Lasting Summer - [Loving Summer 05] (5 page)

Chapter
7

Nat

I
never should
have sent Summer my last letter. I should have just let her believe I was dead.

Like the rest of the world, like those
dangerous criminals I help send to prison.

Like those corrupt officials and
executives at unethical corporations who hired the cybercriminals to do their
dirty work so they could be ahead of their competition, so they have
information that could take down their rivals.

Aunt Sookie’s Acting Academy was one of
their targets, and so was Summer after she inherited the Academy. You’d think
they wouldn’t care about a small acting school like Aunt Sookie’s, but they
did. It was an act of revenge, because of Summer’s mom.

She busted them first, then I came in,
helping her through Donovan Dynamics as part of the government contract.

What I found out would blow anyone’s
mind.

What I found out would turn anyone and
everyone into a paranoid basket case.

I intend to keep this knowledge hidden
as much as I could. No one knows any of it, except me.

And Summer. She doesn’t know it yet, but
she will. If anything happens to me now, she would be notified to retrieve that
letter I sent her. The clues are in there. Let’s hope that day when she would
have to read that letter again never happens. But if it does, hopefully by
then, Summer would understand everything I did, everything I said was for her.

*****

I had to go see her. Although I was hurt
and filled with jealousy when I heard her sweet voice talking to Drew behind
their suite’s door; my entire being felt more alive than these last few weeks,
just being able to hear Summer’s voice.

I did feel dead inside, cut off from my
family, my role at Donovan Dynamics, and from the one woman I’ve always loved.
So, it wasn’t hard for me to get out of my dorm room, get into my Prius and
drive up to the Pad.

It was close to midnight, but I had to
see her.

I was so familiar with the drive to the
Pad, as well as the Pad itself, I could navigate in the dark towards her house.
I parked across the street from the Pad when I got there, as to not draw any
attention. If someone was watching her, they wouldn’t notice anything unusual.

Dressed all in black, I blended into the
night that surrounded the Pad, took out my own key to the Pad and walked in.

Immediately the memories of me kissing
Summer, holding her tightly against my chest as I said, “good-bye” to her hit
me. How much I dreaded leaving her that day to go on a mission I may not
survive. If I hadn’t gone, I would be sleeping next to Summer at this moment,
caressing her, holding her and making love to her.

Oh how I missed her…her warm soft skin,
her happy smile, how her beautiful gold-specked green eyes light up every time
she saw me.

I made my way from the front door to the
living room where Summer, Drew, and I grew up watching television together,
playing video games, and hanging out.

Pass the cozy, but large granite-top
kitchen where we’ve played and cooked meals for each other.

To Summer’s bedroom where I once
undressed her and made sweet love to her.

I held my breath as I laid eyes on the
sleeping form underneath the blankets. Even in deep sleep, she was the most
beautiful girl I’ve ever seen. Her beauty still takes my breath away.

I walked up to the bed and watched her
sleep for a moment, enjoying the tranquility it brought me. “Summer,” I
whispered. “Summer, I’m here. Nat.”

At the sound of my name, Summer sighed
in her sleep. “Oh Nat,” she said, her eyes closed. “Kiss me,” she said,
grabbing my hand and pulling me down towards her on the bed. I fell next to her
as she leaned into me, “I’m so cold,” she shivered. “Nat, cover me up with your
body so I can feel the warmth.”

My
arms fell around Summer, pulling her in close to me. The feel of her in my
arms, the heavenly fresh floral scent of her hair, struck me with the need to
have her, to feel her entire body next to mine.

“Kiss
me, Nat,” Summer said, searching my face with her hands as she leaned in to
kiss me. Our mouth crashed into each other with a hunger I thought I’d buried
the day I left this Pad, the day I left Summer.

Now
I’m back, and my girl Summer was back in my arms. I closed my eyes overwhelmed
with emotions and lust for Summer.

She had full delectable lips I wanted to
bite and suck on. “Oh Summer,” I groaned. “I should never have left you. How
could I leave these lips?”

“Go ahead,” Summer said, “Make love to
me. I’ve always wanted you, now I need you. Please.”

“Oh
Summer,” I kissed her again and ran my tongue down her neck to the top of her
tank top. I had to smile. When she was with me, she went to sleep naked with
me, but now…she was back to being the Summer I knew before she got mixed up
with me or Drew. Maybe that was a good thing. It showed she wasn’t with someone
at the moment. It comforted me, knowing she still cared for me.

