I Believe In Love
Summer sat at the edge of a long wooden dock, her legs swinging back and forth. The ocean breeze felt refreshing yet a bit cold. She looked up at the dark night that was filled with stars. The moon was big and bright. The clouds were forming overhead and beginning to cover it.
The party was held at someone's beach house by the water. Chris Michaels had been asking her out all summer and she had decided to give in and go to the party with him. She looked back at the house which looked far away but was only less than half a mile from where she was sitting. She watched the people outside giving toasts, wrestling and playing drinking games, the guys were belligerent and wasted; the girls were flirtatious and hanging over their dates. Summer's date was inside somewhere, probably the head of the toasts or initiating the drinking games.
Summer heard the faint sound of footsteps behind her and looked to see who would be joining her. She couldn't make out the face because there were no lights where the person was standing. She shrugged her shoulders and pulled her legs in from the side of the dock. She pulled them into her chest and rocked herself back and forth. The wind was getting stronger and cooler.
"I guess I have company." Summer called out, facing the still water.
Seth walked slowly toward Summer. She had addressed him, well not him exactly, but had made the first attempts at conversation. He was surprised to see her outside when there was a party going on. He was glad though, parties, drinking and loud music wasn't really his scene.
"Yeah, decided that beer pong wasn't exactly my forte." Seth joked, taking off his sweater and taking a seat next to Summer. He offered the zipper up fleece to her.
Summer turned beside her, "Aren't you cold?"
"Aren't you?" Seth answered with a small smile.
Summer nodded her head and accepted the sweater, "Thanks."
"I'm Seth. Seth, uh, Cohen." Seth mumbled nervously, not wanting to look directly at her but watching her from the corner of his eye.
Summer pulled the sweater over her head and zippered it up, wrapping her arms tightly around her chest. Summer nodded when he introduced himself, but didn't respond.
Seth couldn't believe that he was sitting next to and having a conversation with Summer, who was wearing his sweater. He had never been this close to Summer, he had only watched her from afar. Up this close he was able to see that her face was sprinkled with freckles on her nose and cheeks. Her glowing tan skin was flawless and she had nearly any makeup on, or at least none that was obvious. Her cheeks were rosy and her lips were glossed perfectly. It all seemed so surreal to him.
There was a loud knock from behind them. They two bother turned around to see what it came from. It was two drunken guys that had probably fallen over their two feet. One of them happened to be Summer's date. He was laughing in hysterics over his fall.
"Summer? I found you! I've been looking for you. For like a long time." Chris slurred, barely coherent to Seth or Summer.
Summer shrugged her shoulders slightly, "I was right here."
"Good. We're going now. So, c'mon, unless you want to walk." Chris called out, laughing at his lame jokes. His sidekick also found them hysterical. "We'll meet you in front."
Summer sighed as she pushed herself up from the dock, "Duty calls. I'll see you later Cohen."
Seth smiled to himself, she had remembered his name. Well, maybe not his whole name. But she remembered his last one, which was the most important. The name that she would use if they got married.
Halfway down the dock Summer remembered that she was still wearing his sweater, "I'm still wearing you're sweater!"
Seth turned around and called out, "Keep it."
Summer smiled and nodded her head, she mouthed what looked like thanks. She was walking backwards for a second and then turned around and ran down the dock toward the house.
Summer sat pushing her soft brown hair out her face, and sighed heavily. Her date was riding her home from the party they were just at. It was fun except Chris turned into an ass half way through it. Chris had the window open and the cold breeze kept blowing her hair into her eyes. He was driving the car rather fast, which made the breeze stronger and cooler. Chris reached over and put his hand on her leg.
Summer pushed his hand off of her knee, "Watch where you are going."
"I'd rather watch you." He slurred.
Summer turned to the backseat and began searching for her bag that she had put back there. Chris swerved into the incoming traffic and Summer turned around quickly.
"What the hell are you doing?" She screamed, taking control of the steering wheel.
He chuckled and reached over to touch her face, "Just having some fun."
"Well my idea of fun doesn't involve me in a body bag at the end of the night." Summer hissed.
Chris laughed, "When did you become such a bore?"
"The same time you became a drunk." Summer stated dryly, taking control of the steering wheel. She pulled the car over to the side of the road. She slammed the car door, "Give me the keys Chris, you are too drunk to drive."
"I'm not giving you anything. It's my car and you can't have it." Chris whined as though he were a little kid. "They all said you were easy, they sure were wrong."
