s parents were loaded. This isn’t a house, it’s a whole-ass mansion.
I feel Addie’s fingers pinching my chin. I jerk away from her grip with a gasp. “Stop doing that!”
“What?”
“Touching me without a warning.”
“Jeez. Sorry. Your mouth was hanging open. I just thought you might wanna close it. You’ll catch flies.”
Oh.
My eyes snap back to the mansion looming before us. “Why didn’t Xavier’s parents send him to Orange Bay Grammar instead of Ocean Grove High?”
Orange Bay is the fancy private school one town over. Sometimes, when the surf is good, OB kids will drop into the diner after a day out on the waves. Otherwise, we don’t mingle much.
She gives a quick shrug. “No idea. Maybe they wanna keep him humble.” Her eyes drop to where I’m still tugging the fabric down my quad, and she slaps my hand away. “Stop fiddling. You look hot!”
I try to inspect the length of my skirt from behind, peering over my shoulder. “Can you see my butt?”
“Oh my God. No, Summer. The length is fine.” She squeezes the bridge of her nose.
“I’m just worried that if I bend the wrong way, everyone will see what I ate for breakfast.”
“You know what? It truly is a mystery why Chase hasn’t confessed his love for you yet.”
My eyes narrow.
“You can’t see your butt. You just feel weird because you’re not wearing sweatpants.”
“Hey,” I say, grinding to a halt. “What’s wrong with sweatpants?”
Her lips tip up as she fishes through her purse before brandishing a lip gloss. “Nothing’s wrong with sweatpants. In fact, I love your sweatpants. But you look like you stepped out of Hollywood in this dress.”
My nose wrinkles. “Really?”
She scoffs, applying a fresh layer of gloss and smacking her lips together. “Please. You could wear a potato sack and still look like a model.” She slips her hand in mine. “You ready to go inside?”
I nod silently, chewing my lower lip.
She moves to stand in front of me and takes my other hand, rubbing a soothing thumb over my knuckles. Her eyes soften. “We don’t have to go if you don’t feel comfortable, Sum. I can call my mom. She’ll come right back, and we can stuff our faces with food and watch movies.”
She really is the best friend ever. But I can’t bring myself to spoil her night.
I’ve heard the football guys hyping this party for months.
Xavier’s folks are out of town on some extended business trip—which I guess makes me feel a little less alone on the parent-missing-graduation front—and I know Addie’s been looking forward to this forever.
If she can stay in, listen to my boring songs, and watch movies without complaint, then I can suck it up for one night and do this for her.
I take a deep breath, a challenge considering how tight this dress is. “Yeah, I’m ready to go inside.”
She threads our fingers and squeezes my hand three times, grounding me, which I return.
I’m okay.
A sparkling smile splits her face as she leads me up the walkway toward the party. I spot silhouettes of dancing figures moving about as the thumping bass spills through the open door, dispersing into the balmy night air.
As we approach the front porch, three guys stumble out, sloshing beer all over the immaculate deck as they make their way toward the lawn.
I immediately recognize them as the trio who usually ditch class to smoke weed under the bleachers. Quite the inspiration.
“Aw, man! This was full like ten seconds ago,” one of them whines, eyeing his spilled drink.
Another one claps him on the back. “Dude, quit crying. I’m wearing half of mine.”
The last one holds his cup high. “Sucks to suck!”
I watch, horrified, as he chugs the drink in one gulp, crushes the cup against his forehead, and releases a loud belch that echoes across the yard.
How are they already drunk?
“Looking good, ladies,” the first one drawls as he zigzags around us.
“Hey!” The last one points a long finger at me. “You’re that quiet singer chick, right? Bummer or something?”
“Summer.”
A lazy grin spreads across his face as his eyes slide down to my boobs, linger, then climb back up.
“What are you looking at? I’m not a menu,” I say.
“You sure? ’Cause you look good enough to eat.”
I bite back the urge to gag.
Addie plants a hand on her hip. “Please don’t tell me that line actually works for you?”
The burper sidles up to his friend, slinging an arm over his shoulders, pinning Addie with a look. “Heeeyyy, you wanna do something that’ll help me remember you?” He pumps his brows.
“Tempting.” Addie rolls her eyes, grabs my hand, and pulls me past them. She’s giggling by the time we reach the front steps. “This is gonna be fun.”
“I can hardly wait,” I deadpan, following her inside.
We’re barely through the door when the pungent smell of beer, cigarette smoke, and weed encases me like a rolled joint.
Is the entire house high?
We weave through the sea of bodies, making our way toward what I can only assume to be the kitchen. Someone grabs my elbow, giving me a gentle nudge.
My body locks up for a moment but relaxes when I hear a familiar voice.
“Summer,” the voice says. “You came!”
I swing my head around to find Cody and beam. “Cody!” I practically jump into his arms. “I’m so happy you’re here!”
Cody’s cool. He’s in the drama club and has always been nice to me. We had homeroom and math together. Even though we didn’t always hang out, we’ve become pretty good friends over the years. He’s super close with Addie.
He’s about six feet tall with golden tan skin, the most gorgeous honey-colored eyes, buzzed black hair, and cheekbones to die for.
He’s wearing a pair of straight leg jeans and white Reeboks; his form-fitting white T-shirt stretches across his broad chest, topped with his usual long silver chain necklace.
“I didn’t think you’d come.” He pulls back, giving me and Addie an appraising once-over.
You and me both.
“Wow. Summer,” he says, eyes wide. “You look—”
“See!” Addie says, nudging my arm. “Told you.”
I suck in a breath at the contact.
“Wanna get a drink?” Cody asks.
“Yes,” Addie chirps at the same time I say, “I’m not drinking.”
“What?!” Addie looks at me with horror. “Not even one?”
“Don’t force her into anything, Adds,” Cody says.
She holds up her hands in surrender. “I’m not, I’m just—Really? Not even one?”
I huff. “Fine. I’ll have one.”
Addie does a little jig and claps her hands.
“I mean it, Walker. One,” I say, wagging a finger in front of her face.
“Yeah, sure,” she drawls, snatching my hand and leading us into the party. Cody trails behind us.
This is going to be a long night.