“I
love you, Nat,” Summer said, her eyes closed as in deep sleep. “I used to dream
about being your girlfriend. I used to believe we were destined to be together.
We are, and since you died, I can’t go on unless I join you…I can’t imagine my
life without you.”

I
stopped kissing her and looked at her face closely. She was breathing, she was
paler than the last time I’ve seen her, and right by the side of the bed on the
side table was a bottle…a bottle of pills.

“Oh
no, Summer,” I cried, grabbing the bottle and shaking it. No more pills were
left. “Why?”

Frantically
I began pumping her chest, which made her cough. A few pills came out of her
mouth. I looked at them and saw multicolored ones of animal shapes. I picked up
one and relief poured all over me. They were gummy bears.

I
laughed. It was so like Summer. My sweet adorable Summer. And I bent down to
check her breathing. It was steady, and her eyes were still closed. I looked at
the bottle next to her and saw it was a bottle of sleeping pills. She didn’t
seem to have taken too much, but whatever amount she did, it knocked her out,
and she was in deep sleep, only acting out her dreams.

Again,
I was relieved she didn’t take those pills to kill herself.

I
didn’t want to take advantage of her in this state so I pulled her tank top
down to cover her up and just laid next to her, holding her gently, letting her
know I was there for her.

I
soon fell asleep, but woke up at the crack of dawn to slip out of the Pad. I
couldn’t leave at first, but stood just watching her sleep. I thought about how
scared I was when I thought she took too many pills.

And
what she said while dreaming. That she would follow me wherever I went…it
terrified me.

“Summer,
I know you’re still sleeping, but please forget about Nat. Please move on with
your life, find someone new…like Drew. Especially Drew. Please give him another
chance…”

I
kissed her on the forehead and left.

Despite
everything, she was still and will always be my perfect lasting Summer.

Chapter
8

Summer

S
o he was also in
my Sociology class. What did I expect?

My
eyes swept over to where Drew had entered the stadium-tiered classroom at USC
where we were both entering our second year. He was dressed in a dark navy suit
that hugged his muscles and a black silk shirt opened at the neck. His hair was
combed yet mussed up as though he’d just had sex. I didn’t notice it as much
last night because I was so focused on the tension between us, but in this
light, his hair had grown longer to his shoulders in a way that gave him a
rakish pirate look. The slight blue of his navy suit brought out his blue eyes,
and made him look like he’d just came out of a Jane Austen novel.

He
was gorgeous.

Looking
at him made me want to grab his head to run my fingers through his hair.

I
wasn’t the only one noticing how gorgeous of a male specimen Drew was.

A
flock of pretty girls, as usual, jumped out of their seats to surround him,
touching him, flirting with him, grabbing him.

“You’d
think they thought he was Astor Fairway,” I muttered under my breath, getting
ready to get up to go ‘rescue’ Drew from the girls.

“Can
a Peacock get any more vain?” A handsome young man about nineteen or twenty sat
down next to me. Although he was dressed in baggy skater boy clothes, the
laid-back casual California attire preferred by many of the guys in college,
with a cap scrunched over his bleached platinum hair; I could tell he was very
good-looking.

Trying
not to turn my head to openly check him out, I glanced at him from the corner
of my eye. He was tall, had long legs and broad shoulders. Sitting next to
him, I felt his strong presence, although he himself seemed laid-back without a
single care in the world.

I
laughed. “He seemed to be enjoying himself,” I said watching Drew charm his way
with the girls. I was about to go help him out but just watched him. He was
used to his Drew Effect on women of all ages, and he knew how to work it. One
girl was handing him a pen, while another was massaging his shoulders.

“Yup,
he does,” the gorgeous man next to me said. “I’m surprised not all the women in
class are over there joining his harem. The guy’s one charmer, isn’t he?”

“Yes,
if you’re into that kind of thing. I don’t do harems. A guy who seemed so into
himself like that just doesn’t do it for me.”

I
watched Drew get kissed on the cheeks from a girl who I recognized as the
President of a sorority. Drew had belonged to a fraternity last year and been a
star quarterback on the football team on a scholarship and on early admission.
Of course he was prime meat for the prettiest and most popular girls on campus.

I
clenched my hands into a fist as that kiss on the cheeks turned into a kiss on
the lips, and Drew seemed to have kissed her back. “Uh, would he stop this?” I
muttered. “I can’t believe him, after all he’d said to me last night, seemed
him being into me was a lie too.”