Summer rolled her eyes and took the keys out of the ignition and threw them into the grass. She had nothing else to say to him. She reached behind him and grabbed her bag and started off down the side of the road, "I'll walk." She could hear him mutter curses under his breath, at this point she didn't care. It wasn't the first time her date had too much to drink and turned into a pumpkin after midnight. In fact, she couldn't remember a single date that wasn't an ass.
Walking along the side of the road with the bright lights flashing and the cool breeze giving her chills she wished that she knew of someone to call. Marissa was still at the party with Luke, both completely intoxicated. Her dad was out of town on some business meeting, and she wouldn't dare call her step-mother.
Summer wrapped Seth's sweater around her and tightly wrapped her arms around her chest for warmth. It wasn't a usual July night, there was a chill in the air and the trees swayed back and forth. Summer predicted a thunderstorm was brewing in Newport. She just hoped she'd make it home in time.
Summer had jinxed herself. The rain came down in buckets above her. She stopped and looked up at the dark and haze sky. Summer extended her hands and whirled in the rain, when she was younger she had always loved the rain. Relished in thunderstorms, she'd run outside and stare at the sky. Summer always thought that the best time to play outside was right after a summer shower. She smiled at the falling, refreshing rain. She shivered slightly, realizing that she was probably going to catch a cold from the cold and wet rain. She took one last glance at the falling ran and decided to make a run for it.
It was nights like this that she wished she had someone to hold her when she was cold. That she had someone to carry an umbrella over her head in the rain, or to call when she needed them. It was these kind of nights she wished she was in love.
Seth fumbled with the video game controller and placed it down on the floor of the living room. He reached over and grabbed bag of potato chips and opened them. He tossed them over to Ryan, who also placed the controlled on the ground for the chips.
"These taste, uh, like," Ryan started off.
Seth continued, "Like crap? Yeah, mom must have done the shopping."
"Ah, that explains it." Ryan chuckled and handed the chips back to Seth.
Seth nodded and headed toward the kitchen, "Want something to drink? We've got water, soda, milk, OJ, some weird carrot smoothie thing."
"I'll pass man, but thanks." Ryan smiled. He was enjoying the past two weeks at the Cohen's house. They had really opened up to him and made him feel welcome, which is something he never really felt.
Seth came back to the living room holding a bottle of water, "Did I tell you I talked to her? Because I did. I talked to Summer."
"I'd say only about 100 times. I expected more."
Seth smiled to himself. He had liked Summer since the minute he saw her. He remembered everything about her. That in 3rd grade when she would give up her lunch everyday to a squirrel. He also remembered in 6th grade when she had to recite her poem in front of the whole class. It was the first time he saw her as an unsure and nervous little girl, who was frightened to read her poem in front of the class. She tried to control her hand from shaking, and it probably wasn't that obvious to anyone else, except for Seth. He even knew the poem word-by-word.
Last night, he couldn't help but take pleasure in in the fact that she wasn't her normal self that she was in school and at parties. Normally she was talkative and vivacious, last night she looked confused and lost. He felt that Summer was kind of opening up to him. Even if she only said a few words, she was different. Although she had the tendency to act well, mean, Seth felt it was just a defense mechanism. Well, he had a theory behind it. That she was just dating jerks and at times acting cruel to scare away the people that didn't really care about her. The ones that do care would be able to break down her cold exterior. And that was something Seth was determined to do.
Summer pushed her comforters that were wrapped tightly off of her. She rubbed her eyes and searched for the ringing phone. She extended her hand which knocked the phone off of the receiver that it was standing on. Summer cursed to herself and leaned over her bed reaching for the phone.
"Hello?" Summer asked, groggily.
"Morning sleepyhead." Marissa answered cheerfully.
Summer opened her eyes slowly, "Coop? What time is it?"
"Late. Like 3. You slept almost the whole day. Just checking out your date when last night." Marissa asked softly.
Summer was painfully reminded of her date, "Oh what a pleasant thought to wake up to."
"That good, huh?" Marissa cringed, she knew that Summer's track of guys hadn't been great in the past. But, Chris seemed okay, when he was completely wasted.
Summer shook her head, "He nearly killed me, Coop. And he drives like my step-mother, which we both know definitely isn't something to rave about."
"Aw, Sum, I'm sorry. I was hoping that'd he be, you know, nice or something." Marissa said sensitively.
