Seven
River
I was always a smaller kid growing up. Summer and Lily were taller than me until I had a growth spurt in eighth grade—thankfully just in time for my freshman year of high school.
Now Summer and I both stand at five-foot-nine and Lily is the shortest of the bunch.
I can’t lie and say that it doesn’t make me feel less than. Or self-conscious. Not Summer and I being the same height per se, but the fact that I’m usually one of the smallest guys around.
It doesn’t help that my metabolism seems to move at the speed of light. In the past, I’ve attempted to lift weights and shove protein down my mouth, but now? I’m lucky enough if I remember to eat something other than whatever I can throw in the microwave or order through the drive-thru.
It could be worse, I guess. I could still be smoking pot every single day but since Nicholas—one of Summer’s dads—was diagnosed with lung cancer, I took it upon myself to quit.
And now that I’m thinking about it, smoking all through my teenage years is probably why I’m wheezing after running for a solid forty-five seconds.
Summer runs ahead of me, her earbuds in, ponytail tied up, and wearing running shorts that don’t leave much to my imagination. Maybe the tightness in my jeans is another reason I’m finding this whole running thing that much harder.
I mean seriously, Summer. Who on earth runs for fun?
The weird cushion under my feet from the mondotrack catches me off guard, causing me to almost trip over my own feet. But with determination to catch up to Summer—who is completely oblivious to my struggles—I keep going.
My original plan was just to wait on the side of the field, but Summer was in her zone and didn’t even notice I was standing nearby. So now I’m chasing after her, looking like I’m a kidnapper and she’s my next victim.
I guess, technically I do want to kidnap her, but not to sell her organs on the black market, instead to go out and have dinner.
As friends, I remind myself.
Friends go to dinner. In fact, it’s something Summer and I often did before our kiss. This time will be no different.
Summer starts to slow down but it’s still a light jog that I embarrassingly can’t keep up with. I stop running completely and take a big deep breath before I scream her name as loud as I can while gasping for air.
Summer thankfully stops, whipping her entire body around and pulling out her earbuds. She’s alarmed for all of three seconds before squinting and realizing it’s me.
“What are you doing?” she calls out.
Thank god she decides to meet me halfway because I think I might be dying right now. I don’t care if that sounds dramatic. My lungs are on fire.
“You know—” I struggle to get my words out. “You were so in your own world, I could’ve murdered you if I wanted.”
She snorts. “You couldn’t even catch up to me.”
Okay…ouch. That hurt.
I mean, clearly she’s right but still.
“What are you even doing here?” Summer walks alongside me because why would this girl ever be able to stop moving for a second. I follow regardless.
“Well.” I straighten out my posture, deciding that hunching over isn’t doing me any favors. “When you told me that you were going for a run, I didn’t think you’d be gone until near sunset.”
Summer shrugs. “Running soothes me.”
“Soothes you?” I’m in disbelief. “I ran for about a minute, tops, and I never want to do that again.”
Summer rolls her eyes but smiles nonetheless.
I catch her wrist, and we both stop walking again. “You’re going to have to cut this run short.”
“Why?”
“Because we’re going to get dinner.”
Summer looks around, as if someone is going to jump out of the bleachers with an entire camera crew. The way she scrunches her nose has me feeling all kinds of giddy that I should not be feeling right now. Or ever. Not for her.
Summer and I would never work. I’m me and she’s her. She deserves someone who can give her the world, not someone who’s mediocre at best.
“What’s with that look?” I ask. “You literally just said last night that you missed me.”
She’s quick to slap my shoulder. “I did not say I missed you.”
“No, but it was implied. Let’s just admit that we miss each other and get this show on the road.”
I grin when Summer opens her mouth but stops herself. Instead, she nods. “Fine, but you couldn’t tell me all this this morning when you were stealing my protein pancakes?”
“I didn’t know where I wanted to go.”
“And now you do?”
“Yeah.” I can’t help but brush a loose strand of hair from her cheek. I quickly pull my hand away, reminding myself that us being so physically close is what got us into trouble in the first place.
Summer watches my hand fall back to my side.
I internally brush off my own actions. “Come on, let’s go.”
“Right now?” she shrieks. “I’m all sweaty.”
At the mention of it, I try not to look at the sweat that is indeed the reason for Summer’s glistening chest. It makes me want to trace the tip of my tongue along her jawline and neck, maybe even making my way over her breasts. I wonder if Summer would moan and squirm beneath me.
Summer rarely lets anyone take the reins but maybe she’d let me. Okay, my jeans are getting too tight for my liking. Time to think of anything but that. I clear my throat. “That’s fine. We’re going to head back to the apartment so we can get dressed in appropriate attire.” I grin.
Summer perks up, her smile growing wide. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
“Hell yeah.”
That’s enough for Summer to start dragging me off the track and toward our little adventure.