I
wanted to get out and storm out of the room, but the gorgeous man next to me
placed his hand gently on my elbow. “He’s not worth it,” he said. “Don’t let a
man keep you from living your life. You’re here to learn, aren’t you? Then
don’t leave just because that guy missed out on an opportunity to show you he
is worthy of you.”

Wow,
he seemed deep. I glanced over at the guy next to me to see his face, but he
was half hidden to me, as he looked straight ahead. All I could see was his
strong chin covered in a day’s growth of stubble, his aristocratic nose and
long eyelashes from his side profile. Without his cap, he’d probably be even
more gorgeous than Drew, but in a rock star kind of way. “I can’t watch him
like that,” I said.

“Then
don’t,” he said. “Ignore him. He’s an idiot for putting on this kind of show in
front of you, if he thinks it’ll get your attention. How do you feel?”

“Disappointed,”
I said. “I thought he grew up. I thought he turned over a new leaf, that he can
act more responsible, more of a man whom I can lean on and trust, that he could
be more like…” I stopped. What was I about to say? That I wanted Drew to be
more like Nat? All this time, that was what I loved about Drew?

“What?”
the guy asked, suddenly turning to face me.

“Oh never mind,” I said, blushing. “I
shouldn’t be telling you all this. We’ve just met, and now you must think I’m
some kind of emotional mess.”

“Never,” the guy laughed. “If you’re an
emotional mess, you sure hide it well.”

“Thank you,” I said. “I try. I figure
it’s the start of a whole new school year, I can try to start fresh, get more
involved in school than I did last year.”

“That sounds promising,” the guy said.
“Always good to start fresh if you could.”

“I’m Summer,” I smiled, offering my hand
to him.

He turned towards me, looked me in my
eyes with his aquamarine eyes, mesmerizing me for a second. The shape of his
eyes, those long lashes that any girl would envy, the intensity of his direct
gaze…they sent an electrifying thrill through me, yet gave me some comfort. He
smiled and took my hand, engulfing it wholly. “Nice to meet you, Summer,” he
said. “I’m Cooper. Cooper Sorrento.”

Even his name sounded like a rock
star’s. “So, Cooper,” I said, “Why are you taking this class?”

“I was curious about it,” he said. “Plus
I’m interested in the way our society is and where it’s heading. Especially
with all the technical advances we have these days. You?”

“I was told this is the class I needed
to fulfill my undergraduate requirements. Sorry, not so deep as your reason for
being here.”

Cooper laughed. “Well, you’re here,
might as well enjoy it.”

“Yes,” I laughed.

Cooper brought up his hand to face me,
and I high-fived him, making me giggle outloud. He was exactly the kind of guy
I needed right now. A breath of fresh air, a different kind of guy from Drew,
Nat, and Astor. A guy who seemed to just take life one moment at a time…which
reminded me of someone I used to know. Myself.

A guy who I could just be friends with.
I smiled at Cooper and said, “Thanks for making me stay. I think I’m going to
enjoy this class.”

“Of course,” he said. “Now pay
attention. I think class is about to start.” He pointed to the front of the
room where a man in his fifties with glasses and a beard went to the podium.

“Good afternoon,” he said, “I’m
Professor Knapp. In case you think this is a class on sexual relationship and
dating…” he coughed looking straight at Drew and his harem, which had the
decency to stop fawning over Drew to sit straight ahead, “you’re in the wrong
class. That class is being offered next semester and being taught by yours
truly.”

My mouth dropped open and I looked over
at Cooper, grabbing his wrist. “No way!”

Cooper laughed. “Just can’t judge a book
by its cover, can you?”

“Yes, um, being a Sociologist,”
Professor Knapp continued, “covers some of that, and you would be surprise to
find we as humans, our society, and civilization are defined by our social
mores towards sexuality, gender roles, and relationships. Please sign up for
that class next semester if any of that appeals to you.”

The harem in front of the classroom
giggled, while Drew raised his hand.

“Yes, Mr…”

“Donovan,” Drew said. “Will you touch on
society’s rules on dating, courtship, and proper etiquette, even with today’s
rules?”

“Very thoughtful question, Mr. Donovan,”
Professor Knapp said, “especially coming from a guy who, let me guess, patterns
himself after Casanova?”

The class laughed.

“I just want to know,” Drew spoke up,
“the expectations placed on young people like us on what is proper and what
isn’t. You see, Professor Knapp, as an aspiring Casanova, I want to know
everything there is about how to please a woman. I want to know what makes them
tick, what makes them fall madly and wildly in love with you.”

