Summer Love (First Love Book 1) (3 page)

When Marissa woke up the next morning, Chad was gone.

“He’s meeting his probation officer,” Brayden told her when she looked down at the empty blankets.

Marissa kept herself busy around the house that day. She knew she would be heading home soon, so she spent most of the day going through the house and packing her things.

Just before dinner that night, her grandparents showed up to take her back home. They had decided to leave that night instead of waiting until the following morning.

Marissa was heartbroken. She knew it was stupid to get her hopes up, but she couldn’t help it. As soon as school started, Chad would probably find someone else, hopefully not someone like Tamara, and he would forget about her. She knew she would never forget about him, but was excited to get home to see her friends. She called her mom and her best friend, Melissa, to tell them she would be home that night. Melissa told her that she would be at her house waiting for her, which probably meant she would be babysitting her little sister, Kayla.

Before she left, Brayden pulled her aside. He showed her a piece of notebook paper with her name and number written on it.

“I’m assuming this was meant for Chad, seeing as I already have your number.”

Marissa blushed. “Yes, please make sure he gets it,” she told her cousin.

“I’ll do what I can, but don’t get your hopes up.” He gave her a hug and started toward the basement. “See you in May, little cousin,” he said before disappearing down the stairs.

Marissa walked outside and climbed into her grandpa’s truck. She slept most of the way home.

It was after 10 that night when her grandpa pulled into her driveway. Melissa tore out the front door before the truck was even stopped.

“Don’t you dare stay gone that long ever again!” she told her. “I’ve been so lost without you!”

“Oh, I am definitely going back as soon as school is over!” The girls grabbed Marissa’s bags, said goodbye to her grandparents, and disappeared into the house.  As soon as they were in her bedroom, Marissa started telling her best friend everything about Chad. It was almost 2 in the morning before she was done, making sure she didn’t leave out a single detail.

“Who would have thought that you of all people would fall for a bad boy?” Melissa exclaimed when Marissa was done. “You should call him!”

“I don’t have his number, but he has mine! Maybe he will call tomorrow!”

The girls stayed up all night, talking and giggling, while telling each other about their summer. They both agreed that Marissa’s was definitely more eventful that Melissa’s, who had spent most of the summer babysitting.

Marissa and Melissa spent the weekend getting ready for school to begin. They were about to enter their first year of junior high.

On Monday morning, the girls were eager to compare their schedules, although they soon found they didn’t have a single class together. Marissa was alarmed to see that she had a couple of advanced classes, which would mean she would be venturing into the high school for two hours each day, for math and English.

School was a few weeks in before Marissa stopped waiting by the phone.

“I knew it was too good to be true,” she told Melissa as they walked home from school one day.

“Maybe he just lost your number,” Melissa suggested.

“If that were the case, he could get it from Brayden if he wanted to. He probably found someone else. Or even worse, he’s back with Tamara.”

When they arrived at Marissa’s house, Melissa didn’t stick around. Marissa was a cheerleader and had a game to be back at the school for in less than two hours. Melissa, having not made the squad, decided she didn’t want to go.

Brayden, Chad, and Chris were hanging out at their local pool hall on a Friday night. School had just started for them. Chris and Chad had started their junior year, while Brayden was a freshman. It was like old times for the three of them.

“Did you call her yet?” Brayden asked.

“I don’t think I should,” Chad told him. “Besides, it’s not like she has tried to call me either.”

“Does she even have your number?” Chris asked. He couldn’t understand how his brother was still hung up on some kid he barely knew.

“No, but she could if it if she wanted to.” He looked at Brayden. “Have you talked to her?”

Brayden shook his head. “We don’t really talk much throughout the year, and we only see each other during the summer. But I think you should call. Unless you really don’t want to.”

Chad racked the pool balls and waited for Brayden to break. “I think she was just being nice giving me her number in the first place. I don’t even know if it’s even her real number. She would be crazy to go for a trouble maker like me anyway.”

“Oh, it’s her real number. And you’re not a trouble maker. Well, not a horrible one anyway. You just made some mistakes. But if you want to call her, then call her. If not, don’t. Your shot.”

Marissa soon fell into a routine that was busy with cheerleading, volleyball, and her friends. Even with the insane amount of homework the high school teachers assigned each day, she never fell behind. She even found the time to help Melissa with her math homework, which was Melissa’s worst class.

