Wishful Thinking (20 page)

My hungry lips continued to devour her until I could taste her tears.
 

I snuck my hand up under her shirt enjoying the sensual curves of her back the feel of her flesh beneath my fingers. My lips moved from her lips to her neck unable to get enough. I got to her shoulder and leather brushed my nose. I opened my eyes to the collar of Trevor’s coat rubbing against the bridge of my nose.
 

No way.
 

In one swift movement, I removed Trevor’s jacket and replaced it with mine.
 

Summer’s chin rested on my chest looking up at me. “I should give that back," she said tucking her arms around me.
 

I balled up Trevor’s jacket and tossed it over my shoulder and into the grass and bushes behind me, "He’ll find it."

“What are you doing tomorrow?" I asked squeezing her to me.
 

“I have to finish my paper for English."

“Do you maybe want to do that together or something?"

Her head nodded yes against my chest, “I’d like that very much.”

“Okay.”

We settled into silence again. It felt good to be outside and have Summer inside my arms. She curled in closer her head resting on my shoulder her arms squeezed tight around my chest. I twirled one of her curls between my fingers and couldn’t stop burying my nose into the top of her head. She smelled like strawberries and summer. Her phone started to buzz and sing, followed by mine.
 

"Ignore it," I said.
 

She pulled away taking her phone out of her pocket, "It’s probably Emily, worried about me. You did carry me off like a barbarian."

“Don’t lie you enjoyed it," I whispered to her shoulder as I placed another kiss. I distracted her by placing light kisses along her neck. She giggled and put a hand to my chest, "Stop it, I can’t answer."

"That’s the point."

“It’s Emily, she’s ready to leave." Her fingers moved like lightning over her phone. When she finished she tucked her phone back in her pocket.
 

"What about Trevor," she groaned.

“What about him?”

“You’re not gonna go all ape-like on him on are you?”
 

“Would you like me to? Cause I wouldn’t mind it.”

She playfully slapped my arm, “No, I’d hate to see him with a broken nose and a black eye.”

“Wow, you’re giving me a lot of credit.”

“I’ve seen you without your shirt on,” she said with a suggestive raise of her eyebrow.
 

“I promise no fighting, but I’m gonna make sure he loses your number.” I wasn’t big on fighting, but I’d kick his ass if it came to it. Without another word Summer wrapped her arms around my neck and pressed her lips to mine. God how I missed those lips. I couldn't stop my pants from getting snugger. I wanted her right now. She pulled away too soon but playfully nipped at my ear then her tongue licked the spot she just bit.
 

"Come on," she said getting up and holding out her hand. I adjusted my jeans before Summer yanked me to my feet. We headed back towards the house and the back patio.

"Are we okay?" I asked my voice cracking on the okay.
 

"For now," she said smiling.
 

"For now?" I inquired.
 

"You’re a guy. You’ll do something stupid again."

“Hey.”
 

“Or I will though that’s less likely. It’s what relationships are all about, screwing up so that you can make-up."

“Tell me more about this making up."

“That, usually involves—”

We rounded the patio. “There you are," Emily said breaking into our conversation. Emily gave me the once over and said to Summer, “You ready to go?"
 

“Yeah, I just need to use the restroom," Summer turned to me, “See you tomorrow?"

"Can’t wait," I said.

Emily rolled her eyes.
 

“Bye babe,” Summer said and kissed me.

"Good night," Emily added. The two went inside. As they crossed the row of windows in the kitchen Summer smiled at me and waved. My eyes followed Summer’s glorious backside, enhanced by her hip hugging jeans, until she disappeared into the crowd of kids gathered in the hall.
 

I walked over to the bench Trevor had occupied earlier. Trevor and Vince were gone but Kyle remained along with Ian, Caleb and Dean.
 

Nate was standing regaling everyone with one of his tales. “Hey,” he said when I walked up, “everything all right?"
 

Kyle stood up. "I’d say by that stupid grin on his face our boy’s just fine."
 

I smiled wider and nodded.
 

“Then you ready to roll?" Nate asked.

“Where’s Trevor?"
 

“After you walked off with Summer he mumbled something about needing a stiffer drink and I haven’t seen him since."

“Good,” I said, “let’s go."
 

I got up to follow the guys inside and that’s when I saw her. The little girl with pigtails appeared right in front of all those kids standing in the hallway. She blew a large bubble with her gum. I was supposed to be over this. The doctors said I was okay. So what the hell was going on? The little girl continued to stare at me as I stared at her unblinking.
 

She blew another bubble and then whispered a name. I couldn’t hear over the noise but I knew she’d whispered the name Chloe Franklin.

“Hey you okay,” Dean asked stopping next to me.
 

“Huh,” I responded.
 

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” he said and laughed. “Are you going to be sick?”

The little girl headed towards the hallway. She looked back at me one last time and shook her head before disappearing into the crowd of kids. It was better to pretend I didn’t see her than anything else, so that’s what I did.
 

“Nah man I’m fine,” I said to Dean and patted his shoulder for emphasis and then followed the group out.

I startled awake. My tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth and I couldn’t swallow the taste of ass away. Sitting up caused every muscle to tense and hurt so I gave up and stayed down. I pivoted my head to look to the other side of the room feeling it spin for a minute. I closed my eyes.
 

Carpet bumps indented my face as I rubbed my cheek. When I finally opened my eyes again all the sunshine poking through the shades blinded me. Where the fuck was I?