The harem gave a collective sigh while I
took an involuntary short breath. No doubt he was referring to me. I felt a
flush sweep over my face and tried to sink deeper into my seat.

Professor Knapp chuckled. “That’s a
pretty honest reason why you’d be interested in taking the class. I’m afraid
the class wouldn’t be about sexual techniques but more about society’s take on
sexuality and how that shapes our personal choices. As far as getting a woman
to fall wildly and madly in love with you, I would say, from personal
experience, it depends on the woman. As far as what to do exactly, you’d have
to ask my wife what I did right.”

The room laughed, and I had to admit, I
already liked Professor Knapp and was interested in everything he had to say.

“Now if there aren’t any more questions
regarding my other class, please take out that sheet of paper my assistant
passed out, marked ‘syllabus’.”

I listened to everything Professor Knapp
was saying, finding this class more and more fascinating than I had originally
thought. My focus was on him, but I saw Drew turn around after he was through
with his question, and he looked straight at me, his eyes glaring into mine. He
glanced over at Cooper next to me, and scowled.

“Looks like Peacock isn’t too happy
about me sitting next to you,” Cooper joked.

“He shouldn’t care,” I said. “After all
look at all the girls surrounding him,” I gulped. “Not that I’m using you to
make him jealous. That never even crossed my mind, and I’m no way into that
kind of game. It’s immature and childish, and I refuse to stoop to Drew’s
level.”

Cooper laughed. “So that’s what’s going
on between you two. I kinda sensed you knew him from the way you were talking
about him and staring at his back.”

“We, um, just broke up, more on my part,
and…”

“Oh,” Cooper said. “That explains that
look he had on his face when he glared at me just now.”

“I’m so sorry, Cooper,” I apologized.
“You must think I’m a real mess, but, I hate that you’re already brought into
our mixed up complicated relationship.”

“No apologies needed, really,” Cooper
said. “I understand. I was in a relationship just like it not too long ago, and
believe me, it can mess you up bad if you don’t have friends to help you
through it.”

“You too, huh?” I asked, looking up into
his earnest face. Who would break up with such a nice and gorgeous guy like
Cooper.

Cooper took a deep breath and exhaled.
“I’m still trying to get over it.”

“How long ago?” I asked.

“A few months ago,” he said. “Our
relationship got so complicated, circumstances got in the way, and now…” he
sighed, “I’m afraid I walked out on the best thing that could have happened to
me.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” I said
reaching out to hold his hand. “If it makes it any better, I feel the same
way.”

“Thanks, Summer,” he said wistfully.

My breath stopped, and my heart skipped
a beat. For a moment, when he said “Summer”, I thought I heard Nat’s voice.

I shook my head. It couldn’t be Nat, and
he was nowhere near me. Maybe it was because I was wishing so badly last night
to see him again at Drew’s place. Maybe it was because I dreamt about kissing
him and nearly making love with him last night. My dream seemed so real, I felt
as though I did see, feel, and touched Nat.

“Hey, are you alright?” Cooper asked.
“You kinda spaced out just now.”

I shook my head again. “I’m fine. I
thought for a moment, I heard the voice of a dear friend of mine.”

“Oh,” Cooper said, “Must be someone
really special.”

“He is!” I beamed. “No one can take his
place in my heart.”

Cooper smiled. “I bet he would be happy
to hear you say that to him.”

“I tried, but it’s complicated.”

“The story of my life, too,” Cooper
said.

“So, Cooper,” I grinned, feeling like
I’ve met someone who understood what I was going through. “I think you and I
being here was meant to be. If you ever need to talk to someone, you can call
me.” I handed him my number.

“I will,” Cooper said. “Thank you. And
of course, you can do the same with me.”

“Alright!” I giggled. It was loud enough
to carry to the front row, and Drew’s head turned around so quickly, I was
afraid he would have whiplash.

“Oh, looks like Peacock heard you,”
Cooper nudged me. “If you do need to put him in his place, serve him his own
medicine, I’ll be happy to help.”

“You don’t have to, and that’s not what
I want to do,” I said.

“I just don’t like him flaunting all
that in your face, especially since you said you just broke up. Any guy should
have the decency to respect the relationship you once had by at least keeping
all of that flirting to himself.”

“Sounds like Drew has a thing or two to
learn from you,” I said.

Cooper narrowed his eyes at Drew,
clenching down on his jaw. “Just because he’s now wearing an expensive Armani
suit doesn’t make him a gentleman.”