When the weather grew colder, her sports changed. Instead of cheering at football games, she moved on to basketball. Instead of playing volleyball, she joined the girls’ basketball team. She didn’t enjoy basketball, and she definitely couldn’t stand most of the girls on the team, but she took every opportunity to get out of her house. If she was at home, she was expected to take care of her sister. On weekends, she alternated staying at Melissa’s house or Melissa staying at hers.

Winter sports meant wrestling season was beginning for Chad and Brayden. Both of the boys easily claimed spots on the varsity team, despite Brayden being an underclassman. Chad struggled to keep up in his classes, especially since he had to make up some classes that he had not finished the previous year. He barely managed to keep his grades high enough to remain eligible to wrestle.

No matter what Marissa and Chad were doing to keep themselves busy, they couldn’t help but wonder what the other was doing, or wondering if they were forgotten about.

The school year ended for Marissa the Thursday before Memorial Day. Her grandparents had already called to let her know that they would pick her up early the next morning. Melissa stayed the night to help Marissa pack.

“I can’t believe he never called. Maybe I should just stay home this summer.”

“You are not changing your plans just because some boy never called. You go up there every summer. Why would this summer be any different? As much as I would love to have you stay here this summer, you can’t. I need the babysitting money!” Melissa threw a shirt at Marissa. “Wear that when you see him.”

Marissa tossed the tank top into her bag. “If I even see him.”

The girls stayed up all night. Marissa was nervous when her grandparents picked her up the next morning, but soon exhaustion set in and she slept the entire trip.

When she arrived at her aunt’s house, she walked in to the empty kitchen carrying her bags. There was a note on the refrigerator.

Lynn @ work. If you want to hang out you know where to find me.

-B

Marissa ran out to the truck to assure her grandparents that she would be fine. Once they left, she carried her bags into the small guest room she always stayed in. As she walked through the empty house, she considered staying there and unpacking. She lifted a bag on to her bed, and opened it, and noticed the shirt Melissa had thrown at her. Without another thought, she changed into the baby blue halter top and walked out the front door, through the cemetery, and to the park.

Brayden came running toward her as she climbed the fence.

“Wow! Through the cemetery by yourself!” He hugged his cousin.

Marissa couldn’t help but glance over his shoulder towards the guys playing football. Chad wasn’t there.

Brayden realized what she was doing and looked away. “Yea, he doesn’t play much anymore. He doesn’t really have the time.”

Marissa smiled her best fake smile. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m here to watch my cousin and enjoy the sun!”

“First the cemetery and now no writing? Who are you and what did you do to my little cousin?” Even though they always kept to themselves during the school year, Marissa and Brayden were always immediate friends as once they were together.

“Oh shut up and go play.” Brayden ran off and Marissa settled on her boulder. She grew bored and restless quickly, angry at herself for not bringing her notebook.

She had been sitting for about thirty minutes when he appeared, walking toward her, pushing a stroller.

“Hey, I was wondering when you would be back,” Chad said shyly.

She looked at him. His hair had grown out more since last time she saw him, and the blue was gone. He had obviously spent some time outside because he was nowhere near as pale as he was the previous summer. She wanted to jump down and throw her arms around him, but she froze.

The child in the stroller was obviously his. He had the same blonde hair, blue eyes, and dimples.

”So I take it she really was pregnant,” Marissa said softly.

“Yes, she was. This little guy is my three month old son, Anthony.” Chad reached up to take Marissa’s hand as she jumped from the giant rock.

“So are the two of you…”

“No,” Chad cut her off before Marissa could finish the question. “Tamara and I are definitely not together. She took off quite a while ago actually. He is all mine. My family is a huge help when I’m in school or wrestling, but other than that I am on my own. If I want to go somewhere, I either bring him with or find a sitter.”

Marissa bent down to say hi to the baby. “So I’m assuming this is why you never called?”

Chad knelt next to her and put his hand to her cheek so she would look at him. “I didn’t call because I knew I shouldn’t. I don’t deserve someone like you. And honestly, being friends with you would never work because I like you. Hearing your voice and pretending I could just be friends with you would have been too hard.”

Marissa blinked back tears. Chad was the closest she ever had to a boyfriend, and it was over before it started.

“Then don’t,” she finally managed to say.

“Don’t what? Don’t talk to you or don’t just be friends?”

Marissa honestly didn’t have an answer. She wasn’t sure which one she meant. She turned to walk away.

Chad grabbed her arm. “Don’t be mad. I’m just doing what is best for you.”

