Falling for Summer Read Free

favorite birthday card.
     
    My smile widens. I can’t believe Summer has kept that card for ten years. Something about that makes me a little happier, and despite how tired I am, I’m instantly filled with panic. In my haze of studying for exams and working, I have almost completely forgotten about Summer’s eighteenth birthday coming up this weekend.
    “Ah, guys,” I say. “I’ll see you tomorrow at the exams. I still have to go over that last section tonight so I better get going. Thanks for stopping by and helping me study. I’ll play it by ear. If I get through everything I need to, tonight, I’ll take a small nap. If not, I’ll go straight to the exam. So, guys, thank you both for your advice. We’ll see how that works out tomorrow.” I smirk, pushing both of my study partners to the door of my apartment, trying to usher them out as quickly as possible.
    “After the exams tomorrow, Nat,” Chloe says whispering into my ear, her warm breath tickling them like a caress. “Maybe you would like to come over to my place, and we can go over some stuff for the next exam?”
    “With Harvey?” I asked, glancing over at the tall well-built freshman standing outside my door. I am a little embarrassed for him, with how shamelessly Chloe has been flirting with me all night. Harvey, the only other student from my high school class and a former football teammate of mine, had invited Chloe to join the group because he had a crush on her. Yet here she is, openly flirting with me. Besides looking a little annoyed, Harvey looks like he is eager to take off. I can’t blame Harvey, he’s probably had one all-nighter after another, and he looks just about to conk out at any moment.
    “Um, no,” Chloe said. “Just us. Besides, it looks like he’s in need of some major sleep after the exam tomorrow. Meanwhile since you and I have gotten some rest, we can get busy doing something a lot more fun,” she smiles suggestively at me.
    I put an arm around her shoulders and lead her out. “That sounds very tempting,” I say. “But I think I’m with Harvey on that. I’ll probably need a week’s worth of sleep afterwards.”
    Chloe pouted prettily before she smiles and says, “Your loss,” before taking off.
    I stand there looking out after Harvey and Chloe. Most guys in my position wouldn’t have turned Chloe down. She’s what guys are looking for in a plain old hookup with no worries of a commitment afterwards. Plain and simple sex. Except in Chloe’s case, it’ll be more kinky, I bet. That does make me intrigued a bit, but for right now, I’m good. I didn’t want to jump into something like that to complicate things. By things, I mean that I’m not like that. I don’t do hookups. Drew would, but not me. Having sex with someone, being intimate with someone like that, means more to me than just a casual thing. If there’s one thing I can take away from having to experience Mom and Dad’s divorce, and seeing how Dad’s affair affected everyone, is that I’m never going to take love for granted.
    I may have been guilty of that with Summer’s crush long ago, but not anymore. Not especially when it comes from someone like Summer, who has been loving, sweet, supportive, and kind to me for always. I’ve hurt her for not acknowledging her feelings for me when I’ve always felt the same. Now I know, and now I have to make it up to her.
     
    I am locking my front door when I get a second text from Summer.
     
    SUMMER: How are you, stranger?
    ME: Ready to settle in for a long night of non-stop studying for my first college exam .
     
    SUMMER: Oh. I wouldn’t want to come between you and that. That’s too important. Go back to studying. I’ll talk to you later.
     
    ME: No, that’s OK. What’s up?
     
    SUMMER: It’s nothing. Go back to studying. I want you to focus on that, not on me. I’ll figure it out. Bye.
     
    I text her a message, but she’s either ignoring it or not there. I sigh. I can stay up all night