Every muscle ached, sitting up required too much energy and made my stomach roll. My hand covered my mouth trying to keep from ralphing. Pounding head and rolling stomach reminded me why I didn’t drink.
 

It took a few minutes before I could get the room to focus for me. I passed out just inside the front door of my living room. A loud grunt sounded and I lifted my head slightly to see two black polished shoes stopped in my line of sight.

“I take it you had fun?"

“Dad,” I croaked my mouth dry as sandpaper.
 

“I assume since your car isn’t here you were responsible about getting home."

Hell if I knew and hell if I cared at the moment. Could someone please stop the pulsing strobe-lights in my head? My dad placed a cup near my head and two pills.
 

“Take those,” he said, “and whether you have to crawl to do it, meet me in the kitchen."

Why did I have to pass out here? Even thinking hurt my brain. It took great maneuvering but I managed to take the pills and successfully swallow them without throwing up.
 

Getting up was another matter entirely. Never again, I thought as I stumbled to the kitchen.
 

Dad sat at the dining table sipping a cup of coffee and reading Daily Sun. He looked up from the paper when I plopped down in the seat across from him. He folded his paper carefully then took a long sip of coffee before clearing his throat. He pushed the paper and mug aside and tapped the table with his fingers, “I needn’t remind you that you aren’t twenty-one yet correct?"

“No.”

My dad sat up straighter, “Where’s your car?"

I shrugged, "Ian’s … I think."

Dad stopped tapping and pressed his hands together, "How did you get home?"

“I-I, don’t know."

“I think I’ve given you too much freedom lately, I need to rein it in a bit."

“Dad—”

"What do you feel is an adequate punishment for all the laws you broke last night?"

"This is bullshit"

"Watch your mouth young man." I could tell by the look on his face he wasn’t in the mood.

"Sorry," I mumbled. “Dad come on, look at the last two weeks. I’ve practically been a saint and I needed a break."

"A break from what?"

"Everything."

He started shaking his head, "I understand teenage angst and that people your age feel it their obligation to party and be wild, that it’s okay to be stupid when life throws a curveball. I was young once too, but the law is the law and we respect it in this house, understand?"

"Yes sir."

“Consider yourself homeward bound for the rest of the week.”

Man if it weren’t for this massive headache I could think, come up with a defense, argue my side, but I was lucky I could even remember how to breathe at the moment. I said the only thing floating in my head, "But I’m supposed to meet Summer."
 

Dad looked at me for a minute then took a sip of coffee. “You two made up?"

"Yes, and," I played the only card I had, “we’re on shaky ground.”
 

"This is my offer," dad said setting his cup back down and leaning forward, "you may go with Summer today, and only today but you will be home no later than seven at which time your week begins. Agreed?"

“I’d like to counter that, make it ten and you can tack on another day." I needed to get in at least one good make-out session with Summer before I went back into restriction.
 

“I agree to your counter on one condition."
 

I raised an eyebrow.
 

“The extra day is spent helping me at the office."

Argh.
 

A whole day in my dad’s office with all his pretentious dick-head lawyer friends sounded excruciating. Those guys were all tools who thought they were hip because they bought Starbucks double lattes and jammed to Coldplay. They operated under the delusion it was all they needed to bond with me. On the other hand I couldn’t cancel on Summer so shortly after making up. She’d dump me for real. “All right,” I finally said.
 

“Good,” dad said returning to his paper and coffee.
 

I got up to leave.
 

“Let me know if you need a ride to get your car," dad said as I left the kitchen.
 

“Great,” I hollered over my shoulder. It was eight in the morning and I was going back to bed.
 

My phone started buzzing, bouncing along my nightstand before it toppled off the side and continued buzzing face-down on the carpet.
 
I toweled my hair as I read the text message:
Can’t wait to see you xoxo -S

A smile spread across my lips. I missed her. Didn’t even realize how much until I felt her in my arms last night. I quickly typed back:
Me too xoxo-J

Summer and I never used abbreviations in our texts to each other. Acronyms and abbreviations weren’t the language of love.
 

I practically skipped to my closet to get dressed. Pathetic.

By the time I arrived with Summer at the library around two, spring showers had arrived. We rushed from my car to the library getting wet in the process. Unfortunately, little work on either English report got done. Once Summer removed her pea coat to reveal she was wearing my favorite pink sweater―it dipped low in the front offering a tantalizing view of the top of her breasts―I couldn’t concentrate.

My hands refused to behave, having a mind of their own as I relayed to Summer who kept slapping them away and laughing. And of course once my hands confirmed for me that she indeed wasn’t wearing a bra what little concern I had for homework flew out the window. After an hour of my relentless advances Summer slammed her history book closed.
 

"You’re incorrigible," she said. She leaned in and whispered in my ear, "Wait one minute then meet me in the history section."
 

She gave a quick glance over her shoulder and winked at me then continued her sashay, disappearing behind a row of books. I couldn’t even count to ten before I jumped out of my seat to follow her.
 

Fiction.
 

Mystery.
 

Where was non-fiction?
 

Romance.
 

Non-Fiction.

Finally I found the history aisle and turned down it, but there was no sign of Summer. She wasn’t in-between stacks or at the end of the row, and when I went to next aisle she wasn’t there either. In the opposite aisle was a librarian re-shelving books. Where had she disappeared to?