“Don’t I get any say in what is best for me?” Marissa snapped back.

“Yes, you should. But not about this. How would your family react if you told them you had a 17 year old boyfriend with a kid? Most parents would freak out!”

“Mine probably wouldn’t even notice,” Marissa muttered. “But you have made your point. I should have stayed home this summer. I should have realized that if you wanted me here, you would have called. It’s okay. I can stay at the campground.”

“Where would we be if I did call? And believe me, I wanted to. I almost did a hundred times! But it wouldn’t have changed anything. I would still have Anthony.”

“We could have talked about it and avoided this! You being a father don’t bother me. I would have gotten used to it if you would have told me months ago instead of just ambushing me with him. I waited by the phone for weeks! I thought that I was crazy for thinking you liked me.” Marissa’s eyes were filling with tears again.

“I didn’t even know about him until after he was born! Tamara called my older brother from a hospital in Minnesota, telling him she had just had his brother’s baby and if we wanted the baby to come get him or he was going up for adoption. She was gone by the time we got there. I hadn’t seen or heard from her since the day I met you, so I had assumed the pregnancy was a lie. I figured she would have at least wanted money or something.” Chad bent over to pick up his son. “The first time I held him, I did call you from the hospital. And I hung up as soon as I heard your voice. You sounded happy. Giggling with someone as you answered. I couldn’t tell you about him then. Not when I hadn’t called you once in the six months before. He is my life now. He doesn’t have to be yours.”

Marissa reached up to wipe the tears from Chad’s eyes. She remembered that call. She and Melissa had just gotten home from a basketball game. “And you think I would turn you away because of him?”

Chad shrugged. “Everyone else has. All of my friends. My brothers.”

“Even Brayden?” Marissa asked.

Chad nodded. “He was right there for me in the beginning. But I would go from school and wrestling practice straight home. I couldn’t hang out after school. Couldn’t stay over or he would be woke up in the middle of the night by a crying baby. Over the past month or so, we just fell out of touch. He tried to get me to call you, you know. He mentioned it every day for probably about a month. He started again after Anthony was born.”

“Can I hold him?”

Chad held the small child out to her so she could take him. “He’s so tiny. You said he was three months?”

“Born March 17th. My little good luck charm. But he will probably always be small for his age. The doctors said Tam didn’t take care of him or herself while she was pregnant. Never bothered to see a doctor until she went into labor. Who knows what she was on the whole time.”

“But he’s okay?” Marissa’s mom was a nurse in an neonatal intensive care unit back at home, and Marissa was always hearing horror stories about drug babies.

“So far. Doctors say he could develop issues later on from it, but all we have noticed so far is his size.”

“So why Anthony?’ Marissa was aware she was asking too many questions, but she was afraid he would walk away at any time. She had to keep him talking.

“It’s my middle name. And my father is Anthony Christopher. So we have Anthony Christopher, Chad Anthony, and Anthony Chad.”

“I told you that you should have called her.” Marissa didn’t notice that Brayden had walked up behind them. “She’s not a normal girl. She doesn’t get chased off easily, and she will always be there when you need someone.”

“How would this even work? It’s not like your family would approve. The age difference is bad enough, but once they find out I’m a father, they will probably send you back home immediately.”

Brayden smiled. “Lynn already knows about him and you are still welcome over any time. If you two want to try, I will help. Chad, she’s all you talked about since she left. Marissa, I’m sure you have been the same way.”

“And if it doesn’t work?” Chad asked.

“Then you can’t say you didn’t try,” Brayden replied.

Chad looked at Marissa. She had been silent since Brayden approached them. He needed to know how she felt, but he suspected she wouldn’t truly open up in front of her cousin. “Let me buy you lunch,” he suggested. “We can talk.”

Marissa nodded, still not speaking.

“Come back here before you head back to the house,” Brayden told his cousin. “We don’t want to show up separately unless we want to answer questions.”

Again, Marissa nodded. Brayden walked away, back toward the never-ending football game.

Chad took the child from her arms and settled him back into his stroller. “Are you ready?” he asked, turning back toward the street.

“Can we just go for a walk instead? I’m not really hungry.” Marissa had finally found her voice.

“Whatever you want,” Chad told her. “But first, I want to swing by my house. Melanie is expecting to watch the little guy for a little bit.”

Marissa agreed. They silently walked the two blocks to Chad’s house and Marissa waited outside while he took the baby in.