Summer shrugged her shoulders, "Don't worry. How'd your little love triangle with Chino, his wifebeaters and Luke work out? Wait, that's four so it would be what, a square?"
"First of all, there is no love triangle or square or rhombus or anything. Secondly, his name is Ryan not Chino. He doesn't only wear wife beaters."
Summer smiled "A little defensive about him aren't we?
"He's new Summer, he just needs a friend."
Summer shrugged her shoulders, she knew that was true, "Yeah, I guess."
"So, after you left, Danny White asked me for you're number. I think someone's in love."
Summer rolled her eyes and muttered, "Impossible."
"What'd you say?"
"I said ew."
Summer hadn't the best of luck with guys in the past. She had dated frequently but it seemed as though most guys were only interested in one thing. She had somehow created a reputation as being easy, which she didn't quite understand since she was a virgin. Summer usually broke away from situations that were getting too good or close in fear that the guy would suddenly realize he could better or something along those lines.
"Sum? Summer you there?" Marissa asked quizzical.
"Huh? Yeah, sorry, I'm here." Summer replied somewhat dazed.
Marissa balanced the receiver on her shoulder, "I gotta run. I'm meeting Ryan in a little bit."
"Ryan? And you expect me to believe nothing is going on?" Summer asked smiling slightly.
"I'm with Luke." Marissa stated matter of factly.
Summer laughed, "So? The more the merrier."
"Funny, I'll call you later." Marissa hung up the phone before Summer could get words in edgewise.
Summer knew that her false bravado and her jokes about sex fooled everyone, even Marissa. They really did believe that Summer was this fast and experienced girl, that "grew up too fast," and "would spread her legs like peanut butter," as some people around school described her as. But, Summer was basically the opposite. She was a hopeless romantic, even if she tried to act otherwise. She was holding off on sex until she found "the one." Even if that meant she would be waiting around forever. At times she just wanted to be herself, to let her guard down and let people in. It was easier said than done though.
Seth had decided that maybe what he needed was to go outside and sail his boat. He hadn't been sailing that much since Ryan arrived. The last time was probably the first day Ryan came. Sailing was one of his true passions. When his parents bought him his first boat for Hanukkah when he was 14, he looked at the boat for a minute and instantly knew the right name for it. 'Summer Breeze.'
The boat was beautiful, rather small yet the perfect size for the sailing he did. The sail was elaborate and colorful, yet not showy or gaudy. The boat represented Summer to him. She was beautiful, classy, and fun, at times she was out-there and loud, but Seth knew that deep down she meant well. She never intentionally meant to hurt people.
Sailing the boat made him feel free; he was fully in control of the boat. It was probably the one thing in his life that he could control.
His love for sailing started around the same time he first met Summer. Seth moved to Newport in the 2nd grade. It wasn't the best transition; Seth lost most of his childhood friends and had trouble fitting in. It was then that he became mesmerized by the water and the harbors filled with sailboats. Instead of going on playdates and attending birthday parties, he set off on his own on adventures by the water, taking his comic books with him and sitting on a rock next to the water. He'd imagine he was Superman and had to save the day. He once threw Captain Oats in the water and jumped into rescue him. It was that day he met Summer. She was at the beach with her babysitter. Seth had never really been interested in girls until he saw Summer. Her hair was tied up perfectly in a pink ribbon that matched her pink polka dot bathing suit. She ran toward the water and splashed around in it. Seth had decided he was going to introduce himself to Summer.
He walked briskly up behind her and took a deep breath in. He was tiny for his age, and his brown curly hair was cut short. He tapped Summer on her back.
"What's your name?" Seth asked timidly.
Summer smiled brightly, "I'm Summer."
Seth just stood there unsure of what to say. He nodded nervously and looked down at the sand beneath his feet. He then looked back at Summer. She was looking up at him with her big brown eyes, that were squinting slightly from the sun. He thought she was the prettiest 2nd grader in all of Newport. He smiled at her and walked off.
That was the first and last conversation that Seth ever had with Summer, except for the previous night. Although it only consisted of two sentences, Seth always remembered it. They had shared maybe one or two words in passing after that. Summer had once told him to watch where he was going when he bumped into her in the cafeteria in middle school. Seth had asked to borrow her highlighter in 10th grade. Summer had gone on to become accepted by the "cool" kids. But, Seth always remembered her as the bright eyed and smiley Summer he met at the beach in 2nd grade. First impressions are lasting.